[0052] FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of a reinforced structure according to the invention. The structure comprises a plurality of fibre-reinforced matrix body members 10, of which two are shown, having parallel grooves or channels 11 and 12 formed in opposite side surfaces thereof. The grooves or channels 11 and 12 extend transversely and preferably at right angles to each other. The two matrix body members 10 are shown arranged with faces having grooves or channels12 opposite each other. In general, the plurality of body members 10 are arranged such that opposed faces of adjacent members are those having corresponding grooves or channels In this way, aligned channels 11 and 12 formed on the interface of abutting side surfaces of adjacent body members define elongated cavities, in the form of bores or passages, for receiving main reinforcing elements 13 and 14.

[0053] An array of bores 15 is formed in the body members 10 extending substantially at right angles to the side surfaces of the body members. When the matrix body members are arranged as described in the preceding paragraph, these bores are aligned and define additional elongated cavities in the form of bores or passages to receive further reinforcing elements 16.

[0054] The body members 10 are made separately from a mouldable matrix material, for example from fibre-containing concrete, another cement based material, or from a fibre-containing DSP material which may be cement-based, plastics-based or metal-based, by moulding or casting. Because the size of each body member 10 is small compared to the size of the structure made thereby, the matrix material being shaped may be efficiently compacted by compression and/or vibration in a known manner. With respect to reinforcement, the matrix material from which the body members are made may be fibre reinforced as mentioned above. Alternatively or additionally a net-like reinforcement 17 or similar matrix reinforcing component(s) may be embedded in the matrix body members 10 during moulding thereof, as shown in FIG. 2.

[0055] The reinforcing elements 13, 14 and 16 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are rod-shaped metal elements having a substantially circular cross-section. Depending on the size and desired properties of the final reinforced structure, the size of the reinforcing elements may vary over a broad range, from very thin threads over rods of diameter in the “normal” range of 5-25 mm to larger diameters. According to a special aspect of the invention, the reinforcing elements may be large with diameter, e.g., 60-100 mm, or very large, with diameter, e.g., 600-1000 mm, the large or very large reinforcing elements preferably being in the form of cables or other composite structures. However, as illustrated in FIG. 3 the cross-sectional shape of the reinforcing elements may be different. Thus, FIG. 3a-d show square, rectangular, angular, and meander-shaped cross-sectional shapes, respectively . . . FIGS. 3e and 3f illustrate reinforcing elements formed by fibres or wires in a round and a flat cross-sectional arrangement, respectively. Preferably, the cross-sections of the elongated cavities receiving the reinforcing elements correspond to the cross-sectional shapes of the reinforcing elements

[0056] The matrix body members 10 and reinforcing elements 13, 14 and 16 forming the structure illustrated in FIG. 1 are interconnected by a suitable binder, which may be applied to adjacent surfaces of the structure components when building up the reinforced structure, or the binder in liquid form may be injected into the spaces defined between adjacent body members 10 and between body members 10 and adjacent reinforcing elements 13, 14 and 16 subsequent to assembling the matrix body members and the reinforcing elements. FIG. 4a shows a reinforcing element 18 in the form of a bundle of wires twisted together. Reinforcing elements of this type may be used in a reinforced structure as shown in FIG. 1. However, each such reinforcing element 18 may be enclosed within a plurality of solidified lining members 19. FIG. 4b illustrates a pair of such lining members 19, which together defines a through-going bore 20 for receiving the reinforcing element 18 therein. The lining members 19 may be interconnected and bound to the reinforcing element 18 by means of one or more binders. Lined reinforcing elements of the type shown in FIG. 4c may replace the reinforcing elements 13,14, and 16 in a structure of the type shown in FIG. 1. The matrix body members 10 and the lining members 19 may be made from different matrix materials having different strength characteristics. Therefore, by combining suitable different matrix materials a reinforced structure according to the invention having desired strength and mechanical behaviour characteristics may be obtained.

[0057] FIG. 5 illustrates a method for producing a lined reinforcing element functionally similar to the lined reinforcing element shown in FIG. 4c. The lined reinforcing member shown in FIG. 5a comprises a rod-shaped reinforcing element 18 surrounded by a plurality of annular lining members 19 threaded thereon. The reinforcing element 18 is preferably made from steel or another metal and the lining members 18 may, for example be made from ceramics or a similar material. As illustrated in FIG. 5b the annular or ring shaped lining members 18 may be formed from a particulate starting material 21 in a compression mould 22 comprising a cylinder and a pair of opposed pistons or plungers 23 and 24. One piston 23 has a central projection or stud 25, which may engage with a corresponding blind bore 26 in the other piston 24. In the mould the particulate material may be compressed so as to form a “green” sample. The green samples 27 may be heated in a furnace or oven to a sintering temperature, such as about 1400 degrees centigrade—indicated at 28—so as to form the annular lining members 19. Finally, the lining members 19 may be threaded on the rod-shaped reinforcing element 18 as illustrated in FIG. 5c and bound together and to the rod 18 by means of a suitable binder. Lined reinforcing elements thus produced may be used for making a more complex structure of the type shown in FIG. 1.

[0058] FIG. 6 illustrates an example of a rod-shaped reinforcing element 18, which is provided with a double lining. Thus, the lining comprises an inner lining formed by a number of annular, cylindrical lining members 19 similar to those shown in FIG. 5, and an outer lining formed by a number of outer lining members 29. Each of outer lining members 29 has a shape similar to the shape of the lining members 19 shown in FIG. 4. A space 30 is defined between the inner and outer lining and a binding material for interconnecting the lining members 19 and 29 is arranged within this space. This means that each reinforcing element 18 is surrounded by three layers of material, which may have different strength characteristic. The reinforcing element 18 with the surrounding lining members 19 and 29 may be incorporated in a complex structure as shown in FIG. 1. The characteristics of the various lining materials may be chosen such that a certain load to which the structure is exposed causes a desired mutual movement of the reinforcing element 18 and the surrounding lining and matrix materials so as to allow the reinforced structure to receive and convert a high amount of energy, such as impact energy. Consequently, by using the method according to the invention it is possible to tailor a reinforced structure so that it is able not only to carry a predetermined working load, but also to show a desired mechanical behaviour in case the structure should become exposed to unexpected excessive loads.

[0059] FIG. 7 illustrates a building structure member, which comprises fibre-reinforced matrix body members 10 made from ceramics, cement based materials and/or DSP materials. These body members 10 define through-going passages 31 with a rectangular cross-sectional shape for receiving lined reinforcing elements 18,19 of the type illustrated in FIG. 4c. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the outer surfaces of the lining members 19 and the complementary inner surfaces of the matrix body members 10 defining the passages 31 may be shaped so as to obtain a mechanical interlocking between the lining members 19 and the adjacent matrix body members 10 against mutual movement in the longitudinal direction of the reinforcing elements 18. In addition, the various elements forming the reinforced structure may be bound together by one or more suitable binders being introduced in the spaces defined between the elements or parts forming the structure. As shown in FIG. 9 a plurality of aligned bores 15, which extend transversely to the reinforcing elements 18 may be formed in the matrix body members 10 for receiving further rod-shaped reinforcing elements, which are made for example from steel.

[0060] FIG. 10 illustrates a building structure member constituted by a plurality of plate-like matrix body members 32, which are arranged in layers. Each plate 32 may be made from a cement-based matrix, e.g. a cement-based DSP matrix material, around secondary matrix reinforcement components 33 in a conventional manner. As shown in FIG. 10 such matrix reinforcement components may comprise a plurality of parallel rod members interconnected by transverse wires passed around the rod members and having a substantially sinusoidal shape. A primary reinforcement is formed by a plurality of substantially parallel, rod shaped reinforcing elements 34, which are arranged between the layers of matrix body members 32 in channels or grooves formed in the outer surfaces of the plate-like members 32. Also the primary reinforcement comprises sinusoidal reinforcing wires 35 extending in planes substantially at right angles to the rod-shaped elements 34 for interconnecting the same. The primary reinforcement may further comprise rod-shaped reinforcing elements 36 extending substantially at right angles to the elements 34 and arranged between layers of the plates 32 where no reinforcing elements 33 are arranged. Also in this case reinforcing elements extending transversely to the layers of plate-like matrix body members 32 may be arranged in aligned bores (not shown). The various members and elements of the structure may be bound together by one or more different binders.

[0061] The structure illustrated in FIG. 11 comprises superposed layers of elongated panel-or plate-like matrix body members 10. Each body member 10 has longitudinally extending grooves or channels 11 and 12 formed in one of its side surfaces for receiving rod-shaped transversely orientated reinforcing elements 13 and 14. Each layer of the structure is formed by pairs of the plates or panels 10 with reinforcing elements 13 or 14 sandwiched there between and received in bores defined by oppositely arranged channels 11 or 12. As shown in FIG. 11 the elongated panels or plates 10 may extend substantially at right angles in alternating layers of the structure. Furthermore, the plates or panels have bores 15 formed therein being aligned with bores in adjacent panels, whereby passages or bores are defined in the structure for receiving reinforcing elements 16 which extend transversely to the layers of the structure. The plates or panels 10 may be formed from a compressed or compacted cement or DSP-based material or a ceramic material containing conventional matrix reinforcement components, such as fibres of plastic, glass, carbon and/or metal and/or metallic rods and/or wires. Furthermore, the members and elements of the structure may be bound together by one or more binding agents.

[0062] FIG. 12 illustrates how a pair of adjacent matrix body members 10 forming part of a structure in accordance with the present invention may have complementary stepped shapes for mechanically interlocking such members against mutual movement in two directions at right angles. The body members 10 have aligned bores 37 therein extending in said directions for receiving cables or wires 38 or other reinforcing elements which are preferably tensioned so as to maintain the matrix body members in close mutual contact.

[0063] In FIG. 13 it is illustrated how matrix body members 10 of the type shown in FIGS. 1 and 11 may be made. A matrix body member 10 may be made from a particulate starting material 21, which may contain reinforcing fibres, in a compression mould 22 comprising a cylinder and a pair of opposed pistons or plungers 23 and 24. One piston 23 has ridges 39 for forming the channels or grooves 11 in the member 10 to be produced. The transverse openings or bores 15 may be formed by means of pinshaped plungers 40, which are moveable in relation to the other mould parts. In the mould the particulate material 21 may be compressed so as to form a “green” sample 27 which may be allowed to cure or harden. Alternatively, the green sample 27 thus made may be heated in a furnace or oven to a sintering temperature as previously described.

[0064] In the embodiments described above, the method of the invention has been illustrated by the use of preformed solidified matrix body members. However it may be preferred that the matrix body members—or some of them—are In fluid/plastic condition during their mutual arrangement and arrangement relative to the reinforcement elements, with final solidification taking place before interconnection of the matrix body elements and the reinforcement elements. In this aspect of the method of the invention, the said matrix body members may

[0065] 1) be wholly or partially enclosed in a flexible/thin enclosing/delimiting body and/or

[0066] 2) have an internal stability and only to a small extent or not at all be enclosed in thin enclosing/delimiting bodies.

[0067] The method may be performed by arranging the said matrix body members in said fluid/plastic condition, with or without the said flexible enclosing/delimiting/enveloping bodies, adjacent to neighbouring matrix body members and reinforcement elements and, by mechanical influence bringing them in intimate contact with the said adjacent matrix body members and reinforcement elements.

[0068] Thus, FIG. 16A shows the placing of a matrix body member 1 in plastic fluid condition, wholly or partially surrounded by or enclosed in a flexible intermediate body, or without such intermediate body, prior to placing in intimate contact with a matrix body member 3 and an intermediate reinforcement element 4. By mechanical influence, the matrix body member 1 is given its final shape in intimate contact with 3 and 4 against which it is shaped. The situation illustrated in FIG. 16A is the situation before this mechanical influence. The matrix body member 1 is shown placed loosely on 3 and 4. Corresponding matrix body members in corresponding positions are indicated 1-a, 1-b. Above the matrix body member 1, a press tool 5 is shown in a position on its way to be pressed down against the matrix body member 1.

[0069] FIG. 16B shows the situation after the matrix body member 1 has been pressed, by means of the press tool 5, into intimate contact with the matrix body member 3 and the reinforcement element 4 and has, thereby, been given its “final” shape 2, in contact with the matrix body member 3 and the reinforcement element 4, and together with the neighbouring deformable matrix body member 1-a and 1-b which at the same time have been given their “final” shape 2-a, 2-b.

[0070] The underlying matrix body member 3 and reinforcement 4 may be stiff, and relatively non-yielding. Alternatively, both, or one of them, may be plastic/fluid, wholly or partially, or not at all enveloped in a flexible intermediate body.

[0071] A flexible intermediate body, e.g., in the form of a thin membrane, net or web, serves in particular to keep fluid/plastic sub-bodies together while they are being placed, analogously to how a water-filled bag can be placed on a floor, with a brick on top of it, in intimate contact with the floor and the brick and with controlled geometry (constant surface area) without flowing out.

[0072] FIGS. 17 and 18 show variants of the situation illustrated in FIG. 16.

[0073] FIG. 17 illustrates the introduction of an intermediate body 6. In FIG. 17, a two part press tool consists of the intermediate shaping body 6 and a supporting body 7.

[0074] FIG. 17A shows the position with the shaping body 6 and the supporting body 7 on their way to be pressed down against the matrix body member 1. FIG. 17B shows the situation after the compression, with the shaping body 6 in intimate contact with the now deformed matrix body member 2.

[0075] FIG. 18 illustrates that the matrix body members has a composite structure, illustrated by matrix reinforcing components 10 and 11. The system is as in FIG. 17 with a deformable matrix body member which is designated 8 prior to the deformation process and 9 after the deformation process. The matrix body member contains the component 10 in contact with another component 11, e.g. fibres. 12 designates a body against which 8 is pressed, with a reinforcement element 13 between them. The matrix reinforcement components 10 and 11 differ from each other with respect to their capability of being deformed. During shaping, the embedding component 11 is in plastic/fluid condition. The embedding component 10 may be stiff, substantially non-yielding, but it may alternatively be in plastic/fluid condition.

[0076] By operating with matrix body members in fluid/plastic condition, with controlled/controllable shape, a number of advantages are obtained compared to the classical method of casting of the whole matrix body; these are largely the same as are obtained using the building brick principle with solid matrix body members, including the feature that the matrix body members in fluid/plastic condition can contain components, such as reinforcement components, which are prearranged in a desired configuration and will substantially retain their configuration during shaping. However, compared to the building brick principle according to the present invention implemented with solid matrix body members, a far better/much easier intimate contact can be obtained between matrix body members and between matrix body members and reinforcement elements.

[0077] FIG. 19 shows a section of a reinforced structure during its production. 1 is a solid matrix body member with reinforcement elements 2 completely embedded therein and vertical reinforcement elements 3 embedded and protruding from the upper surface of the matrix body member 1. In grooves on the upper surface of the matrix body member 1, horizontal reinforcement components 4 are placed, with about the upper half of them extending above the upper surface of the matrix body member 1. Another matrix body member 5, in plastic/fluid condition, wholly or partially—or not at all—enveloped by/enclosed in a flexible thin delimitation body, is shown immediately before it is mechanically brought into intimate contact with the matrix body member 1 and the reinforcement elements 4. A contour 6 indicates the shape of the matrix body member 5 after it has been brought into intimate mechanical contact with the matrix body member 1 and the reinforcement elements 4.

[0078] The invention provides many possibilities of combinations. Thus, e.g., the matrix body member 1 may be of ultra-strong, hard, fracture-tough ceramic material produced by high pressure/high temperature sintering. The reinforcement elements 2, 3 and 4 may be cables/rods of ultra-strong steel, or another very strong material, and the sub-body 5 may be fluid metal containing reinforcement, e.g. ceramic fibres, or fluid metal matrix-based composite enclosed in a bag woven of ceramic fibres.

[0079] The above-illustrated principle of the invention, using flexible “building blocks” of a solidifiable material may be used for other purposes than for embedding/surrounding a reinforcement. Thus, e.g., a “building block” of a solidifiable material may be used as an interlocking member formed in situ by being compressed into a cavity of such a shape that the building brick, when solidified, will interact with surrounding structural components to lock the structure. A solidifiable “building block” which solidifies in situ may, e.g., be constituted by a cement-based DSP material. Such a component may be pre-mixed, optionally packed in a flexible packing material and pre-shaped to a suitable slab shape and then cooled or frozen, which will stop or retard the cement hardening process, for later warming/heating or thawing at the site of use, thereby establishing the ready-to use self-solidifying “building block”.

[0080] As previously mentioned, the conventional method of making reinforced structures has involved casting matrix material in a fluid state into the voids of a pre-arranged array of reinforcing elements, then hardening the cast mass in contact with the reinforcement. The casting is often preferably combined with mechanical vibration and/or applied external stresses, such as pressure and shear stresses and/or applied forces of inertia such as by impact or centrifugation. Preferably, the processes are aided by high frequency mechanical vibration applied to the reinforcement. Subsequently the matrix material solidifies, through solidification processes related to the matrix materials in question, such as solidification of melts, sintering, polymerisation, nucleation and precipitation. Compared with this conventional method, the method of the present invention permits:

[0081] 1. Rational design and construction of

[0082] 1.1 normally-sized, large and very large structures with closely arranged reinforcement which may be large, and

[0083] 1.2 extremely strong, hard, stiff, fracture-tough structures, both large and very large and with extremely closely arranged reinforcement,

[0084] 1.3 where the space between the reinforcement elements is filled with dense matrix material with a complex internal structure, comprising, e.g., cubically shaped bodies with sizes of the same order of size as the transverse dimensions of the reinforcement, and with rods, fibres, etc. in high concentrations incorporated in a sub-matrix.

[0085] 2. production of structures of higher quality made possible through

[0086] 2.1 better combinations of selection of materials and mechanical production (compression, vibration etc.)

[0087] 2.2 better combinations of selection of materials, mechanical production processes and subsequent solidification processes; thus, e.g., the solidification of the matrix body members may take place over large temperature ranges and large pressure ranges

[0088] 2.3 production of complex structures, such as composite structures with hard, strong, fracture-tough matrices, and strong reinforcement elements which can be present in high concentration relative to the size of the matrix body elements

[0089] 2.4 building in of “tailor-made” combinations of various matrix body members, for example having special shapes allowing effective interlocking, having shapes conferring friction interlocking (interaction conferred by friction forces in structures where two bodies which otherwise have a tendency to slide relative to each other under separation from each other have the sliding and separation tendency counteracted by friction forces aided by compressive forces on the sliding surfaces, the compressive forces increasing as the bodies are moved away from each other, this being obtained, e.g. by using wedge or dovetail geometry), having various functions, such as, e.g., containing electrical conductors, cooling channels, heating channels, channels for introduction of “glue” or fluid matrix material for joining the matrix body members, etc., and building in of “tailor-made” interface structures, and

[0090] 2.5 industrial mass production, combining mass production of matrix body members and automatic assembling of the these and appertaining reinforcement elements.

[0091] The preparation of the structure according to the invention may partially be performed by casting the matrix material in fluid plastic condition around the reinforcement, with subsequent solidification of the matrix material, but with the added freedom that at least a part of the matrix material which fills the void between the reinforcement components is prepared separately from the reinforcement, the process then being characterized by

[0092] 1) preparation of the matrix body members separately from the reinforcement components,

[0093] 2) subsequent placing of at least some of the matrix bodies and reinforcement in the final position or substantially the final position, and

[0094] subsequent mutual fixation of the parts of the matrix body and fixation of the matrix body to the reinforcement.

[0095] As will be understood from the above discussion, the invention permits production of reinforced structures not obtainable by the conventional method because according to the invention, the production of the individual matrix body member may be adapted to the particular structure of the member and the particular type of materials of the member. Thus, e.g., the individual matrix body members may be produced according to the suitable methods for obtaining structures of high or very high strength, stiffness and toughness, e.g. the methods disclosed in the above-mentioned patents and further developments thereof. This means that the invention is particularly important in connection with establishment of reinforced structures from matrix body members having certain properties reflecting high quality, the final reinforced structures thereby obtaining corresponding high quality. In the following, a discussion of a number of these properties is given.

[0096] Thus, in a preferred embodiment, the invention provides a shaped article comprising a reinforced domain (A) comprising a matrix body (B) and a reinforcement (C) embedded in said matrix body (B), the reinforced domain (A) having a high stiffness in any direction and/or a high resistance to compression in any direction, as defined by

[0097] 1. the modulus of elasticity related to the reinforced domain A and/or the matrix body B in any direction being at least 30 GPa, and/or

[0098] 2. the resistance to compression of the domain A and/or the matrix body B in any direction being at least 30 MPa,

[0099] the volume of the reinforcement C being at least 2% relative to the volume of the reinforced domain A, and

[0100] the tensile strength of the reinforcement being at least 200 MPa.

[0101] The above-mentioned preferred minimum modulus of elasticity and resistance to compression (compressive strength) also apply the solidified matrix body members.

[0102] More preferred embodiments are where the modulus of elasticity, expressed in GPa, of the solidified matrix body members, or of the reinforced structure, is at least 40,

[0103] or at least 50,

[0104] or at least 60,

[0105] or at least 80,

[0106] or at least 100,

[0107] or at least 150,

[0108] or at least 250,

[0109] or at least 300,

[0110] or above 300,

[0111] important intervals being 60-150 and 150-300.

[0112] Preferred are also embodiments where the resistance to compression (compressive strength), expressed in MPa, of the solidified matrix body members, or of the reinforced structure, for any direction (arbitrary orientation in a rectangular coordinate system x-y-x in relation to the body in question) is at least 40.

[0113] or at least 60,

[0114] or at least 120,

[0115] or at least 180,

[0116] or at least 250,

[0117] or at least 400,

[0118] or at least 600,

[0119] or at least 1000,

[0120] or at least 1500,

[0121] or at least 2500,

[0122] or at least 4000,

[0123] important intervals being 60-120, 120-250, 250-600, and 600-1500 MPa. MPa.

[0124] Preferred are also embodiments in which the tensile strength, expressed in MPa, of the reinforcing elements—which are elongated bodies such as rods or plates having the capability of absorbing high influences in tension in the length direction for rods, and in at least one direction in the plane for plates—is at least 250,

[0125] or at least 300,

[0126] or at least 400,

[0127] or at least 600,

[0128] or at least 800,

[0129] or at least 1000,

[0130] or at least 1200,

[0131] or at least 1500,

[0132] or at least 2000,

[0133] or at least 2500,

[0134] or at least 3000,

[0135] important intervals being 300-1000 and 1000-3000 MPa.

[0136] The tensile strength, expressed in MPa, of the solidified matrix body members, or of the reinforced structure may be in one of the intervals

[0137] 10-30,

[0138] 30-100,

[0139] 100-300, or even in one of the above-mentioned intervals.

[0140] Preferred are also embodiments in which the volume of reinforcement arranged in the cavititis is such that the volume of reinforcement elements, excluding any lining thereof, in the reinforced structure, defined as the sum of the percentage ratio between reinforcement area and total area in three mutuallhy perpendicular sections of the reinforced structure is at least 2%

[0141] or at least 3%,

[0142] or at least 5%,

[0143] or at least 8%,

[0144] or at least 10%,

[0145] or at least 12%,

[0146] or at least 15%,

[0147] important intervals here being 3-5%. 5-10% and 10-15%, or at least 20%, at least 30% or at least 50%, or more than 50%. However, in certain cases, the volume of the main reinforcement may be as low as 1%.

[0148] The volume of reinforcement in the matrix body members may be the same as stated above for the volume of main reinforcement in the final structure.

[0149] The volume proportion of particles/bodies in the matrix body member may be vary over a wide range, e.g. as represented by the intervals

[0150] 10-30%,

[0151] 30-50%,

[0152] 50-60%,

[0153] 60-70%,

[0154] 70-80%,

[0155] 80-90%, or

[0156] larger than 90%

[0157] The number of reinforcing components in one direction in the final structure is preferably at least 2, more preferably at least

[0158] or at least 3,

[0159] or at least 4,

[0160] or at least 6,

[0161] or at least 8,

[0162] or at least 12,

[0163] and preferably at least 2

[0164] in a direction perpendicular thereto

[0165] and more preferably at least 4,

[0166] and preferably at least 2 in the third possible perpendicular direction.

[0167] Preferred are also embodiments in which the fracture energy, expressed in kN/m, of the solidified matrix body members, or of the reinforced structure, is in one of the following intervals:

[0168] 2-5,

[0169] 5-20,

[0170] 20-50,

[0171] 50-200,

[0172] 200-1000, or

[0173] larger than 1000,

[0174] or where the parameter G/H constituted by fracture energy G divided by size (thickness) H, expressed in N/m², of the solidified matrix body members, or of the reinforced structure, is in one of the following intervals:

[0175] 10⁴-3*10⁴

[0176] 3*10⁴-10⁵

[0177] 10⁵-3*10⁵

[0178] 3*10⁵-10⁶

[0179] 10⁶-3*10⁶

[0180] 3*10⁶-10⁷

[0181] 10⁷-3*10⁷

[0182] 3*10⁷-10⁸

[0183] 10⁸-3*10₈

[0184] 3*10⁸-10^9,

[0185] or larger than 10^9,

[0186] in x direction, preferably in all directions in the x-y plane, and preferably in all directions.

[0187] The number of matrix body members in a final structure may, e.g. be in one of the following intervals:

[0188] 5-20,

[0189] 20-100, or more.

[0190] the size (thickness) of the individual matrix body members may vary over a wide range, depending, inter alia, on the size and character of the final structure. Thus, for very small systems, it may be in one of the following intervals:

[0191] 1-10 μm

[0192] 10-100 μm,

[0193] 100-1000 μm,

[0194] 1-10 mm,

[0195] 10-100 mm,

[0196] 100-1000 mm,

[0197] 1 m-10 m, or, in special cases, larger than 10 m.

[0198] At least to some extent adapted hereto, the size (thickness, diameter) of the main reinforcement may be in one of the following ranges:

[0199] 0.1-1 μm

[0200] 1-10 μm

[0201] 10-100 μm,

[0202] 100-1000 μm,

[0203] 1-10 mm,

[0204] 10-100 mm,

[0205] 100-1000 mm,

[0206] or, in special cases, larger than 1 m.

[0207] The size (thickness, diameter) of the reinforcement of the matrix body members may be in one of the following ranges:

[0208] 0.01-0.1 μm

[0209] 1-10 μm

[0210] 10-100 μm,

[0211] 100-1000 μm,

[0212] 1-10 mm,

[0213] 10-100 mm,

[0214] or above 100 mm.

[0215] The size of particles/bodies in the material constituting the matrix body members may be in one of the following ranges:

[0216] 0.01-0.1 μm

[0217] 1-10 μm

[0218] 10-100 μm,

[0219] 100-1000 μm,

[0220] 1-10 mm,

[0221] 10-100 mm,

[0222] or above 100 mm.