MODULAR PRECAST CONSTRUCTION ELEMENTS OF COMPRESSED
~v VIBRATED REINFORCED CONCRETE PROVIDED WITH FIXED JOINTS FOR CIVIL AND INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS
5
The present invention relates to a plurality of modular precast construction elements or molded hollow blocks of compressed vibrated reinforced concrete for erecting buildings or industrial plants such as sheds, shelters,
10 weapon pits, observation and survey stations and the like which can be σuickly erected by connecting to one another said modular precast elements by means of fixed joints. The buildings do not require any finish operation, are antiseismic and perfectly heat insulating and
15 soundproofing and in case of heavier stress allow pillars of reinforced concrete to be cast in the cavities formed in the walls erected by such elements. Said plurality of modular precast elements are suitable to the solution of any construction problem which can be generally expected.
20
In the recent years the building market has been invaded by different modular precast construction elements of various size and/or different mixture to be used for the inside or the outside of civil buildings or industrial
25 plants.
The known modular elements in form of blocks for either outside walls made in the building yard or inside
- 2 - soundproofing walls which are equipped with pipes for various systems suffer at least some of the following troubles:
1) need of finish plaster because of the heavy weight that causes cracks on the surface during handling?
2) frequent need of mortar and/or iron to be applied for providing reinforced concrete constructions?
3) not suitable generally for erecting buildings higher than a predetermined height; 4) at the present status of art the surface finish of the precast construction elements of reinforced cement mortar has to be carried out on site.
The modular construction elements of the present invention solve said problems and have the following advantages; a) an easier erection of buildings with a relevant save of costs; b) possibility of a mass-production of said modular construction elements, thus reducing the cost, the time of building and achieving at the same time a better quality of the construction; c) well-balanced use of the available space, thus allowing the responsibility of the designer to be reduced as well as the successive sharing of responsibilities in the erection of the building is made easier; d) elimination of the considerable waste in the traditional buildings; e) rational exploitation of the materials and labor;
- 3 - f) easy and total insulation due to the large thickness of the cavity between the outside surface and the inside surface of the modular construction elements; g) use of the modular precast construction elements of
5 the invention for emergency buildings, thus providing for example a civil house or the like in a shorter time than that required to install the expensive and awful containers which depauperate irretrievably the environment and the dwellers;
10 h) antiseismic capabilities of said modular construction elements, thus allowing emergency constructions to be eliminated; i) self-centering capabilities of the modular construction element, which eliminates any assembling
15 error.
The present invention relates a plurality of modular construction elements able to satisfy any requirements of a reinforced concrete construction and to be manufactured by cast molding vibration and compression.
20 The elements are well-finished at any surface, in the corners and at the thin projection edges. The above feature of well-finished corners and edges allows the construction elements to be superimposed to one another by fixed joint without clearance, which provides for a
25 high reliability as far as the strenght and the aligne ent and coupling precision is concerned. These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the
modular construction elements of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Fig. 1 shows an axonometric view of a first construction element for the walls of a building;
Figs. 2, 3 and 4 show the longitudinal view of the element of Fig. 1 and the views of both cross surfaces, respectively, the latter being provided with male and female fixed joints, respectively;
Figs. 5 and 6 show the top plan view and the bottom view of said first element, respectively, illustrating the male and the female fixed joint of the modular elements to be superimposed to each other;
Fig. 7 is the lngitudinal center-line section of the element taken along the line A-A of Fig. 5;
Fig. 8 is an axonometric view of a second modular construction element having double length;
Fig. 9 is the view of a longitudinal surface of the element in which the fixed joints are visible;
Fig. 10 is a top plan view of the element of Fig. 8;
Fig. 11 is a bottom view of the same element;
Figs. 12, 13 and 14 are the respective cross sections B-B and C-C and the longitudinal center-line section D-D of Fig.10 of said second construction element of fig. 8;
Fig. 15 is the axonometric view of a block with three arms including a modular wall element having double lenght from which a modular wall element extends centrally and perpendicularly in order to provide a partition;
Figs. 16, 17 and 18 show a top plan view, the longitudinal center-line section taken along the line E-E and the cross section F-F of the element of Fig. 15, respectively;
Figs. 19 and 20 show the axonometric views of a fourth modular construction element including a wall element and a pillar element to provide a fixed joint with a perpendicular wall to be connected on the left and on the right, respectively;
Figs. 21 and 22 are a top plan view and a bottom view of the element of Fig. 20, respectively, in which the fixed joints are better evident;
Figs. 23, 24, 25 show the section G-G, H-H and I-I of Fig. 21, respectively;
Fig. 26 is the view of the surface of the element of Fig.
- 6 -
20 which is opposite to the surface from which the perpendicular wall extends;
Figs. 27 and 28 show a fifth construction element to provide an angular beading member in axonometric view and top plan view, respectively?
Figs. 29, 30, 31 show the sections taken along the lines K-K, L-L and M-M of Fig. 28, respectively?
Fig. 32 is an axonometric view of a modular outside beading member?
Figs. 33 and 34 show the top plan view and the view of the cross surface of the element provided with the female fixed joint which is not visible in Fig. 32;
Figs. 35, 36 are the sections taken along the lines N-N and 0-0 of Fig. 33, respectively?
Fig. 37 shows an axonometric exploded view of a front beading member provided with arms for supporting a beam shown only partially?
Fig. 38 is the bottom view of the member of Fig. 37?
Fig. 39 shows the longitudinal section P-P of Fig. 38 of the construction element of Fig. 37 in which two elements like in Fig. 37 and three elements like in Fig. 1 are
visible •-
Fig. 40 is the section of the beading member of Fig. 37 taken along the line Q-Q of Fig. 38;
Fig. 40A shows the section Q-Q of an alternative form of the beading member like that of Fig. 37 but with arms for supporting a beam being provided at both longitudinal sides?
Fig. 41 shows the axonometric, partially sectioned view of a beam with the relative inside reinforcement? and
Fig. 42 shows an axonometric exploded view of some modular elements to provide a floor at a corner.
Reference is made now in particular to Figs. 1 to 7, in which a first modular construction element of compressed vibrated concrete is shown, which is manufactured by molding and is provided for civil buildings or industrial plants.
Said first construction element generally designated by 1 consists of two longitudinal parallel plates 2 identical and connected to each other at both ends by means of two upper and lower plate cross-member 3 and 4 having such a lenght as to form in the element 1 a cavity 5. Each construction element 1 is shaped so as to guide another element 1 to a mutual fixed-joint engagement either vertically or longitudinally in perfect alignement with
each other., so that mortar layers are not needed. To this end each element 1 has at its upper side a male fixed- joint member 6 projecting upwardly and at its lower side a female fixed-joint member or cavity 7, both members having complementary shapes.
Likewise, one of the top surfaces of the element 1 is provided with a pair of male fixed-joint members 8, while the other one is provided with a pair of female fixed- joint members 9. The fixed-joint member 6 is formed of a rectangular inside edge projecting upwardly from the plates 2 and the plates 3. This edge has a thickness equal about to half thickness of the plates 2 and its outside surfaces 6a are slightly inclined inwardly for the self-centering of the coupled construction elements. The plates 3 have in turn at the upper side a wedge profile with two surfaces 3a and 3b having opposite slopes with respect to the longitudinal simmetry plane A- A of said construction element 1. At the lower end each construction element 1 has a shape complementary to the male fixed-joint member 6, 6a and therefore has a cavity 7, 7a complementary to the outer shape of the male member 6, 6a and having side walls 7a inclined inwardly. The plates 4 have in turn at the lower side a wedge cavity defined by surfaces 4a, 4b complementary to the surfaces 3a, 3b of the underlying construction element 1. Thus the construction element 1 can be overlapped to another one by fixed-joint connection so that the respective simmetry planes A-A coincide. A pair of vertical ribs 8 projecting from the
longitudinal plates 2 over the plates 3 and 4 and having about half a thickness of the plates 2 are provided at the left side of the construction elements 1 (Fig. 1) for their mutual lateral engagement. The inner surface of said ribs is coplanar with the inner surface of the plates 2, while at the opposite side two vertical grooves 9 (Figs. 5 and 6) are provided. Of course, the dimension of the construction elements 1 are not restrictive but by way of example the plates 2 forming the facing member of the wall and having the useful size of the construction element can have a length of 100 cm and a height of 50 cm, male fixed-joint members 6 and 8 being excluded, while each construction element 1 can have a width, i.e. the distance between the outside facing surfaces, of 20 cm.
A vertical partial groove 10 extending only up to a certain distance from the upper end of the construction element 1 or in any case a cavity or the like is provided at the cross center-line plane in each surface of the plates 2, thus forming receiving means for mechanical grip means to facilitate the carriage, the lifting and the assembly of said construction element 1 without damage for the corners and the outside finishing. The wall erected with the construction element 1 can be considered as consisting of two parallel walls spaced apart with an interspace 5 therebetween forming heat insulation and soundproofing means and at the same time receiving pipes, electrical conductors and other appliances necessary in the building. In case of
particular use of the building the interspace 5 could be filled also with soundproofing and/or insulating materials or in special cases could be used as mold for casting a structure of reinforced concrete. The other construction elements illustrated and described hereafter are made according to the same principles, whereby the parts having the same functions are designated by the same reference numerals, eventually with the addition of letters, and will not be described anymore in their particular details.
Referring to the Figs. 8 to 14 it is illustrated therein a construction element 11 practically identical to the construction element 1 but formed of a single block having double length and consisting essentially of two construction elements 1 integral with each other.
Therefore the parallel plates 2A are different from the plates 2 only because of having double length. Said plates 2A are connected at their ends by cross plates 3 and 4 shaped like those of the construction element 1, and at the center-line plane, at the upper side a cross member 12 is provided which is integral with the plates 2A and forms two inclined surfaces 3aA and 3bA like those formed by two surfaces 3a and 3b of two single construction elements 1 approached to each other. Therefore, above or below a construction element 11 either another construction element 11 or a pair of construction elements 1 can be assembled by fixed-joint connection, whereby the block 11 has a double useful length than a single block 1, namely 200 cm.
The Figs. 15 to 18 relate to a particular construction element 13 designed for providing the connection between an outside longitudinal wall and an inside partition perpendicular to each other. The construction element 13 essentially consists of a single T-shaped block including a modular element 11A and a modular element 1A integral with each other and similar to the construction elements 11 and 1. The construction element 11A is different from 11 only in that the inner plate 2A1 is provided with a central opening 14 from which the construction element 1A extends, while the outer longitudinal plate 2A of the block 11 is integer. In such a case the element 1A is different from the element 1 in that it includes only the outside end provided in this embodiment with the male fixed-joint members 8, while the opposite end integral with the plate 2A1 is missing. In such a case the upper member 12 becomes a member 12A embodying also the cross plate 3 of the construction element 1 integral with the connection end between both construction elements 1A and 11A. At the lower side a single member 15 is provided having the function of connecting member between the plate 2A' and the lower plate 4. Also in this particular construction element 11A there are three pairs of grooves 10 or the like to facilitate the engagement for the carriage and the lifting. The interspace 5A has in this case the form of a t. Of course, other blocks similar to the block 13 can be provided, in which the construction element 1A is provided with a connecting end having female fixed-joint connections 9 as well as cross blocks
can be made by coupling a construction element 11 with two construction elements 1.
Figs. 19 and 20 show in an axonometric view two special construction elements 16S and 16D including in one block a construction element IAS or IAD and a corner construction element 17S or 17D designed for a corner pillar having an essentially square cross section such that its size corresponds to the thickness or depth of the construction elements 1 or 11, namely 20 cm x 20 cm in the illustrated embodiment. The construction element IAS or IAD is pratically the same as a construction element 1A of the construction element 13 , and the construction element 17S or 17D has the function, as already mentioned, of corner pillar of the carrying structure of the building. The pillars 17S and 17D are different from each other only in that they are designed for the connection by means of suitable fixed-joints to a perpendicular wall of the building extending from either the left or the right end of the construction element 16S or 16D, respectively.
Only the construction element 16D is described into detail because both the construction element 16S and any other special corner construction element designed for corner pillar, where the engagement of two or three T- or cross-connected walls is provided, are easily manufactured by means of simple adaptations. The construction element 17D of the embodiment of Fig. 20 has the same front surface as one of the connecting end of the block 1 or 11. Therefore the corresponding parts
are designated by the same numerals. In this embodiment the front surface is provided with female fixed-joint connections 9. The cross plate 18 of the pillar 17D, which is designed to form the outside facing, is uniform but shaped so as to have at the upper side the inclined surfaces 3a and 3b and at the lower side the cavity with inclined surfaces 4a and 4b complementary to the surface 3a and 3b of the underlying pillar, respectively. The surface of the pillar 17D opposite to the surface engaging a construction element 1 is integral with the back wall 2B of the block 16D (orl6S) except at the upper side where it is shaped with the projection having inclined surfaces 3a, 3b and at the lower side where it is provided with the cavity 4a, 4b. At the upper side where the modular construction element 1 engages the pillar 17D (or 17S) a cross member 12 is provided, which is shaped at the upper side with two inclined surfaces 3aA and 3bA like in the embodiment of the construction element 11 of Fig. 8, i.e. having twice the width of the surfaces 3a, 3b and 4a, 4b. The construction elements 1 and 17D (or 17S) made integral with each other and belonging to the special construction element 16D (or 16S) are provided with interspaces 5B connected to each other like in the previous embodiment. Fig. 27 shows an axonometric view of a construction element for the corner of the floor supporting beading member. In the illustrated embodiment of Figs. 27 to 31 said construction element 19 is provided for the connection between two walls perpendicular to each other
but, of course, according to the same principle also beading members of a corner construction element will be provided for the connection of three or four walls. Tipically each corner construction element has an essentially square cross section with modular width equal to the thickness or depth of the walls to be erected. Of course, this modular construction element 19 and all the other beading members have the same useful height. The construction element 19 is provided with two guide and fixed-joint members like the connecting ends of. the construction elements 1 and 11. Therefore, said corner beading element consists of two walls 20A and 20B with two inclined surfaces 3aD, 3bD for the vertical guide and the fixed-joint connection and two walls generally designated by 21A and 21B having also lateral fixed joints 8 and 9. A square.edge 6D having just inclined outside surfaces 6aD projects from the upper side of said walls 20A, 20B, 21A, 21B in alignement with the inside surfaces of said walls in order to form the male upper fixed-joint member having the same features as the equivalent members of the already described modular construction elements. At the lower side a truncated trapezoidal cavity 7aD complementary to the male fixed- joint member 6D is provided for the connection to the male fixed-joint corner elements 6A of the underlying modular construction elements 16D or 16S. The walls 21A, 2IB, which are however integer, are provided with the same fixed-joint members as the other modular construction elements. Therefore, the similar parts are
designated by the same numerals with the addition of a letter.
Figs. 32 to 36 show a lateral beading construction element 23 of the simple type which is connected to the floor only by fixed-joint connection with the beam 22 adjacent to the floor. To this end the modular construction element 23 is provided at the longitudinal surface 25 facing the floor with a groove 26 (or a complementary rib 26' ) for the fixed-joint connection with the rib 36' of said adjacent beam 22 of the floor (or with the groove 36) described into detail hereafter. The outside longitudinal wall 24 is designed to form the outside facing of the building with its outside surface. Therefore, it .is shaped according to the design. Partial grooves 10 having the same function as in the other modular construction elements are provided in the inside surfaces of the walls 24, 25.
The useful length of the block 23 is equal to the length of a construction element 1 as well as the thickness thereof, while the useful height is the same as the block 19, as already described. The connecting end consists of integer walls 27 and are provided with male or female fixed-joint members 8 or 9, respectively, for the connection to other construction elements 23 or to a corner block 19. This modular construction element 23 is also provided with the guide members 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b and fixed-joint members 6,7 for the connection to underlying or placed upon modular construction elements 1 or 11. All the components of said construction element are
- 16 - designated by the same numerals as the equivalent components of the other construction elements already described. At the beading members the interspaces 5 are connected downwardly or upwardly to the interspaces of the underlying or placed upon construction element forming the same wall.
Figs. 37 to 40A show a front beading construction element 28 designed to form the sides of a beading member provided with supporting means for the beams 22. The modular construction element 28 is similar to the above described beading member 23 as far as the connecting ends and the construction is concerned. Therefore the similar components are designated by the same numerals as the construction element 23. The longitudinal inside wall 25A is provided with a central rectangular slot 29. Hollow arms 30A and 30B having •a rectangular or square cross section project from the wall 25A and are able to be introduced into corresponding channels 31A, 3IB of a precast beam 22 of compressed vibrated reinforced concrete which is provided with a reinforcement 32 and has an useful cross section the width and the height of which are equal to those of the construction element 28 (except for the fixed-joint members 6 and 8). Therefore, the arms 30A and 3OB pass through the channels 31A, 31B, respectively, and form supporting brackets, while the opening of the central channel 31 engages the opening 29, thus providing a communication between the interspace 5F of the construction element 28 and the cavities of the channel 31A, 31B over the channels 33A, 33B of the arms
- 17 - 30A and 3OB and directly through the channel 31. Two vertical holes 34A, 34B are provided in the longitudinal center-line planes of the channels 31A, 3IB at the end portions of the beams 22 in which the arms 30A, 30B are introduced, and two holes 35A, 35B are provided into the arms 30A, 30B, respectively, in order to become coaxial with said holes 34A, 34B of the beam 22 in assembled conditions of the latter. Said holes are designed to receive locking pins and the like (not shown). Due to the particular carrying function of the modular construction elements 28, stiffening cross members 37 are placed into said elements 28. The invention provides floors made by precast beams 22 which have in addition to what already described grooves 36 on one side and complementary ribs 36' on the other side along the longitudinal surfaces.
Said ribs and grooves allow the beams 22 to engage with each other and with the cavities 26 and the ribs 26' of the beading members 23 at one side of the floor and with beading members 23A (not shown) which are different from the beading members 23 only because of the provision of a projecting complementary rib 26' (not shown) instead of a cavity 26. As already mentioned the beams 22 of the floor are supported by the ends of the arms 30A, 3OB of the construction elements 28 if the latter belong to a peripherical wall of the building.
However, if said wall is intermediate, said construction elements are replaced by the modular construction elements 28A (Fig. 40A) provided with arms 30A and 30B
projecting from both longitudinal side plates, the construction element 28A being simmetrical with respect to the longitudinal plane Q-Q along which the section of Fig. 40A has been taken. Fig. 41 shows the main reinforcement 32 selected to reinforce the beam 22 and connected by stiffening means 32a. Referring to the Fig. 39 each construction element 28 can not be directly placed in its definitive position on the wall because the floor beams 22 have to engage with one another by introducing a rib 36' of•one beam 22 into a groove 36 of the adjacent beam 22, and the rib 36' of the latter beam 22 into the groove 36 of the beam 22 on the other side. Therefore, each beam 22 is first placed on the wall and then pushed towards the other already assembled beam to establish the fixed-joint connection. Each construction element 28 should carry out the same operation. This operation is made possible because the lower female fixed-joint member 7A of the construction element 28 is larger than the male fixed- joint member 6 of the underlying construction element *1 by a length such as to allow a longitudinal shift between a construction element 28 and an underlying construction element 1 to such an extent as to ensure the fixed-joint connection between the floor beams. In order to prevent the construction elements 28 in assembled conditions from being shifted away due to any reason, vertical through cavities 44 are provided at the middle of the plate 27 of each construction element 28. Said cavities 44 have the function of vertically centering the construction element
28. The final position of the construction elements 28 and 1 coupled to each other is made steady by the insertion of a wedge 45 into the cavity 44 in order to compensate the greater length of the female fixed-joint member 7A.
The main modular construction elements have been illustrated and described in the drawings and the description. However, modular construction elements of multiple or submultiple length could be carried out to satisfy particular design specification.
Likewise, suitable modular construction elements can be provided for corner installation and for particular solution of -the inside and outside walls and for doors and windows as well.