BUILDING METHOD AND SYSTEM

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a method and system of building. In particular, although not exclusively, the invention relates to a method and system of creating a building from pre-fabricated panels.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

One method of constructing a building utilises pre-fabricated panels which form the exterior walls of the building. Pre-fabricated panels can also be used for interior waifs and/or roofing panels. When pre-fabricated panels are used, it is often not necessary to erect a frame prior to installing the wall and/or roof panels. This allows a reduced on-site building time and ease of construction. However, difficulties can arise. One such difficulty is the requirement for bracing a panel in place before it is fully secured to the foundations, floor, or adjacent panels.

Many pre-fabricated panels are mass produced as identical plain panels of the same dimensions. Thus when building a house, the panels must be altered post production to allow the insertion of doors, windows, service pipes and cabling. This increases construction time and can often result in damage to the pre-fabricated panels if the alterations are not carried out with care. Reference may be had to pre-fabricated pane! system described in Internationa! Patent Publication WO 85/01766. This patent application describes rectangular concrete building panels that are cast with embedded connectors that faciiitate connection between panels for ease of construction. The panels fail to achieve the strength necessary for practical purposes. The panels also fail to provide the elements needed for practical constructions, such as piping, windows, doorways, architraves, etc.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

In one form, although it need not be the only or indeed the broadest form, the invention resides in a method of constructing a building panel, including the steps of:

forming a casting bed i the shape of the desired panel;

inserting at least one access connector adjacent an edge of the casting bed; inserting at least one fitting selected from pre-tension or post-tension cabling accessories, including tensioning cables or rods;

creating tension in the tensioning cables or rods;

filling the casting bed with pane! fill material to at least partially surround the access connectors and fittings; and

allowing the pane! fill material to cure.

The step of filling the casting bed may occur before the step of creating tension in the tensioning cables or rods (post-tensioning) or after the step of creating tension in the tensioning cables or rods (pre-iensioning).

Preferably, each access connector is in the form of a hollow polygon, wherein each face of the polygon is provided with a connector aperture. Suitably, the polygon is cuboid,, rectangular cuboid, rhombohedral, parallelepiped, pyramidal, cylindrical or tetrahedron in shape.

The method may further comprise the step of inserting access connectors into the casting bed at positions which are not adjacent to the edge of the casting bed.

Other fittings which may be inserted include architrave framework and service piping.

The method may further comprise the step of applying a finish to a surface of the building panel prior to curing the panel fill material.

In one embodiment, a removable template is used to aid location of at least one of the fittings within the casting bed.

In another form, the invention resides in a building panel constructed by the method discussed above.

In a yet further form the invention resides in a lightweight buiiding panel comprising:

a substantially rectangular body of substantially uniform thickness formed from a panel fill material;

a plurality of access connectors cast in the body, at least some of said access connectors being located adjacent an edge of the body; and

one or more pre-tension or post-tension cable or rod accessories including a tensioning cable or rod cast in the body and applying tension to the building panel.

The panel fill material is suitably lightweight cementitious material.

Preferably each access connector is in the form of a hollow polygon. Preferably each face of the polygon is provided with a connector aperture. Preferably the polygon is a cuboid, rectangular cuboid, rhombohedral, parallelepiped, pyramidal, cylindrical or tetrahedron in shape.

Preferably at least one end of the tensioning cable or rod extends into an access connector. Preferably the at least one end of the tensioning cable or rod extends through the access connector.

Preferably the building panel further comprises architrave framework and service piping.

In another form, the invention resides in a method of constructing a building, including the steps of:

forming a building foundation which includes a floor template; and

fastening a series of building panels as described herein to the floor template and/or to adjacent building panels using fasteners to form the building.

In another form, the invention resides in a method of constructing a building, including the steps of:

forming a building foundation which includes a floor template;

constructing a series of building panels, each building pane! including at least one access connector, at least one fitting selected from pre-tension or post- tension cable or rod accessories, and panel fill material;

fastening each building panel to the floor template, and/or to adjacent building panels, using fasteners, to form the building.

Preferably the step of fastening each building panel to the floor template, and/or to adjacent building panels using fasteners comprises fastening the fasteners onto the pre-tension or post-tension cable or rod accessories.

in another form, the invention resides in a building constructed according to a method as described herein. In another form, the invention resides in a kit for constructing a building, the kit comprising:

a floor template;

a series of building panels, each building panel including at ieast one access connector, at Ieast one fitting selected from pre-tension or post-tension cable or rod accessories, and pane! fill material;

fasteners for connecting the building panels to the floor template and/or adjacent building panels.

Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To assist in understanding the invention and to enable a person skilled in the art to put the invention into practical effect preferred embodiments of the invention will be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG 1 shows a schematic of a casting bed for a building pane! according to one embodiment of the invention showing included access connectors, post- tension cabling accessories and service piping;

FIG 1A shows one example of connecting adjacent panels;

FIG 1 B shows another example of connecting adjacent panels;

FiG 1C shows yet another example of connecting adjacent panels;

FIGS 2A - 2F show examples of access connectors;

FIG 3 shows a schematic of a completed panel;

FIG 4 shows a series of connected building panels and floor template; and

FIG 5 shows a series of connected building panels on stump foundations.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A building panel 100 is formed, by utilizing a casting bed 200, comprising access connectors 300, fittings 400 and panel fill material 500.

As shown in FIG 1 , the casting bed 200 includes a frame 210, formed in the desired shape of the building panel 100. The frame 210 is constructed from a rigid material, such as wood, structural steel, aluminium, rigid polymer or the like. The frame 210 includes frame apertures, such as 211 , to allow access to the area surrounded by the frame 210.

In one embodiment, a removable template 212 forms part of the frame 210, to assist in the location of the frame apertures 211. The removable template 212 is suitably a member having template apertures 213 in suitable locations for the passage of fittings 400.

Access connectors 300, as shown in FIGS 2A - 2F, are hollow and polygonal in shape. Fo example, the access connector 300 may be cuboid, rectangular cuboid, rhombohedral, parallelepiped, pyramidal, cylindrical or tetrahedron in shape. Each access connector 300 has at least one face, or a portion of one face, of the polygon absent, to allow access to the interior of the access connector 300. Each face 310 of the access connector 300 is provided with a connector aperture 311. The connector aperture 311 may be a small aperture, to form a bolt hole 312, an elongate aperture, to form a ferrule hole 313, or a large aperture, to form a service hole 314.

The access connectors 300 may be formed from metal, plastic, compressed paper, board, or any such rigid material

Each access connector 300 may be entirely located within the casting bed 200, or may partially project outside the frame 210.

Fittings 400 are located within the casting bed 200 and may be attached to the frame 210 and/or pass through the frame apertures 211 to partially project from the casting bed 200. Fittings 400 include post-tension cabling accessories 410, architrave framework 420, service piping 430 and the like. Other fittings such as reinforcing rods or reinforcing grids, support chairs for supporting fittings 400, as are well known in the field, and the like, may also be included.

Pre-tension or post-tension cabling accessories 410 include cables or rods 411 , and means for applying and maintaining tension, such as with ferrules 412, anti-burst spirals 413, nuts 418, barrels 416 and wedges 417. The cables or rods 411 may be formed of any material suitable for creating tension within the building panel 100. For example, the cabie or rods 411 may be made from steel, rope, plastic rope and the like- In a simple form, tension may be applied to rods by applying a thread to each end of the rod and tensioning the rod with nuts, or using a nut at one end with a clamp at the other end. The nuts are applied to an end of the rod projecting into an access connector.

An example of a tensioned cable 411 construction is shown in FIG 1A,

The cable 411 is held at each end by a barrel 416 and wedge 417 clamp. As tension is applied to the cabie 411 the wedge 417 is drawn into the barrel 416 and clamps against the cable 41 The barrel 416 may be cast into the panel fill material 500. Adjacent access connectors 300 of adjacent panels 10QA and 100B may be connected using fasteners 600 which are preferably in the form of nuts and bolts as shown in FIG 1A. Alternative fasteners may also be used, including screws, nails, rivets or the like, to secure the access connectors 300 to each other. Referring to FIG 1 , fasteners 600 are also used to secure the fittings 400 to the frame of the casting bed 200 through the frame apertures 211.

An example of a tensioned rod 411 construction is shown in FIG 1B. At each end of the rod 411 a plate 4181 is provided. Plate 4181 may be positioned, mounted, and/or cast into the panel fill material 500. The rod 411 extends through the plate 4181 and is tensioned by a nut 418 and washer 4182. Adjacent access connectors 300 of adjacent panels 100A and 1.00B may be connected using fasteners as shown in FIG 1A. Alternatively, as shown in FIG 1 B, the rod 411 may extend through one access connector 300 of a panel 100B to the adjacent access connector 300 of an adjacent panel 100A where the two connectors 300 may be fastened using a fastening boft 600A on the end of the rod 411.

Preferably the cables or rods 411 are offset from the central axis of the access connectors 300 such that a plurality of orthogonal cables or rods 411 can be received through a single access connector 300 without intersecting each other. A gasket, preferably made of a compressible material such as neoprene, may be provided (not shown) between adjacent access connectors 300.

The access connectors 300 illustrated in FIGs 1A and 1B are four sided.

FIG 1C illustrates a five sided access connector 300 which can be used to create a junction with three adjacent access connectors 300. Such a junction is typically used to connect panels at a right angle, such as wall panels to floor or ceiling panels.

For a practical building panel if may be appropriate to use tensioning elements such as ferrules and swages, as shown in FIG 1. Referring again to FIG 1 , each cable 411 is passed through a ferrule aperture 414 in the ferrule 412, and secured to itself by a cable swage 415. An anti-burst spiral 413 is located around the ferrule 412, in order to disperse tension into the building panel 100. The end 411a of the cable 411 is known as a dead end as it is fixed during tensioning. At the other end 411b of the cable 411 a barrel 416 and wedge 417 arrangement secures the cable 411 to an access connector 300 after the cable 411 passes through a connector aperture 311. A further anti-burst spiral 413 is also located around the cable 411 adjacent to the access connector 300 to which the cable 411 is secured.

The end 411 b of the cable 411 projects through a frame aperture 211 in the frame 210 of the casting bed 200 (and possibly template aperture 213). A hydraulic jack 440 is connected to the end 411b of the cable 4 1, in order to apply tension to the cable 411.

Cables 411 may also be connected to barrel 416 and wedge 417 arrangements, as are known in the art, within access connectors 300 at both ends of the cable 411. As shown in FIG 1 , some cables may be held by barrel and wedge connectors at both ends (such as the perimeter cables) or with ferrule and swage connectors at one end (such as the three cables shown with hydraulic jacks 440). Alternatively, rods 411 may be utilized as shown in FIG 1B.

Apart from the tensioning cables or rods 411 other fittings are located in the casting bed. For instance, service piping 430 includes water pipes 431 , electrical cabling conduits 432, gas pipes, vacuum system pipes and other services which may be desired to pass through the building panel 100. Starter bars 433 may also be included to facilitate the use of reinforcing bars or grids. As shown in FIG 4, architrave framework 420 includes door frames 421 , window frames 422, air conditioning and/or heating outlet frames and the like. End product architrave framework 420 may be used, or a temporary framework which is later replaced or to which end product architrave framework 420 is attached. Adjacent panels may be secured to each other using fasteners 600, 600A, such as illustrated in FIGs 1A or 18.

The panel fill material 500 is concrete, lightweight concrete, or any material suitable for filling a building pane! 100. A thermal resistant concrete with high MPA is preferred for most embodiments. The high MPA is desirable so the material can handle the tension of the cabies. The degree of tension will be selected for the likely load to be applied to the panel. To provide high MPA it may be appropriate, in some embodiments, to add mesh to the fill material. A suitable mesh is known as F82. F62 is a 6mm diameter mesh formed in 50mm squares. Composite fiber and fiberglass materials may also be suitable as fill material.

A surface finish 510, such as plaster board, or tiles may be inserted into the casting bed 200 to provide a finish for the building panel 100. Alternatively, material may be placed into the casting bed 200 to create a moulded finish to the panel fill material 500. Surface finish materials 510 can be placed into the casting bed 200 prior to the addition of panel fill material 500, or following the addition of panel fill materia! 510. Additionally, the same or different surface finish material 510 can be placed into the casting bed 200 both prior to and following the addition of panel fill material 500.

A finished panel is shown in FIG 3 with the various fittings revealed. The panel includes four tensioned cabies around the perimeter (preferably approximately 500mm from the edge of the panel), one central horizontal tensioned cable and two vertical tensioned cables. An electrical conduit runs horizontally through the panel and extends beyond each side. A water pipe 431 enters from the bottom of the panel and terminates at about the height of a wash basin.

As shown in FIG 4, a building 700 may be constructed from the building panels 100, as described above, and a foundation 710. The foundation 710 may be a concrete sla (as illustrated in FIG 4), a series of stumps (as illustrated in FIG 5), or other types of building foundations. A multiplicity of floor templates 11 are affixed to, or embedded within, the foundation 710.

Each floor template 711 includes a series of protruding floor bolts 712, located to align with access connectors 300 of the building panels 100. The removable template 212 used i locating the frame apertures 211 , as discussed above, may also be used when constructing the floor template 711 to ensure that the floor bolts 712 align with the access connectors 300 or other fittings 400.

For a rod 411 tension panel 100, preferably at least some of access connectors 300 of panels 100 connecting with the protruding floor bolts 712 are the access connectors 300 illustrated in FIG 2F which has a floor slot 313 which allows the access connector to receive a floor bolt 712 and then slide longitudinally along the slot 313. This enables a panel 100 to be placed over floor slots 313 and to be slid into abutment with an adjacent panel 100, inserting end of rod 411 into an adjacent access connector 300 of the adjacent panel 100 where it can be fastened using bolt 600A as illustrated in FIG 1 B.

In use, the casting bed 200 is set up in the desired shape of the building panel 100. The desired shape includes both flat and curved building panels 00. The removable template 212 is used to locate frame apertures 211 , which are then created in the frame 210 of the casting bed 200.

Architrave framework 420 is placed to correlate with the desired location of windows, doors and/or air conditioning or heating units.

If a surface finish is desired, suitable surface finish material 510 is placed within the casting bed 200. For example, fibrocement board, wail tiles, a mould to create a moulded finish or the like.

Access connectors 300 are then placed at intervals around the perimeter of the casting bed 200. Access connectors 300 are also placed within the casting bed 200, if required. Suitably, an access connector 300 may be placed at or near each corner, and at suitable modular intervals, for example, about every 500mm, along what will form the bottom edge of the building panel 100.

Additional access connectors 300 having service holes 314 are placed where service piping 430 is required to pass into the building pane! 100.

If the building pane! 100 is intended to form an angle with an adjacent building panel 100 or a roofing building pane! 100, then an access connector 300 of appropriate shape is placed adjacent to the frame 210 of the casting bed 200 at the appropriate edge.

Post-tension cable accessories 410 are then located within the casting bed 200. Cables 411 are secured to ferrules 412 by passing the cable 411 through the ferrule aperture 414 and securing the cable 411 to itself by a cable swage 415. An anti-burst spiral 413 is fitted around the ferrule 412 and the ferrule 412 is placed in the casting bed 200 adjacent the frame 210.

The distal end of the cable 41 is passed into an access connector 300 and through a barrel 416 and wedge 417 located within the access connector 300. A further anti-burst spiral 413 is fitted around the cabie 411 adjacent to the access connector 300 to spread tension into the building pane! 100.

Alternatively rods 41 may be secured in a similar manner using bolts 418 and bolt plates 4181 instead of cables 411 and cable fittings.

Service piping 430 is located within the casting bed 200. The service piping 430 is passed through an access connector 300 having a service hole 314 at each location where the service piping 430 crosses the frame 210 of the casting bed 200.

Fasteners 600 are passed through the frame apertures 211 and used to secure the access connectors 300 and fittings 400 to the frame 210 of the casting bed 200.

Once ali the required access connectors 300 and fittings 400 are located within the casting bed 200, panel fill material 500 is poured into the casting bed 200. Once the panel fill materia! 500 has cured to about 75% strength, the cables or rods 411 are tensioned. Hydraulic jacks 440 are connected to the cables or rods 411 which are then pulled to the required tension, and the panel fill material 500 is allowed to cure to full strength. This results in a post- tensioned cable or rod 411. Where the rod 411 extends out of an access connector 300, as illustrated in figure 1B, a former may be required (not shown) to provide support to the access connector when under load during tensioning.

Alternatively, the hydraulic jacks 440 are connected to the cables or rods 411 and tension is applied prior to the addition of panel fill material 500 to the casting bed 200. After the panel fill materia! 500 is fully cured, the hydraulic jacks 440 may be released. This resulted in a pre-tenstoned cable or rod 411.

The fasteners 600 are removed from the casting bed 200 and the building panel 100 is then removed from the casting bed 200 and is ready to use.

In order to erect a building 700, as shown in FIG 4, a series of building panels 100 are constructed as described above. A foundation 710 is laid or constructed at the chosen site. The floor templates 711 are arranged on the foundation 710 to correspond to the floor plan of the building 700.

Each building panel 100 is then put into place such that the protruding floor bolts 712 of the floor templates 711 are inserted through bolt holes 312 of access connectors 300 in the building panel 100. in some embodiments the panel 100 is put into place such that the floor bolts 712 are inserted into a slot 313 of the access connectors 300 (e.g. the access connector 300 as shown in FIG 2F) and the panel is then slid into place adjacent another panel. This allows a rod 411 of the panel being placed to be inserted into an access connector of an adjacent panel as illustrated in FIG B. Each floor bolt 712 is then secured with a nut.

Adjoining building panels 100 are connected by fasteners 600 or 600A which either join adjacent access connectors 300, or join a ferrule 412 to the ferrule hole 3 3 an adjacent access connecto 300. The fasteners 600 or 600A may be the same as, or different to, the fasteners 600 used when forming the building panel 100 in the casting bed 200.

Roofing building panels 100 may then be connected similarly, by joining adjacent access connectors 300, or by joining ferrules 412 to adjacent access connectors 300.

Building panels 100 may also be connected to form a flooring panel, a half-height wall or other structural features of the building. Building panels 100 having differing panel fill materials 500 may also be connected to each other via the access connectors 300 and/or ferrules 4 2.

Beams, rafters, roof trusses and the like may also be fastened to the building panels 100 by utilizing the access connectors 300 and/or ferrules 412.

If desired, prior to joining the building panels 100 a waterproof and/or fireproof material, such as a silastic material, may be placed along one or more edges of the building panels 100.

FoSSowing the construction of the walls and roofing, the building 700 may be finished in the usual way.

The use of access connectors 300 and/or ferrules 412 in each building panel 100 allows a very quick connection between the floor templates 711 , between adjacent building panels 100, and between building panels 100 and roofing panels. Thus the necessity for props to hold the building panels 100 up during construction is reduced.

Additionally, by joining together the p re-tension or post-tension cabling accessories 710 of adjacent building panels 100, it is possible to distribute tension throughout all of the connected building panels 100. This allows sturdy construction of buildings 700, particularly for those buildings 700 for use in extreme weather zones and/or multistory buildings.

Construction of the building panels 100 may be carried out at a dedicated location, such that a kit containing the required floor templates 71 1 , building panels 100 and fasteners 800 can be delivered to the building site. This allows for quick construction of the building 700, particularly in a remote location where the availability of materials and/or skilled labor may be scarce.

Throughout the specification the aim has been to describe the invention without limiting the invention to any one embodiment or specific collection of features. Persons skilled in the relevant art may realize variations from the specific embodiments that wifi nonetheless fall within the scope of the invention. For example, the building panels 100 may be constructed on-site, and lifted into place similarly to tilt-up slab construction methods.

It will be appreciated that various other changes and modifications may be made to the embodiment described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.