WO2017221210A1

WO2017221210A1 - Building construction and method of building

Info

Publication number: WO2017221210A1
Application number: PCT/IB2017/053767
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gerhardus Jacobus COMBRINK
Original assignee: Combrink Gerhardus Jacobus
Priority date: 2016-06-24
Filing date: 2017-06-23
Publication date: 2017-12-28
Also published as: ZA201900503B

Abstract

A building is provided which comprises a plurality of culvert elements (12) standing side-by-side with the webs (14) of the culvert elements vertical and the flanges (16, 18) of the elements projecting one from the lower edge of the web and constituting part of a floor and one from the upper end of the web and constituting part of a roof. Two pluralities of side-by-side culvert elements are provided, the edges of the flanges of one plurality abutting the edges of the flanges of the other plurality. Stressed threaded rods in aligned passageways of adjacent elements, with heads at each end thereof, pull the culvert elements together.

Description

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION AND METHOD OF BUILDING

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a building construction and to a method of building. It relates specifically to the building of low cost housing.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

There is a great need, mainly in developing countries, for a method of building houses which enables the houses to be erected quickly and in a cost effective manner. Conventional building methods using bricks or concrete blocks are too slow and labour intensive. Methods involving the casting of concrete in situ also fail to meet the cost and speed of erection criteria that must be met to make the building method acceptable for use in erecting low cost housing.

Concrete culvert elements are manufactured on a large scale. Each element comprises a horizontal web and two vertical flanges. The elements are placed side-by-side in the direction in which the water course is to extend and the webs span across the water course. The webs constitute the part of the road which crosses the water course. The webs may be covered by a layer of asphalt to form the road surface itself.

The present invention is based on the realisation that culvert elements of sufficient size and properly orientated can constitute readily available building elements.

No capital investment is required to cast these elements and they can be purchased ex- stock from the current manufacturers of culvert elements. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a building which comprises a plurality of culvert elements standing side-by-side with the webs of the culvert elements vertical and the flanges of the elements projecting one from the lower edge of the web and constituting part of a floor and one from the upper end of the web and constituting part of a roof. The building can comprise two pluralities of side-by-side culvert elements; the edges of the flanges of one plurality abutting the edges of the flanges of the other plurality.

Stressed tie rods can be provided which extend through adjacent culvert elements and pull adjacent elements towards one another

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of building which comprises placing a plurality of culvert elements side-by-side with the webs of the culvert elements vertical to form a wall and their flanges protruding from the upper and lower ends of the web to form a roof and a floor.

In the preferred form the method comprises placing a further plurality of culvert elements side-by-side with the edges of the flanges of the further culvert elements abutting the edges of the culvert elements of the first mentioned plurality. Sealing strips can be inserted between adjacent elements to inhibit ingress of water.

Alternatively, a sealing compound such as silicon can be used which sets in situ. A tie rod can be passed through aligned passageways of adjacent elements and the tie rod stressed so that heads at each end of the tie rod are pulled against surfaces of the elements. In one form the tie rod is threaded and has a head at one end and a non-rotatable nut threaded onto the other end whereby, on rotation of the rod, the nut moves towards the head and bears on the adjacent element to stress the rod. In another form there are non-rotatable nuts threaded onto each end of the rod, the nuts moving towards one another upon rotation of the rod and into contact with the adjacent elements.

The method can further comprise providing passageways through the elements, inserting a threaded rod into the aligned passageways of adjacent elements, providing a non-rotatable nut at each end of the rod, and rotating the rod so that the distance between the nuts decreases and the elements are pulled against one another.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

For a better understanding of the present invention, and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings in which:-

Figure 1 is a pictorial view of a house in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a pictorial view of the house from an elevated position;

Figures 3, 4 and 5 are respectively a front elevation, a rear elevation and a side elevation of the house; Figure 6 is a pictorial view showing the construction of a house in accordance with the present invention; and

Figure 7 is a detail illustrating a mechanism for pulling the elements of the house together during construction.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The house 10 illustrated is constructed using a plurality of reinforced concrete building elements 12.

Each element 12 comprises a vertical web 14, an upper horizontal flange 1 6 and lower horizontal flange 18. It will be understood from this that each element 12 is a culvert component arranged with its web 14 vertical instead of in the horizontal position in which it used when it forms part of the roof of a storm water channel.

A series of components 12 standing side-by-side provides a roof consisting of the flanges 16, a base consisting of the flanges 18, and a side wall consisting of the webs 14 of the side-by-side elements 12. Sealing strips of rubber or synthetic plastics material are, or a "set-in-situ" sealant such as a silicone, prevent water penetrating into any inter-element gaps.

A building element designated 20 (Figure 1 ) and orientated oppositely to the elements 12 extends the living space provided by the elements 12, and a further element 22 orientated in the same way of the element 20 forms a doorway.

The living space in the building is further extended by another row of building elements designated 24. The front and rear walls 26, 28 of the building can be of dry wall construction or fabricated using building bricks or blocks.

The roof construction designated 30 can comprise steel frames 32 that are bolted together and to which glazing 34 is fitted. By sloping the roof panels 36 and 38 as shown, rain water can be caused to flow into a central gutter 40 which is connected by a pipe 42 to a storage tank 44.

One sloping roof panel 36, 38 can be orientated so that it faces approximately north (in the southern hemisphere) so that sunlight falls directly on it. A solar panel through which water flows and is heated, or a photovoltaic panel, can be mounted on this roof panel.

In Figure 6 a plurality of elements 12 are shown, these being arranged to form rooms of different sizes. Joists 46 are provided on the flanges 18 and these support a floor (not shown).

There are passageways designated 48 in each element 1 2. These passageways are provided where the flanges 16, 18 merge with the webs 14. They pass through the element from side-to-side and are open at each end. Removable void formers are used to produce the passageways.

There are further passageways 50 in the web 14, the passageways passing through the web 14 and being open at both ends. The passageways 50 are at a different height to the passageways 48 so that they do not intersect.

Turning finally to Figure 7, rods 52 and 54 are shown which pass through the passageways 48 and 50 respectively. The rods 52, 54 are formed with threading, or have configurations which act as threading, so that a nut can be screwed onto each end of each rod 52, 54. The reinforcing bar known as a Y-bar has angled projections which act as threading.

When the elements 12 are correctly positioned during erection of the house, the passageways 52 and 54 of adjacent elements align with one another.

Sealing strips (not shown) are inserted between those surfaces of the elements which are adjacent to one another. The sealing strips have holes which register with the passageways 48 and 50.

The rods 52, 54 are pushed through the aligned passageways and nuts (not shown) are screwed onto each end of each rod.

The nuts are prevented from rotating when the rods 52, 54 are subsequently rotated.

The effect is to cause the nuts to move along the threaded rods, shifting the elements 12 towards one another. The sealing strips are compressed to inhibit water leakage between the adjacent elements 12.

It is also possible to provide a head at one end which is fixed to the rod and a non- rotatable nut at the other end. Rotation of the rod causes it to move axially relatively to the nut thereby stressing it and pulling the head against one of the elements.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1 . A building which comprises a plurality of culvert elements standing side-by-side with the webs of the culvert elements vertical and the flanges of the elements projecting one from the lower edge of the web and constituting part of a floor and one from the upper end of the web and constituting part of a roof.

2. A building as claimed in claim 1 and comprising two pluralities of side-by-side culvert elements; the edges of the flanges of one plurality abutting the edges of the flanges of the other plurality.

3. A building as claimed in claim 1 or 2, and including stressed tie rods extending through adjacent culvert elements and pulling adjacent elements towards one another.

4. A method of building which comprises placing a plurality of culvert elements side- by-side with the webs of the culvert elements vertical to form a wall and their flanges protruding from the upper and lower ends of the web to form a roof and a floor.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4 which comprises placing a further plurality of culvert elements side-by-side with the edges of the flanges of the further culvert elements abutting the edges of the culvert elements of the first mentioned plurality.

6. A method as claimed in claim 4 or 5 and comprising inserting sealing strips between adjacent elements to inhibit ingress of water.

7. A method as claimed in claim 4 or 5 and comprising inserting a sealing compound which sets in situ between adjacent elements.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the sealing compound is silicon.

9. A method as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 8 and including the step of passing a tie rod through aligned passageways of adjacent elements and stressing the tie rod so that heads at each end of the tie rod are pulled against surfaces of the elements.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the tie rod is threaded and has a head at one end and a non-rotatable nut threaded onto the other end whereby, on rotation of the rod, the nut moves towards the head and bears on the adjacent element to stress the rod.

1 1 . A method as claimed in claim 9 and including non-rotatable nuts threaded onto each end of the rod, the nuts moving towards one another upon rotation of the rod and into contact with the adjacent elements.

12. A method as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 8 and comprising providing passageways which pass through the elements, inserting a threaded rod into the aligned passageways of adjacent elements, providing a non-rotatable nut at each end of the rod, and rotating the rod so that the distance between the nuts decreases and the elements are pulled against one another.