GB2291076A

GB2291076A - Fortifying buildings against earth tremors

Info

Publication number: GB2291076A
Application number: GB9413626A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Dennis Darwen-Bradbury
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1994-07-06
Filing date: 1994-07-06
Publication date: 1996-01-17
Anticipated expiration: 2014-07-06
Also published as: GB9413626D0; GB2291076B

Abstract

A course of rubber plates, formed by guillotining used car tires, is incorporated between courses of blocks or bricks to divide a building into relatively moveable sections. Steel pins can be inserted through the rubber plates and bonded in the vertical joints. Blocks 21 may be formed from finely divided rubber tires bonded in a matrix of rubber, and laid into the foundations of the building under the walls 22. A back-fill 26 of divided tires is laid inside the blocks and a concrete floor 24 is laid over the back-fill to support the walls. <IMAGE>

Description

FORTIFYING BUILDINGS AGAINST EARTH TREMORS TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a method of fortifying buildings against the effects of earth tremors, e.g. low rise housing, offices and shops.

BACKGROUND In certain areas of the world where earthquakes are common, various means of fortifying buildings have been proposed in order to reduce the risk of collapse and consequent loss of life. For example, buildings can be cushioned hydraulically to absorb the shock waves, but this is extremely expensive to implement and is not suitable for low cost buildings.

An aim of the present invention may be viewed as being to provide a method of fortifying buildings against earth tremors which is effective yet inexpensive to implement.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention proposes a method of fortifying a building against earth tremors which comprises incorporating natural or synthetic rubber into the fabric of the building.

The invention further includes a building constructed by the method.

The rubber is preferably incorporated in the form of at least one layer which divides the building into separate, relatively moveable rigid units. The layer is preferably comprised of individual pieces, for example plates, which are incorporated in layers between courses of bricks or blocks.

The rubber may also be incorporated in the form of a foundation layer upon which the building is constructed. The foundation layer is preferably again formed of individual pieces, which may be of various sizes. At one end of the range, the pieces may be a metre or more across. Such relatively large pieces could, for example, be formed of much smaller pieces with an average size of about 5mm across, but which are bonded together in a matrix of natural or synthetic rubber. At the other extreme, a layer of small regular or randomly shaped nuggets may be used, with an average dimension of say 25 mum, rather like a layer of pebbles.

The rubber material may cheaply be obtained from discarded tyres. It may be desirable to burn off textile content of the tyres, and remove any metal contents, e.g. using an electromagnet.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The following description and the accompanying drawings referred to therein are included by way of non-limiting example in order to illustrate how the invention may be put into practice. In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of the wall of a building constructed in accordance with the invention, and Figure 2 is a vertical section through the foundations of another building, also constructed in accordance with the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring firstly to Fig. 1, a course of plates 1 formed by guillotining used car tyres, is incorporated between courses of blocks or bricks 2 to divide the building into upper and lower, relatively rigid sections 3 and 4. Several such layers may be included, say between every fourth or fifth course, to divide the building into a number of sections. Another layer may also be included in the foundations. Steel pins 5 can be inserted through the plates 1 to be bonded in the vertical joints, thereby improving the structural integrity of the building.

In the event of an earth tremor the different sections are free to move laterally relative to each other due to the shearing distortion of the rubber plates.

Fig. 2 shows another option which may be used instead of or in addition to that of Fig. 1. Blocks 21 are formed from finely divided rubber tyres (e.g.

about 5mm across), bonded in a matrix of rubber. These are laid into the foundations of the building to support the walls 22. A back-fill 26 formed of divided tyres, preferably about 25mm across, is laid inside the blocks 21, all of which is covered by a plastics damp-proof liner 23. A concrete base 24 is then poured over the liner to form the ground floor of the building and in turn support the walls 22. Again, the incorporation of the resilient layer allows lateral movement of the building to absorb shocks caused by earth tremors.

In some cases it may be possible to use undivided rubber tyres to support the walls in place of the blocks 21.

Claims

1. A method of fortifying a building against earth tremors which comprises incorporating natural or synthetic rubber into the fabric of the building.

2. A method according to Claim 1, in which the rubber is incorporated in at least one layer which divides the building into separate, relatively moveable rigid units.

3. A method according to Claim 2, in which the or each such layer is comprised of individual pieces of rubber.

4. A method according to Claim 3, in which the pieces are incorporated in layers between courses of bricks or blocks.

5. A method according to Claim 3 or 4, in which said pieces are in the form of plates.

6. A method according to Claim 5, in which pins are inserted through the plates between bricks or blocks.

7. A method according to any preceding claim, in which rubber is incorporated in a foundation layer upon which the building is constructed.

8. A method according to Claim 7, in which the foundation layer comprises rubber blocks.

9. A method according to Claim 8, in which said blocks are formed of smaller pieces of rubber which are bonded together in a matrix of natural or synthetic rubber.

10. A method according to Claim 7, in which the foundation layer comprises a layer of separate nuggets, like a layer of pebbles.

11. A method according to any preceding claim, in which the rubber is obtained from discarded tires.

12. A building which has natural or synthetic rubber incorporated into the fabric of the building.

13. A building according to Claim 12, in which the rubber is incorporated in at least one layer which divides the building into separate, relatively moveable rigid units.

14. A method according to Claim 13, in which the or each such layer is comprised of individual pieces of rubber.

15. A method according to Claim 14, in which the pieces are incorporated in layers between courses of bricks or blocks.

16. A method according to Claim 14 or 1 5, in which said pieces are in the form of plates.

17. A method according to Claim 16, in which pins are inserted through the plates between bricks or blocks.

18. A building according to any preceding claim, in which rubber is incorporated in a foundation layer upon which the building is constructed.

19. A building according to Claim 18, in which the foundation layer comprises rubber blocks.

20. A building according to Claim 19, in which said blocks are formed of smaller pieces of rubber which are bonded together in a matrix of natural or synthetic rubber.

21. A building fortified against earth tremors substantially as described with reference to the drawings.

21. A building according to Claim 18, in which the foundation layer comprises a layer of separate nuggets, like a layer of pebbles. Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows CLAIMS 1. A method of fortifying a building against earth tremors which comprises incorporating a layer of natural or synthetic rubber into the fabric of the building to divide the building into separate, relatively moveable rigid units.

2. A method according to Claim 1, in which the or each such layer is comprised of individual pieces of rubber.

3. A method according to Claim 2, in which the pieces of rubber are incorporated in layers between courses of bricks or blocks.

4. A method according to Claim 2 or 3, in which said pieces of rubber are in the form of plates.

5. A method according to Claim 4, in which pins are inserted through the plates between bricks or blocks.

6. A method according to any preceding claim, in which rubber is incorporated in a foundation layer upon which the building is constructed.

7. A method according to Claim 6, in which the foundation layer comprises rubber blocks.

8. A method according to Claim 7, in which said blocks are formed of smaller pieces of rubber which are bonded together in a matrix of natural or synthetic rubber.

9. A method according to Claim 6, in which the foundation layer comprises a layer of separate nuggets, like a layer of pebbles.

10. A method according to any preceding claim, in which the rubber is obtained from discarded tyres.

11. A building which has a layer of natural or synthetic rubber incorporated into the fabric of the building such as to divide the building into separate, relatively moveable rigid units.

12. A method according to Claim 11, in which the or each such layer is comprised of individual pieces of rubber.

1 3. A method according to Claim 12, in which the pieces of rubber are incorporated in layers between courses of bricks or blocks.

14. A method according to Claim 12 or 13, in which said pieces of rubber are in the form of plates.

15. A method according to Claim 14, in which pins are inserted through the plates between bricks or blocks.

16. A building according to any preceding claim, in which rubber is incorporated in a foundation layer upon which the building is constructed.

17. A building according to Claim 16, in which the foundation layer comprises rubber blocks.

18. A building according to Claim 17, in which said blocks are formed of smaller pieces of rubber which are bonded together in a matrix of natural or synthetic rubber.

19. A building according to Claim 16, in which the foundation layer comprises a layer of separate nuggets, like a layer of pebbles.

20. A method of fortifying a building against earth tremors, substantially as described with reference to the drawings.