US3222830A

US3222830A - Wall construction and module

Info

Publication number: US3222830A
Application number: US262615A
Authority: US
Inventors: George R Ivany
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1963-03-04
Filing date: 1963-03-04
Publication date: 1965-12-14
Anticipated expiration: 1982-12-14

Description

Dec. 14, 1965 G. R. lVANY 3,222,830

WALL CONSTRUCTION AND MODULE Filed March 4, 1965 {6 5 IN VEN TOR.

zmflfig /a 660265 2. IVA NY United States Patent F 3,222,830 WALL CGNSTRUtITlUN AND MQDUL George R. llvany, 23360 Belmont Drive, Westlake, Ohio Filed Mar. 4, 1963, Ser. No. 262,615 Claims. (Cl. 52--93) The present invention is concerned generally with reinforced concrete masonry wall construction and hollow block-type modules used therein.

In modern building construction, the old and long well known hollow concrete or concrete-cinder blocks are frequently used in reinforced masonry walls or the like, whereby such blocks are laid up with mortar joints staggered in successive courses in usual fashion with the exception that horizontally extended reinforcing means, such as steel rods or netting are included in selected horizontal mortar joints between successive courses; and after the desired wall height is reached, by a further modification of long standing practice, at least some of the vertically extended spaces formed by the more or less well aligned hollows or voids of superimposed blocks are filled with poured concrete which is rodded, puddled or otherwise settled in place. Vertical reinforcing bars or rods are now generally introduced into the vertical spaces so to be filled with concrete. When all such spaces are thus filled, the resulting reinforced concrete masonry wall is in effect a monolithic wall, since approximating in strength and other desirable features monolithically poured wall construction, but generally with considerable economy because of savings in time, material and labor rendered possible by eliminating need to erect forms or other false work involved in usual poured concrete construction.

In such construction, rather than all, merely selected vertical voids may be so filled and reinforced to attain the effect of reinforced column structures in the wall. It has further been proposed to construct beams in a somewhat similar manner.

Prior constructions of this reinforced masonry type generally have labored under certain disadvantages, the most prominent of which are usually due to the form of block or module used in the construction. Thus, for example, the placem-ent of horizontal reinforcing in the mortar of horizontally extended joints between courses interrupts the mortar of and weakens such joints. Further, there is some inconvenience in placing and maintaining in position the horizontal reinforcing, and usually also in placing of vertical reinforcing bars. Even where the voids of successively superposed blocks are well aligned optimum construction has required some added means to hold the bars in position during subsequent concrete pouring and emplacement operations. Moreover, the proportioning of the blocks has not been generally conducive to obtaining well-aligned voids into which concrete is readily poured to obtain a complete fill.

Also at times by prior practices, particularly with older type blocks, unless considerable care is taken in laying up the blocks, it is also found necessary as a practical matter to lay a few courses, insert shorter lengths of reinforcement, pour concrete into the voids at desired locations, and then repeat the operations as often as might be necessary until the desired wall height is obtained.

Also in construction of wall corners or free ends special treatment has been required either in mortar application or dressing of standard blocks to obtain an acceptable appearance which at best generally has not been good without considerable effort for this purpose.

Although various modifications of the venerable concrete block and of wall structures embodying the same have been proposed to ameliorate one or another of the aforementioned disadvantages, none has presented a thorough-going approach to the situation, completely acceptable in overall economics, practice and results. It

3,222,830 Patented Dec. 14, 1965 ice is a general object of the present invention to provide a wall construction and a type of module or block used therein minimizing or substantially eliminating the aforementioned objectionable features of prior practices, resulting wall constructions and blocks used therefor.

To this end first there is provided a standard primary module or block having a hollow center or void defined by opposite side walls and transverse vertical parallel webs having centerplanes equally spaced inwardly from respective block ends a distance substantially equal to one-half the spacing between such planes, thereby to provide a center void having a dimension longitudinally of the block substantially equal to twice that of each of the U-shaped half voids at the ends of the block. More precisely, for a designed or intended vertical joint thickness between the ends of adjacent blocks in a course, the spacing of the centerplane of a web from the adjacent end of the block plus one-half of the designed joint thickness is exactly one-half of the spacing of the web centerplanes of the block. This feature, particularly in conjunction with others to be detailed, enables the wall to be laid up with the voids quite closely vertically aligned with one another thereby facilitating placement of vertical reinforcing and subsequent filling of poured concrete into the pipes or stacks so formed.

At what may be here termed for convenience of reference the top of the block, each web is provided with a pair of parallel like trough-like notches or grooves, each in form slightly convergent toward the bottom, which are in alignment from web to web. The object of these notches is to provide quick and ready placement of horizontal reinforcing bars laid therein as a course to be reinforced is completed, with the reinforcing moreover out of the plane of the proximate horizontal joint, so that the mortar between the courses is not interrupted by such reinforcing.

Even such notches, and the horizontal reinforcing placed therein, represents in the wall construction a means greatly advantageous in helping to locate and facilitate placement of vertical reinforcing bars after the several courses have been laid up to required height. However, near the bottom of the block there is further provided at least on the opposite sides of the block a pair of opposed inwardly projecting integral flanges or lips, with the innermost longitudinal edge portion of each laterally offset from a respective downward projection of the aforesaid notches in the web on the same side to provide, in conjunction with horizontal reinforcing set in the notches, means further establishing the position of vertical reinforcement inserted therein in spaced relation to the adjacent wall. Moreover, with ends of such lips or flanges carried around cavity internal corners at least partially onto a respective Web, the vertical reinforcing bars are afforded still further locating means, whereby the vertical reinforcements or rods are spaced from the webs as well as from the side walls further insuring complete embedment by surrounding poured concrete.

Another specific object of the present invention is to provide a wall construction and blocks adapted thereto whereby after a desired wall height is reached, the vertical reinforcing rods of full wall height may be inserted all at one time, with all the concrete pouring for void filling then carried out substantially as one operation. The advantages of continuity in the reinforcing elements from top to bottom of the wall, and further of eliminating the piecemeal pouring and alternating laying up of additional courses are obvious.

As a further specific advantageous feature of the hereinafter disclosed block, the webs are made of sufiicient thickness as will permit a block to be sawn on the job at a web centerplane. Then one block or module of standard length provides a long and a short sub-module, each hav-- ing a flat face entirely across one end, whereby in wall corner or free end construction successive courses may be begun or terminated altcrnatingly with such long and short pieces, yielding immediately a finished appearance at the corner or end regions by virtue of the block elements used. Also in the inner faces of the side walls there are preferably included recesses or grooves each spaced from the centerplane of an adjacent web a distance corresponding approximately to the spacing of the aforementioned web notches from the near side wall outer face. These recesses serve both to mark and also weaken wall areas to be knocked or chipped out to form notches alignable with the web or chipped notches of adjacent blocks to receive reinforcing elements in single or double corner regions.

Thus for wall construction as contemplated by this invention, only one standard block or module need be manufactured or delivered at a job site, since such block is readily sawn on the job as previously discussed by an abrasive disk equipped portable electric saw or the like. The product-ion or .stocking of special types of sub-modules for such purposes by building material suppliers or any concern on the part of a contractor about determining and ordering the same becomes optional rather than a practical necessity.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following description and the drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is an isometric projection of a building block or structural module according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 are respectively short and long sub-modules obtainable from or used in conjunction with a block of the type shown in FIG. 1 for terminating the ends of courses of the masonry construction at wall corner portions or a free wall end;

FIG. 4 represents a portion of a wall showing the manner of laying up blocks according to the present invention, reinforcing bars and mortar being omitted;

FIG. 5 is a horizontal section through one course of a wall taken generally as indicated at the line 55 in FIG. 6 and showing a typical corner construction, certain portions being omitted for clarity of representation;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary vertical section through a little more than the height of one course taken generally as indicated by the line 6-6 in FIG. 5 but with mortar omitted; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary detail of a section taken at either of lines 77 in FIG. 1.

The primary hollow block or module M may be produced of the usual materials by known methods for building blocks of this general type, for example, by molded concrete or concrete-cinder block compositions and techniques. The unit is similar to common blocks in having two

vertical side walls

10, 10 with flat vertical parallel rectangular exterior faces 11, joined by two generally

parallel web formations

12, 13 spaced inwardly equally from the ends of the block a distance roughly half the distance of the webs and defining therebetween a vertical hollow or cavity 14.

The spacing of web centerplanes, indicated by the dashed lines P1, P2, from the respective ends of the block is actually slightly less (by an amount equal to one-half an intended joint thickness) than half of the spacing between the planes, so that when two blocks are in aligned position with ends nearly abutted but spaced a requisite amount to receive mortar for a joint, the spacing between the centerplanes of the webs proximate the abuttcd ends in respective blocks will be substantially equal to that between the centerplanes in a single block. Thereby from juxtaposition of the opposed half cavities of the two blocks there results a cavity similar to that 14 of a single block.

The pairs of vertical coplanar end surfaces 10a10a, lob-10b of the walls 10 have respective vertical mortar receiving grooves 16, to provide an interlock of joint mortar inserted between the block ends to increase the strength of the joint beyond that obtained by the ordinary adhesion of mortar laid between two adjacent surfaces.

At the top each web is provided with a pair of parallel notches 17 aligned with the respective notches of the other web; while correlated therewith for reinforcing bar locating purposes to be described, the opposed inner bottom edges of the walls 10 have inward flanges or lips 19 on opposite sides of the cavity 14 carried around onto the

webs

12, 13 towards the downwardly projected boundary of the respective notches 17, (see FIGS. 5 and 6). The edges of these flanges or lips follow generally parallel to the horizontal cross sectional shape of the cavity 14 along the walls 10 and the rounded or fillet corners up to the curved region where the lips terminate endwise. The flanges or lips 19 in the central cavity are almost universally sufficient for the intended purpose, but corresponding formations can be included in the end half-cavities 15, as shown in FIG. 6. Further relations of these lips to the notches 17 and other structure, and the function thereof will be hereinafter detailed.

The block is molded with further notches or

recesses

21 and 21a, here both shOWn on the inside surface of one wall It} and opening endwise at the top surface of the block; 21 facing into the

cavity

14 and 21a opening endwise through the corresponding wall end surface 10b and facing inwardly to the end cavity 15. The depth of these

notches

21, 21a is substantially equal in vertical sense to that of the notches 17, and the perpendicular depth into the wall thickness is preferably at least half the wall thickness affording clearly designated weakened areas where when needed the wall may be locally knocked or chipped out to form the equivalents to the notches 17 for reinforcing iron locating purposes under certain circumstances.

The opposed inside surfaces of the side walls and of the Webs are shown as slightly downwardly convergent, to provide suitable draft for block molding operations, with the result that the wall or web thickness increases in downward direction.

Although short and long auxiliary blocks or sub-modules such as MB of FIG. 2 and MA of FIG. 3 may be separately molded for use as hereinafter described in a wall corner construction or in terminating a single wall. preferably the web thickness in the blocks is such that a standard module M may be sawn through on the job at a web centerplane say P1 thereby to provide a short block MB and a long block MA, as may readily be done with modern portable power tools such as an abrasive cutting disk equipped electric saw. In any event, the structures of these smaller pieces MB and MA are such as would result by sawing a single block M in the manner described, with the features appearing in the corresponding parts of a single block M.

In general, apart from the presence of the

notches

21, 21a, the primary block in basic shape is essentially symmetrical about longitudinal and transverse vertical centerplanes. The

notches

21, 21a of course could be multiplied at corresponding positions having the same relation to the cavity corners as the notches 17.

FIG. 4 shows more or less schematically how the main blocks M and the auxiliary blocks MA and MB are laid up in successive courses of a typical wall construction, there terminating in a free left end. This same construction may be used for terminating one wall in the straight run of another in a T or double corner. As is generally done, the blocks of one course are staggered with respect to those of the course immediately below; that is, the joint between abutting or successive blocks in one course is located over the center of a block in the course immediately below, to bring the hollow space resulting between the two opposed open or hollow ends of the abutting blocks into vertical alignment with the center hollow spaces 14 of blocks immediately below and above,

providing clear void spaces from top to bottom in the wall.

A first course is terminated at the free end of the wall in one or the other of MA or MB, MB as shown in FIG. 4, the next course in MA, the other of these two types and so on alternately through the height of the wall, thus providing a clean flat end surface without mortar filling as in the case where the wall is begun or terminated in blocks such as M. The shape and proportioning of the modules again is such that at the end of the wall likewise a vertically aligned cavity is produced,

Further details of a wall construction embodying the features of the invention appear in FIGS. 5 and 6 representing respectively a horizontal section of a wall and a vertical section through one block in the wall respectively.

Here in the straight run of the wall, at a given course horizontal reinforcing rods or bars 25, 25 are laid in the aligned notches 17 'before the next course is begun. At the corner the course is terminated by a piece MA, and the course at right angles (running vertically on the drawing) is continued in a piece MB followed by a succession of regular blocks M. The corner or edge of the block MB before laying is chipped or knocked out over the region indicated and defined by the recess 21a to form a through notch in the piece B aligna ble with the notch 17 in the adjacent block MA, whereby a corner reinforcing rod may be carried through the block MA through MB and into the block M of the perpendicular course as shown before the next course is laid thereon. The corner bar 25a is either a continuation of one of the bars 25 bent into shape at the corner or a preformed piece with ends preferably extending through the notches 17 of more than one of the blocks outside of the corner proper. Where a T or double corner is formed, recesses 21 and 21a in the modules M of the one wall against which the other terminates maybe likewise chipped out to receive reinforcing.

The depths of the notches 17 and associated

partial notches

21, 21a may be such as to accommodate two reinforcing bars, simplifying laying up the wall in general construction especially where preformed pieces are used for the corners which may be merely dropped in on top of any portion of straight bars already present in blocks adjacent the corner region.

Thereafter the course immediately above that shown for example vertically extending in the drawing could be begun with an MA type block, in which the notch is knocked out to provide alignment with an adjacent notch 17. In any event when the desired wall height is reached, vertical reinforcing bars 28 may be passed downwardly between the horizontal bars 25 and adjacent inside wall surfaces of one of the vertically aligned void channels thus resulting in the wall; the vertical bars 28 being located and held captive between the flanges or lips 19 on one side, and on the other by the bars 25 with the position of the latter established by the shape and location of the notches 17.

The flange or lip 19 of a block in one course and a horizontal bar 25 in the top region of the block of the course immediately below, since relatively closely spaced though vertically oifset, serve to confine well the vertical bars. In a given block the flange or lip 19 at the bottom and the notches 17 immediately above on the same block by locating bars 25 also of course immediately cooperate within a given block for such positioning of the vertical bars. Ultimately a given block and therefore in a system comprised of such modules the location of the lip 19 with respect to the grooves 17 thus has a cooperating relation. Carrying the lip around the corner of the hollow also serves to locate a vertical bar on at least one further side Bars may be wired together for initial retention in position, especially the bars 28 merely to restrain them from tipping in one direction, namely, towards the center of 6 the cavity. Generally speaking, however, there is sufficient frictional engagement of vertical bars even of useful small diameters to retain them in position; often enough due to even partially dried mortar projecting inwardly in the lower courses.

Finally after the vertical reinforcing bars are set at selected locations, a certain number or all of the aligned vertical void passages thus resulting are filled with poured concrete 30 to embed all the bars.

This form of block facilitates construction of walls fully reinforced in both directions in all voids and courses, securing all the blocks into what amounts to a monolithic construction; or of partially reinforced walls with certain void stacks and certain courses reinforced in what amounts to beam and column construction.

Should it be desired to use the blocks in any construction wherein the axes of the voids are disposed horizontally, the aforegoing shape characteristics and features are still advantageous in contrast with prior blocks.

A typically proportioned block would have a length of say 15% inches, intended for a inch mortar joint, a width of 11% inches, height of 7% inches, web centerplane spacing of 8 inches, top thickness in side wall and webs of 1 and 1 /2 inches respectively, cavity corner radius of 1 /2 inches, lips 19 with inner edges 2 inches from outside face, notches 17 with depth of 1 /2 inches on 4% inch center spacing for use with nominal inch reinforcing rods. The dimensions, here given by way of example, contemplate a block with only one integral void or cavity as shown in the drawings rather than a longer block with two or more integral voids.

I claim:

1. In a wall construction, primary molded modules of the hollow building block type laid up with mortared joints in courses,

said primary modules being substantially symmetrical about longitudinal and about transversevertical centerplanes,

each said module having transverse vertical webs joining side walls and spaced from each other to define an integral void between successive webs and spaced from respective module ends to define voids jointly with abutting modules,

the centerplanes of successive said webs in a module having the spacing there'between equal to twice the sum of one half the vertical joint thickness plus the spacing from the end of the module to the centerplane of the nearest web,

the voids formed integrally and jointly in each course being vertically aligned into stacks with voids of the other courses, each web having at its top a set of similar reinforcing bar receiving notches,

spaced from adjacent interior side wall faces with corresponding notches of respective webs of a module in alignment,

' and each adapted to seat at least one horizontal reinforcing rod below the top surface of a module,

a horizontal reinforcing bar seated in aligned notches of a plurality of modules in at least one course, opposed lips projecting inwardly from the inner faces of opposite sides of and at locations spaced downwardly from the top of said module,

and said lips having generally longitudinal edge portions outwardly offset from the vertical projections of respective adjacent notches,

vertical reinforcing rods in at least one said stack of aligned voids, each said vertical rod extending through a plurality of courses and positioned between a horizontal reinforcing rod and said lips on an adjacent side of the modules,

whereby the vertical rods are spaced from adjacent side walls of the modules,

and poured concrete filling each reinforced stack and embedding said reinforcing rods.

2. In a wall construction as described in claim 1, successive courses terminated endwise alternatingly in submodules having such respective shapes as would be obtained by dividing transversely a primary module at a centerplane of one of said webs.

3. A primary molded module of the hollow building block type substantially symmetrical in basic shape about longitudinal and about transverse vertical centerplanes,

said module having integral transverse vertical webs joining opposite side walls and spaced from each other to define an integral void between successive webs and spaced from respective module ends to define voids jointly with endwise abutting modules when laid into a course,

and on each side wall an integral longitudinal lip projecting inwardly from the inner face thereof at a location spaced downwardly from the top of the module and having a generally longitudinally extending lip edge,

said lips running the entire longitudinal distance between said webs and located entirely between the planes of the top and bottom of the module; the center-planes of successive said webs in the module having the spacing therebetween substantially equal to twice the sum of one-half the thickness of a designed vertical joint between endwise abutting modules plus the spacing from the end of the module to the center-plane of the nearest web; each web having therethrough at its top a pair of similar, reinforcing rod receiving notches,

each notch so spaced from a respective adjacent interior side wall face that its laterally outermost portion is inwardly offset from a vertical plane through the innermost longitudinal edge of the said lip of an adjacent side wall, the notches adjacent each side wall in alignment and adapted to seat at least one horizontal reinforcing rod below the top surface of the module in spaced parallel relation to the adjacent wall face,

whereby in construction of a wall from such modules a vertical reinforcing rod, inserted between a horizontal reinforcing rod in said notches and adjacent said lips of the modules, is positioned in spaced relation from adjacent side walls of the modules.

4. A module as described in claim 3 having two said webs defining therebetween with the side walls a single central integral void and adjacent thereto half voids at the module ends.

5. A module as described in claim 4, with said lips projecting inwardly into said central void and carried around onto the web at each lip end.

6. A primary module as described in claim 4, with said webs having a thickness permitting vertical division of the block cut at a web centerplane to form sub-modules each having a flat transverse face entirely across one end.

7. A primary module as described in claim 3, with said webs having a thickness permitting vertical division of the block cut at a web centerplane to form sub-modules each having a fiat transverse face entirely across one end.

8. A module as described in claim 3, with said lips carried around onto the web at each lip end providing vertical reinforcing rod spacing means adapted to space vertical rods from respective webs.

9. A module as described in claim 8 having said lips formed at the bottom of a said integral void.

10. A primary molded module of the hollow building block type substantially symmetrical in basic shape about longitudinal and about transverse vertical centerplanes,

said module having integral transverse vertical webs joining opposite side walls and spaced from each other to define an integral void between successive webs and spaced from respective module ends to define voids jointly with endwise abutting modules when laid into a course, and an integral longitudinal lip projecting inwardly from the inner face of each side wall at a location spaced downwardly from the top of the module and having a generally longitudinally extending lip edge; the oenterplanes of successive said webs in the module having the spacing therebetween substantially equal to twice the sum of one-half the thickness of a designed vertical joint between endwise abutting modules plus the spacing from the end of the module to the center-plane of the nearest web; each web having therethrough at its top a pair of similar,

reinforcing rod receiving notches,

each notch so spaced from a respective adjacent interior side wall face that its laterally outermost portion is inwardly olfset from a vertical plane through the innermost longitudinal edge of the said lip of an adjacent side wall, the notches adjacent each side wall in alignment and adapted to seat at least one horizontal reinforcing rod below the top surface of the module in spaced parallel relation to the adjacent side wall face, whereby in construction of a wall from such modules a vertical reinforcing rod, inserted between a horizontal reinforcing rod in said notches and adjacent said lips of the modules, is positioned in spaced relation from adjacent side walls of the modules; said primary module having said webs of a thickness permitting vertical division of the module by cutting at a web centerplane to form sub-modules each having a flat transverse face entirely across one end; said primary module including recesses extending from side wall inner faces partially through the wall thickness,

one end of each said recess opening to the top surface of said module and the other end terminating at substantially the same distance below said top surface of said module as said notches, at least one of said recesses being spaced from the centerplane of an adjacent said web approximately the same distance as a said notch in a said web is spaced from the outer face of an adjacent side wall, each said recess weakening the wall and delimiting an area adapted readily to be chipped or knocked out to form a side wall notch alignable with web notches in either modules or sub-modules laid in a course running perpendicular to the wall of said module with a said side Wall notch so formed therein, with a vertical outside face of said course substantially coplanar with the web center plane with respect to which the said wall notch is defined.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,406,354 2/1922 Dochnal 50447 1,653,771 12/1927 Keichline 5072 2,097,821 11/1937 Mathers 50-373 2,519,664 8/1950 Klein 50-453 2,861,388 11/1958 Favaretto 50453 X 3,036,407 5/1962 Dixon 50-373 X FOREIGN PATENTS 872,063 1/ 1942 France. 1,024,717 1/1953 France. 475,824 11/ 1952 Italy.

39,393 9/1915 Sweden.

HENRY C. SUTHERLAND, Primary Examiner.

JACOB L. NACKENOFF, Examiner.

Claims

1. IN A WALL CONSTRUCTION, PRIMARY MOLDED MODULES OF THE HOLLOW BUILDING BLOCK TYPE LAID UP WITH MORTATED JOINTS IN COURSES, SAID PRIMARY MODULES BEING SUBSTANTIALLY SYMMETRICAL ABOUT LONGITUDINAL AND ABOUT TRANSVERSE VERTICAL CENTERPLANES, EACH SAID MODULE HAVING TRANSVERSE VERTICAL WEBS JOINING SIDE WALLS AND SPACED FROM EACH OTHER TO DEFINE AN INTEGRAL VOID BETWEEN SUCCESSIVE WEBS AND SPACED FROM RESPECTIVE MODULE ENDS TO DEFINE VOIDS JOINTLY WITH ABUTTING MODULES, THE CENTERPLANES OF SUCCESSIVE SAID WEBS IN A MODULE HAVING THE SPACING THEREBETWEEN EQUAL TO TWICE THE SUM OF ONE HALF THE VERTICAL JOINT THICKNESS PLUS THE SPACING FROM THE END OF THE MODULE TO THE CENTERPLANE OF THE NEAREST WEB, THE VOIDS FORMED INTEGRALLY AND JOINTLY IN EACH COURSE BEING VERTICALLY ALIGNED INTO STACKS WITH VOIDS OF THE OTHER COURSES, EACH WEB HAVING AT ITS TOP A SET OF SIMILAR REINFORCING BAR RECEIVING NOTCHES, SPACED FROM ADJACENT INTERIOR SIDE WALL FACES WITH CORRESPONDING NOTCHES OF RESPECTIVE WEBS OF A MODULE IN I ALIGNMENT, AND EACH ADAPTED TO SEAT AT LEAST ONE HORIZONTAL REINFORCING ROD BELOW THE TOP SURFACE OF A MODULE, A HORIZONTAL REINFORCING BAR SEATED IN ALIGNED NOTCHES OF A PLURALITY OF MODULES IN AT LEAST ONE COURSE, OPPOSED LIPS PROJECTING INWARDLY FROM THE INNER FACES OF OPPOSED SIDES OF AND AT LOCATIONS SPACED DOWNWARDLY FROM THE TOP OF SAID MODULE, AND SAID LIPS HAVING GENERALLY LONGITUDINAL EDGE PORTIONS OUTWARDLY OFFSET FROM THE VERTICAL PROJECTIONS OF RESPECTIVE ADJACENT NOTCHES, VERTICAL REINFORCING RODS IN AT LEAST ONE SAID STACK OF ALIGNED VOIDS, EACH SAID VERTICAL ROD EXTENDING THROUGH A PLURALITY OF COURSES AND POSITIONED BETWEEN A HORIZONTAL REINFORCING ROD AND SAID LIPS ON AN ADJACENT SIDE OF THE MODULES, WHEREBY THE VERTICAL RODS ARE SPACED FROM ADJACENT SIDE WALLS OF THE MODULES, AND POURED CONCRETE FILLING EACH REINFORCED STACK AND EMBEDDING SAID REINFORCING RODS.