GB2297335A

GB2297335A - Structoral panel

Info

Publication number: GB2297335A
Application number: GB9501449A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Riccardo Antonio Ro Cristofoli
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1995-01-25
Filing date: 1995-01-25
Publication date: 1996-07-31
Also published as: GB9501449D0

Description

STRUCTURAL PANEL The present invention relates to a structural panel, for a building or like structure.

Traditional building methods are not susceptible of construction to close tolerances, such as are common place in mechanical engineering. Basically this results from such trades as brick laying involving manual work which is carried out by eye as opposed to precise measurement. The resulting work can look excellent, but adjacent nominally identical houses can have different numbers of courses of bricks to their eaves for instance. Such variations are of particular awkwardness in the fitting out of the buildings such as supermarkets with shelving made to close tolerances.

Further traditional building trades can be time consuming.

Concrete panels are known for building purposes. They suffer from weight, poor insulation properties and inflexibility for installation of services such as electric cabling.

The object of the present invention is to provide a structural panel, which enables a building to be erected quickly and to close tolerances.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a structural panel comprising: a peripheral frame of structural material and adapted for structural connection to other like, adjacent panel(s), generally planar reinforcement extending across at least one side of the panel, and cladding material integrally formed around the reinforcing material at the side(s) of the panel having the reinforcement; the thickness of the cladding material being such that a central space is present in the panel.

Whilst it is envisaged that other materials could be used, the peripheral frame and indeed the reinforcement is preferably of mild steel. Such panels can be connected together by welding or bolting for instance. Conveniently, the frame is fabricated of inner and outer peripheral angle sections, welded at corners of the panels and interconnected by welded on bracing members. For fixture to a foundation and/or to a structural framework of a building, plates may be provided in the panel at edge(s) of the frame.

Usually the cladding material will be of cementitious material, in particular concrete. An external concrete cladding may be provided with a surface such as pebble dash to render it weatherproof. An internal concrete cladding will normally be provided with a surface able to accept plaster, or paint or other finishing as required.

An important feature of the invention is that the panels may have the reinforced integral cladding on one side only of the panels, with the other side being clad after erection of the panels. For instance, such subsequent cladding may be with brick work if the panels' integral cladding is on the inside of the building or with conventional boards, such as plaster board, if the panels' integral cladding is on the outside of the building. Where brickwork is to be erected, the panels can be provided with means for connection of brick ties to frame work.

In the alternative, the panels have integral cladding on both sides. This cladding may differ on the different sides, for instance being of concrete on the outside and of polished terrazo on the inside.

In both alternatives, the central space can be left void or be at least partially filled with insulating material.

Normally the panels will be rectangular in outline.

However they may be configured to suit features of buildings, for instance having a right angle triangular or trapezium shape to suit a roof gable. Again, the panels may have apertures for doors and/or windows.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of manufacture of a structural panel of the first aspect, the method consisting in the steps of: fabricating the frame, fixing the reinforcement to the frame, supporting the frame with the reinforcement extending across a mould and pouring the cladding material into the mould to immerse the reinforcement and set around it.

Where the cladding is to incorporate surfacing materials, such as for pebble dash, these can be placed in the mould prior to pouring of the cladding materials.

To help understanding of the invention, specific embodiments thereof will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is side view in the direction of the arrow I in Figure 2 of a panel of the invention, Figure 2 is a plan view of the panel of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a side view on a smaller scale of a plurality of panels assembled in a building and Figure 4 is a scrap cross-sectional view on a larger scale of frame members in another panels of the invention.

Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3, the single-side clad, rectangular panel 1 there shown has a nominal size of 2m by 1.25m. It is intended to be used with its short sides horizontal and its long sides vertical. It comprises a peripheral frame 2 of inner members 3,4 and outer members 7,8. Short ones 3,7 of the members are of 60mm x 6mm mild steel angles, whilst long ones 4,8 are of 30mm x 5mm angles.

The long members 4 extend along the long edges of the panel and the short members 3 extend along the short edges of the panel. The members 3,4 are welded butt-welded together at the corner of the panel, with the ends of the smaller-section long members 4 butting against the larger-section short members 3. One flange 5 of each of the members 3,4 extends outwardly parallel to the central plane P of the frame, whilst the other flange 6 extends towards the respective outer members 7,8. These outer members are correspondingly arranged with their one flanges 9 extending out parallel to the plane P and their other flanges 10 extending towards the respective inner members 3,4.The two rectangular arrangements of the inner and outer members are interconnected by triangulation bracing members 11, which are 12mm x 12mm square section steel rods, whereby the outer surfaces of the flanges 5,9 are spaced by 240mm. It will be appreciated that the frames can be fabricated to close tolerances.

The inner (or outer according to the application) members have concrete reinforcement mesh 12 welded between their flanges 5. The frame is then laid over a mould - not shown - defining a concrete moulding depth of 20mum beneath the flanges 5 and extending to within 10mum of the peripheral edges of the flanges 5. Concrete 13 is then poured to the top of the flanges 6 of the long members 3, giving a concrete cladding thickness of 50mm.

Turning now to Figure 3, bottom panels have fixture plates 14 welded to their lower short members 3,7. These panels are set up vertically on a foundation F and will usually be secured to this, suitably by bolts - not shown and the fixture plates 14. In certain installations, fixture to the foundation is unnecessary due to the weight of the panels. The next panel are positioned above the first, with their respective lower and upper short members aligned on each other. These members are welded together at W. The long members also are welded together at their abutting ends. Further panels can now be added. The gaps between the concrete cladding can be filled with expanding grout - not shown. For stability where several panels are arranged above each other, they can be welded to a structural framework S of the building. Further panels will be added sideways around the walls of the building.

The frameworks can be modified to permit angled connection at corners of the building. As an alternative to welding of the panels, they can be bolted together. For this, alignable lugs can be welded to the frame members.

The panels just described have the concrete cladding arranged on the inside of the building. The outside can be clad by fixing sheeting to the outer frame members, with the interposition of insulating material in a space central 16 between the inner and outer frame members. Alternatively, where the building is to have a brickwork outer cladding, the outer short frame members can have wall ties fixtures provided on them, whereby the brickwork can be tied to the frames.

The arrangement can be altered to provide the concrete cladding outside the building. In this case, block work can be built inside, also tied to the frame members.

Alternatively, interior cladding materials can be fixed to the frame members.

In whichever arrangement, services such as electric cables can be routed through the central space 16.

In a non-illustrated alternative, the panel has both inner and outer reinforcement and concrete cladding. In other respects, the panel is identical with the single-side clad panel. It is erected in like manner, except that because access is not available to the central space, it cannot be bolted to an adjacent panel. It can be welded to adjacent panels. The inside cladding can be locally penetrated for installation of electric cables.

Figure 4 shows an alternative steel section 21 for use in place of conventional angle section. It comprises in addition to flanges 25,26 analogous to the flanges 5,6, a returned edge flange 27 reinforcing the edge at which adjacent panels are welded together as shown. Also provided is a joining flange 28, via which each section 21 can be joined to a corresponding flange of a like section on the other side of the panel by an open U section 29. The limbs 30 of the section 29 are welded to the joining flanges 28.

The central web of the section 29 is stiffened by corrugations 31. The combined frame member 21,29 is welded to form a panel frame in like manner to the members 3,4,7,8.

Figure 4 shows scrap sections of concrete cladding 33 on both sides of the panel.

The invention is not intended to be restricted to the details of the above described embodiments. In particular in certain applications, the panels may be arranged with their long sides horizontal.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A structural panel comprising: a peripheral frame of structural material and adapted for structural connection to other like, adjacent panel(s), generally planar reinforcement extending across at least one side of the panel, and cladding material integrally formed around the reinforcing material at the side(s) of the panel having the reinforcement; the thickness of the cladding material being such that a central space is present in the panel.

2. A structural panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the peripheral frame and the reinforcement is of mild steel.

3. A structural panel as claimed in claim 2, wherein the peripheral frame is adapted for connection to the peripheral frame of an adjacent panel by welding.

4. A structural panel as claimed in claim 2, wherein the peripheral frame is adapted for connection to the peripheral frame of an adjacent panel by bolting.

5. A structural panel as claimed in claim 2, claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the frame is fabricated of inner and outer peripheral angle sections, welded at corners of the panels and interconnected by welded on bracing members.

6. A structural panel as claimed in claim 5 as appendant to claim 3, wherein the peripheral angle sections have returned edge flanges reinforcing the edge at which adjacent panels are welded together and preferably a joining flange, via which each section can be joined to a corresponding flange of a like section on the other side of the panel by an open U section.

7. A structural panel as claimed in claim 5 or claim 6, wherein plates are provided in the panel at edge(s) of the frame for fixture of the panel in a building.

8. A structural panel as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the cladding material is cementitious, preferably of concrete.

9. A structural panel as claimed in claim 8, wherein the panel has external waterproof concrete to one side and/or internal concrete cladding to the other side.

10. A structural panel as claimed in claim 9, wherein panel has internal cladding only and the frame is provided with means for connection of brick ties to the frame.

11. A structural panel as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the central space is at least partially filled with insulating material.

12. A structural panel as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the panel is rectangular in outline.

13. A structural panel as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the panel is configured to suit features of a building.

14. A structural panel as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the panel has aperture(s) for doors and/or windows.

15. A method of manufacture of a structural panel as claimed in any preceding claim, the method consisting in the steps of: fabricating the frame, fixing the reinforcement to the frame, supporting the frame with the reinforcement extending across a mould and pouring the cladding material into the mould to immerse the reinforcement and set around it.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15, the method including the step of placing surface materials in the mould prior to pouring of the cladding materials.

17. A structural panel substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the Figures 1 to 3 or as varied in Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.

18. A method of manufacturing a structural panel substantially as hereinbefore described.