An entertainment structure includes: an offset core; a moment stabilizing structure; and a track-based, freefall entertainment ride positioned outside of the vertical entertainment structure.

The present invention is a novel, disaster-resistant structure (such as a building, room, closet, enclosure, or wall) and a method for constructing or assembling the structure securely to a body of cast material such as a foundation, grade beam base, platform, slab or floor that incorporates flexible cables to resist the very high loads or impact of debris and other hazards that may occur due to high winds, tornadoes, earthquakes, or other severe storms. The structure is secured to the body of cast material by at least one flexible cable. The flexible cable can be comprised of any member from a group of cables, wires, ropes, strings, or threads. The flexible cable can also be made from a wide range of materials including steel, other metals, nylon, manila, polypropylene, polyester, polyethylene, Kevlar, Nomex or polyimides. Typical construction methods for a body of cast material include building a form work or frame that defines the shape and dimensions of the body of cast material. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, at least one hollow tube is placed into the area defined by the form work or frame for the body of cast material. The tube is placed in a generally horizontal position, but the ends may be curved or turned upward. When the cast material is placed into the form work or frame and hardens, the tube is at least partially embedded. In the best mode, the tube is bent or curved so that the ends are not within the formwork or frame and are protruding from the body of cast material after it hardens. However the hollow tube could be straight, curved, or angled. The tube may also be woven between the conventional steel reinforcing of the body of cast material. In the preferred embodiment, the flexible cable is passed through the hollow tube so that it can be looped over the ceiling or portion of the ceiling after the structure is framed. Conventional construction methods for framing include the use of wood, metal or masonry. In the preferred embodiment, the flexible cable is looped around the structure in a substantially vertical plane, passed through the tube, traveling inside the walls and ceiling. The ends of the flexible cable are connected. They could be connected to the structure's framing or the body of cast material, but in the preferred embodiment, the ends are connected to each other. This can be accomplished by using a clamp, or clamps, sleeves, clips, crimps, turnbuckles, hooks, ball and strap fittings, strap forks, ball and shanks, threaded fittings, strap eyes, eyelet fittings, eye bolts, plugs, threaded plugs, ball end plugs, ties, welds or any other means for connecting cable ends. The flexible cables provide the stren

A concrete modular element for use in a variety of building applications comprising: a slab, a ceiling, at least two walls, and a plurality of support beams. The walls comprise a proximal end and a distal end. The proximal end of each of the walls is connected to the slab while the distal end is connected to the ceiling. The slab and the ceiling both comprise a plurality of elongated sides. The slab, the ceiling, the walls, and the support beams integrally formed in a continuous concrete casting.

A method of constructing an inhabitable underground structure is disclosed that comprises the steps: creating a cutout in the earth at a desired location to generally match a desired shape of an interior of the underground structure; applying a reinforcement structure to an outer perimeter of the cutout; and applying shotcrete over the reinforcement structure to create a monolithic underground structure.

The invention comprises connector for a pair of opposed spaced concrete forming panels. The connector comprises an elongate spacer member having flanges formed thereon intermediate a central portion thereof and each opposite end thereof. A portion of at least one end of the spacer member is sized and shaped to selectively engage an elongate panel bracing member. A composite insulated concrete form and a method of using the insulated concrete form are also disclosed.

A barrier system for use with a structure having a wall formed of a plurality of insulating concrete form blocks. The barrier system includes a support member having a web, a first flange, and a second flange extending from opposing ends of the web to define a pair of panel receiving cavities on opposing sides of the web. The first flange has a first wing extending outwardly and perpendicularly from the first flange, and the second flange has a second wing extending outwardly and perpendicularly from the second flange. The support member is positionable on the top end of one of the insulating concrete forms with a top end receivable in one of the panel receiving cavities, and a bottom end of another insulating concrete form is positionable in another one of the panel receiving cavities. One of the first wing and the second wing extends towards the concrete receiving cavity.

The present invention includes prefabricated assemblies which are assembled on a construction site to provide a permanent concrete mold with integrated structural reinforcement and structural splices for cast-in-place concrete structures. The invention enhances the quality of the cast concrete structure while lowering the cost of construction and construction time. Described herein is a column form assembly, a column closure panel assembly, a beam form assembly, and a slab form assembly which are used to construct cast in place structurally reinforced concrete columns, beams, and floor slabs with minimal form work and construction site logistics. Also described herein are a method of assembly of said structures and a method of fabricating said assemblies.

A prefabricated modular reinforced concrete building system includes panel assemblies for foundations, walls, decks, and roofs designed to be built out in a manufacturing facility, shipped to a job site, and filled with concrete. Panel assemblies incorporate a space frame to ensure structural integrity during shipping and during concrete fill. Space frames can include structural columns, rebar mats, spacers, straps, and skin panels. Panel assemblies may be manufactured to contain architectural interior/external finishes, windows/doors, and pre-installed utility distribution systems.

The tornado-safe structure comprises a plurality of column-wall pairs set in a concentric pattern symmetrical about both plane axes on the polygonal foundation of the concrete slab with embedded peripheral bracket assemblies securing the position of a multitude of trapezoidal columns and rectangular wall panels, resulting in polygonal frustum shape of the house or garage where columns are always in the shape of isosceles trapezoid and walls are invariably rectangular therefore manipulating angular relative placement between columns and walls on foundation allow to construe the irregular shape of the house where the vertical wall liners inside the house assure the living space with vertical walls and provide utility space between the liners and outside walls, either in one or two-story dwelling with the roof as picnic area which also provides storage for drinking water and installation of solar panels and in a garage a cultivation space.

A tie system and method for forming a wall from a hardenable building material over a footing. The tie system includes multiple wall ties configured to be directly interconnected to form a wall tie stack such that multiple wall tie stacks can be positioned over the footing in a spaced apart, vertically extending arrangement. Each wall tie includes first and second planar surfaces to be directly fastened to respective first and second panel structures. In one embodiment, the tie system includes tabs for supporting multiple insulation panels positioned between the vertically extending tie stacks and between the first and second panel structures.