EXPANSION JOINT

Abstract

A barrier strip for sealing a joint of a building structure to inhibit transmission of a fluid through the joint. The building structure has flooring and a wall including wall elements. The barrier strip comprises a first side of a first shape, corresponding to the profile of the flooring, and a second side of a second shape, being complementary to a profile of the wall element. The barrier strip is located intermediate to the flooring and the wall element with the first side of the barrier strip in contact with a part of the flooring and the second side is in alignment with the wall element to cooperatively engage with the profile of the wall element. The barrier strip seals the joint between the flooring and the wall element to inhibit the transmission of the fluid through the joint.

Claims

1. A barrier strip for sealing a joint of a building structure to inhibit transmission of a fluid through the joint, the building structure having a generally horizontally extending flooring and a generally vertically extending wall including wall elements, the barrier strip comprising: a first side of a first shape, the first shape corresponding to the profile of the flooring of the building structure, and a second side of a second shape, the second shape being complementary to the profile of the wall element of the wall of the building structure, wherein when the barrier strip is located intermediate to the flooring and the wall element with the first side of the barrier strip in contact with a part of the flooring and the second side is in alignment with the wall element to cooperatively engage with the profile of the wall element, the barrier strip seals the joint between the flooring and the wall element to inhibit the transmission of the fluid through the joint.

2. The barrier strip according to claim 1, having a core density ranging from 20 to 40 kg per cubic meter.

3. The barrier strip according to claim 1, having one or more of the following properties: a cream time (22 C.) of about 9010 seconds, a string time (22 C.) of about 30020 seconds, a rise time (22 C.) of about 42020 seconds, a Free Rise Density (22 C.) ranging from 40-45 Kg/m.sup.3, a Closed Cell Content ranging from 90-95%, K Value of about 0.0220.002 W/mK, and a Compressive Strength of about 20010 kPa.

4. The barrier strip according to claim 1, wherein the first side is substantially flat, linear or rectilinear.

5. The barrier strip according to claim 1, wherein the second side has a profile with projections in the form of hills ranging from 15 mm to about 65 mm.

6. The barrier strip according to claim 1, wherein the second side has a profile with a depression in the form of a valley ranging from 5 mm to about 25 mm.

7. The barrier strip according to claim 1, comprising a wall section having a generally constant cross section and a head section located along one edge of the wall section.

8. The barrier strip according to claim 7, wherein the head section is a symmetrically enlarged head section extending outwardly on either side of the wall section.

9. The barrier strip according to claim 1, comprising a depression extending lengthwise along the barrier strip.

10. The barrier strip according to claim 1, including an attachment means to attach the barrier strip to the wall element.

11. The barrier strip according to claim 1, wherein the barrier strip is flame or fire resistant.

12. The barrier strip according to claim 1, wherein the barrier strip is resiliently deformable.

13. A wall element for forming the wall of a building structure, the building structure including generally horizontally extending flooring and a generally vertically extending wall, the wall including a multitude of similar wall elements, the wall element comprising a support portion and a barrier strip according to claim 1, the support portion having a profile comprising a multitude of projections and a multitude of depressions alternately arranged in which a projection is located intermediate adjacent depressions and a depression is located intermediate adjacent projections, and wherein the barrier strip is located in alignment with the profile of the support member so that projections of the barrier strip are received within the depressions of the support member and the depressions of the barrier strip receive the projections of the support member so that when the wall element is located in face to face opposed relationship with the flooring to form the building structure the barrier strip is located intermediate the flooring and the wall element to seal the joint between the flooring and the wall element.

14. A barrier for sealing a joint of a building structure to inhibit transmission of a fluid through the joint, the building structure having a generally horizontally extending flooring and a generally vertically extending wall including wall elements, the barrier comprising a barrier strip according to claim 1, wherein when the barrier strip is located intermediate the flooring and the wall element with the first side of the barrier strip in contact with a part of the flooring and the second side is in alignment with the wall element to cooperatively engage with the profile of the wall element, the barrier strip seals the joint between the flooring and the wall element to inhibit the transmission of the fluid through the joint.

15. A method of forming a barrier for sealing a joint of a building structure to inhibit transmission of a fluid through the joint, the building structure having a generally horizontally extending flooring and a generally vertically extending wall including wall elements, the method including the steps of: forming the generally vertically extending wall having the wall elements, and abutting a barrier against the wall element wherein the barrier comprises: a barrier strip having a first side of a first shape, the first shape corresponding to the profile of the flooring of the building structure, and a second side of a second shape, the second shape being complementary to the profile of the wall element of the wall of the building structure at the position where the barrier strip is to be located, forming the generally horizontally extending flooring, wherein when the barrier strip is located intermediate the flooring and the wall element, the first side of the barrier strip contacts the flooring and the second side of the barrier strip is in alignment with the wall element to cooperatively engage with the profile of the wall element, and the barrier strip seals the joint between the flooring and the wall element to inhibit the transmission of the fluid through the joint.

16. The method according to claim 15, including forming the barrier strip at a temperature ranging from 20-30 C.

17. The method according to claim 15, including shaping the first side to form a substantially flat, linear or rectilinear surface.

18. The method according to claim 15, including shaping the second side to form projections in the form of hills ranging from 15 mm to about 65 mm.

19. The method according to claim 15, including shaping the second side to form a depression in the form of a valley ranging from 5 mm to about 25 mm.

20. The method according to claim 15, including attaching the barrier strip to one surface of the wall element.

21. The method according to claim 15, including arranging the generally vertically extending wall to form a form work for the flooring.

22. The method according to claim 21, including pouring concrete into the form work to form the flooring.

23. The method according to claim 22, positioning the expansion joint on the wall so that the top of the expansion joint creates a height marker for pouring and finishing the concrete.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0079] Embodiments of the barrier strip of the present description will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which

[0080] FIG. 1 is a schematic part front perspective and part side cross-section view of one form of a wall element having one form of a barrier strip attached thereto located on one form of a flooring to illustrate the spatial relationship of the components of the building structure.

[0081] FIG. 2 is a schematic horizontal cross section view from above showing one arrangement of wall element, barrier strip and concrete slab for forming the expansion joint between the concrete slab and the wall.

[0082] FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of one form of a profile wall element and barrier strip attached thereto shown in isolation.

[0083] FIG. 4 shows various profiles of the corrugation of the wall element.

[0084] FIG. 5 is an end view of one form of a fire inhibiting or fire resistant expansion joint having an enlarged head section located lengthwise along one edge of the wall section.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

[0085] One form of a wall element for forming a wall of a building structure, such as for example a farm shed or similar, is in the form of a panel of profiled metal sheet, generally denoted as 12, having suitable dimensions in accordance with the requirements of the shed, including a length corresponding to the height of the wall of the shed and a suitable width.

[0086] It is to be noted that a multitude of individual panels 12a, 12b are connected to one another in longitudinal side to longitudinal side overlapping relationship to one another to form the wall of the shed as shown more particularly in FIG. 2.

[0087] Panel 12 is provided with a plurality of projections in the form of ridges 14 extending outwardly of the plane 16 of panel 12. It is to be noted that the plane 16 corresponds to the body portion or datum point of panel 12. Ridges 14 are arranged to extend in substantially parallel spaced apart relationship to one another to extend from the base of panel 12 when installed in the wall of the shed to the top of the panel 12 to which the ceiling/roof of the shed is attached. It is to be noted that the under surface of ridge 14 forms an elongate cavity having a complementary shape to the shape of ridge 14.

[0088] In forms of panel 12, plane portions 16 are optionally provided with strengthening ribs 18 extending in substantially parallel spaced apart relationship to one another from one end of panel 12 to the other end of panel 12. Ribs 18 are parallel to one another and are parallel to ridges 14, as shown more particularly in FIG. 1.

[0089] A length of rigid material for forming an expansion joint for sealing the joint between the floor or flooring, in the form of a concrete slab floor 30 and the wall formed from a multitude of over lapping panels 12, in the form of a barrier strip, generally denoted as 20, has a profiled outwardly facing side, referred to as the reverse face 22, for facing towards the internal surface of panel 12 when installed as part of the wall of the shed and a flat or straight side facing internally into the shed, which side is referred to as the obverse face 24 of barrier strip 20. The rigid material of barrier strip 20 is Urepak Rigid 90 43.

[0090] Obverse face 24 is flat corresponding to the flat/straight edge of the concrete slab 30 forming the floor of the shed. Reverse face 22 is provided with projections, in the form of hills 26 and valleys 28 arranged alternately with one another over the length of barrier strip 20 so that hills 26 extend in substantially parallel spaced apart relationship to one another over the entire height of barrier strip 20. The profile of hills 26 corresponds to the profile of ridges 14 of panel 12 so that hills 26 are received within the voids or cavities, such as the elongate cavity, on the underside of ridges 14 by the shape of hills 26 being complementary to the shape of ridges 14. The profile of valleys 28 of barrier strip 20 corresponds to the profile of plane portions 26 of panel 12 so that valleys 28 are in abutting relationship with plane portions 26.

[0091] The plurality of individual wall panels 12 are installed in substantially parallel overlapping relationship to one another to form the wall of the shed with barrier strip 20 facing internally into the interior of the shed. This forms a form work for receiving concrete to form the flooring of the shed. Concrete slab 30 is then poured into the form work and screeded smooth to form the flooring of the shed with the edges of the slab in abutting relationship with obverse face 24 of barrier strip 20, as shown more particularly in FIG. 2.

[0092] Owing to the obverse face 24 of barrier strip 20 being flat corresponding to the flat edge of slab 30, barrier strip 20 forms a seal between panel 12 and slab 30 at one side of barrier 20. Additionally, owing to the profile of reverse face 22 of barrier strip 20 matching the profile of panel 12 and barrier strip 20 being located in alignment with panel 12 so that hills 26 are received within ridges 14, barrier strip 20 forms a seal between the wall of the shed and the concrete floor of the shed. Fasteners such as screws can be used to more securely fasten the wall panel to the concrete flooring.

[0093] In FIG. 5 there is shown one form of a fire resistant or flame retardant expansion joint 40 having a body section in the form of a wall section 42 and an enlarged head portion 44 having a pair of oppositely inclined tapering edges 46, 48 located on either side of wall section 42 and extending outwardly therefrom. A part circular groove 50 is located at the junction of wall section 42 and enlarged head 44 along the lengthwise extending edges of expansion joint 40. The expansion joint 40 is made from a rigid polyisocyanurate (PIR) closed cell foam. Suitably, the material used to form expansion joint 40 is ELASTOPOR PH 1640.

[0094] Selected properties of ELASTOPOR PH 1640 is set out below.

TABLE-US-00001 Chemical properties: Viscosity at 25 C. Polyol component 1130 mPas Isocyanate component 150~350 mPas Specific gravity at Polyol component with 141b 1.22 cm.sup.3/g 20 C. (DIN 51757) Isocyanate component 1.23~1.24 cm.sup.3/g Water content 0.37 0.1%

TABLE-US-00002 Physical properties: Reactivity at 20/20 C. Hand mix Chemical temp.: 20/20 C., mix speed: 1500 rpm, 20 sec Cream time (sec.) 75 Gel time (sec.) 190 Rise time (sec) Free rise density (kg/m.sup.3) 45

TABLE-US-00003 Foam property (by hand mix - speed Mixer 1500 rpm and Mixer diameter 65 mm): Property Standard Unit Value Core density DIN EN ISO kg/m.sup.3 45 845 Compressive strength (Parallel) DIN 53421 kgf/cm.sup.2 2.77 Compressive strength (Vertical) DIN 53421 kgf/cm.sup.2 1.53 Dimension stability (30 C. % 0.37 24 hr) Dimension stability (70 C. % 0.15 24 hr) K factor DIN 52612 W/mK 0.0236

[0095] In use, when there is a gap or clearance between the two components which requires sealing so as to be flame or fire resistant or retardant or inhibiting so as to prevent the spread or propagation of fire or flames through or past the gap or clearance. Expansion joint 40 is located within the gap or clearance with enlarged head 44 outermost of the gap or clearance so that the tapered edges 46, 48 completely fill the entrance or opening of the gap or clearance. A suitable fire retardant, inhibiting or resistant material, such as for example, a fire grout or similar is introduced into the space occupied by the gap or clearance and expansion joint 40 so as to completely fill the space to seal the two components, such as a metal sheet wall and concrete slab flooring, or two individual segments or sections of a concrete floor, thereby rendering the space fireproof, flameproof or at least compliant with the Building Code of Australia (BCA) relating to the propagation of fire in building structures.

[0096] It is to be noted that other forms of the fire resistant expansion joint are possible, as is the use of the various forms of the expansion joints in other applications.

[0097] Advantages of one or more embodiments of the expansion joint include one or more of the following.

[0098] One advantage of the barrier strip is that the strip can be used as an expansion joint.

[0099] Another advantage of the barrier strip is that the strip can be used as a separator between the concrete slab of the flooring and the metal panels of the wall.

[0100] Similar barrier strips are not currently available commercially for use with different profiles of the corrugations of the wall panels.

[0101] Currently, most floor slabs are poured directly against the corrugated walls. The separation provided by the barrier strip will prevent corrosion of the metal wall panels at the junction between the floor and the walls where the concrete makes direct contact with the walls. When a floor slab sits directly against corrugated iron (the juncture) water can easily penetrate the juncture and sit in the juncture and in the pores of the concrete at the juncture. Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere then reacts with the water to form weak carbonic acids. The carbonic acids react with the calcium hydroxide in the concrete and calcium carbonates are deposited. Eventually, the level of calcium hydroxide is consumed and is replaced with neutral solid compounds and the pH of the concrete is reduced to between 7 and 9 or less. As the pH is reduced (becomes more acidic) the metal walls begin to corrode.

[0102] In the claims which follow and in the preceding description of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word comprise or variations such as comprises or comprising is used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention.

[0103] It will be understood to persons skilled in the art of the invention that many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0104] It is to be understood that, if any prior art publication is referred to herein, such reference does not constitute an admission that the publication forms a part of the common general knowledge in the art, in Australia or any other country.