GB2083534A - Method of constructing buildings - Google Patents

Abstract

A method of building construction in which reusable formwork elements are connectible, disconnectible and re-connectible to progress a formwork for a building structure having all structural parts from foundations to roof made of reinforced concrete or like material, the formwork being progressed to enable the entire building to be produced as a single integrated structure embodying all said structural parts. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Method of constructing buildings The present invention relates to a method or system for the construction of buildings.

In accordance with the invention, the method repeatedly uses the same parts which will form the formwork, which is recovered and can subsequently be used again in the same or other buildings. Thus, the method consists in providing a series of metal formwork elements of suitable dimensions, individually of maximum weight to be carried by two men. An arrangement of these elements in a formwork permits the pouring of concrete without any interruption of continuity for the substructures or foundations, the outside and/or inside walls, and also continuous integrated connection of the walls to ceilings and roof.

This method or system is applicable to any type of construction of building in accordance with the basic design thereof, always using the same vertical and horizontal elements constituting the formwork. The dimensions of the formwork elements are such as to permit the construction of any type of dwelling of any required dimensions and area.

In the accompanying drawings:- Figure 1 shows an integrated wall/ceiling structure; Figures 2 and 3 respectively show a wall structure and a foundation structure defined by an arrangement of formwork elements; and Figure 4 shows one design of integrated building structure.

Foundations or substructures are effected in accordance with Figure 3 (the floor design of which is purely exemplary) in such a manner as to permit pouring of concrete-like material for construction of the outside and inside walls with complete continuity of the material enabled by the formwork without any interruption at corners or junctions. The concrete-like material may consist of a composition of cement, materials of volcanic origin known as "Bagacina", designated Vulcan (Trade Mark), or other compositions based on polyester. The steel formwork elements are treated by special chemical processes to ensure resistance to attack and durability generally.

With this system of formwork the inside and outside walls can be built simultaneously, in accordance with the dimensions of the formwork elements. The concrete-like material is vibrated during production of the walls, which can have respective thicknesses of 1 5 to 20 cms for the outside walls and 8 cm for the inside walls.

However, the thicknesses of the walls can be changed, while still using the same formwork elements, in accordance with design requirements. The elements of the formwork are connectible, disconnectible and reconnectible together with speed and ease, avoiding any interruption of continuity, as can be seen from Figure 2.

The ceilings are likewise made of vibrated reinforced concrete, with the aid of the same system of formwork (which may consist of the elements used previously in the construction of the walls), with a thickness of 8 cm, so that there is continuity with the walls and with the remainder of the structure of the building, and thus in this way a single integrated building structure is formed. This homogenous block has great tensile and compressive strength, as has already been shown by tests carried out in the laboratory of the Engineering Faculty of Oporto, in accordance with the design shown in Figure 1.

The roof is constructed in the same way and by the same system, and it may have two, four or more slopes, while continuity in the building of the structure is again achieved, including not only the actual roof but also the respective eaves and gables.

The steel formwork elements used in the present invention can be dimensioned with conventional measurements for building modules, being in the form of checkerboards of polished and treated steel plates joined through edge flanges.

The plates have a thickness that may vary between 3 and 4 mm or more, in accordance with the dimensions and thicknesses of the walls that it is desired to construct, while other materials, such as compressed wood, Formica, or any other materials considered suitable for the purpose may be used alone or in combination in the production of the elements.

The formwork elements are dimensioned to permit their transport by one or at most two persons, so that it is an easy matter to transport and use them to assemble and progress the formwork for any type of construction.

The dimensions of the elements in question may also be selected in the manner considered most suitable to permit their assembly by hand with maximum ease.

The formwork elements are adapted to be connected together by a system of horizontal and vertical adjustment, more particularly using clamps in the vertical direction and conventional fixing means such as nuts and bolts in the horizontal direction, permitting expansion in any direction and with millimetric adjustments. In addition, their volume and weight are so selected as to permit manual assembly without requiring special machinery.

As in any reinforced concrete structure, the reinforcements start in the foundations or substructures, and the invention facilitates the technical practice of making continuous connections of the iron constituting the reinforcements through the foundations, walls, pillars, beams, ceilings and so on.

Piping for water, electricity, gas and drains can from the outset by enclosed in the walls of the building.

The method of this building system, which enables extremely rapid construction, minimises the transport of heavy and bulky preformed structural elements and the entire construction of the building takes place on the building site, with basic raw materials deposited there in bulk.

Claims (10)

1. A method of constructing buildings, wherein all structural parts of the building from the foundations to the roof are produced by pouring concrete or like material into a formwork consisting of re-usable elements in the form of plates with edge flanges enabling said elements to be connected and re-connected in juxtaposed relationship in order to progress the formwork while said building is being produced as a single integrated structure of all said structural parts.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connections in the vertical direction of the formwork elements is effected by means of clamps provided in one of two elements of the formwork which are to be joined together, the clamps being displaceable to be received and fixed in apertures provided in the other element which it is desired to connect and fix, thus creating a smooth, continuous formwork surface.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the connections in the horizontal direction of the formwork elements are effected by means such as nuts and bolts or tongued clamps acting to abut together and fix together the said edge flanges.

4. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein preformed or separately formed pillars and beams are eliminated and any required beams or pillars are integrated with the walls.

5. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein reinforcements of the walls pass out inwards thereof and outwards therefrom in order to unite with the reinforcement of the ceilings and of the eaves to constitute therewith an arrangement of all the reinforcements of the building structure without interruption of continuity.

6. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the formwork elements are of steel and have dimensions such that they can be manually transported by one or at most two persons.

7. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the formwork elements are of modular design to permit the successive use of formwork previously used in various types of later constructed buildings in accordance with the design thereof.

8. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the concrete material used is of a synthetic resinous type such as synthetic cement composed of expanded clay or Bagacina (a product of the clay type but of volcanic origin, available in the Azores) and of iron, having at least the strength and stability of conventional concrete.

9. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, carried out on site without requiring the provision of workshops for formwork construction.

10. A method of constructing buildings substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.