AU2019213442B2

AU2019213442B2 - Relocatable buildings and associated systems and methods

Info

Publication number: AU2019213442B2
Application number: AU2019213442A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Wayne Dixon
Original assignee: Stoddart Tech Pty Ltd
Current assignee: STODDART TECHNOLOGY Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2018-08-09
Filing date: 2019-08-09
Publication date: 2021-09-09
Anticipated expiration: 2039-08-09
Also published as: AU2019213442A1

Abstract

A method for use in lifting a relocatable building (20) to allow the building to be relocated, the method comprising installing a transport frame (10, 100, 110) in the building, wherein the transport frame includes a lifting beam (110), and wherein the transport frame (10) and/or the lifting beam (110) is operable to engage a structural frame (200) of the building, disconnecting the structural frame of the building from a slab (300), and lifting the building by the lifting beam. A0 0 u ei

Description

A method for use in lifting a relocatable building (20) to allow the building to be relocated, the method comprising installing a transport frame (10, 100, 110) in the building, wherein the transport frame includes a lifting beam (110), and wherein the transport frame (10) and/or the lifting beam (110) is operable to engage a structural frame (200) of the building, disconnecting the structural frame of the building from a slab (300), and lifting the building by the lifting beam.

A0

0

u

ei

RELOCATABLE BUILDINGS AND ASSOCIATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The invention relates to relocatable buildings and associated systems and methods for relocating buildings. In particular, the invention relates to, but is not limited to, a building that can be lifted in order to be relocated to a desired site, and a system and method for use in lifting said building for relocation.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Reference to background art herein is not to be construed as an admission that such art constitutes common general knowledge in Australia or elsewhere.

[0003] Relocatable buildings present various advantages over traditional non-relocatable buildings. Relocatable buildings can be lifted and moved to a different location when needed. In some scenarios, relocatable buildings may help to overcome regulatory hurdles and/or help to allow for higher density housing to be established.

[0004] Relocatable buildings are often constructed with a steel frame comprising structural steel members which are connected together to form the building frame. Such steel building frames have previously been erected on, and they require, a floor system which comprises a plurality of intersecting steel members which are located on and connected to the slab. However, installing this steel floor system is an expensive, time-consuming and labour intensive process. Further, when the steel frame and floor system of these previous relocatable buildings is to be disconnected from the slab, as is required to relocate these building, removal of a significant amount of internal wall lining, flooring and external wall cladding is required to disconnect the steel structural frame members and floor system from the slab. The floor system must then be lifted from the slab to allow placement of lifting beams. To relocate these previous relocatable buildings, the building frame is lifted by a lifting crane using beams placed below the floor system.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

[0005] It is thought that it would be desirable if a relocatable building and method for relocating said building could be provided which overcomes or ameliorates one or more of the disadvantages or problems described above, or which at least provides a useful alternative to existing designs.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

[0006] In one form, although not necessarily the only or broadest form, the invention resides in a method for use in lifting a relocatable building to allow the building to be relocated, the method comprising: installing a transport frame in the building, wherein the transport frame includes a lifting beam, and wherein the transport frame and/or the lifting beam is operable to engage a structural frame of the building; disconnecting the structural frame of the building from a slab; and lifting the building by the lifting beam.

[0007] The transport frame may include a plurality of transport members. At least one of the transport members may be connected to the lifting beam.

[0008] Installing the transport frame in the building may include connecting at least one of the transport members to the structural frame of the building.

[0009] The lifting beam may extend from a first end to a second end of the building.

[0010] Each end of the lifting beam may extend beyond externals walls located at the first and second ends of the building.

[0011] Lifting the building by the lifting beam may include connecting each end of the lifting beam to a spreader bar.

[0012] The structural frame of the building may include a plurality of structural members.

[0013] Disconnecting the structural frame of the building from the slab may include disconnecting each structural member from a connecting member. The connecting member may be connected to the slab.

[0014] Disconnecting each structural member from the connecting member may include removing a fastening member which connects the structural member to the connecting member.

[0015] In another form the invention resides in a transport frame for a relocatable building, the transport frame comprising: a plurality of transport frame members; and at least one lifting beam, wherein the transport frame can be installed in the building for lifting and relocating the building, and wherein the transport frame and/or the lifting beam is operable to engage a structural frame of the building.

[0016] At least one of the transport frame members may be connected to the lifting beam.

[0017] The structural frame may include a plurality of structural members.

[0018] At least one of the transport frame members of the transport frame may be connected to at least one of the structural members.

[0019] When the transport frame is installed in the building, the lifting beam may extend from a first end to a second end of the building.

[0020] Each end of the lifting beam may extend beyond externals walls located at the first and second ends of the building.

[0021] The transport frame may be configured to be removed from the building when the building has been relocated.

[0022] In another form the invention resides in a relocatable building frame system comprising: a connecting member connected to a base slab; a structural member of the building frame which is operable to be connected to the connecting member; and a fastening member which can be inserted to extend through an aperture in the connecting member and an aperture in the structural member to connect the structural member to the connecting member, wherein the fastening member can be removed to allow separation of the structural member from the connecting member.

[0023] A fastener may connect the connecting member to the slab.

[0024] A further structural member may be connected to the connecting member.

[0025] The connecting member may have a substantially U-shaped cross section.

[0026] Further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] By way of example only, preferred embodiments of the invention will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying figures, wherein:

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation view of a relocatable building with a transport frame installed therein according to an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional perspective view of the relocatable building with the transport frame as shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the transport frame shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a side view of the transport frame shown in Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a partial sectional view of an external wall of the relocatable building shown in Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a photograph of a prototype of the external wall of the relocatable building of Figure 1;

Figure 7 shows the general way in which relocatable buildings have previously been separated into sections for relocation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] Figure 7 shows how relocatable buildings are often separated/divided into multiple individual sections, and the individual sections can be lifted and relocated separately from one another, rather than lifting and relocating the entire overall building as a single unit. Note that the relocatable building, and the separate sections thereof, shown in Figure 7 is/are like the relocatable buildings discussed in the Background section above because the structural frame of the building (section) is connected to a floor system, and the floor system is in turn connected to the slab. The relocatable building depicted in Figure 7 does not embody the present invention. However, the same principle of separating or dividing a larger overall building into smaller individual sections, or designing it so that it can be so separated and divided, may also be used where embodiments of the present invention are employed. Also, reference throughout this specification to "a building" or "a relocatable building" should be interpreted to also include these individual sections of the building. Indeed, the "building" shown in and described with reference to Figures 1-2 is actually such a single section of a larger overall building.

[0029] Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a relocatable building 20 with a transport frame 10 installed therein according to an embodiment of the invention, and Figures 2 and 3 illustrate the transport frame 10 in further detail. In this embodiment, the relocatable building 20 is a single storey building with a sloped roof. The relocatable building 20 includes a structural frame 200 erected on a slab 300 and the transport frame 10 includes transport frame members 100 and two lifting beams 110. However, in other embodiments, the building 20 may be a multi-storey building with a differently shaped roof and/or the transport frame 10 may include only one or three or more lifting beams.

[0030] The structural frame 200 of the relocatable building 20 and the transport frame members 100 of the transport frame 10 are each formed from a metal such as steel, as is conventional. Any material conventionally used for the manufacture of similar load-bearing members may be used, and the materials used are not critical to the invention.

[0031] The structural frame 200 of the building 20 is directly connected to the slab 300 and includes a plurality of the structural members that are connected to each other. The structural members of the structural frame 200 form the wall studs, beams and trusses of the building 20. The surfaces of the walls (external and internal) and the roof of the building 20 are built on the structural frame 200 of the building 20.

[0032] The transport frame members 100 of the transport frame 10 are connected to each other and to the lifting beams 110, as shown in Figures 3 and 4. When installed in the building 20, each lifting beam 110 extends through the building 20, from a first end to a second end of the building, and beyond the external walls located at the first and second ends of the building 20. The length of the lifting beams 110 is appropriately chosen so that both ends 111, 112 of the lifting beams 110 also protrude past the gutters located on the roof of the building 20. Further, when installed in the building 20, the lifting beams 110 are located directly on the slab 300 and extend through openings (shown in Figure 6) located in portions of the structural frame 200 of the building 20 through which the lifting beams extend. In this embodiment, the lifting beams 110 are each in the form of a straight I-beam. However, in further embodiments, the lifting beams may include a curved or angled portion and/or may have a different cross-sectional shape.

[0033] The ends 111, 112 of the lifting beams 110 include engaging means for engaging and securing chains 410 to connect both the lifting beams 110 to a spreader beam 400. The spreader beam 400 is also connected to a crane (not shown) or other similar lifting equipment for lifting the building 20.

[0034] The transport frame members 100 are also securely, yet releasably, connected to (and inside) the structural frame 200 of the building 20. Connecting the transport frame members 100 to the structural frame 200 of the building 20 allows the weight of the building 20 (including the walls and the roof) to be transferred to (and distributed into) the transport frame 10 when the building is lifted for relocation.

[0035] Figure 5 shows a structural member 510 (in the form of wall stud of an external wall 50) of the structural frame 200 of the building 20 attached to the slab 300. Figure 6 shows a prototype of a similar external wall construction. The external wall 50 includes a plasterboard layer 511 and a skirting board 512 attached to the structural member 510 on the interior of the building 20. On the exterior of the building, horizontal battens 513 are connected to the structural member 510, upon which an exterior wall panel 514 is located. The structural member 510 is connected to the slab 300 via a connecting member 520. The connecting member 520 is elongate in shape and has a U-shaped cross-section thereby forming a channel into which is received the bottom of the structural member 510. The connecting member 520 and the structural member 510 are connected to each other by locating a fastener 530, such as a screw, through apertures in the connecting member 520 and the structural member 510, which are aligned when the structural member 510 is received in the connecting member 520, as shown in Figure 5. Several structural members of the structural frame 200 can be connected to a single connecting member 520 in this manner at various locations along the elongate connecting member 520. However, several connector members 520 would then be required to connect all the structural members of the structural frame 200 to the slab 300. The connecting member 520 may also be releasably connected to the slab 300 by fasteners (not shown).

[0036] To disconnect the structural member 510 from the slab 300, the skirting board 512 is initially removed to expose an end of the fastener 530. The fastener 530 is then unscrewed to disconnect the structural member 510 from the connecting member 520 (and the slab 300), without having to remove the plasterboard layer 511, the battens 513 or the exterior wall panel 514.

[0037] The structural members of the structural frame 200 through which the lifting beams 110 extend when they are installed in the building 20, have an opening 540 (not shown in Figure 5) that is suitably sized to allow the lifting beams 110 to pass through. It may often be necessary to cut into internal plasterboard and external wall cladding to reveal/expose these openings 540 before the lifting beams 110 can be inserted. This cosmetic damage to interior and exterior wall surfaces can, of course, be rectified by "touch-up" plastering etc after the building has been relocated and installed at its newlocation. The provision of openings 540 eliminates the need for removing any structural members of the structural frame 200 when the lifting beams 110 are being installed in the building 20. Further, when the building 20 is being lifted by applying a lifting force on the ends 111, 112 of the lifting beams 110, the lifting beams 110 engage the structural members of the structural frame 200 whose openings 540 they extend through, thereby transferring a portion of the weight of the building 20 directly to the lifting beams 110 through those structural members.

[0038] When the building 20 is to be relocated, the transport frame 10 is first erected inside the building 20 by bringing the transport frame members 100 and lifting beams 110 into the building 20 and connecting them to each other and to the structural members of the structural frame 200 of the building to form the transport frame 10. The structural frame 200 of the building 20 is then disconnected from the slab 300 by removing the fasteners 530 connecting the structural members of the structural frame 200 and the connecting members 520. The ends 111, 112 of the lifting beams 110 are then connected to the spreader beam 400 via chains. A crane connected to the spreader beam lifts the building 20, including the structural frame 200 and the transport frame 10, from the slab 300 and e.g. onto a truck or the like for relocation to a new site. The connecting members 520 may also be disconnected from the slab 300 and transferred to the new site separately.

[0039] At the new site, the connecting members 520 (either the old ones from the previous site or new ones) are first connected to a slab located at the new site. Then, the building 20 is lowered onto the slab and the structural members of the structural frame 200 are reconnected to the connecting members 520 by fasteners 530. Once the structural frame 200 of the building is securely connected to the slab at the new site via the connecting members 520, the transport frame 10 can be disconnected from the building frame 200 and disassembled and the transport frame members 100 and the lifting beams 110 can be removed from the building 20.

[0040] Using the transport frame 10 to move the building 20 is advantageous as at least a proportion of the weight of the building 20 is transferred to and borne by the transport frame 10, which is designed to withstand such high loads. Thus, the structural frame 200 of the building 20 is subject to significantly less stress and damage as it does not bear the whole load of the building 20 when the building 20 is lifted. Moreover, as the transport frame 10 is installed in the building 20 prior to the building 20 being lifted, the crane or any other lifting equipment is required on site for a shorter period of time and only once the transport frame 10 has been completely installed. This can result in significant cost savings.

[0041] The need for a floor system is also eliminated as the structural frame 200 of the building 20 is directly connected to the slab 300 via the connecting members 520. Further, due to the manner in which the structural members of the structural frame 200 of the building 20 are attached to the slab 300, the structural frame 200 can be disconnected from the slab 300 without removing any other components (plasterboard layers, battens, external wall panels etc.) from the walls of the building 20.

[0042] In this specification, adjectives such as first and second, inner and outer, top and bottom, and the like may be used solely to distinguish one element or action from another element or action without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order. Where the context permits, reference to an integer or a component or step (or the like) is not to be interpreted as being limited to only one of that integer, component, or step, but rather could be one or more of that integer, component, or step etc.

[0043] The above description of various embodiments of the present invention is provided for purposes of description to one of ordinary skill in the related art. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to a single disclosed embodiment. As mentioned above, numerous alternatives and variations to the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, while some alternative embodiments have been discussed specifically, other embodiments will be apparent or relatively easily developed by those of ordinary skill in the art. The invention is intended to embrace all alternatives, modifications, and variations of the present invention that have been discussed herein, and other embodiments that fall within the spirit and scope of the above described invention.

[0044] In this specification, the terms 'comprises', 'comprising', 'includes', 'including', or similar terms are intended to mean a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a method, system or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include those elements solely, but may well include other elements not listed.

Claims

1. A method for use in lifting a relocatable building to allow the building to be relocated, the method comprising:

installing a transport frame in the building, wherein the transport frame includes a lifting beam, and wherein the transport frame and/or the lifting beam is operable to engage a structural frame of the building, the structural frame of the building including a plurality of structural members;

disconnecting the structural frame of the building from a slab by disconnecting at least one of the structural members from an elongate connecting member, wherein the connecting member is connected to the slab by a fastener; and

lifting the building by the lifting beam,

wherein disconnecting the at least one of the structural members from the connecting member includes removing a fastening member which connects the at least one of the structural members to the connecting member, and

wherein at least two of the structural members are connected to the connecting member.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the transport frame further includes a plurality of transport members, and wherein at least one of the transport members is connected to the lifting beam.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein installing the transport frame in the building includes connecting at least one of the transport members to the structural frame of the building.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the lifting beam extends from a first end to a second end of the building.

5. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein each end of the lifting beam extends beyond externals walls located at the first and second ends of the building.

6. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein lifting the building by the lifting beam includes connecting each end of the lifting beam to a spreader bar.

7. A relocatable building frame system comprising:

an elongate connecting member connected to a slab by a fastener;

a plurality of structural members of the building frame which are operable to be connected to the connecting member; and

a fastening member which can be inserted to extend through an aperture in the connecting member and an aperture in at least one of the structural members to connect the at least one of the structural members to the connecting member,

wherein the fastening member can be removed to allow separation of the at least one of the structural members from the connecting member.

8. The building frame system of claim 7, wherein at least two structural members are connected to the connecting member.

9. The building frame system of any one of claims 7 or 8, wherein the connecting member has a substantially U-shaped cross-section.