GB2392199A

GB2392199A - Retaining loose building materials in place on a building

Info

Publication number: GB2392199A
Application number: GB0219443A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Philip Allen Bateman
Original assignee: PROTEQ
Current assignee: BATEMAN, PHILIP A
Priority date: 2002-08-21
Filing date: 2002-08-21
Publication date: 2004-02-25
Also published as: GB0219443D0

Abstract

A retaining means for retaining a loose section 34 of a building in position comprises a mesh panel 10 and fixing means comprising screws 20. The mesh panel is secured adjacent the surface to retain loose section 34 in position.

Description

1 23921 99

Buildings The present invention relates to buildings and provides a method for retaining building materials in 5 position on a building. In particular, the invention relates to a retrofit method for retaining loose and/or potentially unstable building materials in position on a building. lo Over time a building's structure may deteriorate through weathering and/or other ageing processes.

Deterioration can lead to building materials at the surface of the structure becoming loose and potentially unstable. Such loose building materials may fall from the 15 surface of the building and therefore create an injury or damage risk in the region below.

To minimise the chance of injury and/or damage in the region below the loose and/or unstable material this 20 region must be evacuated and cordoned off. In most cases this will be extremely inconvenient, and impossible if the building is to be used normally.

Alternatively, or in addition, a canvas sheet can be 25 positioned in an attempt to break the fall of any building materials that become detached. However, canvas sheets are ineffective in breaking the fall of heavy pieces of building materials, e.g. masonry.

30 As another alternative, scaffolding can be constructed to provide a crash deck for falling material to land on.

Crash decks are also known as fan scaffolds. The erection of scaffolding associated with a crash deck is expensive,

and the crash deck must remain in place until repairs are made to the building. This may incur high scaffolding rental costs and will result in an obstruction at ground level. Furthermore, building materials that land on a 5 crash deck may be destroyed on impact, and cannot be reused. In certain circumstances the region below the loose material will not be able to support the weight of the scaffolding crash deck.

lo It is an aim of preferred embodiments of the present invention to provide a retaining method and apparatus which overcomes some of the problems of the prior art as

described above. It is a further aim of preferred embodiments the present invention to provide a retaining 15 method and apparatus capable of reducing deterioration of building materials while retaining building materials in position on a building.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is so provided a method of retaining building materials in position on a building, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a retaining means; 25 (b) providing a fixing means; and (c) securing the retaining means to a building by the fixing means.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a building, wherein at least a portion of the building materials comprising a surface of the building

are retained in position by retaining means secured to the building by a fixing means.

According to a third aspect of the invention, there is 5 provided use of sheet material to retain building materials in position on a building.

Said retaining means preferably includes a surface (hereinafter "said facing surface,') which faces and/or lo overlies a surface of the building. Suitably, greater than xt of the area of said facing surface is positioned at a distance of less than y cm from said surface of the building. Suitably x is 50, preferably 70, more preferably 90, especially 95. Distance y may be 10, 5 suitably 5, preferably 3, more preferably 2, especially 1.

Thus, in a preferred embodiment, greater than 95% of the area of said facing surface is positioned at a distance of less than 1 cm from the surface of the building. In an especially preferred embodiment, greater than xt (as 20 defined above) of the area of said facing surface contacts a surface of the building.

Preferably, the retaining means comprises a lamina, suitably a sheet, material. Preferably, the retaining 25 means comprises flexible mesh panels. Preferably, the retaining means comprises a lightweight weather resistant mesh material such as a thermoplastics coated yarn mesh.

Preferably, said retaining means comprises a synthetic plastics yarn, for example a polyester yarn, defining a 30 mesh. Said yarn may be coated. For example, it may comprise polyvinyl chloride coated polyester yarn.

Preferably, the mesh panels comprise a polyvinyl chloride coated polyester yarn mesh.

The mesh may have a thickness of 0.5mm or more, preferably lmm or more. The mesh may also have a thickness of less than 5mm, preferably 3mm or less.

Preferably, the retaining means is secured to retain unsupported building materials of mass up to 250kg in position on a building.

lo Preferably, the retaining means is adapted to follow the shape of a portion of a building surface. Preferably, the size, shape and configuration of the retaining means are customized to follow the shape and/or contours of a portion of a building surface. For example, when said 15 building surface is curved, said retaining means may also be curved. In the case of such a curved building surface, suitably greater than x% (as defined above) of the area of the facing surface of the retaining means is positioned at a distance of less than y cm (as defined above) from said 20 curved building surface. Said building surface may be curved or contain internal or external corners. The retaining means can be cut to form a geometric net with suitably shaped sections to allow the retaining means to be secured a required distance from the portion of the 25 building surface to which it is to be secured.

Preferably, the shape of said retaining means is predetermined so that it can be secured adjacent a building surface, particularly a non-planar building surface. Preferably, the number, type and/or arrangement 30 of the fixing means are customised to correspond with the shape, contours, building material type, construction and/or other properties of the building to which the retaining means is attached.

Preferably, the fixing means engage the building surface. The fixing means may comprise screws, bolts, masonry nails, adhesives, resin secured bolts, clamps, 5 straps, ropes or any other suitable apparatus.

Preferably, the retaining means comprises reinforced edges. Preferably the edges of the retaining means are reinforced by a welded web.

Preferably, the retaining means is secured to a building by the steps of: (cl) positioning the retaining means over a portion of a building surface; (c2) with respective portions of the fixing means extending through 5 at least two apertures defined in the retaining means engaging the fixing means with the building surface so that the retaining means is secured to the building by engagement with the fixing means in the vicinity of the apertures. Preferably, the retaining means is secured to a building by operatives supported by ropes. Preferably, the operatives abseil on ropes.

25 A plurality, preferably at least 3 more preferably at least 4, especially at least 5, of said retaining means of the type described are secured to a building as described herein. 30 For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how embodiments of the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a side sectional view of a mesh panel secured to a building by screws; and s Figure 2 shows a front view of the arrangement of Figure 1.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2 there is shown retaining means comprising a mesh panel 10, fixing means 10 comprising screws 20, a building comprising a surface 30 of building materials 32 and a loose section 34. The mesh panel is secured adjacent the surface 30 to retain loose section 34 in position as described further below.

5 Threaded portions of the screws 20 pass through reinforced apertures in the mesh panel 10. The reinforcement may comprise webbing material between 25 to 75mm wire which is chemically bonded or sewn to the mesh panel. Edges of the mesh panel 10 are also reinforced.

20 The edges are reinforced by fixing of a welded web thereto. The threaded portions are embedded into the building materials 32, and head portions of the screws 20 retain the mesh panel 10 immediately adjacent to the surface 30. Suitably, the distance between the mesh panel 25 and the surface 30 is less than 1 cm over substantially the whole area of the surface 30 covered by the panel 10.

The loose section 34 is retained in position on the surface 30 by contact with the mesh panel 10. The weight 30 of the loose section 34 is supported by the mesh panel 10 and transferred to the screws 20. Only fragments of building materials 32 small enough to pass through the mesh can fall from the building. Very small fragments

passing through the mesh and falling to ground will do little or no damage to persons or property in the region below. 5 Furthermore, any larger loose sections will be retained in position by the mesh panel 10 so the mesh panel 10 must be strong enough to support a static load from such loose sections. Preferred materials for the mesh panels 10 support tensile loads of 100 to 125kg in 10 the plane of the mesh, and support loads of up to 250kg perpendicular to the plane of the mesh. The canvas sheet and crash deck approaches described above allow loose sections to fall and therefore gain kinetic energy. By allowing loose sections to fall, the canvas sheet and 5 crash deck approaches must absorb or dissipate the kinetic energy. This requires large, extremely strong structures, and usually results in the destruction of any falling building materials 32 on impact. If the falling building materials 32 comprise e.g. decorative masonry, this is 20 undesirable. Using the mesh panel 10 and screws 20 building materials are retained, and therefore can be bonded or otherwise fixed back into position as repairs are made to the surface 30 of the building if desired.

25 The size and shape of the mesh panel 10 and the positioning of the screws 20 and the associated reinforced apertures can be tailored to match the shape of the surface 30. This allows the mesh panels 10 to accurately follow the contours of the surface 30 and to stay adjacent 30 to the surface 30.

Typical mesh panels 10 only fixed at the edges may be up to 4m by 15m, however with additional anchor points

within the area of the mesh panel 10 larger panels may be used. Panels typically have widths in the range lm to 3m, preferably about 2m, and lengths of up to Em, preferably up to 4m.

The weight of the mesh panels 10 on a building is negligible, as preferred materials typically weigh 200 to 250 grams per square metre.

lo The mesh panels 10 are preferably positioned over the surface 30 of a building by operatives abseiling down from the top of the building. Alternatively, operatives can climb up the surface 30 of a building on ropes to position the panels 10. These preferred methods avoid the need for 15 expensive scaffolding, and the risk associated with its erection and use. However, scaffolding can be used if desired. The mesh panels 10 can be fitted to cover an area of the surface 30 to be repaired. As repairs are made, the mesh panels 10 can be removed in turn. The 20 presence of the mesh panels 10 retaining loose building materials 32 in areas yet to be repaired allows the repairs to take place in phases over a long period if desired. This can cut costs involved in repair projects.

25 To reduce the occurrence of mesh degradation once the mesh panels 10 are in place on a building, preferred mesh materials include plastics materials. Suitable weather resistant materials comprise polyester yarn meshes dipped in polyvinyl chloride. These materials are expected to 30 maintain their mechanical properties for up to four years use in the field. It will be appreciated that any sheet

material having the desired mechanical and weathering properties can be used.

Furthermore, the presence of the mesh panels 10 provides a degree of protection from the elements, and can therefore reduce further deterioration of the building 5 materials 32 retained by the mesh panels 10.

Thus a method for retaining building materials in position has been described. The method may offer advantages of convenience, cost, practicality and lo effectiveness over known methods. In particular, the method may safely and quickly reduce the risk of injury or damage to property from falling masonry etc., and maintains the region below loose building materials safe while allowing repairs to take place over a convenient 15 time scale.

The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and

20 which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and

documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification

25 (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification

(including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), may be replaced by alternative features serving

the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any

lo accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of retaining building materials in position on a building, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a retaining means; (b) providing a fixing means; (c) securing the retaining means to a building by the flxlng means.

2. A building wherein at least a portion of the building materials comprising a surface of the building are retained in position by a retaining means secured to the building by a fixing means.

3. A method or a building according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said retaining means includes a surface (hereinafter "said facing surface') which faxes and/or overlies a surface of the building.

4. A method or a building according to any of the preceding claims, wherein greater than x% of the area of said facing surface is positioned at a distance of less than y cm from said surface of the building wherein x is 50 and y is 10.

5. A method or a building according to any preceding claim, wherein greater than 90% of the area of said facing surface is positioned at a distance of less than lcm from the surface of the building.

6. A method or a building according to claim or claim 5 wherein greater than x% of the area of said facing surface contacts a surface of the building.

7. A method or a building according to any preceding claim, wherein the retaining means comprises a lamina material.

8. A method or a building according to any preceding claim, wherein the retaining means comprises flexible mesh panels.

9. A method or a building according to any preceding claim, wherein the retaining means comprises a light weight weather resistant mesh material.

10. A method or a building according to any preceding claim, wherein the retaining means comprises a thermoplastics coated yarn mesh.

11. A method or a building according to any of claims 8 to 10, wherein the mesh has a thickness of 0.5mm or more and of less than 5mm.

12. A method or a building according to any preceding claims, wherein the retaining means is adapted to follow the shape of a portion of a building surface.

13. A method or a building according to any preceding claim, wherein the shape of said retaining means is predetermined so that it can be secured adjacent a non-

planar building surface.

14. A method or a building according to any preceding claim, wherein the fixing means engage the building surface.

15. A method or a building according to any preceding claim, wherein the retaining means comprises reinforced edges.

16. A method or a building according to any preceding claim, wherein the retaining means is secured to a building by the steps of: (cl) positioning the retaining means over a portion of a building surface; (c2) with respective portions of the fixing means extending through at least two apertures defined in the retaining means engaging the fixing means with the building surface so that the retaining means is secured to the building by engagement with the fixing means in the vicinity of the apertures.

17. A method substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

18. A building substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.