CA3129186C - Method of making precast reinforced concrete form - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for making a form for forming poured-in-situ concrete structures of buildings, wherein the form has at least one precast reinforced concrete panel, comprises: pouring a first load of concrete into a mold, inserting a portion of a reinforcement assembly into the first load, and pouring a second load of concrete into the mold. The reinforcement assembly includes a mesh, and the mesh is configured to prevent the second load of concrete from bleeding therethrough. Two-sided, three- sided, and four-sided concrete forms can be made depending on the configuration of the mesh of the reinforcement assembly.

Description

METHOD OF MAKING PRECAST REINFORCED CONCRETE FORM
FIELD
[0001] This invention relates to methods for making pre-cast concrete forms for forming .. poured-in-situ concrete structures selected from the group consisting of structural walls, columns, floors and parapets of residential or commercial buildings.
BACKGROUND

[0002] Concrete wall construction has been historically mostly relegated to the cast in place method through the installation of formwork. This basically involves setting up the forms in advance, placing the required rebar and any external reinforcement to secure the forms in place when the concrete is poured, then pouring the concrete inside the forms. The concrete is allowed to cure sufficiently to enable the forms to be removed (stripped). It may be necessary after the forms are removed to brace the walls while the concrete continues to cure. The cycle therefore requires these operations to be performed on site. The schedule consequently becomes a critical factor because all these elements get on the critical path. Additionally, the formwork is not the best method in terms of quality, requiring several touch ups and patching to the walls after stripping.

[0003] Precast reinforced concrete forms are introduced to address the shortcomings of traditional formwork. A precast reinforced concrete form has at least one precast .. reinforced concrete panel. A known method of making precast reinforced concrete forms can be time-consuming as the method only allows one concrete panel of the form to be made at a time. Typically, if the precast reinforced concrete form is to have two concrete panels, the concrete for the first panel is poured into a mold having a reinforcement structure positioned therein, and the first panel has to completely cure before the form can be rotated to make the second panel. Therefore, the process of making a precast reinforced concrete form using the known method can take many hours or even days Date Recue/Date Received 2023-05-02 because multiple concrete panels of the same form must be cured sequentially.
Further, rotating the form to make subsequent panel(s) can be cumbersome and difficult due to the size and weight of the cured concrete panel(s) and the reinforcement structure cast thereto. Special equipment may thus be required to rotate semi-complete forms.

[0004] Accordingly, the present disclosure aims to address the above-mentioned issues of the existing method of making precast reinforced concrete forms.
SUMMARY

[0005] The present invention, in one embodiment, provides a method of making a form for forming poured-in-situ concrete structures, the method comprising:
a) pouring a first load of concrete into a cavity of a mold, the mold having a base, a first side, a second side, a first end, and a second end, collectively defining the cavity therebetween, and the mold being configured to accommodate the entirety of the form;
b) inserting a first face of a reinforcement assembly into the first load of concrete, the reinforcement assembly having a mesh, at least a first portion of the mesh being adjacent to an inner surface of a second face of the reinforcement assembly, the mesh configured to prevent concrete from bleeding therethrough, the reinforcement assembly having a first side and a second side; and c) pouring a second load of concrete into the cavity, with at least some of the second load being on top of the first portion of the mesh and covering the second face of the .. reinforcement assembly, wherein an inner space is defined between the mesh and the surface of the first load of concrete.

[0006] In some embodiments, a second portion of the mesh is adjacent to an inner surface of the first side of the reinforcement assembly to define a first gap between the second .. portion of the mesh and the first side of the mold.

Date Recue/Date Received 2021-08-27

[0007] In some embodiments, pouring the second load comprises filling the first gap with some of the second load of concrete to cover the first side of the reinforcement assembly.

[0008] In some embodiments, a third portion of the mesh is adjacent to an inner surface of the second side of the reinforcement assembly to define a second gap between the third portion of the mesh and the second side of the mold.

[0009] In some embodiments, pouring the second load comprises filling the second gap with some of the second load of concrete to cover the second side of the reinforcement assembly.

[0010] In some embodiments, the reinforcement assembly comprises a plurality of continuous chairs attached to the first face, the plurality of continuous chairs extending outwardly from the first face.

[0011] In some embodiments, the reinforcement assembly comprises a plurality of reinforcing members.

[0012] In some embodiments, the plurality of reinforcing member comprises a plurality of longitudinal reinforcing members and a plurality of lateral reinforcing members.

[0013] In some embodiments, the mesh is coupled to at least one of the plurality of the longitudinal reinforcing members and/or the plurality of lateral reinforcing members at one or more of: the second face of the reinforcement assembly, the first side of the reinforcement assembly, and the second side of the reinforcement assembly.

[0014] In some embodiments, the mesh has a plurality of openings defined in and each opening of the plurality of openings is about 0.234" by about 0.375".

[0015] In some embodiments, inserting comprises covering the entirety of the first face of the reinforcement assembly with the first load of concrete.

[0016] In some embodiments, inserting comprises maintaining a distance between the first face and the base.

[0017] In some embodiments, the distance is about 30 mm.

Date Recue/Date Received 2021-08-27

[0018] In some embodiments, the distance is maintained by a plurality of continuous chairs attached to the first face, the plurality of continuous chairs extending outwardly from the first face.

[0019] In some embodiments, inserting comprises positioning the reinforcement assembly relative to the mold such that the first portion of the mesh is parallel to the base.

[0020] In some embodiments, the method further comprises curing the first load and the second load of concrete simultaneously.

[0021] In some embodiments, the second face of the reinforcement assembly has at least one insert coupled thereto, and wherein pouring the second load comprises leaving a portion of the at least one insert exposed, and the method further comprises, after curing, lifting the form out of the mold via the at least one insert.

[0022] Further features of the invention will be described or will become apparent in the course of the following detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, the embodiments thereof will now be described in detail by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0024] Figure 1A is a perspective view of a precast concrete form according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0025] Figure 1B is a side plan view of the precast concrete form of Figure 1A.

[0026] Figure 1C is a lateral cross-sectional view of the precast concrete form of Figure 1B, taken along line A-A.

[0027] Figure 2 is an illustration showing a first step of a method for making a precast concrete form, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Date Recue/Date Received 2021-08-27

[0028] Figure 3 is an illustration showing a second step of the method for making the precast concrete form.

[0029] Figure 4A is an illustration showing a third step of the method for making a first embodiment of the precast concrete form.

[0030] Figure 4B is an illustration showing a fourth step of the method for making the first embodiment of the precast concrete form.

[0031] Figure 5A is an illustration showing a third step of the method for making a second embodiment of the precast concrete form.

[0032] Figure 5B is an illustration showing a fourth step of the method for making the second embodiment of the precast concrete form.

[0033] Figure 6A is an illustration showing a third step of the method for making a third embodiment of the precast concrete form.

[0034] Figure 6B is an illustration showing a fourth step of the method for making the third embodiment of the precast concrete form.

[0035] Figure 7 is a partial transparent view of a portion of a panel of a precast concrete form, showing an insert configured to allow lifting of the precast reinforced concrete form, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0036] Similar references are used in different figures to denote similar components.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0037] Figures 1A to 1C show an embodiment of a precast reinforced concrete form 20 for forming poured-in-situ concrete structures such as walls, columns, floors and parapets for residential or commercial buildings that can be made using a method described Date Recue/Date Received 2021-08-27 herein. In the illustrated embodiment, form 20 is generally cuboid-shaped and has a top end 22a, a bottom end 22h, a first side 24a, and a second side 24b. Form 20 comprises at least one precast reinforced concrete panel extending axially between the top end 22a and the bottom end 22b.

[0038] In the illustrated embodiment, form 20 has a pair of precast reinforced concrete panels 30a, 30b. The concrete panels 30a,30b are mirror images of one another so only panel 30a will be described in detail. The panel 30a has an inner surface 36 facing the space in which the poured-in-situ concrete is to be placed, an outer surface 38 opposite the inner surface 36, a top end 32a, a bottom end 32b, a first lengthwise side 34a, and a .. second lengthwise side 34b. The outside surface 38 can be a smooth finished concrete surface. In some embodiments, panel 30a has a nominal thickness of about 50 mm to about 150 mm. In some embodiments, panel 130a has a nominal thickness of about mm to about 70 mm. Panel 30a may be formed from air or non-air entrained concrete having the required psi prescribed by applicable codes. For example, typical psi values are about 3000-7000 psi.

[0039] The form 20 comprises a reinforcement assembly 40. In some embodiments, the reinforcement assembly 40 is a three-dimensional lattice and/or a cage-like structure made of reinforcing members. The reinforcing members may be rebars, threaded wire rods, or other materials as required pursuant to building codes in the jurisdiction where .. the form 20 is to be erected. Each reinforcing member may be about 15 mm to about 25 mm in diameter. In the illustrated embodiment, the reinforcement assembly 40 comprises a plurality of longitudinal reinforcing members 42 and a plurality of lateral reinforcing members 44. Other configurations of the reinforcement assembly 40 are possible.

[0040] As best shown in Figure 1C, the reinforcement assembly 40 has a first side 46a, a second side 46b opposite the first side 46a, a first face 48a, and a second face 48b opposite Date Recue/Date Received 2021-08-27 the first face 48a, with both faces 48a,48b extending between the sides 46a,46b. The first side 46a is adjacent to the first side 24a of the form 20 and the second side is adjacent to the second side 24b of the form 20. In the illustrated embodiment, each face 48a,48b of the reinforcement assembly 40 is cast into a respective one of the panels 30a,30b, such that the inner surfaces 36 of the panels 30a,30b are separated by the lateral reinforcing members 44.

[0041] In the illustrated embodiment, the form 20 has a mesh 52 that may be incorporated into or otherwise coupled to the reinforcement assembly 40. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the mesh 52 is positioned somewhere between the two opposing faces 48a,48b of the reinforcement assembly 40. In the illustrated embodiment, the mesh 52 is placed on the inner surface of the second face 48b of the reinforcement assembly 40. In some embodiments, when the mesh 52 is secured to the second face 48b, there is some space between the lateral reinforcing members 44 of the second face 48b and mesh 52. In some embodiments, the mesh 52 is secured to one or more of the longitudinal reinforcing members 42 and/or lateral reinforcing members 44 by, for example, fasteners such as reinforcing cross ties and/or by welding. Other ways of attaching the mesh 52 to the reinforcing members 42,44 are possible.

[0042] In some embodiments, the length and width of the mesh 52 is about the same as those of the second panel 30b. In some embodiments, a surface of the mesh 52 is cast on to the inner surface 36 of the second panel 30b. In some embodiments, the mesh 52 is substantially parallel to and space apart from the inner surface 36 of the first panel 30a.
An inner space 50 is defined between the mesh 52 and the inner surface 36 of the first panel 30a. The inner space 50 is configured to receive the poured-in-situ concrete when the form 20 is erected at the building site. Additional rebar can be placed in the inner space 50 of the form 20 on site to meet design and/or building code requirements. The Date Recue/Date Received 2021-08-27 dimensions of the precast reinforced concrete form depend on the specific application of the form and/or the particular design of the building where the form is to be erected.

[0043] In some embodiments, the mesh 52 comprises galvanized metal. In some embodiments, the mesh 52 is made of one or more galvanized carbon steel sheets, such as Stay-form , that are stretched to form a mesh having alternating lengthwise portions of solid ribs and expanded mesh. In some embodiments, each solid rib is about 3/4" thick and is spaced part from an adjacent rib by about 3 7/8". In some embodiments, the openings in the mesh portions are each about 0.234" by about 0.375" and may be parallelogram-shaped. Other configurations of the mesh 52 are possible. For example, in other embodiments, mesh 52 is a substantially solid sheet of material without openings.

[0044] In some embodiments, the reinforcement assembly 40 has a plurality of continuous chairs 58 (sometimes also referred to herein as "slab bolsters") such as those sold by RIV Concrete Supply (Lee's Summit, Missouri, USA). In the illustrated embodiment, the plurality of continuous chairs 58 are attached to and intermittently spaced apart on the first face 48a, such that the continuous chairs 58 extend outwardly from the first face 48a. Each continuous chair 58 may extend axially along at least a portion of the length of the first panel 30a, for example, from about the top end 32a to about the bottom end 32b. In some embodiments, a portion of the outer tips 58a of the chairs 58 may be exposed on the outer surface 38 of the first panel 30a. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the chair 58 is made of plastic. For example, the outer tips 58a of the chair 58 may be made of plastic to prevent rusting thereof.

[0045] Figures 2, 3, 4A, and 4B illustrate the steps of a method for making the precast reinforced concrete form 20 (shown in Figures 1C and 4B) having two opposing precast concrete panels 30a,30b, according to one embodiment. A mold 60 is shown in Figure 2.
The mold 60 has a base 62, a first side 64a, and a second side 64b opposite the first side Date Recue/Date Received 2021-08-27 64a. The first and second sides 64a,64b extend between two opposing closed ends which are not shown in the Figures. A cuboid-shaped cavity 70 is defined between the base 62, the sides 64a,64b, and the closed ends of the mold 60. Cavity 70 is initially empty. The mold 60 is configured to accommodate therein the entirety of the four' to be made so the dimensions of cavity 70 are predetermined accordingly. Mold 60 may be made of metal, such as steel, or other suitable materials known to those skilled in the art.

[0046] Referring to Figure 3, a first load 110a of concrete is poured into the mold 60 for forming the first panel 30a of the form 20. The amount of concrete required for the first load depends on the desired thickness of the first panel 30a when cured. The amount of concrete for the first load 110a is sufficient to cover the surface of base 62 in cavity 70, from side 64a to side 64b and from end to end. In some embodiments, the amount of concrete in the first load is selected to fully accommodate the first face 48a of the prefabricated reinforcement assembly 40 (shown in Figures 4A and 4B) therein while providing the desired thickness of the first panel 30a when the concrete is cured. In some embodiments, the concrete used to make form 20 is self consolidating concrete.
In some embodiments, the self consolidating concrete is a highly workable concrete that, in its pre-cured wet state, flows easily around reinforcing members to fill voids and formwork with minimal compaction.

[0047] With reference to Figure 4A, once the first load 110a of concrete is in place, the reinforcement assembly 40 is placed into the cavity 70, with the first face 48a inserted into the first load. In some embodiments, the reinforcement assembly 40 is inserted into the first load until at least the concrete fully covers the first face 48a. The presence of the plurality of continuous chairs 58 in the reinforcement assembly 40 helps maintain some distance between the first face 48a and the base 62 so that the first face 48a is not directly touching the surface of the base 62 and there is some concrete therebetween. A
suitable amount of concrete cover around the first face 48a may be predetermined to prevent the Date Recue/Date Received 2021-08-27 first face 48a from unintentionally extracted from the cured concrete panel of the form 20 during use. The height of the continuous chairs 58 may vary depending on the applicable building codes. For example, building codes may require a 30 mm cover over reinforcing members for exterior walls, and in such instances, the height of the continuous chairs 58 is about 30 mm.

[0048] The length of the mesh 52 is sized to be about the same as the distance between the ends of the mold 60 and the width of the mesh 52 is about the same as the distance between the sides 64a,64b of the mold 60, such that when the mesh 52 is substantially parallel to the base 62, the mesh 52 spans substantially the entire area of the base 62 in cavity 70. Once the reinforcement assembly 40 is placed into the first load, as described above, the mesh 52 extends from side 64a to side 64b and from end to end in cavity 70 such that the inner space 50 is defined between the mesh 52, the sides 64a,64b of the mold 60, and the first layer of concrete 110a.

[0049] With reference to Figure 4B, after the first face 48a of the reinforcement assembly 40 is placed into the first layer of concrete 110a, a second load 110b of concrete is poured into the cavity 70 of the mold 60, on to the mesh 52 and second face 48b of the reinforcement assembly 40, to make the second panel 30b of the form 20. The type of concrete used to make form 20 and the configuration of the mesh 52 are selected to minimize any concrete segregation or bleeding through the mesh 52, when the second load 110b of concrete is placed on the mesh 52 in its pre-cured wet state. The presence of the mesh 52 helps prevent the concrete of the second load 110b from entering the inner space 50. In some embodiments, the second load of concrete is poured on to the mesh 52 at least until the second face 48b of the reinforcement assembly 40 is fully covered. In some embodiments, the second load is poured on to the mesh 52 until the concrete fills .. up to about the height of the sides 64a,64b and/or ends of the mold 60 to form the second panel 30b. In some embodiments, the concrete of the second load 110b sufficiently fills Date Recue/Date Received 2021-08-27 the space between the lateral reinforcing members 44 of the second face 48b and mesh 52.
The second load, when cured, forms the second panel 30b which is configured to provide a sufficient amount of concrete cover around the second face 48b to prevent unintentionally extraction of same during use of the form 20, as described above with respect to first face 48a.

[0050] The reinforcement assembly 40 is configured to withstand the weight of the concrete of the second load 110b during pouring and curing with minimal damage or deformation of its structure. The reinforcement assembly 40 is also configured to provide stability during the handling and transport of the precast reinforced concrete form 20 and to provide structural integrity (e.g., flexural strength) to the form to resist against the hydraulic pressure of the wet concrete that is subsequently poured in situ into inner space 50.

[0051] Using the above-described method of manufacture, both the first and second loads of concrete for forming the two panels 30a,30b of the form 20 can cure simultaneously, thereby minimizing manufacturing time. In some embodiments, it takes about 12 hours or less for the first and second loads 110a,110b to cure. As a skilled person in the art can appreciate, the exact curing time depends on the composition and properties of the concrete used and the conditions of the environment in which the form is cured.

[0052] Once the first and second loads 110a,110b of concrete are cured, the precast reinforced concrete form 20 is complete and can be lifted out of the mold 60 to be transported to the building site. With reference to Figure 7, to facilitate removal of the form 20 from the mold 60, one or more inserts 82 can be cast into the second panel 30b.
In the illustrated embodiment, the insert 82 is a coil tie member coupled to one of the lateral reinforcing members 44 and at least a portion of the insert 82 is exposed at the outer surface 38 of the second panel 30b. An eyebolt 84 can be threaded into the coil tie Date Recue/Date Received 2021-08-27 82 to provide a hoisting point on the form 20 to allow an overhead crane to lift the form 20 up and out of the mold 60. Other configurations of the insert 82 are possible. For example, insert 82 itself comprise a hook or the eyebolt 84 may be integrally formed with the coil tie member. In some embodiments, form 20 may have one or more additional inserts (not shown), for example, cast into one or both of the first and second panels 30a,30b at the top end 32a thereof, to provide a hoisting point for the crane at the building site to lift the form to the desired location.

[0053] With reference to Figures 1A to 1C, the completed precast reinforced concrete form 20 can be lifted by the tower crane to the desired location and then supported and kept .. vertical by temporary A-frame props 90 (shown in Figure 1A). Once the form 20 is erected at the desired location, concrete can be poured into the inner space 50. In some embodiments, the concrete that is poured in situ may fill substantially the entire volume of the inner space 50, for the full length of the panels 30a,30b, up to the top of the form 20. In other embodiments, the concrete is poured into the inner space 50 in lifts. The manner in which the poured-in-situ concrete fills the inner space 50 of the form 20 may depend on the design and specification of the building.

[0054] The concrete form 20 may be used to make load-bearing walls and/or columns of the building. In some embodiments, a plurality of forms 20 are used to provide a monolithic shear connection to the cast in place structure. This may be achieved by positioning two or more forms 20 side by side onsite; inserting additional reinforcing members (not shown) between adjacent forms before concrete is poured in situ into the inner spaces 50 of the forms 20; and then wet setting one or more dowels (not shown) into the freshly poured concrete at the top end 22a of the forms 20. The inner space 50 of the form 20 may accordingly be configured and sized to accommodate the additional reinforcing members that may be subsequently added on site in order to comply with requirements of the building design and/or specifications.

Date Recue/Date Received 2021-08-27

[0055] Figures 2, 3, 5A, and 5B illustrate a method for making a three-sided precast reinforced concrete form 220 (best shown in Figure 5B), according to one embodiment.
Form 220 is structurally similar to form 20 described above with respect to Figure 4B, except instead of having a separate panel on each face of the reinforcement assembly, form 220 has a precast reinforced concrete panel 230 that covers the first side 46a, the first face 48a, and the second face 48b of its reinforcement assembly 240. The method begins with an empty mold such as mold 60 as described in detail above with reference to Figure 2.

[0056] Referring to Figure 3, a first load 110a of concrete is poured into the mold 60 for forming a first side of the panel 230 of the form 220. The amount of concrete required for the first load 110a depends on the desired thickness of the first side of panel 230 when cured. In some embodiments, the amount of concrete in the first load is selected to fully accommodate the first face 48a of the reinforcement assembly 240 (shown in Figures 5A
and 5B).

[0057] With reference to Figure 5A, the reinforcement assembly 240 of form 220 is structurally similar to the reinforcement assembly 40 described above with respect to Figures 1C and 4A, except reinforcement assembly 240 has a mesh 252 that is configured slightly differently from mesh 52 of assembly 40. In some embodiments, the length of the mesh 252 is about the same as the distance between the ends of the mold 60.
The mesh 252 has a first panel 254a and a second panel 254h. In some embodiments, the first panel 254a is substantially orthogonal to the second panel 254h. In the illustrated embodiment shown in Figure 5A, the first panel 254a and the second panel 254h of the mesh 252 are placed on the inner surfaces of the first side 46a and the second face 48b, respectively, of the reinforcement assembly 240. In some embodiments, when the mesh 252 is secured to the first side 46a and second face 48b, there is some space between the mesh 252 and the lateral reinforcing members adjacent thereto.

Date Recue/Date Received 2021-08-27

[0058] Once the first load 110a of concrete is in place, the reinforcement assembly 240 is placed into the cavity 70, with the first face 48a inserted into the first load, as described above with respect to reinforcement assembly 40 in Figure 4A. When the reinforcement assembly 240 is in place, the free side of the mesh 252 adjacent the first panel 254a may abut against the surface of the first load 110a of concrete. The first panel 254a is spaced apart from and substantially parallel to the first side 64a of the mold 60, thereby defining a gap 256 therebetween. The other free side of the mesh 252 adjacent the second panel 254b may abut against the second side 64b of the mold 60 and the second panel 254b may be substantially parallel to the surface of the first load 110a. Accordingly, the mesh 252 .. extends from the surface of the first load 110a to the second side 64b of the mold 60 and from end to end in cavity 70 such that an inner space 250 is defined between the two panels of the mesh 252, the second side 64b of the mold 60, and the first layer of concrete 110a.

[0059] With reference to Figure 5B, after the first face 48a of the reinforcement assembly .. 240 is placed into the first layer of concrete 110a, a second load of concrete is poured into the cavity 70 of the mold 60, on to the mesh 252 and second face 48b of the reinforcement assembly 240, and into the gap 256, to complete the panel 230 of the form 220.
The presence of the mesh 252 prevents the concrete of the second load from entering the inner space 250. In some embodiments, the second load of concrete is poured into the cavity 70 at least until the second face 48b of the reinforcement assembly 240 is fully covered. In some embodiments, the second load is poured into the cavity 70 until the concrete fills up to about the height of the sides 64a,64b and/or ends of the mold 60. In some embodiments, the concrete of the second load sufficiently fills the space between the lateral reinforcing members and the mesh 252. The first and second loads, when cured, form the three-sided panel 230 which is configured to provide a sufficient amount of concrete cover around the first side 46a, the first face 48a, and the second face 48b of the Date Recue/Date Received 2021-08-27 reinforcement assembly 240 to prevent unintentionally extraction of same during use of the form 220. In some embodiments, the panel 230 has a nominal thickness of about 50 mm to about 150 mm when cured. In some embodiments, the panel 230 has a nominal thickness of about 50 mm to about 70 mm when cured.

[0060] The reinforcement assembly 240 is configured to withstand the weight of the concrete of the second load during pouring and curing with minimal damage or deformation of its structure. The reinforcement assembly 240 is also configured to provide stability during the handling and transport of the precast reinforced concrete form 220 and to provide structural integrity (e.g., flexural strength) to the form to resist against the hydraulic pressure of the wet concrete that is subsequently poured in situ into inner space 250.

[0061] Once the first and second loads of concrete are cured, the precast reinforced concrete form 220 is complete and can be lifted out of the mold 60 to be transported to the building site. To facilitate removal of the form from the mold and/or transportation of the form, the form 220 may include one or more inserts 82 as described above with respect to form 20 and Figure 7.

[0062] Figures 2, 3, 6A, and 6B illustrate a method for making a four-sided precast reinforced concrete form 320 (best shown in Figure 6B), according to one embodiment.
Form 320 is structurally similar to form 220 described above with respect to Figure 5B, except instead of having a three-sided panel, form 320 has a continuous precast reinforced concrete panel 330 that covers the first and second sides 46a,46b and the first and second faces 48a,48b of its reinforcement assembly 340. The method begins with an empty mold such as mold 60 as described in detail above with reference to Figure 2.

[0063] Referring to Figure 3, a first load 110a of concrete is poured into the mold 60 for forming a first side of the panel 330 of the form 320. The amount of concrete required for Date Recue/Date Received 2021-08-27 the first load 110a depends on the desired thickness of the first side of panel 330 when cured. In some embodiments, the amount of concrete in the first load is selected to fully accommodate the first face 48a of the reinforcement assembly 340 (shown in Figures 6A
and 6B).

[0064] With reference to Figure 6A, the reinforcement assembly 340 of form 320 is structurally similar to the reinforcement assembly 40 described above with respect to Figures 1C and 4A, except reinforcement assembly 340 has a mesh 352 that is configured slightly differently from mesh 52 of assembly 40. In some embodiments, the length of the mesh 352 is about the same as the distance between the ends of the mold 60.
The mesh 352 has a first panel 354a, a second panel 354b, and third panel 354c. In some embodiments, the first and third panels 354a,354c are substantially parallel to one another but are substantially orthogonal to the second panel 354b. In the illustrated embodiment shown in Figure 6A, the first and third panels 354a,354c and the second panel 354h of the mesh 352 are placed on the inner surfaces of the first and second sides 46a,46b and the second face 48b, respectively, of the reinforcement assembly 340. In some embodiments, when the mesh 352 is secured to the first and second sides 46a,46b and second face 48b, there is some space between the mesh 352 and the lateral reinforcing members adjacent thereto.

[0065] Once the first load 110a of concrete is in place, the reinforcement assembly 340 is placed into the cavity 70, with the first face 48a inserted into the first load and the mesh 352 extending from end to end of the mold 60, as described above with respect to reinforcement assembly 40 in Figure 4A. When the reinforcement assembly 340 is in place, the free sides of the mesh 352 adjacent the first and third panels 354a,354c may abut against the surface of the first load 110a of concrete. The first and third panels 354a,354c are spaced apart from and substantially parallel to the first and second sides 64a,64b of the mold 60, respectively, thereby defining respective gaps 356a,356b therebetween. The Date Recue/Date Received 2021-08-27 second panel 354h may be substantially parallel to the surface of the first load 110a.
Accordingly, an inner space 350 is defined between the panels of the mesh 352 and the first layer of concrete 110a.

[0066] With reference to Figure 6B, after the first face 48a of the reinforcement assembly 340 is placed into the first layer of concrete 110a, a second load of concrete is poured into the cavity 70 of the mold 60, on to the mesh 352 and second face 48b of the reinforcement assembly 340, and into the gaps 356a,356b, to complete the panel 330 of the form 320. The presence of the mesh 352 prevents the concrete of the second load from entering the inner space 350. In some embodiments, the second load of concrete is poured into the cavity 70 at least until the second face 48b of the reinforcement assembly 340 is fully covered. In some embodiments, the second load is poured into the cavity 70 until the concrete fills up to about the height of the sides 64a,64b and/or ends of the mold 60. In some embodiments, the concrete of the second load sufficiently fills the space between the lateral reinforcing members and the mesh 352. The first and second loads, when cured, form the continuous four-sided panel 330 which is configured to provide a sufficient amount of concrete cover around the first and second sides 46a,46b and the first and second faces 48a,48b of the reinforcement assembly 340 to prevent unintentionally extraction of same during use of the form 320. In some embodiments, the panel 330 has a nominal thickness of about 50 mm to about 150 mm when cured. In some embodiments, .. the panel 330 has a nominal thickness of about 50 mm to about 70 mm when cured.

[0067] The reinforcement assembly 340 is configured to withstand the weight of the concrete of the second load during pouring and curing with minimal damage or deformation of its structure. The reinforcement assembly 340 is also configured to provide stability during the handling and transport of the precast reinforced concrete .. form 320 and to provide structural integrity (e.g., flexural strength) to the form to resist Date Recue/Date Received 2021-08-27 against the hydraulic pressure of the wet concrete that is subsequently poured in situ into inner space 350.

[0068] Once the first and second loads of concrete are cured, the precast reinforced concrete form 320 is complete and can be lifted out of the mold 60 to be transported to the building site. To facilitate removal of the form from the mold and/or transportation of the form, the form 320 may include one or more inserts 82 as described above with respect to form 20 and Figure 7.

[0069] The completed precast reinforced concrete forms 220,320 can be lifted to the desired location of a building side and can be erected and filled with in situ concrete in the inner spaces 250,350, as described above with respect to form 20. Further, additional reinforcing members and/or dowels may be added on site to forms 220,230 as describe above with respect to form 20.

[0070] Accordingly, the inclusion of a mesh in the reinforcement assembly of the precast reinforced concrete form allows a multi-sided or multi-panel form to be manufactured in fewer steps and less time than previous methods. By changing the configuration of the mesh, the shape of the completed form can be modified without changing the steps of the method.

[0071] While the principles of the invention have been shown and described in connection with specific embodiments, it is to be understood that such embodiments are by way of example and are not limiting as is evident from the foregoing description, certain aspects of the present invention are not limited by the particular details illustrated in the drawings. Other modifications and applications, or equivalents, will occur to those skilled in the art. The terms "having", "comprising" and "including" and similar terms as used in the foregoing specification are used in the sense of "optional" or "may include"
and not as "required". Many changes, modifications, variations and other uses and Date Recue/Date Received 2021-08-27 applications of the present construction will, however, become apparent to those skilled in the art after considering the specification and attached drawings. All such changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention are deemed to be covered by the invention which is limited only by the claims that follow. The scope of the disclosure is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the full scope consistent with the claims, wherein reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean "one and only one" unless specifically so stated, but rather one or more. All structural and functional equivalents to the elements of the embodiment described throughout the disclosure that are known or later come to be known to those of ordinary skill in the art are intended to be encompassed by the claims.

Date Recue/Date Received 2023-05-02

Claims (16)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY
OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. A method of making a form for forming poured-in-situ concrete structures, the method comprising:
pouring a first load of concrete into a cavity of a mold, the mold having a base, a first side, a second side, a first end, and a second end, collectively defining the cavity therebetween, and the mold being configured to accommodate the entirety of the form;
inserting a first face of a reinforcement assembly into the first load of concrete, the reinforcement assembly having a mesh, at least a first portion of the mesh being adjacent to an inner surface of a second face of the reinforcement assembly, the mesh configured to prevent concrete from bleeding therethrough, the reinforcement assembly having a first side and a second side; and pouring a second load of concrete into the cavity, with at least some of the second load being on top of the first portion of the mesh and covering the second face of the reinforcement assembly, wherein an inner space is defined between the mesh and a surface of the first load of concrete.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein a second portion of the mesh is adjacent to an inner surface of the first side of the reinforcement assembly to define a first gap between the second portion of the mesh and the first side of the mold.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein pouring the second load comprises filling the first gap with some of the second load of concrete to cover the first side of the reinforcement assembly.

Date Recue/Date Received 2023-05-02

4. The method of claim 2 or 3 wherein a third portion of the mesh is adjacent to an inner surface of the second side of the reinforcement assembly to define a second gap between the third portion of the mesh and the second side of the mold.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein pouring the second load comprises filling the second gap with some of the second load of concrete to cover the second side of the reinforcement assembly.

6. The method of any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the reinforcement assembly comprises a plurality of reinforcing members.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the plurality of reinforcing member comprises a plurality of longitudinal reinforcing members and a plurality of lateral reinforcing members.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the mesh is coupled to at least one of the plurality of the longitudinal reinforcing members and/or the plurality of lateral reinforcing members at one or more of: the second face of the reinforcement assembly, the first side of the reinforcement assembly, and the second side of the reinforcement assembly.

9. The method of any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein the mesh has a plurality of openings defined in and each opening of the plurality of openings is about 0.234"
by about 0.375".

10. The method of any one of claims 1 to 9 wherein inserting comprises covering the entirety of the first face of the reinforcement assembly with the first load of concrete.

Date Recue/Date Received 2021-08-27

11. The method of any one of claims 1 to 10 wherein inserting comprises maintaining a distance between the first face and the base.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the distance is about 30 mm.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the distance is maintained by a plurality of continuous chairs attached to the first face, the plurality of continuous chairs extending outwardly from the first face.

14. The method of any one of claims 1 to 13 wherein inserting comprises positioning the reinforcement assembly relative to the mold such that the first portion of the mesh is parallel to the base.

15. The method of any one of claims 1 to 14 comprising curing the first load and the second load of concrete simultaneously.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the second face of the reinforcement assembly has at least one insert coupled thereto, and wherein pouring the second load comprises leaving a portion of the at least one insert exposed, and the method comprises, after curing, lifting the form out of the mold via the at least one insert.

Date Recue/Date Received 2021-08-27