AU2014201979B2

AU2014201979B2 - Wall structure and method

Info

Publication number: AU2014201979B2
Application number: AU2014201979A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Chad Bax
Original assignee: CSR Building Products Ltd
Current assignee: CSR Building Products Ltd
Priority date: 2013-04-08
Filing date: 2014-04-08
Publication date: 2018-04-05
Anticipated expiration: 2034-04-08
Also published as: AU2014100051C4; AU2014201979C1; AU2014100051B4; AU2014100051A4; NZ623581A; AU2020207846A1; AU2018204722A1; AU2018100892A4; AU2018100892B4; AU2020207846B2; AU2014201979A1

Abstract

A multi component or multi layered wall structure is provided to attenuate noise transmission through the wall 5 structure which is typically used as a dividing wall or party wall between two adjacent rooms. The wall structure has two internal wall components, one of which is typically a steel stud wall and the other a building panel, typically, an autoclaved aerated concrete panel 10 arranged to extend from floor to ceiling in approximate alignment with each other. A first lining in the form of a board, such as one or more sheets of fire rated plasterboard, is attached to the outer surface of the stud wall to form one outer surface covering of the wall 15 structure facing into one room. The first lining does not extend from floor to ceiling but rather terminates near to the ceiling so that the stud wall has a covered part and an uncovered part. A similar second lining of plasterboard is attached to the outer surface of the 20 building panel to form the other outer surface of the wall structure facing into the other room. Again, the lining terminates short of the ceiling. Even though the two linings on either side of the wall structure do not extend entirely from floor to ceiling, the wall structure is 25 compliant with the relevant building codes with respect ot sound transmission therethrough. The wall structure has optional other components such as one or more gaps or spaces, and additional layers of the same or different materials. The advantage of the wall structure is that it 30 is less costly and time consuming to build. 52800761 (GHMatters) P92694.AU.2 8/04/14 \ 28 181 36/

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to wall structures of buildings for forming a noise attenuating structure in which the wall structure comprises more than a single component.

io In one form, the present invention relates to a layered wall structure for use as an internal wall of a building to resist transmission of noise through the internal wall.

In one form, the present invention relates to a multi component internal dividing wall for separating two adjacent rooms at the same level within a building, which wall structure attenuates the transmission of noise from one room to the other through the dividing wall structure so as to be compliant with building regulations concerning the transmission of noise in multi dwelling buildings.

The present invention finds particular application as a multi component wall structure for use in constructing an internal dividing wall between two adjacent rooms at the one level of a multi storey building having a number of separate dwellings, so as to provide a quieter environment for persons living in the dwellings by the wall structure being in the form of a noise attenuating barrier between adjacent rooms to lessen the transmission of sound from one room to the other room through the wall structure, and to be compliant with building regulations concerning the spread or propagation of fire through the building.

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Although the present invention will be described with particular reference to one or other embodiments of the wall structure and methods of making the wall structure, it is to be noted that the scope of the present invention is not restricted to the described embodiments but rather the scope of the present invention is more extensive so as to include other forms and arrangements of the various components for forming the multi component wall structure, to other forms and arrangements of the wall structure, and io to the use of the various forms and arrangements of the wall structure in applications other than described.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

With the increased sophistication of modern living, increasingly larger numbers of machines, appliances and other devices are in use, each of which produces a sound in the form of noise collectively. Therefore, there are increasing sources of unwelcome noise in a home.

Simultaneously, with the increase in noise pollution, there is an increase in awareness of the harm caused by noise and a greater desire to have a substantially noise free environment. One example of the environment in which unwanted noise occurs is the transmission of noise through dividing walls of multi occupant dwellings, such as blocks of flats, apartments, units, including high rise apartment blocks and similar.

Also, the populations of cities are increasing so that higher density housing is required to provide homes for the population. This means a proliferation of apartments and other high density housing units where the separation

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2014201979 16 Mar 2018 between neighbouring dwellings is decreased. Thus, there is an increase in the number of residential buildings having separate individual apartments separated by internal dividing walls, which places greater demand on the internal walls with respect to the reduction of sound transmission through the walls.

In attempts to provide a quieter environment, different materials and construction methods have been used to io reduce the transmission of noise, particularly through party walls or internal dividing walls. The quest for further reduction in noise transmission levels has resulted in the use of new or different materials as sound deadening materials and the use of new methods of construction, including the use of new materials, including materials often referred to as exotic high technology materials. However, whilst the use of high tech materials has reduced the transmission of noise, they have not been widely adopted due to the added expense of using such materials due to their increased costs, and the relative difficulty in installing such materials which further adds to the cost of using the materials. Accordingly, there is a need for innovative ways of using readily available and relatively low cost materials in new ways to reduce the transmission of sound through walls, particularly internal walls or party walls in multi occupant dwellings .

In the past, it was believed that currently available materials which were used to form walls, were required to extend the entire height of the wall from floor to ceiling or from slab to slab in high rise buildings in order to produce an acceptable sound barrier and/or to be compliant

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2014201979 16 Mar 2018 with building regulations, such as for example, regulations concerning the spread of fire through adjacent units in a multi-dwelling building.

In an effort to reduce costs of constructing internal walls, the inventors investigated alternative structures of walls and have surprisingly discovered that not all parts of the wall need to extend from floor to ceiling in order for the wall to provide effective sound attenuation io between adjacent rooms and/or to be fully compliant with the applicable building regulations.

Accordingly, it is one aim of the present invention to provide a wall structure which is less costly and time consuming to install, yet provides sufficient sound absorbance and/or attenuation.

Accordingly, it is an aim of the present invention to provide a new form of wall structure which is compliant of the relevant regulations, particularly regarding sound transmission and optionally the spread of fire, by achieving the minimum sound insulation performance requirements of the Building Code of Australia.

Accordingly, it is an aim of the present invention to provide an internal dividing wall which is compliant in accordance with the procedures given in Australian Standards AS 2253 and AS 1276, particularly for achieving the minimum sound insulation performance requirements.

Accordingly, it is an aim of the present invention to provide a low cost wall structure which is cheaper to install but is still compliant with the building

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2014201979 16 Mar 2018 regulations with respect to satisfying minimum performance requirements .

Accordingly, it is an aim of the present invention to 5 provide a wall structure using readily available and relatively low cost materials which is easier and faster to install, whilst still being compliant of relevant building regulations .

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one form of the present invention, there is provided a wall structure for a wall of a building, the wall structure comprising a first inner wall member for providing support for the wall structure, the first inner wall member extending between the ceiling and the floor of a room of the building, a second inner wall member extending substantially between the ceiling and the floor, a first outer wall member connected to the first inner wall member for forming a covering for the first inner wall member, said first outer wall member extending in alignment with the first inner wall member to a first distance in the direction between the ceiling and the floor to form a covered part of the first inner wall member and an uncovered part of the first inner wall member, the first outer wall member having a first upper edge spaced from the ceiling, a second outer wall member connected to the second inner wall member for forming a cover of the second inner wall member, said second outer wall member extending in alignment with the second inner wall member to a second distance in the direction between the ceiling and the floor to form a covered part of the second inner wall member and an uncovered part of the

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2014201979 16 Mar 2018 second inner wall member, the second outer wall member having a second upper edge spaced from the ceiling, a first cover member located on a first side of the wall structure, and a second cover member located on a second side of the wall structure, the first cover member extending from the ceiling in a direction towards the floor to a distance so as to contact the first outer wall member to cover the uncovered part of the first inner wall member, the second cover member extending from the ceiling io in a direction towards the floor for a distance to contact the second outer wall member to cover the uncovered part of the second inner wall member, wherein the first cover member extends with respect to the first outer wall member to a distance greater than the distance of the uncovered part of the first inner wall member from the ceiling to cover the uncovered part of first inner wall member so that the first upper edge of the first outer wall is concealed by the first cover member, and the second cover member extends with respect to the second outer wall member to a distance greater than the distance of the uncovered part of the second inner wall member from the ceiling to cover the uncovered part of the second inner wall member so that the second upper edge of the second outer wall member is concealed by the second cover member, wherein the first distance and the second distance are both less than the distance between the ceiling and the floor, to allow a part of the first inner wall member to remain uncovered by the first outer wall member and a part of the second inner wall member to remain uncovered by the second outer wall member, wherein the first cover member includes a first side cover element extending outwardly from the first outer wall and a first end element arranged so that the first end element is angularly inclined to the

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2014201979 16 Mar 2018 first side cover element and the second cover member includes a second side cover element extending outwardly from the second outer wall and a second end element angularly inclined to the second side cover element.

According to one form of the present invention, there is provided a method of constructing a wall structure of a building for forming a dividing wall between a first room and a second room in side-by-side relationship to each io other at the same level of the building according to any preceding claim in which the method comprises locating a frame member for forming the frame or support of the wall structure at a first side of the wall structure to extend between the floor and the ceiling of the first room, locating a building component for forming a second side of the wall structure, securing the building component in place using a connector so that the building component extends substantially between the floor and the ceiling of the second room, locating a first lining member in alignment with the frame member and connecting the first lining member to the frame member so that the lining member faces into the first room and extends to a first distance along the frame member to form a covered part of the frame member and an uncovered part of the frame member, locating a second lining member in alignment with the building component and connecting the second lining member to the building component so as to face into the second room and to extend to a second distance along the building component between the floor and the ceiling of form a covered part of the building component and an uncovered part of the building component by the first distance and the second distance being less than the distance between the floor and the ceiling of the first

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2014201979 16 Mar 2018 and second rooms .

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Typically, the building is a multi storied building having a multitude of individual dwellings, such as apartments or the like. In one form, the building has multiple levels of individual dwellings, in which each level of the building has multiple individual dwellings, such as for io example, single occupant units (SOU), apartments or the like .

One form of the building is a high rise building of multiple floors in which each floor is of a concrete slab construction such that the floor and ceiling of each level are concrete slabs, respectively, or the floors/ceilings are made from individual blocks or the like, such as HEBEL® lightweight flooring panels or blocks made from Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC), including reinforced

AAC panels, which panels or blocks are contained within a steel framework in which the panels or blocks are arranged in side-by-side abutting relationship to form the floor/ceiling at each level of the building in which the same slab is the ceiling of the relatively lower level unit and the floor of the relatively upper level unit.

The rooms at each level are formed between two adjacent slabs which are spaced apart from each other by a distance which is referred to as the slab to slab distance, and corresponds generally to the height of the room which is referred to as the full height of the wall extending from slab to slab.

In one form, the wall structure includes all of the

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2014201979 16 Mar 2018 elements, members, fittings, fixtures, layers, components and similar forming the internal dividing wall between two adjacent rooms at the one level within the building, and can include two or more of layers of the same material, component or the like.

In one form, the wall structure is a layered wall structure having a multitude of different components in which some components are in abutting relationship with io each other and some components are in spaced apart relationship with each other as will be described in detail later.

In one form, the wall structure is composed of layers of different materials, in which each layer is different or there are two or more layers of the same material arranged in various combinations of two or more inner layers and two or more outer layers. One of the layers can be an air gap or air space, preferably located between the two inner wall members or the inner and outer wall members in combination .

Typically, the first inner wall member is a structural member, more typically a load bearing member, such as for example, a frame member. In one form, the frame member is a stud for forming a stud wall. Preferably, the stud is a metal stud, more preferably a steel stud having a protective coating, such as for example, a galvanised steel stud or the like. In one form the metal stud is

64mm wide. However, the stud can be of any suitable size, shape or type. Typically, there are a multitude of metal studs located in spaced apart relationship in alignment with each other to form a stud wall extending from one

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2014201979 16 Mar 2018 side of the room to the other side of the room, typically, the opposite side at a location where the wall is to be constructed.

In one form, the stud is of an open cross-section, typically in the form of a C-shaped stud, an H-shaped stud or similar in cross-section having one or more open faces in the form of channels.

io Typically, the open channels are arranged in opposite face-to-face relationship to one another so that two spaced apart adjacent studs define a cavity wall or similar.

In one form, the first level of the building is the level of the floor or floor member of one of the stories or levels of the building, i.e. the first level corresponds to the position of the slab forming the floor of the room in which the wall structure is to be constructed. In one form, the second level is the level of the ceiling of the room, i.e. the second level corresponds to the level of the slab forming the ceiling of the room in which the wall is constructed. The difference between the floor level and the ceiling level is the full height of the room.

Typically, the stud extends from the floor slab to the ceiling slab and is firmly secured or fixed to the floor slab at one end either directly or indirectly, such as by a suitable fitting, such as for example, a bracket or channel member, and to the ceiling slab either directly or indirectly, such as by a suitable fitting, such as a bracket or channel member at the other end of the stud.

In one form, the second inner wall member is a building

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2014201979 16 Mar 2018 component for providing structural support for the wall, such as for example, contributing to the integrity of the wall. In one form, the second inner wall member is a building panel, more typically a lightweight building panel, preferably in the form of a slab, block, sheet or the like, more preferably a reinforced lightweight rectangular building panel, typically an Autoclaved Aerated concrete (AAC) panel, such as made by CSR Building Products Limited and supplied under the CSR Hebei® trade io mark as a tongue and groove Power Panel.

The building panel is secured in place by suitable fasteners, including sections, studs , connectors, brackets, channels or the like.

In one form, there is a multitude of AAC panels arranged in side-by-side relationship extending substantially between the floor slab and the ceiling slab, apart from in some embodiments, there being a small gap in the form of a joint, located at the floor end and at the ceiling end of the panel, typically the size of the joint is from about 2mm to about 20mm, preferably less than about 20mm, preferably between about 5mm and 15mm, more preferably in the range between 10mm and 15mm at both the floor level and the ceiling level. Further, it is to be noted that the sizes of the respective joints at either end can be the same or different. It is to be noted that the term substantially is used to refer to the height of the building panel because of the optional presence of the small sized joint along the upper and/or lower edges of the panel when located in situ to form the wall structure, which is very slightly less than the true floor to ceiling distance.

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In one form, the first outer wall member is a covering member, typically in the form of a panel, partition, cladding, fagade, sheet, board or the like. More particularly, the covering member is a lining, internal cladding, internal skin member, internal wall covering, internal fagade, or the like located on the outer surface of the inner wall member, frame member or similar for forming the outer surface of the wall structure.

io Preferably, the lining is made from plasterboard, preferably fire rated plasterboard such as 13mm thick CD plasterboard. However, it is to be noted that any thickness of plasterboard or similar material ranging typically from about 5mm to 10mm thickness can be used as the internal lining. Typically, examples of plasterboard include sheets of Gyprock or other forms of plasterboard manufactured by CSR Building Products Limited or other manufacturers, in thicknesses of 10mm, 13mm or the like. In one form, the lining is two plasterboard sheets or panels having the same thickness located in edge-to-edge relationship one on top of the other against the outward facing side or edge of the metal stud wall to extend some distance from, at or near to the floor where there is an optional joint, in the direction towards the ceiling slab but not all of the way to the ceiling or not to the full height of the room from slab to slab, but rather to terminate short of or below the ceiling slab. Thus, the height of the plasterboard lining is less than the true floor to ceiling distance.

In one form, the plasterboard lining extends part way along the height of the stud, typically from close to the floor in the direction towards the ceiling but to finish

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2014201979 16 Mar 2018 or terminate short of the ceiling, leaving part of the stud uncovered, exposed or the like to form both a covered part and an uncovered part of the stud.

In one form, the room is provided with a bulkhead, ceiling box, false ceiling, ceiling cavity or the like. In one form, the plasterboard lining extends from close to the floor to above the level of the bulkhead or level of the false ceiling of the room. Typically, the bulkhead is io boxed in or closed by a suitable end wall to form a more or less substantially enclosed cavity.

In one form, the second outer wall is made of the same material as the first outer wall member, such as preferably plasterboard, more preferably 13mm thick CD plasterboard, except that the plasterboard of the second outer wall member is connected to the outwardly facing AAC building panel on the other side of the wall structure. Typically, the second distance is from close to the floor to be less than the level of the ceiling slab, but greater than the level to which the bulkhead or false ceiling extends along the outer surface of the wall structure. It is to be noted that the first distance of the first lining can be the same or different to the second distance of the second lining. Thus, the second plasterboard lining extends in alignment with the AAC panel to form a covered part of the panel and an uncovered part of the panel.

In one form, there is a space between the stud wall and the building panel of AAC, typically an air gap or space, more typically, an air space of from about 2mm to about

100mm or greater, preferably from greater than about 5mm to about 50mm, more preferably from about 10 to 45mm, most

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2014201979 16 Mar 2018 preferably about 35mm or similar depending on the construction of the wall structure, the design of the rooms and of the building and the like.

In one form, a layer of insulation is located within the stud wall, such as for example, a sheet or batt of insulation, such as glass wool insulation, rockwool insulation or the like, contained internally within the width of the stud, preferably constrained between the open channels of two adjacent studs.

One form of the wall structure has two or more air gaps in spaced apart relationship to each other. In one form, the wall structure has two or more layers of insulation, preferably spaced apart from each other on different sides of the wall structure.

Further, it is to be noted that in many forms of the invention, when constructing the wall structure, an installer is required to fire-seal the wall in order to satisfy both the fire and acoustic requirements, particularly so that the wall structure is compliant with the Building Code of Australia (BCA).

It is to be noted that forms of the wall structure can have any combination of individual layers or components and can have any number of the same layers, preferably spaced from one another to form a wall structure having the sound attenuating properties required of the wall.

Further, it is to be noted that walls made in accordance with the described embodiments are compliant in satisfying the fire requirements of the Building Code of Australia

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2014201979 16 Mar 2018 (BCA) for buildings for human occupation, in addition to achieving the minimum sound insulation performance requirements of the BCA.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the wall structure will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic vertical cross-section of one form of a wall structure in which the bulkheads are sealed.

Figure 2 is a schematic vertical cross-section of the form 15 of the wall structure of Figure 1 in which one bulkhead is open and the other is closed.

Figure 3 is a schematic vertical cross-section of another form of the wall structure having two layers of insulation.

Figure 4 is a schematic vertical cross-section of a further form of the wall structure having an air space on either side of the AAC panel.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary partial isometric view of the form of the wall of Figure 1 in more detail.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the wall structure will now be described with reference to the drawings in which the different embodiments are illustrated.

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In one form, there is provided a building, typically a multi level or multi story building of separate conjoined dwellings occupied by different groups of people at the one level, such as for example, individual apartments housed within the building on the same floor defined by internal walls separating the individual apartments from each other, such as for example, single occupant units (SOU), and dividing individual apartments at the one io level, generally denoted as 2, into separate adjacent rooms 4, 6 or the like. The construction or structure of the building can be in any suitable or convenient form and includes such examples at HEBEL® floor on steel lightweight construction, reinforced concrete frame/floor construction, Concrete Bondek on steel construction, timber frame construction or other suitable construction capable of being structurally constructed. The wall structure is one form of a layered dividing wall having multiple components located between adjacent rooms 4, 6 and is essentially a sound deadening or sound absorbing wall to reduce the amount of noise or sound being transmitted through or by the wall, even though not all components or layers extend to the full height of the wall as will be described in more detail later.

One form of the wall structure is a multi layer or multi component wall 10, typically of the type as shown in Figure 1, which comprises a first inner wall member in the form of a framework member or frame element, such as for example, a metal stud 12, preferably of a width of about

64mm, located at or towards one side of wall 10. One form of metal stud 12 is a galvanised steel C-shaped stud or similar, such as for example, a RONDO® Lipped C stud or a

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RONDO® Quiet Stud. However, stud 12 can have different profiles or shapes, such as two C-shaped studs in back-toback relationship or an H-shaped section or profile. Stud 12 is fixedly attached at one end to floor slab 14 of room

4 and at the other end to ceiling slab 16 of room 4. Stud 12 may be connected to the floor and ceiling slabs respectively directly by being fixedly fastened thereto, or indirectly through a suitable connector or fitting such as for example, an upper bracket, channel section, or io upper end piece 18 located at the upper end of stud 12, and a lower bracket, channel, section or lower end piece 20 located at the lower end of stud 12. Stud 12 is oriented such that the open channel of the C-shape is aligned along the plane of wall 10 so that one of the side edges of the C-shaped profile faces towards the interior of room 4 and the other side edge of the C-shaped profile faces into the interior of wall structure 10. If provided, brackets 18, 20 holding studs 12 are also Cshaped with the open channel of the C facing vertically downwards in the upper bracket 18 which is mounted to the ceiling or facing vertically upwards in lower bracket 20 which is mounted to the floor. Thus, brackets 18, 20 and studs 12 form the perimeter of a stud wall cavity. Any number of individual studs 12 in aligned spaced apart relationship to each other, can be used to form the stud wall. As the number of studs 12 vary, in accordance with the length of the wall, any number of studs 12 can be used to form the stud walls in which any number of cavities are formed.

In one form, stud 12 can be in the form of two C-shaped studs in back-to-back relationship with each other such as in the form of an H-shape so that the open channel of the

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C faces outwardly in opposite directions from two sides of the stud.

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A layer of insulation is optionally provided within the 5 stud cavity formed in the stud wall between adjacent studs

12. In one form, layer of insulation can take any suitable form, such as for example, being in the form of panels, sheets, batts, rolls, fluff, wadding or similar. One preferred form of the insulation is an insulation batt io 22 which can be fitted in the stud cavity between adjacent studs 12 and secured in place by any suitable fastener or fixing. In one form, insulation batt 22 can be made from any suitable material, such as for example, glass wool, rock wool, fibreglass, or similar. One preferred form of insulation is a 75mm thick batt of 11 kg/m³ glass wool insulation made and supplied by CSR Bradford.

It is to be noted that stud 12 with or without brackets 18, 20 at one or either end extends from floor 14 to ceiling 16 and is secured in place to form one of the main structural parts of wall 10.

A second inner wall member in the form of a building component, such as for example, a building panel 26, typically an AAC panel, is located in alignment with studs 12 and spaced apart from insulation batt 22 to form another layer of wall 10, including contributing to the support or structural integrity of wall 10 by being fixed indirectly to floor slab 14 and ceiling slab 16. An upper

L-shaped bracket 28 is fixedly attached to ceiling slab 16 and a lower L-shaped bracket 30 is fixedly attached to floor slab 14 in vertical alignment with each other to provide for fixing of panel 26 by the upper edge and lower

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2014201979 16 Mar 2018 edge of panel 26 being connected to the upper and lower brackets 28, 30, respectively, to enable panel 26 to be securely connected between floor 14 and ceiling 16.

A small space or gap in the form of upper joint 32 is provided between ceiling 16 and upper edge of panel 26 to accommodate the placement of one leg of upper bracket 28 and a small gap or space in the form of a lower joint 34 is provided between floor 14 and lower edge of panel 26 to io accommodate placement of one leg of lower bracket 30, so that panel 26 extends only substantially between floor 14 and ceiling 16 by extending between brackets 28, 30. In this form, the height of panel 26 is not the slab to slab distance. Joints 32, 34 each have a size of from about

2mm to about 30mm, preferably from about 5mm to 20mm, more preferably from about 10mm to 15mm. In one form, joint 32 is provided with reinforcement, such as a backer rod or backing rod 36, typically made from polyethylene, at or towards the outer side of wall 10 to assist in forming sealed joint 32. Joint 32 is filled with a suitable adhesive, sealant, bonding agent, grout paste, thixotropic agent or the like, such as a fire retardant foam sealer in the form of BOSTICK FIREBAN ONE™ which is a one part fire rated polyurethane joint sealant.

Lower joint 34 is also filled with a suitable material in the form of an adhesive, sealant, bonding agent, grout, thixotropic agent, paste, gel or similar, such as a fire retardant sealer, in the form of BOSTIK FIREBAN ONE™.

Joint 34 ranges in size from about 2mm to about 30mm, preferably from about 4mm to 20mm, more preferably from

10mm to 15mm.

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A backer rod or locking rod may be used optionally to fill joint 34 or to assist in sealing joint 34.

In one form, building panel 26 is spaced from studs 12 and 5 insulation batt 22 to form an insulation gap or space, such as a sound or noise deadening insulation space or gap 40. Gap 40 can have any suitable size, width or form. A typical spacing between the respective facing sides of the insulation layer batt 22 and building panel 26 is about

35mm or similar. However, it is to be noted that the spacing can have any suitable or convenient spacing, such as for example, up to about 100mm or more.

Building panel 26 can take any suitable form, size, shape ¹⁵ hype or the like. In one form, panel 26 is a rectangular panel, typically made from a lightweight material, such as for example, a concrete or concrete like material including an artificial or synthetic concrete material.

One preferred form is Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC), such as for example, made and/or supplied by CSR Building Products Limited and sold under the CSR HEBEL® name as a

Power Panel®.

In one form, panel 26 is a rectangular 75mm thick HEBEL®

Power Panel provided with tongue and grooves along opposed edges allowing the panels to be interlockingly interconnected to adjacent or contiguous panels in edgeto-edge side-by-side relationship along the respective longitudinal edges of the panels. It is to be noted that a single HEBEL® panel is of a size to extend substantially from floor slab 14 to ceiling slab 16, or more particularly from upper joint 32 to lower joint 34 to take account of the presence of upper bracket 28 and lower

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2014201979 16 Mar 2018 bracket 30 or other fitting for fixing panel 26 securely in place.

A first outer wall in the form of a first lining member, typically one or more plasterboard sheets 46, is aligned along studs 12 collectively to form an exterior covering for one side of wall 10 which is the side facing into room 4 by extending to a first distance from floor 14 in a direction near to ceiling 16. Multiple sheets of io plasterboard 46 are connected to studs 12 collectively to form a covering for the side of wall 10 facing into room 4. Multiple sheets of plasterboard 46 are connected to studs 12 collectively by suitable fasteners, such as in the form of plasterboard nails, screws or specialised fasteners, to form the outer skin or outer wall surface of wall 10. Any number of sheets of plasterboard can be used and joined together in edge-to-edge relationship along the respective longitudinal edges and along the respective transverse edges in the usual manner to cover studs 12 to form a covered part of the studs. The plasterboard sheets 46 can be finished in the usual manner.

It is to be noted that in most buildings, two sheets of plasterboard 46, each about 1200mm in height are arranged one on top of the other in edge-to-edge abutting relationship in alignment with each other to form a planar wall or outer surface of the wall, covering most but not all of the outer surfaces of wall 10 by not extending to the full height of wall 10, i.e. does not extend from slab to slab, so that there is an uncovered part or section 48 of the stud cavity wall located at or towards the top of studs 12 which is not covered by plasterboard sheets 46, but rather studs 12 and the layer of insulation 22 (if

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2014201979 16 Mar 2018 present) immediately below ceiling slab 16, are exposed, i.e. form uncovered part 48. This arrangement allows for easier and faster installation of sheets of plasterboard 46 and construction of wall 10 since none of plasterboard sheets 46 need to be cut to fit vertically between ceiling and floor to the full height of wall 10, as is usually required in conventional building construction techniques, but rather, an unfinished edge along the top edge of the upper plasterboard sheet can remain, and further the top io of the plasterboard sheet does not need to be joined to the ceiling such as for example, by forming a neat joint or neat cornice around the joint between the outer surface of plasterboard sheet 46 and the exposed surface of ceiling 16. Instead, a bulkhead 50 having a false ceiling

52, typically in the form of a ceiling box or similar, can be constructed to hide the uncovered part 48 of studs 12. In one form, the ceiling box or bulkhead 50 has an end 54 depending downwardly, preferably vertically downwards from ceiling slab 16 to form one end of the ceiling box 50.

One form of end 54 is made from two layers, sheets of thicknesses of plasterboard having a preselected width or height laminated together to form the end of bulkhead 50, such as for example, two sheets or strips of 13mm thick fire treated plasterboard, such as CD plasterboard. In one form, bulkhead 50 extends downwardly from ceiling slab 16 to a distance of about 400mm. One form of bulkhead 50 extends horizontally outward from studs 12 to a distance of about 1000mm or the like.

It is to be noted that the use of fire rated materials to make bulkhead 50 allows wall structure 10 to be compliant with building regulations concerning the spread of fire and noise transmission within rooms 4 and 6, even though

10085164_1 (GHMatters) P92694.AU.2

2014201979 16 Mar 2018 the outer lining of plasterboard does not extend to the ceiling.

Although one form of bulkhead 50 is shown as being 5 rectangular, any other suitable form is possible to suit the design of the building and/or room, including the exposed outer surfaces of the bulkhead being provided with decorative effects or architectural features.

In one form, internal brackets 60 may be used to connect bulkhead 50, particularly false ceiling 52, to plasterboard sheet 46. In one form, internal bracket 60 is a P50 connector which is an elongate strip of angle iron. In another form, bracket 60 is a generally C-shaped channel or section in which false ceiling 52 is secured to one side of bracket 60 and the vertical stub of plasterboard 46 is connected to the web of bracket 60 as shown in the drawings.

In one form, on the other side of wall structure 10, in room 6, a second outer wall member in the form of a second lining member, typically one or more sheets of plasterboard 64, are aligned along the outwardly facing side of building panel 26 for forming an exterior covering for the other side of wall 10 which side is the side facing into room 6 by extending a second distance from floor 14 to near to ceiling 16. Multiple sheets of plasterboard 64 are used to form the side of wall 10 facing into room 6. Plasterboard sheets 64 are connected directly to the surface of building panel 26 by any suitable means, such as for example, an adhesive, sealant, bonding agent, glue, fasteners or the like. Plasterboard lining 64, made from multiple individual sheets, does not

10085164_1 (GHMatters) P92694.AU.2

2014201979 16 Mar 2018 extend to the full height of wall 10, but rather extends to a distance short of ceiling slab 16 only, leaving an upper part 66 of building panel 26 exposed and uncovered, thus forming an uncovered part 66 of panel 64, the remaining part of panel 26 being covered by plasterboard 64 thus forming a covered part.

A bulkhead 68 in the form of a false ceiling 70, such as a ceiling box, is formed on this side of wall 10 to enclose io the exposed surface of uncovered part 66 of building panel 64 as shown in the drawings. The arrangement of bulkhead 68 is the same as, or similar to arrangement of bulkhead 50, by also having false ceiling 70 and a double plasterboard thickness end wall 72 of fire rated materials.

It is to be noted that the height of plasterboard wall 64 is the same or different to the height of plasterboard wall section 46.

In one or other forms of the wall structure, an aperture, typically in the form of an open return air grill 76, is optionally provided in the false ceiling of one or both bulkheads .

In one form, open return air grills 76 are cut into the false ceiling 52, 70 of each bulkhead 50, 68 adjacent to wall structure 10, such as for example, about 200mm away from wall 10. In one form, open return air grill 76 has a size of about 600mm x 600mm. It is to be noted that even when two return air grills 76 are provided, one on either side of wall 10 in the respective bulkheads, wall 10 has acceptable sound transmission resistance to be compliant

10085164_1 (GHMatters) P92694.AU.2

2014201979 16 Mar 2018 with the relevant building regulations, such as for example, performance which is complaint with Australian

Standards AS2253 and AS 1276.

Other arrangements of wall structure 10 having combinations of different numbers of different layers of different components are possible.

One such structure is illustrated in Figure 3. One io embodiment of the wall is wall structure 110, as illustrated in Figure 3, comprises a stud cavity wall of studs 112 forming the main support for wall 110. A plasterboard sheet outer lining 146 covering the outer surface of wall 110 in room 4, a first layer of insulation

122 located within the cavity wall formed by studs 112, forming one side of wall 110.

The other side of wall 110 includes building panel 126 secured in place between upper bracket 130 and lower bracket 132, with an air gap or space 140 being provided intermediate the opposed facing surfaces of insulation batt 122 and building panel 126.

A second layer of insulation 180 is provided on the other side of panel 126 to air gap 140. A second layer of plasterboard sheet 164 is provided on the outboard side of insulation batt 180. All details of the construction of wall 110 are the same as or similar to the details of constructions of wall 10, as is the form and construction of both bulkheads 150, 168 with or without grills 176.

A further embodiment of the wall structure is wall structure 210, as shown in Figure 4 in which there is an

10085164_1 (GHMatters) P92694.AU.2

2014201979 16 Mar 2018 air gap 240, 282 on either side of centrally located building panel 226 and two spaced apart layers of insulation 222 and 280 on either side of wall 210, to provide additional sound deadening and noise abatement for rooms 4, 6.

The remainder of the construction of wall 210 is the same or similar to that of wall 10.

In Figure 5, the construction of wall 10 of Figure 1 is shown in more detail, particularly showing the orientation of studs 12 forming the first inner wall members.

SAMPLE ONE

A first test sample wall structure, referred to as Sample One, was constructed in accordance with the wall structure of Figure 1 between two adjacent rooms within a test chamber to simulate an internal dividing wall between two single occupant units to measure sound loss of the particular wall structure. Sample One wall structure was constructed using a 75mm thick CSR HEBEL® Tongue and Groove Power Panel and one row of 64mm wide steel studs forming a stud cavity wall with one layer of 13mm CD plasterboard fixed on both sides of the wall structure to form the outwardly facing linings of the wall. An insulation batt of 75mm thick llkg/m³ glass wool insulation was packed into the stud cavity. The gap between the stud cavity wall, particularly the surface of the insulation batt and the HEBEL® Power Panel is 35mm. The dropped plasterboard sheets on either side of the wall were fixed to the ceiling plasterboard of the bulkhead using a P50 angle iron strip located between the two sheets of

10085164_1 (GHMatters) P92694.AU.2

2014201979 16 Mar 2018 plasterboard.

The remaining perimeter of the wall was sealed on both sides using BOSTIK FIREBAN ONE™ polyurethane sealant. The construction of Sample One wall is in accordance with the wall structure illustrated in Figure 1.

The results of the test on Sample One are provided in Table 1. Table 1 shows that the test sample achieved an acoustic rating of Rw+ Ctr of 51.9 which is compliant with current Building Code of Australia (BCA) regulations for party walls in high rise residential buildings. It is to be noted that a typical acoustic rating, represented by R, is about 50±2-3 dB, including actual values in the range from 47 to 53 dB, such as for example 51.9 dB, 51 dB, 50.8 dB and the like.

In one form, the weighted sound reduction index, Rw, is a single number value expressed in decibels (dB) which describes the overall sound insulation performance or sound reduction that the wall or floor provides. Note that sound pressure levels are usually expressed in decibels, with one decibel being the smallest change in sound pressure level or intensity (loudness) detectable by the human ear. Rw ratings are determined by laboratory testing. A sample of the wall or floor is constructed in an opening separating a source room (where sounds are generated at various frequencies) from a receiver room, where the sound level is measured. The difference in sound level between the source room and receiver room represents the sound reduction or transmission loss, R, through the test specimen for that frequency, in decibels (dB).

Measurements are conducted in one-third octave bands over

10085164_1 (GHMatters) P92694.AU.2

2014201979 16 Mar 2018 frequencies typically from 100 to 3,150 Hz. To determine the Rw value, the results for each frequency are plotted on a diagram and a reference curve (from AS/NZS ISO 717.11) is positioned so that the sum of the differences at each test frequency under the reference curve is as large as possible but not more than 32 dB. Once the reference curve is correctly positioned, the sound reduction at 500 Hz is determined and this becomes the single-number Rw value. The procedure results in the sound io reduction index being weighted to about the average sound reduction in the middle of the human hearing range, with higher values indicating better performance.

Weighted sound reduction index plus spectrum adaptation term (Rw + Ctr)

The spectrum adaptation term, Ctr, takes into account the performance of the building element in specifically reducing the transmission of low frequency sound. The term is calculated by combining the measured performance of the wall or floor element at various frequencies with a curve that represents a typical low frequency sound source (typically traffic noise and hence the 'tr' subscript). As most noise related issues involve the transmission of low frequency sounds from audio equipment, the BCA's sound insulation requirements generally include the Ctr term by setting a minimum Rw + Ctr value - typically 50 dB.

SAMPLE TWO

A second test sample wall structure, referred to as Sample

Two, was constructed as indicated above in connection with

Sample One, except that a 600mm x 600mm opening in the

10085164_1 (GHMatters) P92694.AU.2

2014201979 16 Mar 2018 form of a grille was provided in the false ceiling panel of the bulkhead on one side of the wall structure which side is the same side as the source of noise for the test. The grille was constructed to simulate the presence of an air conditioning return air duct or grille in the bulkhead of the wall.

The wall structure of sample two is as illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawings showing a single air return io grille.

The results of the test on Sample Two are provided in Table 2. Table 2 shows that the test sample achieved an acoustic rating of Rw + Ctr of 51.0 which is compliant with the current BCA regulations for party walls in high rise residential buildings .

SAMPLE THREE

A third test sample wall structure, referred to as Sample Three, was constructed similarly as indicated above in respect of Sample One except that a 600mm x 600mm opening in the form of a grille was formed in the false ceilings of both bulkheads on either side of the wall structure to simulate an air conditioning return duct or grille on either side of the wall structure.

The results of the Test on Sample Three are provided in Table 3. Table 3 shows that the test sample achieved an acoustic rating of Rw + Ctr of 50.8 which is compliant with current BCA regulations for party walls in high rise residential buildings .

10085164_1 (GHMatters) P92694.AU.2

2014201979 16 Mar 2018

ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION

Advantages of embodiments include the following. Lower cost in constructing walls in comparison to current methods, less wastage in plasterboard materials resulting in less on-site waste materials, speed of construction due to modular use of Hebei® panels and Gyprock® panels.

Owing to the linings forming the exposed surfaces of the io two walls of the wall structure not having to be cut to size or trimmed since the upper edges of the linings or either wall is covered by the enclosed bulkheads, the wall structure can be constructed in less time and at a lower cost.

The wall structure is compliant with the relevant sections of the Building Code of Australia relating to the transmission of sounds through internal walls.

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2014201979 16 Mar 2018

SUMMARY OF RESULTS

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Table 4 summarises the results from the test performed on

Samples One, Two and Three.

2014201979 16 Mar 2018

Table 4 - Summary of Results

Sample	Test	Rw	Ctr	Rw + Ctr
1	Single stud system with plasterboard lining terminating at the ceiling and unperforated bulkheads - plasterboard dropping with P50 joints	60	-8.1	51.9
2	Single stud system with plasterboard lining terminating at the ceiling and 600 x 600 open hole cut into the bulkhead on the Hebei side of the wall - plasterboard dropping with P50 joints	59.3	-8.3	51
3	Single stud system with plasterboard lining terminating at the ceiling and 600 xO 600 open hole cut into the bulkhead on both sides of the wall - plasterboard dropping with P50 joints	57.9	-7.1	50.8

The above results indicate that:

• All walls achieved the minimum R„ + Ctr 50 requirement of the BCA.

· Cutting a (simulated) return air grille on the Hebei side of the wall had a measureable effect on the wall performance (0.9 points).

• Cutting a return air grille on the direct stick side of the wall had no measurable effect on the wall

10085164_1 (GHMatters) P92694.AU.2

2014201979 16 Mar 2018

- 35 performance .

The tests conducted indicate that provided the ceilings adjacent to the walls are perforated in a manner that is typically undertaken in residential and hotel situations (i.e. light fittings and return air grilles) then the systems including plasterboard linings connected to Hebei wall panels which are terminated at the ceiling level with P50 joints between the ceiling and dropped plasterboard, form walls which will comply with the requirements of current BCA Part F5.

The described arrangement has been advanced by explanation and many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention which includes every novel feature and novel combination of features herein disclosed.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the 20 invention described herein is susceptible to variations and modifications other than those specifically described. It is understood that the invention includes all such variations and modifications which fall within the spirit and scope.

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2014201979 16 Mar 2018

Claims

The claims defining the present invention are as follows:

1/5

2014201979 08 Apr 2014

FIGURE 1

2014201979 08 Apr 2014

1. A wall structure for a wall of a building, the wall structure comprising a first inner wall member for

5 providing support for the wall structure, the first inner wall member extending between the ceiling and the floor of a room of the building, a second inner wall member extending substantially between the ceiling and the floor, a first outer wall member

10 connected to the first inner wall member for forming a covering for the first inner wall member, said first outer wall member extending in alignment with the first inner wall member to a first distance in the direction between the ceiling and the floor to

15 form a covered part of the first inner wall member and an uncovered part of the first inner wall member, the first outer wall member having a first upper edge spaced from the ceiling, a second outer wall member connected to the second inner wall member for forming

20 a cover of the second inner wall member, said second outer wall member extending in alignment with the second inner wall member to a second distance in the direction between the ceiling and the floor to form a covered part of the second inner wall member and an

25 uncovered part of the second inner wall member, the second outer wall member having a second upper edge spaced from the ceiling, a first cover member located on a first side of the wall structure, and a second cover member located on a second side of the wall

30 structure, the first cover member extending from the ceiling in a direction towards the floor to a distance so as to contact the first outer wall member to cover the uncovered part of the first inner wall

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2014201979 16 Mar 2018 member, the second cover member extending from the ceiling in a direction towards the floor for a distance to contact the second outer wall member to cover the uncovered part of the second inner wall

5 member, wherein the first cover member extends with respect to the first outer wall member to a distance greater than the distance of the uncovered part of the first inner wall member from the ceiling to cover the uncovered part of first inner wall member so that io the first upper edge of the first outer wall is concealed by the first cover member, and the second cover member extends with respect to the second outer wall member to a distance greater than the distance of the uncovered part of the second inner wall member

15 from the ceiling to cover the uncovered part of the second inner wall member so that the second upper edge of the second outer wall member is concealed by the second cover member, wherein the first distance and the second distance are both less than the

20 distance between the ceiling and the floor, to allow a part of the first inner wall member to remain uncovered by the first outer wall member and a part of the second inner wall member to remain uncovered by the second outer wall member, wherein the first

25 cover member includes a first side cover element extending outwardly from the first outer wall and a first end element arranged so that the first end element is angularly inclined to the first side cover element and the second cover member includes a second

30 side cover element extending outwardly from the second outer wall and a second end element angularly inclined to the second side cover element.

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2014201979 16 Mar 2018

2/5

FIGURE 2

2014201979 08 Apr 2014

2. A wall structure according to claim 1 in which at least one of the first inner wall member or the second inner wall member includes a lightweight building panel or block made from Autoclaved Aerated

5 Concrete (AAC) including reinforced AAC panels arranged in edge to edge abutting relationship to each other.

3/5 .130

FIGURE 3

2014201979 08 Apr 2014

3. A wall structure according to claim 1 or 2 further io comprising an air gap or air space between one or other of the inner or outer layers, between the two inner wall members, or between the inner and outer wall members or both in between the two inner wall members and between the inner and outer wall members

15 on either side of the wall structure.

4/5

216

2014201979 08 Apr 2014

4. A wall structure according to any preceding claim in which the first inner wall member is a structural member being a load bearing member including a frame

20 member in the form of a stud for forming an internal stud wall in which the frame member is a metal stud or a wooden or timber stud.

5. A wall structure according to any preceding claim in

25 which the first outer wall member is a covering member in the form of a panel, partition, cladding, fagade, sheet, board or lining, located on the outer surface of the first inner wall member.

30

6. A wall structure according to claim 5 in which the lining is made from plaster board, including fire rated plaster board, such as 13mm thick CD plaster board.

35

7. A wall structure according to any preceding claim in which the first cover member or the second cover member or the first cover member and the second cover

10085164_1 (GHMatters) P92694.AU.2 16/03/18

2014201979 16 Mar 2018 member is each at least one bulkhead, ceiling box, false ceiling, or ceiling cavity wherein the first side cover element is fixedly connected to the first end element and the second side element is fixedly

5 connected to the second end element.

8. A wall structure according to any one of claims 4 to 7, further comprising a layer of insulation located within the wall structure including being located

10 within the stud wall formed by the frame member or being located in an air space or gap between the first and second inner wall members.

9. A wall structure according to any preceding claim in

15 which the first side cover element and the first end element are arranged substantially perpendicularly to one another and the second side cover element and the second end element are arranged substantially perpendicularly to one another for attenuating sound

20 transmission through the wall structure.

10. A wall structure according to any one of claims 7 to 9 further comprising a first bulkhead and a second bulkhead, the first bulkhead being located at or

25 towards the ceiling of the room of the building on the first side of the wall structure, and the second bulkhead being located at or towards the ceiling of the room of the building on the second side of the wall structure, the first side cover element of the

30 first bulkhead extending from the second level to contact the first outer wall member to cover a part of the second outer wall member, the second side cover element of the second bulkhead extending from the ceiling to contact the second outer wall member

10085164_1 (GHMatters) P92694.AU.2 16/03/18

2014201979 16 Mar 2018 to cover a part of the second outer wall member, wherein the first bulkhead forms a first cavity with the first inner wall member at or towards one end thereof and the second bulkhead forms a second cavity

5 with the second inner wall member at or towards one end thereof, and wherein the first bulkhead extends with respect to the first outer wall member to a distance greater than the uncovered part of the first inner wall member to cover the uncovered part of io first inner wall member and the second bulkhead extends with respect to the second outer wall member to a distance greater than the uncovered part of the second inner wall member to cover the uncovered part of the second inner wall member.

11. A wall structure according to any one of claims 2 to 10 in which the gap or air space intermediate the first inner wall member and the second inner wall member is from about 2mm up to about 130mm or

20 greater.

12. A wall structure according to any preceding claim further comprising a third inner wall member arranged so that the first inner wall member is located

25 intermediate the second and third inner wall members wherein at least two of the first inner wall member, the second inner wall member and the third inner wall member, is a lightweight building panel of Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC).

13. A wall structure according to any preceding claim for dividing a single level of the building into a first and a second adjacent room with the wall structure located intermediate the two adjacent rooms.

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2014201979 16 Mar 2018

14. A wall structure according to claim 13 in which the first distance and/or the second distance is from close to the floor of the room to less than the level

5 of the ceiling of the room but greater than the level to which the bulkhead or false ceiling extends along the respective outer wall of the wall structure.

15. A wall structure according to any preceding claim in io which the covered part of the first and/or second inner wall member corresponds to the height or width of two sheets of plaster board stacked in edge to edge abutting relationship, wherein each sheet of plaster board has a width or height of about 1200mm.

16. A wall structure according to any one of claims 7 to 15 in which the bulkhead or ceiling box depends downwardly from the ceiling to a greater extent than the length of the uncovered part of the first and/or

20 second inner wall members.

17. A wall structure according to any preceding claim in which the wall structure has an acoustic rating R =

Rw + Ctr in the range of about 50±2-3 calculated in

25 accordance with AS/NZS ISO 717.11 standard, in which

Rw represents the weighted sound reduction index which is a single value expressed in decibels (dB) and Ctr represents a spectrum adaptation term relating to the transmission of sound, particularly low

30 frequency sound through the wall structure.

18. A wall structure according to any preceding claim in which the first and/or second outer wall member is two outer wall sheets arranged in edge to edge

35 abutting relationship wherein the two sheets in abutting relationship extend to a distance corresponding to the covered part of the respective

10085164_1 (GHMatters) P92694.AU.2 16/03/18

2014201979 16 Mar 2018 inner wall.

19. A wall structure according to any one of claims 13 to 18 in which there is a clearance between the lower

5 end in use of the first or second inner wall members and the floor on which the wall structure is constructed wherein the or each clearance is from about 2mm to about 20mm, more preferably from about 5mm to about 15mm, most preferably from about 10mm to io about 15mm.

20. A method of constructing a wall structure of a building for forming a dividing wall between a first room and a second room in side-by-side relationship

15 to each other at the same level of the building according to any preceding claim in which the method comprises locating a frame member for forming the frame or support of the wall structure at a first side of the wall structure to extend between the

20 floor and the ceiling of the first room, locating a building component for forming a second side of the wall structure, securing the building component in place using a connector so that the building component extends substantially between the floor and

25 the ceiling of the second room, locating a first lining member in alignment with the frame member and connecting the first lining member to the frame member so that the lining member faces into the first room and extends to a first distance along the frame

30 member to form a covered part of the frame member and an uncovered part of the frame member, locating a second lining member in alignment with the building component and connecting the second lining member to the building component so as to face into the second

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2014201979 16 Mar 2018 room and to extend to a second distance along the building component between the floor and the ceiling of form a covered part of the building component and an uncovered part of the building component by the

5 first distance and the second distance being less than the distance between the floor and the ceiling of the first and second rooms.

10085164_1 (GHMatters) P92694.AU.2 16/03/18

5/5

FIGURE 5