The present Cellular Concrete Filled Structural Steel Wall Frames are interconnected in three dimensions with other modular construction elements to enable the rapid construction of multi-story buildings with improved quality of construction over that found in traditional multi-story building construction techniques. These Cellular Concrete Structural Steel Wall Frames typically have a Thin Concrete Wall Panel affixed to the exterior of the structural steel, and also electrical and plumbing rough utility components installed in the Wall Frames.

A wood blocking blank for creating wood blocking for placement between metal studs includes a panel of a blocking material. The panel of blocking material has an original length and a standard width. The standard width is sized to a nominal stud width configured to fit between the metal studs. A groove is cut down the entire original length of the panel of blocking material approximate a first side of the panel of blocking material. The groove is configured for orienting the first side of the panel of blocking material in a soft side of a first metal stud and a second side of the panel of blocking material against the hard side of an adjacent metal stud. The groove is sized to receive the lip of the soft side of the metal stud.

Modified and connected foam wall structures and methods for making them are described. The wall structures include a frame, a foam panel attached to the frame, a foam layer disposed in a cavity defined by the frame, and a structural adhesive. The structural adhesive may be disposed in at least one of: (A) an aperture located within the foam layer, and (B) an aperture located between the foam layer and a frame member. In some cases, a cured structural adhesive is located between connecting members of adjacent foam wall structures.

According to one embodiment, an insulated structure includes a frame comprising a plurality of wall studs coupled together and a plurality of foam boards attached to the frame to form a continuous insulative wall. A plurality of fasteners attaches the foam boards to the frame. Each fastener includes an elongate shaft and a cap. The elongate shaft is configured to penetrate through a foam board and into a wall stud to couple the components together. The cap is configured to be positioned atop a foam board to distribute a load relatively evenly to the foam board. A sealing tape is applied across seams between adjacent foam boards and over the fasteners' caps to seal the wall. A sealing caulk is applied to secondary fasteners and penetrations to seal the wall. In some embodiments, the structure has a fastener density of about 1 fastener per 243 in.sup.2 of foam board.

A method of stiffening a frame supported panel by inducing a new condition on the panel is disclosed. When a fixed/continuous/dropped condition is induced on a continuous panel by bonding polyurethane to the panel's backside and to the sides of supporting frame members, the panel's load capacity can be greatly increased, with the lower the panel's flexural stiffness, the greater the increase in load capacity. This enables weaker, lighter, thinner and less costly panels to to become stiffer, stronger and more versatile.

The invention relates to a wall casing (1) with a substantially flat configuration, with a front side (2) intended to face the space, and a rear side (3). The wall casing (1) comprises a carrier (10) and a casing core (20) and is intended to be mounted between a pair of studs (100). The carrier (10) has a recess (11), the opening (12) of which faces the front side (2) of the wall casing (1) and a backing (13). The width of the recess (11) is adapted to fit between two studs. The recess (11) is equipped with side walls (14a, 14b) which are connected to flanges (15a, 15b) on each long side (2a, 2b).

A construction system for a module of a dwelling the main elements of which are made of plastic material includes a set of hollow profiled beams (1, 1) of elongate rectilinear shape of type 1 and of type 2. The beams (1, 1) include at each end (5, 5) a transverse passage opening (6, 6). The transverse passage opening (6) of a beam (1) of type 1 comes to be nested with the transverse passage opening (6) of a beam (1) of type 2 when the two beams (1, 1) are assembled end to end at a right angle leaving a passage opening (6, 6) between the two ends (5, 5) of the beams (1, 1). Two beams (1) of type 1 can be assembled with two beams (1) of type 2 to form a rectangular frame. The system further includes a set of corner assembly elements (2, 2), each assembly element (2, 2) including a body intended to pass through the transverse passage opening (6, 6) of the beams (1, 1) of type 1 and 2. The system also includes a set of plates (3) that can be assembled between two beams (1) of type 1 when assembled or two beams (1) of type 2 when assembled to form a rectangular frame, and a set of posts (11) of hollow rectangular section the hollow ends of which come to be nested over a corner assembly element (2, 2) of a rectangular frame formed of beams (1, 1) of type 1 and of type 2 so as to form a three-dimensional framework. The posts (11) include longitudinal rails or grooves (8) on two adjacent surfaces to receive other plates (3) between the posts (11) during assembly. Each hollow profile beam (1, 1) including along an upper surface spaced rails or grooves (8) intended to receive said other plates (3).

According to one embodiment, an insulated structure includes a frame comprising a plurality of wall studs coupled together and a plurality of foam boards attached to the frame to form a continuous insulative wall. A plurality of fasteners attaches the foam boards to the frame. Each fastener includes an elongate shaft and a cap. The elongate shaft is configured to penetrate through a foam board and into a wall stud to couple the components together. The cap is configured to be positioned atop a foam board to distribute a load relatively evenly to the foam board. A sealing tape is applied across seams between adjacent foam boards and over the fasteners' caps to seal the wall. A sealing caulk is applied to secondary fasteners and penetrations to seal the wall. In some embodiments, the structure has a fastener density of about 1 fastener per 243 in.sup.2 of foam board.

A panel (6) is disclosed for use in construction. The panel (6) comprises opposing surfaces (6A, 6B) that extend between first and second opposite ends (7A, 7B). The panel (6) also comprises a plurality of parallel (e.g. sawtooth) ridges (7). The ridges (7) are provided on at least one of the opposing surfaces (6A and/or 6B). The ridges (7) extend along and adjacent to a first of the opposite ends (7A or 7B) of the panel for at least a part length thereof. The ridges (7) are arranged to engage with and move past corresponding ridges of an adjacent panel (6) when the panels move relative to each other in opposite directions. The ridges (7) are further arranged so as to interfere with the ridges of the adjacent panel to resist relative movement in a reverse of the opposite direction.

A high performance wall assembly receives an exterior covering of a building. The high performance wall assembly includes a frame assembly having a top member, a bottom member opposite the top member, and a plurality of vertical members. The vertical members are coupled to and extend between the top and bottom members. The high performance wall assembly also includes a rigid foam insulating panel coupled to the frame assembly. A structural foam layer is disposed on the plurality of vertical members and on the rigid foam insulating panel. The structural foam layer couples the rigid foam insulating panel to the frame assembly and couples the plurality of vertical members to the top and bottom members such that the high performance wall is free of fasteners.