AU2008100096A4 - Concrete Beam for Composite Suspended Concrete Floor System - Google Patents

Description

00 Description 0 The present invention relates to steel reinforced concrete beam applied in suspended concrete floor systems in residential and commercial construction projects.

IThe steel reinforced concrete beam is depicted in Figure 1. Depending on length and O weight requirements the beam consists of three or four steel reinforcement rods O arranged in a triangular structure. One rod at the top, shown as 1, and three rods at the 00 bottom, shown as 2, 3 and 10. However, rod 10 is only used for beams of greater O lengths or when heavier loads are required to be carried three course suspended slabs).

The reinforcement rods are fastened with zigzag ligatures shown in 4 and 5. The zigzag ligatures are welded at the peak of each zigzag to the reinforcement rods. A spacing ligature is welded along the bottom depicted in 6.

The beam has a concrete base, shown in 7, which covers the bottom reinforcement rods. The base provides a convenient 'foot' for placing the beam on top of brick walls (or other type of prop) as well as giving the beam the compressive strength required in a suspended slab.

The beam has a support shelf on either side of the reinforcement rods, shown in running the entire length for the purpose of supporting a plurality of compressed cement sheets, 13, that span the space between beams.

A ceiling batten (shown in suited to fixing ceiling coverings plasterboard), is set in the concrete on the underside of the beam flush with the bottom edge. This allows a ceiling covering to be easily fixed to the suspended slab system without drilling or the need for suspended ceilings. The ceiling batten can be made of a wide range of materials, but is typically made of steel.

00 The interior of the ceiling batten is filled with Styrofoam, shown in 9, which displaces 0 Oa volume of concrete allowing screws to be driven into the ceiling batten without being hindered by the concrete.

To allow for plumbing and electrical services the beams have perpendicular holes created by the placement of PVC pipe or metal pipe which creates a void in the S concrete allowing conduit to be run through the beam. This is depicted in 14.

OThe invention may be better understood with reference to the illustrations of 00 embodiments of the invention which: Figure 1 is a front profile section of the steel reinforced concrete beam with all of its components labelled.

Figure 2 is a side profile section of the steel reinforced concrete beam with all of its components labelled.

Figure 3 is a cross section depicting the beam's use in a complete composite suspended floor system. The system consist of a plurality of spaced apart steel reinforced concrete beams supported by spaced apart load bearing members or supporting walls arranged at right angles to the load bearing members.

A plurality of compressed cement sheets (13) that span the space between the beams and act as permanent formwork are supported by the beams support shelf The beams service voids (14) are visible along the beam and are used for running conduit through the beam.

A shrinkage control mesh (11) is arranged atop the compressed cement sheets and is oriented generally in the direction of the beams.

A thin layer of concrete (12) is formed over the compressed cement sheets and the shrinkage control mesh, to create a flat, horizontal floor surface.

Claims (4)

1. A steel reinforced concrete beam, comprising: Sa) A triangular steel structure with one steel rod on top and three (sometimes o four) rods on the bottom. O b) A zigzag ligature fixing the top two sides of the triangle and straight ligature 00 fixing the bottom side. O c) A concrete footing with fixing strip and services void.

2. A steel reinforced concrete beam as claimed in claim 1, where the bottom portion of said beam is set in concrete providing compressive strength and a footing for placement. The top reinforcement steel rod acts as an automatic prop for steel reinforcement mesh. The said mesh simply sits on top of said beam. Thus chairs used in propping steel mesh are eliminated. The top portion of the concrete beam creates a support shelf running the entire length of the beam for the purpose of supporting cement sheets that span the space between two adjacent beams.

3. A steel reinforced concrete beam as claimed in claim 2, where said beam has a ceiling batten typically made of steel, but can be made from other materials such as plastic, runs along the bottom edge of said beam, set in the concrete. Styrofoam fills the interior of the ceiling batten such that it displaces a volume of concrete allowing for screws to be driven into the ceiling batten without being hindered by the concrete.

4. A steel reinforced concrete beam as claimed in claim 2, where voids for services run at regular intervals across the concrete portion of the beam. A beam used in suspended floor system substantially as herein before described with reference to figures 1-3 of the accompanying drawings.