This patent application relates to a new process for the execution of the foundation works of modular housing units with standard dimensions that are exclusively erected with prefabricated structures.

The process according to the invention is particularly suitable for the construction on level ground of one-storey modular housing units with regular pian-preferably rectangular or square.

No traditional foundation works are generally executed for this kind of buildings, in the sense of works including first the excavation of the ground to create a perimetric hole that follows the direction of the load bearing walls of the building and then a concrete casting inside the said hole after realizing reinforcement cages.

On the contrary, these prefabricated modular housing units are usually erected on a supporting platform in reinforced concrete with rough surface on which the external and internal prefabricated panels of the building are located and fixed.

The base of the panels is usually provided with metal brackets used to hold the panels vertical and fix them to the platform by means of bolts inserted through the brackets and tightened inside threaded cavities that are sunk in the platform.

Once the external and internal partition panels are placed and fixed, the covering takes place, followed by the flooring on the supporting platform, that must be appropriately leveled and treated to apply the ceramic tiles, wooden boards or any other material used for the floor coating in the housing.

Having analyzed the process according to which the flooring is executed with different timing and tools compared to the foundation works, the applicant has devised a new faster cheaper process for the execution of

the foundation works for one-storey modular housing units built with prefabricated structures on level ground.

The reduction in cost and time obtained with the process according to the present invention is first of all due to the idea of simultaneously executing both the flooring and the foundation works on which the external and internal prefabricated panels of the building are laid.

Secondly, the advantages of this process in terms of both money and time are due to the idea of eliminating any traditional anchoring means between the prefabricated panels and the platform, thus resulting in a considerable saving in time and labor for the assembling and fixing of the panels.

According to the process of the present invention the casting of the reinforced concrete platform on level ground is carried out by using a special mould that allows for obtaining a surface canalization that extends along the same direction of the external and internal walls of the building. More precisely, the width of the canalization is such that it allows for fixing the lower edge of the external and internal prefabricated panels of the building, being the said panels simply blocked in place inside the canalization.

Another characteristic of the process according to the present invention is the leveling and treating of the concrete casting before consolidation occurs, so that the supporting platform also represents the flooring surface of the building, meaning that the coating material chosen for the internal flooring of the building can be directly laid on the platform surface.

The supporting platform is created by using a mould comprising a series of box-type sheet steel profiles that allow for creating a perimetric frame having the same dimensions and shape of the plan of the modular housing unit.

Each profile features an external vertical wall that contains the concrete casting and an upper shaped wing projecting towards the inside, used to impress the casting surface.

The impression represents the above mentioned perimetric

canalization in which the panels are fixed.

According to the present invention the same mould can be used as a track to place and slide the tools used to level and treat the casting that are positioned on a trolley whose wheels find a sliding and guiding raceway above the shaped wing of the box-type profiles.

For clearer explication purposes, the description of the process according to the present invention continues with reference to the enclose drawing in which: -Fig. 1 is a schematic view from above of the mould used for the concrete casting for the foundations works according to the present invention; -Fig. 2 is a cross-section with a transversal plane of the concrete layer cast inside the above mentioned mould; -Fig. 3 is a cross-section with a transversal plane of the supporting platform created with the above mentioned mould; -Fig. 4 is a partial schematic cross-section of a prefabricated modular housing unit whose foundations works have been carried out with the process according to the present invention.

With reference to the above mentioned figures, the process according to the present invention includes the realization of a reinforced concrete platform (1) on the ground (P) having the same surface as the plan of the modular housing unit (M) to be erected.

According to the present invention the platform (1) is created by using a special mould (S), made up of a series of box-type sheet steel profiles (2), that create a series of edges used to contain and mould the concrete casting.

The mould (S) must feature the same profile and dimensions as the plan of the building to be erected, which in this case has a rectangular plan (see fig. 1).

Each profile (2) basically features an overturned"L"-shaped transversal cross-section, comprising an external vertical wall (2a) and a shaped upper wing (2b) that projects towards the inside.

The shape of the wing (2b) is characterized by the presence of an"U"- shaped groove that leaves an impression on the surface of the platform (1),

once the concrete casting has consolidated and the mould (S) has been removed.

The impression of the groove (2c) corresponds to a raceway (1a) located along the perimeter of the platform (1) in which the external prefabricated panels (3) of the modular housing unit are fixed.

According to the present invention, before the consolidation of the concrete casting, the casting is leveled and treated using the same profiles (2) as reference guiding planes, so that the surface (1b) of the platform (1) can be used as plane for the immediate direct application of the coating material chosen for the internal flooring of the modular housing unit.

More exactly, the leveling and treating tools are placed in a trolley (C) whose wheels (R) find a sliding guiding track above the shaped wing (2b) of the profiles (2) of the mould (S), as schematically illustrated in fig. 2.