WALL ELEMENTS, UNIT CONSTRUCTION SYSTEM AND METHOD

FIELD

The present application relates to wall elements, a unit construction system and method using said elements. The application is in the field of structural building materials.

BACKGROUND

The rapid growth in many areas around the world driving the need for housing and other functional buildings has made it essential to employ modern methods and materials with the aim of accelerating construction rates, reducing weight of buildings and building materials, increasing life expectancy, and strengthening buildings against earthquakes as well as other natural or unnatural violent hazards. Addressing these requires an innovative solution based on the use of modern methods and modern building materials which will result in reduced weight of buildings, shorter construction time, enhanced durability which will all ultimately combine to reduce construction costs for buildings.

Currently, there are several types of materials and systems that are being used in construction. Most commonly used are stone, wood, bricks, (reinforced) concrete, metal, hollow concrete blocks and plaster but also other materials. To be more specific, these are materials used for outer walls or even slabs between floors. For the less rigid of frailer materials, there is a compensation on quantity used (thickness or volume) to bear increased weight as building floors increase.

One of the objectives in civil engineering is weight reduction (lightening) of structures and buildings. To achieve this objective, engineering has innovated and provided composite materials that are lightweight yet maintain high resistance.

For a person skilled in the art, it is well known that the lesser the weight of a structure, the lesser the energy absorbed from earthquakes, and thus the seismic effect on the building is reduced. In other words, reducing the weight of (lightening) a building means providing improved safety against earthquakes.

The use of traditional and old construction materials such as bricks and clay blocks and cement blocks not only increases the magnitude of the dead load of a building but also increases energy consumption thereby may be considered as a waste in energy. Moreover, a low erection speed and a high volume of building rubble arising from the use of such materials are among the other problems arising with the use of such traditional materials with environmental and economic impacts.

Furthermore, as the weight of a building increases, the cost of the building structure increases thereby leading to a rise in the cost of the building. These issues can be considered as part of the numerous problems faced by the construction field.

Many construction materials are available individually for assembly at the construction site, while others are assembled as pre-fabricated in a production factory, then transported to the site to be erected. Further machine work or modifications is often required on site on these pre-fabricated elements to customize them to the needs of the architectural designs to allow for mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP).

Furthermore, there are a number of problems associated with the construction of multi-story buildings using the traditional construction techniques of Poured Concrete frame buildings, Pre-Cast Concrete frame buildings, Structural Steel frame buildings, Wood Frame buildings and Masonry construction. Multi-story buildings constructed with these construction techniques are built in the traditional manner of field craftsmen applying construction materials to first fabricate the frame of the multi-story dwelling on a foundation at the building site according to a set of architectural plans. While these methods of construction have worked for many years, there are inherent inefficiencies in these methods that result in significant time, cost, and quality penalties.

Traditional construction techniques involve a lengthy process and, therefore, result in construction activity for an extended period of time. In addition, the finishing work may only be accomplished after the structural work is completed. Combined, these activities create both a financial burden as well as extensive labor and man-hour cost. In order to be time efficient, the current invention cuts down on time and spends less time on preparing ready-made panels.

This in-situ fabrication may result in poorer quality, is prone to an increase in errors and in particular human error, and requires the workers to innovate with respect to the interconnection of utilities, thereby resulting in inconsistency in implementation.

In summary, for all of the above-mentioned situations and scenarios, the process of construction ends up being time consuming and requires significant manpower resulting in both an inefficient and costly process.

SUMMARY

It is the object of the present application to provide wall elements, a unit construction system and method. Selected embodiments are comprised in the dependent claims. Each of which, alone or in any combination with the other dependent claims, can represent an embodiment of the present application. The described subject matter has been developed to enhance the approach and methodologies used in the building construction industry for all types of building structures. Also, the purpose of the application is to construct any building and make it environmentally sounder, stronger, faster and safer.

Document WO2022074489A1 discloses modular panels and a system for using said panels.

The present application provides a total weight and thickness reduction, while achieving high flexibility, wide varying temperature and natural element insulation and improved sound isolation

According to an aspect of the present application a wall element comprises an inner surface, an outer surface, studs and at least one partial cavity and/or cavity. The studs are located between the inner surface and outer surface. The at least one partial cavity and/or cavity are also located between the inner surface and outer surface. The at least one partial cavity and/or cavity are designed to be filled with (reinforced) concrete. The cavity and/or the partial cavity span from the top to the bottom and/or from side to side of the wall element.

The wall element has a top and a bottom and two sides that extend therebetween. Each stud can be made from any suitable material such as concrete, wood, steel, stainless steel, aluminium, plastic and combinations thereof. The studs comprised by a wall element may have different materials. The dimension of the studs are arbitrary as their dimension will have a direct influence on the dimensions (e.g. the thickness or width) of the wall element. Each stud can be placed arbitrarily in the wall element and does not need to run the entire length of the wall element. The studs can be placed in the wall element such as to run (partially) from the top to the bottom of said wall element.

The inner and/or outer surface can comprise any suitable material such as boards (e.g. gypsum, cement, cementitious fiber, OSB, MGO, natural slabs, etc.), cement, plaster, stucco, natural stone, bricks, blocks, PV-panels, paint, etc.

The cavities and/or partial cavities may have any suitable dimension. One dimension of the cavity may take up a distance from the inner surface to the outer surface. Or in other words the cavity may take up an inner width of the wall element. As the inner and/or outer surface will have a certain thickness, the cavities and/or partial cavities may have a width that is made up by the width of the wall element minus the respective thickness of the inner and outer surface.

In case the cavity and/or partial cavity span from the top to the bottom of the wall element, they are designed such that after filling with concrete the cavities and/or partial cavities to form columns or partial columns that are designed to bear loads. In case the cavity and/or partial cavity span from side to side of the wall element they are designed such that after filling with concrete the cavities and/or partial cavities to form beams that are designed to bear loads. The cavities can be supported by temporary supports to bear the stress during pouring of the concrete. For the scope and understanding of this application the term “partial cavity” also refers to the initially partial cavity that is then completed or sealed e.g. by another element.

This may have the advantage that a construction can be made in a time and cost-efficient manner. Further, the construction can be made in a lightweight manner which in turn is favourable in terms of resilience against earthquakes.

According to an aspect of the present application the at least one partial cavity or cavity of a wall element are at least partially set up by the inner surface and outer surface and at least one stud. This may have the advantage that the cavity or and partial cavity can be created in a cost-efficient manner. For example the materials used for the inner and/or outer surface have the stability to act as a formwork for the concrete that the cavity or partial cavity is designed to be filled up with.

According to an aspect of the present application the partial cavity of a wall element is located along an edge area of the wall element. The partial cavity is designed to be combined with a corresponding partial cavity of a wall element or sealed by a wall element to be installed subsequently (such sealed cavity is still called a partial cavity in this application for differentiation sake). In other words, the wall element is designed to be combined with another wall element such that at least one partial cavity is turned into a (partial) cavity that is designed to be filled with concrete. If two wall elements both have a partial cavity and are joined together in the respective edge areas, the two partial cavities form a single (partial) cavity that can be filled with concrete. If a first wall element having a partial cavity is joined with a second wall element having no cavity that would complement the partial cavity of the first wall element, then the second wall element seals the partial cavity of the first wall element such that concrete can be poured into the created (partial) cavity. The edge area can be located at least at one or both sides, the top or the bottom of the wall element. This may have the advantage that the wall element or multiple wall elements installed next to each other can have the function of a formwork.

According to an aspect of the present application a wall element further comprises at least one of an insulation, anchoring points for attachments, MEP installations, sealing structures. The insulation may improve the insulative performance of the wall element. The anchoring points for attachments can comprise anchoring points for sinks or other heavy equipment like electrical cabinets or pumps that are to be attached to the inner surface of the wall element. The anchoring points can further comprise points for attachments to the outside surface like a projecting roof or a billboard. The MEP installations may include any known installation in this field. This may have the advantage that a structure comprising the unit construction system can be built efficiently. The sealing structure may seal the area where the partial cavities of two wall elements are joined to form one (partial) cavity.

According to an aspect of the present application a unit construction system comprises a first and a second wall element according to any of the above. The first and second wall element support a slab element. The slab element may be any fully pre-cast (so called “dry slab”) or partially pre-cast element (e.g. onto which concrete will be poured in the building process). This may have the advantage that a structure comprising multiple of the unit construction system (e.g. any building) can be built efficiently.

According to an aspect of the present application all elements (e.g. wall and slab elements) of a unit construction system are in fluidic communication. By means of the fluidic communication for example concrete can flow between the slab element and the first and/or second wall element. This may have the advantage that a structure can be built efficiently.

According to an aspect of the present application a unit construction system further comprises a third wall element that is installed subsequently to the first or second wall element. The at least one partial cavity in the edge area of the first and/or the second wall element and the subsequent installed third wall element are forming a (partial) cavity together (see above). This means that the first and/or second wall element have at least one partial cavity in an edge area. Said partial cavity is either complemented by another partial cavity comprised by the third element or the third element itself (see above). The (partial) cavity/cavities is/are designed to be filled with (reinforced) concrete. This may have the advantage that by means of the unit construction system a structure can be built to have increased stability.

According to an aspect of the present application the slab element of a unit construction system is positioned to lay on top of an inner edge of the wall element(s). The inner edge can be located at the top of the wall element(s). The inner edge can be located in the vicinity of the inner surface. Also, the inner edge can be the top of the inner surface This may have the advantage that using the unit construction system a structure can be built efficiently.

According to an aspect of the present application a formwork for the slab element of the unit construction system is connected to the wall elements. The formwork is used for pouring the slab element in situ. While pouring the slab element the concrete also can flow to the at least one (partial) cavity formed by the wall element(s). This may have the advantage that using the unit construction system a structure can be built efficiently.

According to an aspect of the present application the unit construction system comprises a guide. The guide is designed to position the wall element during the installation of the wall element. The guide can also aid in the alignment of subsequent installed wall elements. This may have the advantage that using the unit construction system a structure can be built efficiently.

According to an aspect of the present application a method for installing a unit construction system comprising the steps:

- Installing wall elements;
- Positioning slab elements;
- Pouring concrete such that the concrete is filling up the (partial) cavities in the wall elements. This may have the advantage that using the method a structure can be built efficiently.

According to an aspect of the present application the step of positioning the slab elements comprises a positioning of the slab elements to be in fluidic communication with the wall elements. It may also include pouring concrete on the slab element such that the concrete is filling up the (partial) cavities in the wall elements.

According to an aspect of the present application the step of installing the wall elements comprises alignment of partial cavities in the respective wall elements to form a (partial) cavity. This can be aligning two partial cavities each being comprised by a respective wall element that are aligned to form together a (partial) cavity. Otherwise only one wall element comprises a partial cavity and the other wall element seals up this partial cavity for example with a surface when the two wall elements are aligned and consequently forming a (partial) cavity. This may have the advantage that using the method a structure can be built efficiently.

According to an aspect of the present application reinforcement is inserted into at least one (partial) cavity. The reinforcement can connect the slab element with the wall element. The reinforcement can be rebar. This may have the advantage that the stability can be increased. The reinforcement can be placed onto the slab element(s) and for example bridge slab elements (see below). Reinforcement comprised by, for example, a pre-cast slab (element) can be connected to the reinforcement in the at least one (partial) cavity.

According to an aspect of the present application the step of placing the slab element comprises laying the slab element on top of an inner edge of the wall element(s) (see above). This may have the advantage that using the method a structure can be built efficiently.

According to an aspect of the present application the step of placing the slab element comprises placing a formwork for the slab element that is connected to the wall elements (see above). This may have the advantage that using the method a structure can be built efficiently.

According to an aspect of the present application the method further comprising the step of placing a guide prior to the step of installing the wall elements. Further, the step of installing the wall elements comprises installing the wall elements by means of the guide. This may have the advantage that using the method a structure can be built efficiently.

Each of the above aspects is to be considered an invention on its own. The aspects may be freely combined with each other and each feature not described as being dependent on another feature may also be freely combined with each other. Features of the system, the elements and the method may be included interchangeably. The method steps are at least partially explained in view of the respective elements of this disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Further advantages and features of the present disclosure will be apparent from the appended figures. The figures are of merely informing purpose and not of limiting character. The figures schematically describe embodiments of the present application. Hence, the appended figures cannot be considered limiting for e.g. the dimensions of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1 depicts a schematic sectional top (or bottom) plan view of a wall element.

FIG. 2 depicts another schematic sectional elevation side view of the wall element depicted in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional top view (similar to FIG. 1) of a unit construction system.

FIG. 4 is a sectional top view (similar to FIG. 3) of a unit construction system.

FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of a unit construction system.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart of an installation method of a unit construction system.

It is to be noted that in the different embodiments described herein same parts/elements are numbered with same reference signs, however, the disclosure in the detailed description may be applied to all parts/elements having the regarding reference signs. Also, the directional terms/position indicating terms chosen in this description like left, right, top, bottom, up, upper, down, lower, downwards, lateral, sideward are referring to the directly described figure and may correspondingly be applied to the new position after a change in position or another depicted position in another figure. All figures are not to scale and no indication of proportions should be taken.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Initially referring to FIG. 1 a sectional top (or bottom) plan view of a wall element 10 is depicted. The sectional plane is parallel to a top or bottom plane (or side to side) of the wall element 10. The wall element 10 comprises three studs 40 to which an inner surface 20 and an outer surface 30 are attached. The studs 40 are positioned in the wall element 10 to run from the top to the bottom as can be seen in FIG. 1. Between the outer studs 40 on each side of the wall element 10 there is a third stud 40. The three studs 40 together with the inner surface 20 and outer surface 30 set up two cavities 60. There is insulation 80 positioned in the cavities 60 which is located on the inner surface 20. However, the insulation 80 could also be (additionally) located on the outer surface 30 (see FIG. 3) or completely fill up the cavity/cavities 60.

The outer studs 40 are offset towards the middle of the wall element or towards the stud 40 located in the middle of the wall element 10. This offset creates a partial cavity 50 in each edge area 70 of the wall element 10. There can be only one such partial cavity 50 comprised by the wall element 10.

FIG. 2 depicts another sectional view of the wall element 10 described above. The sectional plane of FIG. 2 is perpendicular to the plane of projection in FIG. 1. In other words the sectional plane of FIG. 2 is perpendicular to the sectional plane of FIG. 1 and lying in one of the cavities 60 depicted in FIG. 1. The wall element 10 is seen from the side. In FIG. 2 a partial cavity 50 is depicted at the top T of the wall element 10. There is an inner edge 95 of the wall element 10 such that a slab element 200 can be placed there (see below). At the top T the outer surface 30 extends further than the inner surface 20. Said extension is however optional. The inner surface 20 and the outer surface 30 can have the same height. When a slab element 200 or formwork for a slab element (not shown) is placed in contact with the inner edge 95 and concrete is subsequently poured on the slab element 200, the height of the outer surface 30 will determine the thickness of the slab (element).

The inner surface 20 is depicted to extend higher than a cavity bottom 51, however, the inner surface 20 may be flush with the cavity bottom 51. If concrete is poured into the partial cavity 50, in particular if the wall element 10 is in contact with a slab element 200 then the partial cavity 50 fills up with concrete and a beam is created that spans from side to side (left to right in FIG. 1).

FIG. 2 further depicts a guide 90 that is located at the bottom B of the wall element 10. The guide 90 can be fixed to a surface the wall element 10 is placed on. Here the guide 90 has the same width as an inner width of the wall element 10 such as to fit into the wall element 10. As the wall element 10 fits precisely on to the guide 10 it is easy to place the wall element(s) 10 when installing them. The guide 95 can only be placed sectionally (e.g. in areas the wall elements 10 are placed next to each other) or the guide 90 can run the entire length of the wall element (side to side, left to right in FIG. 1.) or be even longer such that multiple wall elements 10 can be placed on one guide 90. There is an insulation 80 located in the cavity 60 at the inner surface 20.

FIG. 3 depicts a sectional top view (similar to FIG. 1) of a unit construction system 100. The wall elements 11, 12, 13 essentially have the same structure as depicted in FIG. 1) but for the insulation 80 that is located at the outer surface 30. However, the second wall element 12 and the third wall element 13 have on one side a longer outer surface 30 on the respective partial cavities 50. Hence by placing the second and the third wall element 12, 13 next to each other, a (partial) cavity 50 is formed on the resulting corner (top right corner in FIG. 3). The first wall element 11 is depicted having a little distance to the second wall element 12 for sake of differentiation and ease of explanation. However, the wall elements 11, 12 can be positioned such that the inner surface 20 and the outer surface 30 touch each other (like at the corner, described above). The resulting (partial) cavity set up by the two partial cavities 50 of the first and second wall element 11, 12 can be filled with concrete such as the (partial) cavity 50 in the corner. The first and third wall elements 11, 13 have partial cavities 50 at their other ends that are depicted at the respective corners of the construction system 100 (left and bottom right) that in turn can be complimented with other partial cavities of further wall elements.

FIG. 4 depicts another sectional top view (similar to FIG. 3) of a unit construction system 100. Here, there are a first and second wall element 11, 12 depicted. The second wall element 12 has only a partial cavity on the right side. The two wall elements are depicted to be spaced apart from each other, however, they can be placed such as to touch each other (see above). The partial cavity 50 on the right side of the first wall element 11 is complemented by a surface (face) of the second wall element 12. Here, said surface comprises the inner surface and the outer surface as well as the stud 40. Hence, a cavity is formed that can be filled with concrete. Further, such gap may be closed by a sealing structure comprised by at least one of the wall elements to seal the partial cavity/cavities that is/are joined together by two wall elements.

FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of a unit construction system 100. Slab elements 200 are positioned to lay on the top of the inner edge 95 of the respective wall element 10 (see detail A). Reinforcements 96 are placed into cavities 50. Horizontal reinforcements 97 are placed on the slab elements 200 bridging for example the area where two slab elements 200 are joined on a wall element 10 (left side in FIG. 5). The horizontal reinforcements 97 can also reach into the partial cavities 50.

Concrete 201 is poured on to the slab elements 200 as partially depicted in FIG. 5. The concrete 201 builds up a layer on top of the slab elements 200 and fills the (partial) cavities 50. There are vertical (partial) cavities 50 (see FIG. 1) having the reinforcements 96 and horizontal partial cavities 50 at the top T of the wall elements 10 (see also FIG. 2). Said cavities are also filled with concrete and hence form columns (vertical) and beams (horizontal). The wall elements 10 can be placed and aligned by means of the guides 90 (see FIG. 2). There can also be horizontal reinforcements that reinforce the resulting beams. The (partial) cavities 50 can be supported by temporary supports to bear the stress during pouring of the concrete.

An alternative would be to use dry slab elements where it is not necessary to pour concrete on top of them as they already have the desired thickness. In such case the concrete would only be poured into the (partial) cavities 50 (vertical and/or horizontal). Such slab elements can be placed as can be seen on the left in FIG. 5 where the slab elements meet on top of wall elements having a gap on the outer surface. Through this gap concrete can be poured into the (partial) cavities 50. Also, there can be openings in the slab elements through which concrete can be poured into the (partial) cavities 50.

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of a method for installing a unit construction system 100 as described above. Essentially all the steps are already described above. In the first step wall elements 10 are installed and their partial cavities 50 are aligned. A guide 90 may be placed prior to the step of installing the wall elements. The guide 90 can be used to place and align the wall elements in the step of installing the wall elements. In the following step slab elements 200 are positioned. The slab elements 200 may be positioned to be in fluidic communication with the wall elements 10 such that concrete that is poured onto the slab elements 200 can flow into the said cavities. The slab elements 200 may be positioned to lay on the top of an inner edge 95 of the wall element(s).

In the next step reinforcements 96 are inserted into at least one (partial) cavity 50 or cavity 60. The reinforcements may be also in contact with the slab elements. In the next step concrete is poured to the slab elements 200 such that the concrete is filling up the (partial) cavities 50 and/or cavities 60 in the wall elements 10. The step of placing the slab element may comprise placing a formwork for the slab element 200 that is connected to the wall elements 10 in order to pour the slab element 200 in situ.

In all figures like reference signs are used for like or similar parts/elements as in the other figures. Thus, a detailed explanation of such part/element will only be given once for the sake of brevity. Reference numbers like first and second are meant for distinguishing purposes only, as the order may be changed voluntarily. The dimensions are exemplary, in particular the dimensions of the partial cavities and cavities. Both types of cavities (partial 50 and cavity 60) can be filled with concrete.

The embodiments depict possible variations of carrying out the subject matter of the application, however, it is to be noted that the subject matter of the application is not limited to the depicted embodiments/variations but numerous combinations of the here described embodiments/variations are possible and these combinations lie in the field of the skills of the person skilled in the art being motivated by this description.

The scope of protection is determined by the appended claims. The description and drawings, however, are to be considered when interpreting the claims. Single features or feature combinations of the described and/or depicted features may represent independent inventive solutions. The object of the independent solutions may be found in the description.

It is further to be noted that for a better understanding parts/elements are depicted to some extend not to scale and/or enlarged and/or down scaled.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

- 10 wall element
- 11 first wall element
- 12 second wall element
- 13 third wall element
- 20 inner surface
- 30 outer surface
- 40 stud
- 50 partial cavity
- 51 cavity bottom
- 60 cavity
- 70 edge area
- 80 insulation
- 90 guide
- 95 inner edge
- 96 reinforcement
- 97 horizontal reinforcement
- 100 unit construction system
- 200 slab element
- 201 cast concrete
- T Top
- B Bottom

WALL ELEMENTS, UNIT CONSTRUCTION SYSTEM AND METHOD

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Description

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Priority Claims (1)