The present invention relates to methods of forming voids in concrete elements, and to a void former apparatus and system useful for this application. The void former unit comprises a first void former element comprising a first surface and a first opening in the first surface and a second void former element comprising a second surface and a second opening in the second surface, wherein the first void former element and the second void former element detachably connect to form a passage between the first opening and the second opening, and a void space between the first surface and the second surface surrounding the passage. Multiple void former units can detachably connect to form a void former system comprising a single continuous void space. While exemplified by use in concrete elements, other uses of the void former unit and void former system are envisaged.

A building structure assembly for use with constructing buildings (e.g., dwellings, offices, and so on) is described. In some embodiments, the building structure assembly includes a fillable container structure formed of a drop stitch fabric or material, and a removable shoring structure configured to position the container structure in a desired configuration when filled by building material, such as cement or concrete. In some cases, the container structure can include reinforcement components, which move into suitable positions when the container structure is filled with the building material.

A support for installing facing materials such as ceramic tiles on a substrate such as floors, walls and ceilings wherein the support plate has a plurality of spaced apart recesses in the plate material, with the recesses being open at the top surface and have solid sidewalls and a base, and a plurality of slots in the non-recessed portions of the plate material extending through the top surface and bottom surface, the slots joining one or more adjacent recesses. The support plate of the invention is used for tile installations between the substrate and such tile. Thin-set mortar that is used to secure the tile to the support plate flows into the recesses and into the slots forming a continuous bond between the mortar and the adjacent slots providing for a strong bond between the support plate, mortar and the tiles.

Structural cells and matrices using the structural cells for positioning below a hardscape that define a void space therein, the structural cells, matrices using the cells and methods of assembly allowing in one embodiment the introduction of a structural fluid such as concrete to provide an alternative structural cell and matrix product. In one embodiment a structural cell assembly is described comprising a structural cell with a plurality of legs integrally linked to a frame at a first frame end, the frame linking the legs together and the frame defining a generally flat plane with the legs extending substantially orthogonally away from the first frame end about the frame flat plane to a leg terminal end; and a separate plate engaging the legs, the separate plate comprising linked sockets, each socket engaging the leg terminal end; and/or linked sockets, each socket engaging the leg frame ends or a part thereof.

A building structure assembly for use with constructing buildings (e.g., dwellings, offices, and so on) is described. In some embodiments, the building structure assembly includes a fillable container structure formed of a drop stitch fabric or material, and a removable shoring structure configured to position the container structure in a desired configuration when filled by building material, such as cement or concrete. In some cases, the container structure can include reinforcement components, which move into suitable positions when the container structure is filled with the building material.

A support for installing facing materials such as ceramic tiles on a substrate such as floors, walls and ceilings wherein the support plate has a plurality of spaced apart recesses in the plate material, with the recesses being open at the top surface and have solid sidewalls and a base, and a plurality of slots in the non-recessed portions of the plate material extending through the top surface and bottom surface, the slots joining one or more adjacent recesses. The support plate of the invention is used for tile installations between the substrate and such tile. Thin-set mortar that is used to secure the tile to the support plate flows into the recesses and into the slots forming a continuous bond between the mortar and the adjacent slots providing for a strong bond between the support plate, mortar and the tiles.

A slab filler, and method for implementing fillers in a two-way concrete slab for building structures, are disclosed. The filler comprises an upper keeper tray and a lower keeper tray, and a volumetric filling element. The upper keeper tray is attached to a top of the volumetric filling element and the lower keeper tray is attached to a bottom of the volumetric filling element. The filler comprises a plurality of indicators positioned on all corners of the keeper tray to indicate an amount or level of a concrete fed on the filler. The filler further comprises grooves at an end of the spacer, configured to securely hold one or more belts. Spacers and belts are configured to receive one or more rebar. Further, the volumetric filling element is a high-density material, where the filler is incorporated without upper keeper tray and lower keeper tray.

Structural cells and matrices using the structural cells for positioning below a hardscape that define a void space therein, the structural cells, matrices using the cells and methods of assembly allowing in one embodiment the introduction of a structural fluid such as concrete to provide an alternative structural cell and matrix product. In one embodiment a structural cell assembly is described comprising a structural cell with a plurality of legs integrally linked to a frame at a first frame end, the frame linking the legs together and the frame defining a generally flat plane with the legs extending substantially orthogonally away from the first frame end about the frame flat plane to a leg terminal end; and a separate plate engaging the legs, the separate plate comprising linked sockets, each socket engaging the leg terminal end; and/or linked sockets, each socket engaging the leg frame ends or a part thereof.

The present invention provides a hollow floorslab formwork, a hollow floorslab structure and a construction method of hollow floorslab. The hollow floorslab structure is formed by splicing together a plurality of hollow floorslab formworks, and the hollow floorslab formworks each comprise a flat plate portion (1). A lower portion of the flat plate portion is provided with a plurality of supporting legs (4), and an outer edge of the flat plate portion is provided with a frame (2) comprising a plurality of protective plates (21, 22, 23,24). The protective plates are each provided with a reversely-fastened plate (31, 32), and adjacent hollow floorslab formworks are spliced together by fastening the reversely-fastened plates on the protective plates. The construction method comprises the following steps: a first hollow floorslab formwork is laid first; other periphery on a former hollow floorslab formwork, except the periphery provided with a reversely-fastened plate, is spliced with a latter hollow floorslab formwork, and the reversely-fastened plate of the latter hollow floorslab formwork is fastened on the protective plate of the former hollow floorslab formwork.

The present invention relates to methods of forming voids in concrete elements, and to a void former apparatus and system useful for this application. The void former unit comprises a first void former element comprising a first surface and a first opening in the first surface and a second void former element comprising a second surface and a second opening in the second surface, wherein the first void former element and the second void former element detachably connect to form a passage between the first opening and the second opening, and a void space between the first surface and the second surface surrounding the passage. Multiple void former units can detachably connect to form a void former system comprising a single continuous void space. While exemplified by use in concrete elements, other uses of the void former unit and void former system are envisaged.