PANELS DESIGNED FOR PRODUCING A WALL AND METHODS FOR PRODUCING SUCH PANELS

Abstract

Panel designed for making a wall, including a monobloc part made from concrete inside which pieces of wood are sunk, at least one through aperture being formed inside the monobloc part, the panel including at least one reinforcement element providing a bending resistance and housed inside said at least one through aperture, said at least one reinforcement element being formed by an armature coated with a hardening product including a binder.

Claims

1.-14. (canceled)

15. Panel designed for fabrication of a wall, comprising: at least one monobloc part made from concrete inside which pieces of wood are sunk; at least one through aperture formed inside the at least one monobloc part; at least one reinforcement element providing a bending resistance and housed inside said at least one through aperture, the at least one reinforcement element being formed by an armature coated with a hardening product comprising a binder.

16. Panel according to claim 15, wherein an opening to receive a casement is formed in the first monobloc part, two through apertures are formed on each side of the opening and two reinforcement elements are respectively housed inside the two through apertures and are fixed to the first monobloc part.

17. Panel according to claim 15, wherein the hardening product comprising a binder is chemically different from the concrete in which pieces of wood are sunk, the hardening product having a Young's modulus at least 10% higher than the Young's modulus of the concrete in which pieces of wood are sunk.

18. Panel according to claim 17, wherein the hardening product comprises a volume content in pieces of wood that is at least 10% lower than a volume content in pieces of wood of the concrete in which pieces of wood are sunk.

19. Panel according to claim 18, wherein the hardening product comprising a binder is devoid of pieces of wood.

20. Panel according to claim 15, wherein the hardening product comprises pieces of wood having an average size at least 30% smaller than the average size of the pieces of wood in the concrete inside which pieces of wood are sunk.

21. Panel according to claim 15, wherein several reinforcement elements are housed in said at least one through aperture and wherein the hardening product comprising a binder arranged between the reinforcement elements is a concrete devoid of pieces of wood.

22. Panel according to claim 15 comprising at least first and second monobloc parts each made from concrete in which pieces of wood are sunk and separated from one another by a housing forming said at least one through aperture in which said at least one reinforcement element is housed and fixed to said at least two monobloc parts.

23. Panel according to claim 22, comprising a first monobloc part provided with a first shoulder and a second monobloc part provided with a second shoulder complementary to the first shoulder so that the first and second shoulders form the housing.

24. Panel according to claim 23, wherein the first monobloc part is perpendicular to the second monobloc part.

25. Panel according to claim 22, wherein an opening to receive a casement is formed in at least one monobloc part, said at least one reinforcement element is fixed to a first surface of said at least one monobloc part and an additional reinforcement element is fixed on a second surface of said at least one monobloc part opposite the first surface.

26. Method for manufacturing comprising: providing a mould comprising at least one re-entrant pouring into the mould a liquid concrete in which pieces of wood are sunk to form a monobloc part, removing said at least one re-entrant to form at least one through aperture inside the at least one monobloc part, placing an armature in said at least one through aperture, pouring a hardening product comprising a binder into said at least one through aperture to coat the armature and secure the armature to the monobloc part, the armature forming at least one reinforcement element providing a bending resistance and housed inside said at least one through aperture.

27. Method for manufacturing a panel according to claim 22, wherein it comprises provision of at least two monobloc parts each made from concrete in which pieces of wood are sunk and separated from one another by at least one housing, placing an armature in said at least one housing, and pouring of a hardening product comprising a binder into said at least one housing to coat the armature and fix the latter to said at least two monobloc parts.

28. Method according to claim 26, wherein the providing step comprises arranging at least one re-entrant inside a mould, pouring the liquid concrete in which the pieces of wood are sunk into the mould, and removal of said at least one re-entrant to form said at least one housing.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] Other advantages and features will become more clearly apparent from the following description of particular embodiments and implementation modes of the invention given for non-restrictive example purposes only and represented in the appended drawings, in which:

[0023] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of a panel according to the invention;

[0024] FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a perspective view of another embodiment of the panel;

[0025] FIG. 3 schematically illustrates a perspective view of another embodiment of the panel;

[0026] FIG. 4 schematically illustrates a perspective view of another embodiment of the panel;

[0027] FIG. 5 schematically illustrates a perspective view of another embodiment of the panel;

[0028] FIG. 6 schematically illustrates a first step of an implementation mode of a method for manufacturing a panel according to the invention;

[0029] FIG. 7 schematically illustrates a top view of the first step of the method;

[0030] FIG. 8 schematically illustrates a second step of the method for manufacturing the panel;

[0031] FIG. 9 schematically illustrates a third step of the method for manufacturing the panel;

[0032] FIG. 10 schematically illustrates a top view of the third step of the method;

[0033] FIG. 11 schematically illustrates an initial step of another implementation mode of a method for manufacturing a panel according to the invention;

[0034] FIG. 12 schematically illustrates a first step of the method for manufacturing the panel;

[0035] FIG. 13 schematically illustrates a second step of the method for manufacturing the panel;

[0036] FIG. 14 schematically illustrates a third step of the method for manufacturing the panel;

[0037] FIG. 15 schematically illustrates a fourth step of the method for manufacturing the panel;

[0038] FIG. 16 schematically illustrates a perspective view of another implementation mode of the panel; and

[0039] FIG. 17 schematically illustrates a cross-sectional view of a surface of the panel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] In FIGS. 1 to 5, a panel 1 designed for making a wall has been represented. In particular, FIGS. 1 to 4 illustrate a panel 1 designed for making a front wall, i.e. panel 1 has a globally rectangular shape. FIG. 5 illustrates a panel 1 designed to form a corner wall, i.e. panel 1 comprise two parts perpendicular to one another, but another angle is possible. In general manner, panel 1 is particularly suitable for erecting a wall of a house with one or more storeys. Panel 1 is designed to be placed vertically with respect to the ground.

[0041] In general manner, panel 1 comprises at least one monobloc part 2 to 4. More particularly monobloc parts 2 to 4 are each made from a material comprising concrete in which pieces of wood are sunk. Such a material is also called wood-concrete. The concrete is a mixture of different elements, such as gravel, sand, a binder and water. The binder can be a cement or lime. The pieces of wood are wood chips having a length comprised between 10 and 100 mm, preferably between 20 and 60 mm. These wood chips have a thickness comprised between 1 mm and 5 mm. When wood chips having a length of between 20 and 60 mm are used, microcavities are obtained at the surface of monobloc part 2 to 4 on account of the fact that the concrete coats the wood chips. More particularly, a distribution of the cavities at the surface representing between 30% and 50% of the total surface of monobloc part 2 to 4 is obtained. Furthermore, a roughness comprised between 6 and 15 mm is obtained. The roughness corresponds to the maximum height between an apex and a trough of the surface. A sectional view of a surface of monobloc part 2 to 4 and a maximum height D1 between an apex and a trough of the surface has been represented in FIG. 17. It should be noted that cast rough concrete, i.e. construction components made from rough concrete with a formwork, have a roughness comprised between 0.3 and 3 mm and a surface distribution of the cavities of less than 30% of the total surface of the construction component. In this way, on account of the wood-concrete material using chips with a length comprised between 20 and 60 mm, more microcavities and microcavities that are deeper than a rough concrete are created. A monobloc part 2 to 4 made with such a wood-concrete material procures a greater microcavities, in number and in depth, enabling a hardening product to penetrate into these microcavities. A strong bond is thus obtained between the hardening product and the wood-concrete monobloc part 2 to 4. In addition, a weight ratio of wood chips comprised between 30% and 70% of the total weight of monobloc part 2 to 4 can be used.

[0042] The weight ratio of the wood-concrete obtained is comprised between 600 and 1000 kg/m.sup.3, and by varying the composition of the material it is preferably equal to 800 kg/m.sup.3. A material lighter than rough concrete is thus obtained, i.e. a concrete that does not comprise pieces of wood and that has a weight ratio of about 2300 kg/m.sup.3. Furthermore, panel 1 comprises at least one housing 5 to 9 designed to receive a reinforcement element 10 to 12 that is resistant to bending.

[0043] A reinforcement element 10 to 12 is an elongate structure configured to give panel 1 a bending resistance. More particularly, each reinforcement element 10 to 12 is formed by an armature 13 coated with a hardening product 14 comprising a binder. Armature 13 also has an elongate shape. Armature 13 comprises one or more elongate elements. Each elongate element can be a rod or a bar. For example, an armature 13 comprising four rods has been represented in the figures. The elongate elements can be made from glass fibre or from carbon and are preferentially made from metal. Hardening product 14 is preferably a concrete. Such a reinforcement element enhances the bending resistance of panel 1.

[0044] Generally, a reinforcement element 10 to 12 extends along a vertical axis of panel 1. In particular, the length of a reinforcement element 10 that extends along the vertical axis is greater than its height and width. More particularly, in comparison with a wood or concrete component having the same cross-section as that of reinforcement element 10 to 12, reinforcement element 10 to 12 procures a better bending resistance.

[0045] Monobloc parts 2 to 4 made from wood-concrete enable different finishing operations to be performed, such as applying a finish coating (which is difficult to achieve on cast rough concrete), and enable fastening means of the panels to be fixed directly on site, such as for example metal plates which can be easily screw-fastened directly onto the wood-concrete. Wood-concrete does in fact enable screwing and fixing to be performed directly, without prior drilling or wall plugs, to gain time.

[0046] Several embodiments of a panel 1 have been represented in FIGS. 1 to 5.

[0047] In FIGS. 1 and 2, an embodiment of panel 1 has been represented in which said at least one housing 5 to 9 is a through aperture 5 to 7 formed within monobloc part 2. What is meant by through aperture is a hole the wall of which extends along the body of the part. Unlike a groove, such a through aperture opens only onto two surfaces of the part. In FIG. 1, a reinforcement element 10 is housed in through aperture 5. In FIG. 2, the panel comprises three through apertures 5 to 7 in which three reinforcement elements 10 to 12 are respectively housed. Such a panel 1 enables reinforcement elements 10 to 12 to be coated with wood-concrete on four surfaces.

[0048] In FIGS. 3 and 4, another embodiment of panel 1 has been represented in which at least two monobloc parts 2 to 4 are separated from one another by a housing 8, 9 in which a reinforcement element 10, 11 is housed and fixed to the two monobloc parts 2 to 4. In FIG. 3, panel 1 comprises a housing 8 in which a reinforcement element 10 is housed. In particular, reinforcement element 10 presents two opposite ends respectively joined to two monobloc parts 2, 3. Reinforcement element 10 thus comprises two opposite surfaces joining the two opposite ends of reinforcement element 10. These two opposite ends are visible, unlike the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0049] Furthermore, at least one opening 15, 16 can be formed in a monobloc part 2 to 4. Openings 15, 16 are designed to receive a casement, such as a window or a door. Prefabricated panels 1 equipped with surrounds for the casement leafs can thus be provided.

[0050] In FIG. 2, panel 1 comprises a first opening 15 shaped to receive a window, and a second opening 16 shaped to receive a door. Preferentially, two housings 5 to 9 are situated on each side of an opening 15, 16 and two reinforcement elements 10, 11 are respectively housed in two housings 5 to 9. A panel 1 meeting earthquake-resistant standards is thus provided. In FIG. 2, two reinforcement elements 10, 11 are situated on each side of first opening 15. In FIG. 4, a first reinforcement element 10 is fixed to a first surface 20 of a first monobloc part 2 and an additional reinforcement element 11 is fixed on a second surface 21 of first monobloc part 2. Second surface 21 is opposite first surface 20 of first monobloc part 2.

[0051] In FIG. 5, a panel 1 particularly suitable for erecting a corner wall has been represented. Panel 1 comprises two monobloc parts 2, 3. A first monobloc part 2 is provided with a first shoulder 17 and second monobloc part 3 is provided with a second shoulder 18 complementary to first shoulder 17 so that first and second shoulders 17, 18 form a housing 8 designed to receive a reinforcement element 10 to 12. Preferentially, first monobloc part 2 is perpendicular to second monobloc part 3.

[0052] In FIG. 16, another embodiment of a panel 1 particularly suitable for erecting a front wall has been represented. Panel 1 comprises two monobloc parts 2, 3. A first monobloc part 2 is provided with a first shoulder 17 and second monobloc part 3 is provided with a second shoulder 18 complementary to first shoulder 17 so that first and second shoulders 17, 18 form a housing 8 designed to receive a reinforcement element 10 to 12. In this embodiment, first and second monobloc parts 2, 3 extend in the same plane.

[0053] Such panels 1 reinforced by reinforcement elements 10 to 12 are resilient and can be transported easily. They can therefore be prefabricated in a plant without necessarily being manufactured on the building site of the house or building. Manufacture of the panels in plant is better mastered. Advantageously, armatures 13 have parts salient from hardening product 14, i.e. free parts, to provide hoisting parts of panel 1. Advantageously these salient parts can be used on the building site to join the panels to one another. A free part of armature 13 can be joined to another free part of another panel or of a floor.

[0054] In yet another embodiment, the re-entrant arranged in the mould enables a groove to be defined in the monobloc part. After the hardening product has been poured, the latter forms a part having one surface that is visible and accessible. Preferentially, the visible surface is in the same plane as the surface of the monobloc part.

[0055] To manufacture the panels defined in the foregoing, at least one monobloc part 2 to 4 is manufactured from wood-concrete, an armature 13 is placed in a housing 5 to 9, and hardening product 14 is then poured into housing 5 to 9, around armature 13 and in contact with at least one surface of monobloc part 2 to 4. Pouring hardening product 14 into the provided housings 5 to 9 enhances the strength of the bond between hardening product 14 and the wood-concrete in comparison with a concrete-concrete bond. Such a method increases the mechanical strength of reinforcement element 10 to 12 with monobloc part 2 to 4. The bond between reinforcement element 10 to 12 and monobloc part 2 to 4 is moreover strengthened on account of the microcavities created at the surface of monobloc part 2 to 4 and of pouring of liquid hardening product 14 which penetrates into these microcavities. After hardening product 14 has hardened, a strong bond is obtained with a high shear strength.

[0056] In FIGS. 6 to 10, the steps of a first implementation mode of a method for manufacturing a panel 1 comprising a monobloc part 2 as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 have been represented. The method comprises a first step S1 in which the liquid concrete in which the pieces of wood are sunk is poured into a mould 30 provided with at least one re-entrant 31, 32, as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7. For example, a plinth 33 on which re-entrants 31, 32 are positioned can be placed at the bottom of mould 30. After the liquid concrete has hardened, monobloc part 2 is obtained, as illustrated in FIG. 8. Then, in a second step illustrated in FIG. 8, each re-entrant 31, 32 is removed in order to form at least one through aperture 5 to 7 in monobloc part 2. Then, in a third step illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, an armature 13 is placed inside each formed through aperture 5 to 7, as illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10. For example, armature 13 can be made to pass through plinth 33 in order to obtain an armature 13 having a part salient from hardening product 14. The salient parts of armature 13 facilitate joining of two adjacent panels 1. For example another liquid concrete is used to bind the salient parts of armatures 13 to one another. Hardening product 14 comprising a binder is then poured, in step S2, into each through aperture 5 to 7 to coat armature 13 and secure the latter to monobloc part 2, as illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10.

[0057] In FIGS. 11 to 15, the steps of a second implementation mode of a method for manufacturing a panel 1 have been represented. According to this second implementation mode, a panel 1 comprising at least two monobloc parts 2 to 4 is manufactured, as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. The method comprises a first step T1 of providing at least two monobloc parts 2 to 4 each made from concrete in which pieces of wood are sunk and separated from one another by at least one housing 8, 9, as illustrated in FIG. 12. As a variant, provision step T1 comprises an initial step, illustrated in FIG. 11, in which at least one re-entrant 31, 32 is arranged in a mould 30, as illustrated in FIG. 11, followed by pouring S1 of the liquid concrete, in which the pieces of wood are sunk, into mould 30. Removal of re-entrants 31, 32 is then performed to form housings 8, 9.

[0058] After provision step T1, an armature 13 is placed inside each housing 8, 9 in a second step T2 illustrated in FIG. 13. Preferentially, armatures 13 rest on supports 34 to center armatures 13 inside housings 8, 9. Then, in a third step illustrated in FIG. 14, a hardening product comprising a binder is poured, step S2, into each housing 8, 9 to coat each armature 13 and to fix the latter to two adjacent monobloc parts 2 to 4. What is meant by two adjacent monobloc parts 2 to 4 is two monobloc parts separated by a housing 8, 9. Then, in a fourth step illustrated in FIG. 15, mould 30 is removed to obtain panel 1. Supports 34 can be removed or left inside housings 8, 9.

[0059] Panel 1, illustrated in FIG. 5, can be prefabricated in plant or manufactured on site. Advantageously, monobloc parts 2, 3 are secured to one another by metal plates screwed into the wood-concrete before hardening product 14 is poured in S2. The metal plates serve the purpose of limiting the forces generated by hardening product 14 on monobloc parts 2 to 4.

[0060] Monobloc part 2 to 4 obtained comprises contact surfaces with the reinforcement elements that present numerous microcavities, i.e. blind holes, created by the pieces of wood. The concrete in fact coats the pieces of wood, which creates the microcavities at the surface of monobloc part 2 to 4. In this way, when hardening product 14 is cast in a housing 5 to 9 provided in monobloc part 2 to 4, product 14 will fill the numerous microcavities to increase the binding surface between reinforcement element 10 to 12 and monobloc part 2 to 4. The binding surface is increased all the more with a through aperture opening out at the level of two ends of monobloc part 2 to 4. A strong bond is thus obtained between hardening product 14 and the wood-concrete, which gives reinforcement element 10 to 12 a strong adhesion to monobloc part 2 to 4.

[0061] A panel is thus provided that enables a wall meeting earthquake-resistance standards to be erected more quickly, as it incorporates reinforcement elements having an enhanced bending resistance. Furthermore, such a panel is simple to achieve. Advantageously, the panel is strong and lighter than a panel made from rough concrete. Such a panel can be prefabricated and then transported to site to form the walls of the house or building to be built.

[0062] In a particular embodiment, the concrete in which pieces of wood are sunk has a chemical composition that is different from the chemical composition of the hardening product comprising a binder. This difference of chemical composition is advantageously chosen to procure a difference in the mechanical performances and in particular the Young's modulus. In a particular embodiment, the Young's modulus of the hardening product comprising a binder is higher than that of the concrete in which pieces of wood are sunk and preferentially at least 10% higher. In other words, reinforcement element 10 to 12 has different mechanical properties from the part formed from wood-concrete regardless of whether one or more armature parts 13 are used.

[0063] The area of hardening product comprising a binder extends from one end of the panel to the other with a lateral dimension, i.e. perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the reinforcement element, of at least 1 cm and preferably at least 5 cm.

[0064] The hardening product comprising a binder is preferentially a product that comprises a volume content in pieces of wood that is lower than the volume content in pieces of wood of the concrete in which pieces of wood are sunk. It is advantageous for the volume content in pieces of wood in the hardening product to be less than or equal to 90% of the content in pieces of wood in the wood-concrete, preferentially less than or equal to 80% and even more preferentially less than or equal to 50%. The volume of pieces of wood is reduced which improves the mechanical strength between the armature and the hardening product in comparison with the mechanical strength between the armature and the wood-concrete in an equivalent configuration.

[0065] When the hardening product is added to the monobloc part, it enters the microcavities thereby procuring the mechanical strength between the monobloc part and the part formed by the hardening material that hardened. It is advantageous for the hardening material, when it hardens, to be less porous than the material forming the monobloc part thereby facilitating formation of an interface procuring a high mechanical strength.

[0066] In preferential manner, the hardening product comprising a binder is devoid of pieces of wood and more preferentially a concrete devoid of pieces of wood. Armature 13 is sunk in hardening product devoid of pieces of wood to ensure a good mechanical cohesion and the hardening product devoid of pieces of wood anchors onto the side walls of the wood-concrete part where a re-entrant was made.

[0067] In a particular embodiment, the volume content of pieces of wood is decreasing from monobloc part 2 to the area immediately around the reinforcement elements. In preferential manner, the decreasing volume content of pieces of wood is configured so that the reinforcement element is only in contact with hardening product, preferably concrete, i.e. the reinforcement element has no contact with a wood part.

[0068] When several armatures 13 are installed in the monobloc part, it is preferable for the material arranged between armatures 13 to be devoid of pieces of wood and preferentially a concrete devoid of pieces of wood.

[0069] In another particular embodiment that can be combined with the previous embodiments, the hardening product comprising a binder is a product that contains pieces of wood the average size of which is smaller than the average size of the pieces of wood contained in the wood-concrete. By using smaller pieces of wood, the cavities formed in the wood-concrete are smaller which improves the mechanical performances of the hardening product. In advantageous manner, the average size of the pieces of wood in the hardening product is less than 70% of the average size of the pieces of wood contained in the wood-concrete, more preferentially at least less than 50% of the average size of the pieces of wood contained in the wood-concrete.

[0070] In a preferred embodiment, reinforcement element 10 to 12 is a rod or a bar made from metal, for example from steel.

[0071] In an advantageous embodiment, one or more screws are screwed into the walls of the monobloc part after the re-entrant has been removed and before the hardening product is poured. The hardening product is poured and the screws are sunk in the hardening product which improves the mechanical strength between the wood-concrete part and reinforcement element 12. In preferential manner, the screws are screwed directly into the wood-concrete, i.e. without making a hole beforehand and without adding a wall plug.