GB2374091A

GB2374091A - Modular building foundation

Info

Publication number: GB2374091A
Application number: GB0104158A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mehdi Robert Teers
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-02-20
Filing date: 2001-02-20
Publication date: 2002-10-09
Anticipated expiration: 2021-02-20
Also published as: GB0104158D0; GB2374091B

Abstract

A modular building foundation comprises pre - cast concrete "nodes" (a) and beams (d), each of these having dovetail grooves (e) for the receipt of locking double wedges (c) which lock them together. Nodes (a) have a socket (b) for the receipt of a building column (f). Neoprene is used to waterproof all joints. The foundation is demountable for re-use.

Description

MULTI-STOREY MODULAR BUILDING FOUNDATION Increased global warmmg has created dramatic changes to the worlds en-rviroment which is having major effects on it's population to the extent that millions of people are left homeless through the devastation of their homes, with many thousands of lives lost caused by flood, earthquake, tornado or hurricane force winds.

Where such disasters occur most of the properties are destroyed beyond repair, or, prove too costly to renovate. Buildings which have been rebuilt in the same original methods, have proven to offer no defence against repetition of the same causes of such disasters. An example is the continuous damage to such properties in the flooded areas in this country In almost every occurance of disaster conventional building construction has been earned out with little or no consideration of it's conceqences in such events.

With ground floor levels being built directly onto foundations leaving no safeguard distance against flood. No interlocking of any sectiuon of the foundation to prevent distortion in the event of siezmic disturbance. Inadequate protection for upper building structure to prevent roofs from being ripped off in gale force winds. Buildings which are made up of many thousands of component parts and are supplied by a large number of suppliers do not provide for'recycleable'elements.

As a protection against such disasters I have created a new form of building structure which I claim the invention for as described in my drawings attached I to 3.

Entire buildings can be created from a selected range of factory engineered precast concrete modular elements, from foundation to roof level. Erected in just days and which can be entirely dismantled for re-location purposes at the same time level if required For their original purpose or alternative use as a medium nse (3,4, 5,6 or 7 storey turn-key building structure).

Built on a specified slab of reinforced concrete, a selected range of precast modular elements are prepared for assembly to create the design of structure required. These include'node'

sections which connect foundatIOn beams to nodes to all reqUIred directIOns !, and which supports the main columns which are dropped in to the'node'head. (drawings 2 and 3).

The foundation beam module also acts as the barrier wall to the external perimeter of the building, which, varies in height from 1. 2m to 4. Om from slab level (drawing numbers 1 to 3) according to the flood danger level. Beam heads also support the ground level floor panels.

Each element is interlocked by means of the double wedge shaped voids being drawn together with the'WEDGE-LOK'key element being dropped into the wedge voids (drawings 1 to 3) then enveloped in a liquid solution of neoprene to create a water tight-joint. The same waterproof treatment is applied to all module surfaces and joints after assembly This procedure creates a watertight plinth foundation plus providing thermal expansion movement To dismantle the foundation there will be a heavy duty hook embedded into the head of the'wedge-lok'to enable it to be extracted by crane lift which will break the lock between the various elements to allow the module to be crane lifted in their respective order of dismantling.

I claim that this method of coupling and fixing modular building elements together using this design as described in my attached drawings and in this description is unique and therefore constitutes my claim for it's invention for it's method of assembly and for the method used to support main building columns where the'node'shaped section and the 'wedge-lok'section are used in the construction of a building structure either by'on-sIte' casting, or in modular form.

After a foundation slab has been fully prepared to the site engineers specification, all necessary modules have been placed into their respective assembled positions, totally interlocked by means of the unique'wedge-loft method, all joints are sealed, and with all ground floor hollow-core large panels secured in their respective positions, the entire foundation becomes a monolithic structure to take all loads of a medium-rise building and to protect it against the dangers of flood, earth movement gale-force winds and etc ; plus creating a sustainable long life building that also incorporates a unique design of assembly to enable it to be totally recycleble if and whenever necessary, with no waste.

The main objects of this design concept are to provide world markets with safer building structurers, affordable properties, and a fast-track completion service, as a totally preformed structural building system, to medium height level.

This unique design will enable all modular elements to be interchangable, that will provide multistorey buildings to either reduce or expand in any direction as desired, and to suit most purposes, e. g. apartment blocks, schools, hospitals, nursing homes, hotels, and etc...

As, such a design concept as this which I make application for it's invention, only comprises a fraction of the number of building items compared to that of most other building structures built in the conventional way the end cost will be considerably lower which I anticipate will be in the region of 30 % less, plus the fact that the maintenance cost will also be much lower Based on the above stated information and facts, I wish to make claim for the invention of the 'node'section as a modular precast concrete building element, which incorporates wedge shaped voids (as described in my drawings (1 to 3) in which a'wedge-lot'section is lowered into the node and foundation beam wedge voids to lock both sections together, and for the node to support a column module after it has been lowered into the node head in to the base of the node (drawings 1 to 3). With all joint connections being enveloped in a neoprene layer to protect against water penetration and shock movements.

I claim that a modular building construction foundation which incorporates the design of elements as described in figures 1 to 3 attached which are for a'NODE'section on which other foundation modules are attached to by means of wedge shaped voids in which a'wedge-lok'element is inserted to form a fixed locking action, is inventive which I claim for in this application. Plus for the same element a NODE'section to support a precast concrete column element as per figueres I to 3 attached by inserting the column into the node head which creates the main superstructure support.