A cooling tower structure having a concrete perimeter foundation wall with a perimeter rebar grouping. The structure includes at least four columns formed of CMU blocks with at least two columns being freestanding and positioned approximate corners of the foundation wall. Each column further includes a column rebar grouping being tied into the perimeter rebar grouping. At least three bond-beams formed of CMU blocks are connected between the columns at least four feet above the foundation. The bond-beams include beam rebar groupings tying into at least one of the column rebar groupings. The structure includes housing walls formed of CMU blocks extending upward from the bond beams. At least one fan is on at least one pedestal column positioned within the foundation wall, with a pedestal rebar grouping extending though the pedestal column from a concrete pedestal footing. A series of water collection troughs are positioned within the cooling tower above the fan and fill media is positioned in the cooling tower above the collection troughs.

A cooling tower structure having a concrete perimeter foundation wall with a perimeter rebar grouping. The structure includes at least four columns formed of CMU blocks with at least two columns being freestanding and positioned approximate corners of the foundation wall. Each column further includes a column rebar grouping being tied into the perimeter rebar grouping. At least three bond-beams formed of CMU blocks are connected between the columns at least four feet above the foundation. The bond-beams include beam rebar groupings tying into at least one of the column rebar groupings. The structure includes housing walls formed of CMU blocks extending upward from the bond beams. At least one fan is on at least one pedestal column positioned within the foundation wall, with a pedestal rebar grouping extending though the pedestal column from a concrete pedestal footing. A series of water collection troughs are positioned within the cooling tower above the fan and fill media is positioned in the cooling tower above the collection troughs.

A hollow prefabricated masonry wall panel is made at a fabrication site and is configured for transportation to a build site. The hollow prefabricated wall panel has a base row and an upper row formed of hollow blocks. A slit is formed in the top of each of the two side walls of the hollow blocks of the base row and upper row, the slit having a width no larger than 20% a width of a side wall. Provisional reinforcement is provided within each slit with a bonding material, a size of the slit and the provisional reinforcement configured to provide tensile strength during transportation of the hollow prefabricated wall panel from the fabrication site to the build site. At least one mid-row is laid between the base row and upper row so the hollow cavities are aligned to preserve hollow wall cavities that can accept code required reinforcement once transported to the build site.

A method for building a mechanical secured block structure, including placing a footer block on a desired surface, inserting two respective starter bar nuts into the footer block, inverting the footer block, placing a first concrete masonry unit over respective first and second anchor bars, aligning the first concrete masonry unit with the footer block, placing second and third footer blocks adjacent the first footer block, placing a second concrete masonry unit adjacent the first concrete masonry unit, positioning each respective concrete masonry unit to equally straddle two adjacent footer blocks, positioning respective anchor bars atop respective concrete masonry units, and bolting respective concrete masonry units to respective footer blocks to interconnect the two respective concrete masonry units and the three respective footer blocks to define a contiguous wall. Each respective masonry unit and each respective footer block are post tensioned to be under compression.

A hollow prefabricated masonry lintel made at a fabrication site and configured for transportation to a build site has a base row formed of U-shaped blocks laid end to end with adjacent ends adhered with mortar. A hollow horizontal cavity along a length of the base row is formed of each recess of the U-shaped blocks. A slit is formed in a top surface of each of the two side walls of the U-shaped blocks along the length of the base row, the slit having a width no larger than 20% of a width of the top surface. Provisional reinforcement is fully embedded within the slit with a bonding material, with a size of the slit and the provisional reinforcement providing tensile strength during transportation of the prefabricated masonry lintel from the fabrication site to the build site with the hollow horizontal cavity having no grout and no code-required reinforcement.

The present invention relates to an elongate member and methods of its formation and assembly, the elongate member constructed of a stacked sequence of adjacent sections, the elongate member comprising, at each interface of adjacent sections, a lower seat member of an upper more of said adjacent sections, and an upper seat member of a lower more of said adjacent sections, wherein said upper and lower seat members at each interface having been match-cast as a seat member pair and seated with each other in the same relative position as the relative position the seat member pair was match-cast in.

The present invention relates to an elongate member and methods of its formation and assembly, the elongate member constructed of a stacked sequence of adjacent sections, the elongate member comprising, at each interface of adjacent sections, a lower seat member of an upper more of said adjacent sections, and an upper seat member of a lower more of said adjacent sections, wherein said upper and lower seat members at each interface having been match-cast as a seat member pair and seated with each other in the same relative position as the relative position the seat member pair was match-cast in.

The joining device (100, 100) comprises a first cover (1) and a second cover (2), each of which has a plurality of through holes (3) that match up with one another in position, for the ends of the rebars of the columns (200, 200A) to pass through. The covers (1,2) are joined together by means of, at least, two transverse webs (4) and several stiffener reinforcements (5,5A), which are arranged in perpendicular to the covers (1,2). The device further comprises connecting means (202, 203, 204, 205) between the ends of the rebars (201,201A) of the columns (200,200A).

The joining device (100, 100) comprises a first cover (1) and a second cover (2), each of which has a plurality of through holes (3) that match up with one another in position, for the ends of the rebars of the columns (200, 200A) to pass through. The covers (1,2) are joined together by means of, at least, two transverse webs (4) and several stiffener reinforcements (5,5A), which are arranged in perpendicular to the covers (1,2). The device further comprises connecting means (202, 203, 204, 205) between the ends of the rebars (201,201A) of the columns (200,200A).

Construction materials intended for use as structural elements, such as structural blocks, used in the construction of buildings and civil engineering structures. The blocks can comprise hemp hurd and fibers, flax fiber, hydraulic lime and hydrated lime. In one aspect, the blocks may comprise a body shape configured so as to allow it to interlock with other blocks in the construction of a structure. In another aspect, the blocks may be adapted to incorporate tensioning means. Methods for manufacturing the blocks and structures comprising such materials and methods for building such structures are also disclosed.