Lightweight concrete composite blocks

Abstract

A lightweight concrete composite is utilized to form blocks. The lightweight concrete composite includes polystyrene, cement, water, and glass. The blocks are advantageous for building retaining structures in the form of walls, enclosed areas, raised gardens, flower beds, and the like because the blocks are lightweight, easily cut and stacked, and more importantly do not introduce harmful chemicals into the environment.

1 . A lightweight concrete composite block, comprising polystyrene, cement, water, and glass mixed to formulate a lightweight concrete composite, wherein the lightweight concrete composite is cured into the lightweight concrete composite block.  
     
     
         2 . The lightweight concrete composite block according to  claim 1 , wherein the polystyrene is recycled polystyrene.  
     
     
         3 . The lightweight concrete composite block according to  claim 1 , wherein the polystyrene is ground into particles having a diameter of less than of an inch.  
     
     
         4 . The lightweight concrete composite block according to  claim 1 , wherein the glass is recycled glass.  
     
     
         5 . The lightweight concrete composite block according to  claim 1 , wherein the glass is ground into particles having a diameter of less than ¼ of an inch.  
     
     
         6 . The lightweight concrete composite block according to  claim 1 , wherein the cement is Portland cement.  
     
     
         7 . The lightweight concrete composite block according to  claim 1 , wherein the water comprises between 40% and 50% by total weight of the cement.  
     
     
         8 . The lightweight concrete composite block according to  claim 1 , wherein the polystyrene comprises between 75% and 95% by total volume of the cement.  
     
     
         9 . The lightweight concrete composite block according to  claim 1 , wherein the glass comprises between 40% and 45% by total weight of the cement.  
     
     
         10 . The lightweight concrete composite block according to  claim 1 , wherein fly ash may be substituted for a portion of the cement.  
     
     
         11 . The lightweight concrete composite block according to  claim 1 , wherein fly ash may be substituted for cement up to 20% by total weight of the cement.  
     
     
         12 . The lightweight concrete composite block according to  claim 1 , further comprising a calcium chloride accelerator mixed with the polystyrene, cement, water, and glass to formulate a lightweight concrete composite cured into the lightweight concrete composite block.  
     
     
         13 . The lightweight concrete composite block according to  claim 12 , wherein the calcium chloride accelerator comprises an amount equal to 2% of total weight of the cement.  
     
     
         14 . The lightweight concrete composite block according to  claim 1 , further comprising a hardening agent mixed with the polystyrene, cement, water, and glass to formulate a lightweight concrete composite cured into the lightweight concrete composite block.  
     
     
         15 . The lightweight concrete composite block according to  claim 14 , wherein the hardening agent comprises an amount equal to 2% of total weight of the cement.  
     
     
         16 . The lightweight concrete composite block according to  claim 1 , wherein the lightweight concrete composite block comprises a horizontal axis greater than a vertical axis to facilitate stacking thereof.  
     
     
         17 . A method of manufacturing lightweight concrete composite blocks, comprising: 
 mixing polystyrene, cement, water, and glass to formulate a lightweight concrete composite; and    curing the lightweight concrete composite into lightweight concrete composite blocks.    
     
     
         18 . The method of manufacturing lightweight concrete composite blocks according to  claim 17 , further comprising grinding the polystyrene into particles prior to mixing the polystyrene with the cement, water, and glass to formulate the lightweight concrete composite.  
     
     
         19 . The method of manufacturing lightweight concrete composite blocks according to  claim 18 , wherein the polystyrene is ground into particles having a diameter of less than of an inch.  
     
     
         20 . The method of manufacturing lightweight concrete composite blocks according to  claim 17 , further comprising grinding the glass into particles prior to mixing the glass with the polystyrene, cement, and water to formulate the lightweight concrete composite.  
     
     
         21 . The method of manufacturing lightweight concrete composite blocks according to  claim 20 , wherein the glass is ground into particles having a diameter of less than ¼ of an inch.  
     
     
         22 . The method of manufacturing lightweight concrete composite blocks according to  claim 17 , wherein the water comprises between 40% and 50% by total weight of the cement.  
     
     
         23 . The method of manufacturing lightweight concrete composite blocks according to  claim 17 , wherein the polystyrene comprises between 75% and 95% by total volume of the cement.  
     
     
         24 . The method of manufacturing lightweight concrete composite blocks according to  claim 17 , wherein the glass comprises between 40% and 45% by total weight of the cement.  
     
     
         25 . The method of manufacturing lightweight concrete composite blocks according to  claim 17 , wherein fly ash may be substituted for a portion of the cement.  
     
     
         26 . The method of manufacturing lightweight concrete composite blocks according to  claim 17 , wherein fly ash may be substituted for cement up to 20% by total weight of the cement.  
     
     
         27 . The method of manufacturing lightweight concrete composite blocks according to  claim 17 , further comprising a calcium chloride accelerator mixed with the polystyrene, cement, water, and glass to formulate a lightweight concrete composite cured into the lightweight concrete composite blocks.  
     
     
         28 . The method of manufacturing lightweight concrete composite blocks according to  claim 27 , wherein the calcium chloride accelerator comprises an amount equal to 2% of total weight of the cement.  
     
     
         29 . The method of manufacturing lightweight concrete composite blocks according to  claim 17 , further comprising a hardening agent mixed with the polystyrene, cement, water, and glass to formulate a lightweight concrete composite cured into the lightweight concrete composite blocks.  
     
     
         30 . The method of manufacturing lightweight concrete composite blocks according to  claim 29 , wherein the hardening agent comprises an amount equal to 2% of total weight of the cement.  
     
     
         31 . A method of installing lightweight concrete composite blocks to build a retaining structure, comprising: 
 providing lightweight concrete composite blocks, comprising polystyrene, cement, water, and glass mixed to formulate a lightweight concrete composite, wherein the lightweight concrete composite is cured into the lightweight concrete composite blocks;    cutting a first lightweight concrete composite block to a desired length;    placing the first lightweight concrete composite block at a desired location;    cutting a second lightweight concrete composite block to a desired length;    placing the second lightweight concrete composite block on the first lightweight concrete composite block; and    securing the second lightweight concrete composite block with the first lightweight concrete composite block.    
     
     
         32 . The method of installing lightweight concrete composite blocks to build a retaining structure according to  claim 31 , further comprising: 
 cutting a third lightweight concrete composite block to a desired length;    placing the third lightweight concrete composite block adjacent the first lightweight concrete composite block; and    securing the third lightweight concrete composite block with the first lightweight concrete composite block.    
     
     
         33 . The method of installing lightweight concrete composite blocks to build a retaining structure according to  claim 32 , further comprising: 
 cutting a fourth lightweight concrete composite block to a desired length;    placing the fourth lightweight concrete composite block on the third lightweight concrete composite block and adjacent the second lightweight concrete composite block; and    securing the fourth lightweight concrete composite block with the second and third lightweight concrete composite blocks.