GB2424656A

GB2424656A - Supporting a wall column

Info

Publication number: GB2424656A
Application number: GB0506172A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Jardine
Original assignee: Covered Systems Ltd
Current assignee: Covered Systems Ltd
Priority date: 2005-03-29
Filing date: 2005-03-29
Publication date: 2006-10-04
Anticipated expiration: 2025-03-29
Also published as: GB2424656B; GB0506172D0

Abstract

A wall column 14 is arranged between two stabilising blocks 16, each of which has a front wall 28 and a back wall 28 joined at a vertex 30 and by at least one integral tie bar 32, 34, whereby a void 38 is formed within the blocks. A column platform 44 is provided between the blocks and extends into and is secured in the void 38: the column is secured as by fasteners 46. The blocks may be of concrete; void 38 may be filled with concrete reinforced as at 42, and shuttering may be provided to allow casting of concrete into the gap between the two blocks. Further similar blocks may be arrayed between column supporting blocks to constitute a wall between the columns.

Description

A Method For Supporting A Column Of A Wall The present invention relates

to a method for supporting a column of a wall, in particular to a method for supporting such columns which does not require foundations. The method specifically relates to columns of a wall used to create a wall of a building. The invention also relates to a wall including columns.

When constructing buildings, for example large storage areas, warehouses or the like, it may be desirable to avoid having to build solid walls of a material like brick as walls of this type are expensive and time consuming to construct.

It is known form a wall by digging foundations and using the foundations to support columns, such as vertical I' beams, that can then be used to support siding material, for example corrugated iron or a gale break type sheeting. Such walls are cheaper and quicker to construct than brick built walls and are therefore used where brick walls are not required.

However, such walls require foundations to be dug in order to support the columns. Such foundations can be time consuming to dig and construct and may require permission to dig in certain locations.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a more convenient method for supporting columns of a wall.

The invention provides a method for supporting a column of a wall, the method comprising the steps of: a. providing a column member and two stabilising blocks, each stabilising block having a front wall and a back wall joined at a vertex to form an inverted V' shape, the front and back walls joined by at least one integral tie bar such that a void is formed within the blocks defined by at least the front wall, back wall and the at least one tie bar; b. arranging the stabilising blocks adjacent one another with the front walls in substantially the same plane and a gap between the blocks to accommodate an end of the column member; c. providing a column platform between the stabilising blocks, the column platform extending into, and secured within, the void of each stabilising block; and d. securing the column to the column platform.

By securing the column platform within the voids of the stabilising blocks the requirement for a dug foundation is removed as the stabilising blocks act as a raised foundation for supporting the column. This enables walls to be erected rapidly without the need to dig foundations.

The inverted V1 shape formed by the front and rear walls aid in the triangulation of forces transmitted from the column and therefore aids their stable support. The tie bar links the walls together and resists separation of the walls of the block, thereby increasing the structural integrity of the block under load.

The column platform and stabilising blocks are preferably formed from concrete, and most preferably reinforced concrete as these materials make the column assembly cheap and easy to produce. Reinforced concrete is also weather resistant and suitable for use in adverse environments.

The column is preferably secured to reinforcing within the column platform. Suitable securing points can be formed in the column platform by having metal inserts attached to the reinforcing before concrete is poured over the reinforcing metalwork and cured. The column can then be secured to the reinforcing using bolts passing through a column base and into the inserts. This provides a strong and secure method of attaching the column to the column platform.

It is preferred that the stabilising blocks include at least two tie bars connecting the front and rear walls so that at least two voids are defined within the stabilising blocks.

An upper void is located adjacent the vertex and a lower void is defined by the front and rear walls and the two tie bars One of the tie bars is preferably located adjacent a base of the block so that a lower void is low down within the block.

The column platform preferably extends into the lower voids of the stabilising blocks as this lowers the centre results in the column being low down between the stabilising block which increases the stability of the assembly. The column platform preferably extends into and substantially fills the lower void so that the height of the centre of gravity of the assembly is lowered.

Preferably the gap remaining between the stabilising blocks after the column has been secured to the column platform is substantially filled with a substrate. The substrate used to substantially fill the gap is preferably concrete if concrete has been used to form the stabilising blocks. Using concrete as the substrate in this case results in the exterior finish of the blocks and of the filled gap being substantially identical and more pleasing to an observer. Concrete is also easy to pour into moulds of this type which reduces the construction time of the wall.

The method may include the step of using shutters extending between the two stabilising blocks to form at least part a mould into which concrete can be poured to form the column platform. A shutter may be arranged to extend between the front walls of the blocks and a further shutter arranged extending between the rear walls of the blocks to substantially enclose a volume into which concrete can be poured. This provides a quick method for fabricating the column platform on site. By forming the column platform by pouring concrete into a mould formed in this way the column platform is bonded to the stabilising blocks and acts to tie the two blocks together to increase stability. Ends of the voids away from the column may be substantially sealed using shutters to substantially enclose a mould for the column platform.

A similar method of using shutters can be used to create a mould into which the substrate can be poured to substantially fill the gap between the stabilising blocks.

The invention also provides a wall including at least one column, the column having a stabilising block on opposing sides, each stabilising block having a front wall and a back wall joined at a vertex to form an inverted V' shape, the front and back walls joined by at least one integral tie bar such that a void is formed within the blocks defined by at least the front wall, back wall and the at least one tie bar, the column being secured to a column platform between the stabilising blocks, the column platform extending into, and secured within, the void of each stabilising block, the gap between the stabilising blocks being substantially filled with a cured substrate.

The wall is preferably formed from a plurality of wall blocks, the wall blocks being substantially identical to the stabilising blocks. The wall blocks are preferably butted against the stabilising blocks and one another in the wall so that there is substantially no gap between the blocks. The use of substantially identical blocks reduces the number of different block that must be transported to site and can reduce delays that may occur if a particular block type has not arrived. The voids of the wall blocks may also be filled with concrete to provide additional weight to the walls if required. The column platform could also extend into a void within a wall section if desired. This could be achieved by arranging the wall blocks adjacent the stabilising blocks and shuttering ends of the voids in the wall blocks to form an elongate mould before pouring concrete to form the column platform. The lower voids of the wall blocks could also be filled by forming a hole through the front or rear wall through which concrete can be poured.

There are preferably between 1 and 4 wall blocks between each column and stabilising block assembly. This provides suitable column spacing for a wall of a building.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a plan view of a building having walls made in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 shows a section along the line A-A of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a schematic cross section across a wall of a column and stabilising block; Figure 4 shows a schematic cross section along a wall of a column and two stabilising blocks Figure 1 shows a plan view of a building 1 having four walls 2, 4, 6, 8 and Figure 2 shows a cross section through the building of Figure 1 along A-A.

The building 1 includes a roof structure 10 having an apex 12. The roof structure 10 is supported by a plurality of columns 14. Each column 14 is supported by two stabilising blocks 16 (shown in greater detail in Figures 3 and 4).

Between the stabilising block 16 and column 14 assemblies there are wall blocks 18 which are substantially identical with the stabilising blocks 16. The walls 2,4,6,8 are formed by a combination of wall blocks 18 and stabilising blocks 16.

There are between one and two wall blocks 18 between each stabilising block 16 and column 14 assembly.

The building 1 includes doorways 20 and 22 permitting access to an interior.

Figure 3 shows a detailed view of the area 24 highlighted in Figure 2. The view is a schematic cross section across wall 8 of a column 14 and stabilising block 16. Figure 4 shows a schematic cross section of the same region, but in a plane perpendicular to the view in Figure 3.

The stabilising block 16 has a front wall 26 and a rear wall 28 which meet at a vertex 30 to form an inverted V1 shape.

The stabilising 16 block includes two tie bars, a lower tie bar 32 adjacent a base 33 of the stabilising block 16 and an upper tie bar 34 between the vertex 30 and the lower tie bar 32. The tie bars 32,34 connect the front and rear walls 26,28. The stabilising block in this case is a block sold under the trade name AlphaBlockTM by Poundfield ProductsTM Limited.

Two voids 36,38 are defined within the stabilising block 16.

An upper void 36 is defined adjacent the vertex 30 between the front and rear walls 26,28 and an upper tie bar 34. A lower void 38 is defined by the front and rear walls 26,28, the upper tie bar 34 and the lower tie bar 32.

The lower void 38 of each stabilising block 16 is filled with concrete 40 and includes reinforcing 42 (shown schematically). The concrete 40 and reinforcing 42 provide a column platform 44 on which a base 45 of the column 14 is located and to which the column 14 is secured using bolts 46.

The bolts 46 are secured to inserts 48 which are secured within the concrete forming the column platform 44.

Shutters 50 are located on the front and rear walls 26,28 to substantially cover a gap 52 between the stabilising blocks 16 so that the gap 52 can be substantially filled with concrete to further secure the column 14 in place. When the gap 52 is filled in this way the upper void 36 of the stabilising blocks 16 may also fill with concrete.

Additional shutters can be used to prevent this, or to prevent concrete from spilling from the upper void 36 of the stabilising blocks 16 into the upper voids of the wall blocks 18.

It should be understood that the invention has been described above by way of example only and that modifications in detail may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as described in the claims.

Claims

Claims 1. A method for supporting a column of a wall, the method

comprising the steps of: a. providing a column member and two stabilising blocks, each stabilising block having a front wall and a back wall joined at a vertex to form an inverted V1 shape, the front and back walls joined by at least one integral tie bar such that a void is formed within the blocks defined by at least the front wall, back wall and the at least one tie bar; b. arranging the stabilising blocks adjacent one another with the front walls in substantially the same plane and a gap between the blocks to accommodate an end of the column member; c. providing a column platform between the stabilising blocks, the column platform extending into, and secured within, the void of each stabilising block; and d. securing the column to the column platform.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1, in which the column platform is formed from concrete.
3. A method as claimed in claim 2, in which the column platform is formed from reinforced concrete.
4. A method as claimed in claim 3, in which the column is secured to the reinforcing within the column platform.
5. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the stabilising blocks include at least two tie bars connecting the front and rear walls, at lest one tie bar being adjacent a base of the block, at least two voids being defined within - 10 - the stabilising blocks, an upper void adjacent the vertex and a lower void defined by the front and rear walls and the two tie bars, the column platform extending into the lower voids of the stabilising blocks.
6. A method as claimed in claim 5, in which the column platform extends into and substantially fills the lower void.
7. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the stabilising blocks are fabricated from reinforced concrete.
8. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the method further comprises the step of substantially filling the remaining gap between the stabilising blocks with substrate.
9. A method as claimed in claim 9, in which the substrate used to substantially fill the gap is concrete.
10. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the method further includes the step of using shutters extending between the two stabilising blocks to provide a mould into which concrete can be poured to form the column platform, a shutter extending between the front walls of the blocks and a shutter extending between the rear walls of the blocks.
11. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the method further includes the step of using shutters extending between the two stabilising blocks to provide a mould into which concrete can be poured to substantially fill the gap after the column has bee secured to the column platform, a shutter extending between the front walls of the blocks and a - 11 - shutter extending between the rear walls of the blocks.
12. A wall including at least one column assembly, the column assembly having a stabilising block on opposing sides of a column, each stabilising block having a front wall and a back wall joined at a vertex to form an inverted V1 shape, the front and back walls joined by at least one integral tie bar such that a void is formed within the blocks defined by at least the front wall, back wall and the at least one tie bar, the column being secured to a column platform between the stabilising blocks, the column platform extending into, and secured within, the void of each stabilising block.
13. A wall as claimed in claim 12, in which the gap between the stabilising blocks is substantially filled with a substrate.
14. A wall as claimed in claim 12 or claim 13, in which the wall includes a plurality of wall blocks, the wall blocks being substantially identical to the stab lising blocks.
15. A wall as claimed in claim 14, in which there are between 1 and 4 wall blocks between each column and stabilising block assembly.
16. A method substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
17. A wall substantially as herein described with reference to, or as shown in, the accompanying drawings.