WALL CLADDING, PANEL AND ASSEMBLY

Abstract

Fire resistant lightweight cladding 10 comprising thin sheet material having an outer layer which is predominantly steel and a thicker inner layer which is predominantly aluminium, the inner layer being a supporting layer and the sheet material being formed into a panel of predetermined outline and used in a fire-resistant wall panel assembly comprising a substrate supporting outer cladding sheets in side by side relation, each cladding sheet being a composite of a relatively thin steel layer and a relatively thick aluminium layer, the sheets described herein have a steel outer layer which is about 4 mm thick and an aluminium layer is about 2 mm thick and panel density from 6 kg/m2 to 9 kg/m2. The panels were tested according to British Standard BS 8414-22015 (amdt 1) as modified by Australian 5113-2016 (amdt 1) and the specimen passes the classification criteria 5.4.4(b) which concerns the temperature differential from outer fireside and inside and 5.4.5(g) which concerns debris.

Claims

1. Fire resistant lightweight cladding comprising thin sheet material having an outer layer which is predominantly steel and a thicker inner layer which is predominantly aluminium, the inner layer being a supporting layer and the sheet material being formed into a panel of predetermined outline.

2. Fire resistant lightweight cladding according to claim 1, the panel having attachment means provided for the purpose of anchoring the panel to a substrate.

3. Fire resistant lightweight cladding according to claim 1 or claim 2 when used in a fire-resistant wall panel assembly suitable for wall cladding and comprising a substrate supporting outer panels in side by side relation, each panel having a said cladding sheet being a composite of a relatively thin steel layer and a relatively thick aluminium layer, the steel layer being outside the aluminium layer, the relative dimensions of the layers and the overall panel thickness being so made and arranged that, the assembly, corresponding to said cladding sheets in a test specimen, under a fire test of the specimen of said sheets in a wall panel assembly, according British Standard BS 8414-2 2015 (amdt 1) as modified by Australian 5113-2016 (amdt 1), the specimen passes the classification criteria 5.4.5(b) for temperature reached behind the cladding.

4. A fire-resistant cladding according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the steel layer is about 0.4 mm thick and the aluminium layer is about 2 mm thick.

5. A fire-resistant cladding according to claim 1 or claim 2 or claim 3 wherein cladding sheet density ranges from 6 kg/m.sup.2 to 9 kg/m.sup.2.

6. A fire-resistant wall panel assembly according to claim 3 wherein each panel has a lower edge formed behind the sheet and extending toward the substrate, the panels being so made and arranged that, the assembly, corresponding to said panels under said fire test, the specimen passes the classification criteria 5.4.5(g).

7. A fire-resistant cladding according to any one of claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 wherein the panel has a folded edge formation with a terminal edge of the sheet concealed inside the folded edge formation.

8. A fire-resistant cladding according to claim 7 wherein the panel has an open box form with the folded edge formation being an upstanding surrounding flange, the terminal edge being located inside the flange.

9. A fire-resistant cladding according to any one of claim 1, 2, 3, 4 or 6 wherein the panel has an open box form with the folded edge formation being an upstanding surrounding flange, the flange having spaced openings used to anchor the panel to a substrate.

10. A fire-resistant wall panel assembly according to any one of claims 8-10 wherein the folded edge formation is a double fold.

11. In a fire-resistant cladding panel as claimed in use in claim 3 or claim 6, the composite sheet having a sheet density ranging from 6 kg/m.sup.2 to 9 kg/m.sup.2, the thin steel layer, the thicker aluminium layer, being pre formed then folded to provide a folded edge formation with a terminal edge of the sheet concealed inside the folded edge formation to protect the terminal edge.

12. A panel according to claim 11 wherein the steel layer is about 0.4 mm thick, the aluminium layer is about 2 mm thick.

13. A panel according to claim 11 or 12 wherein the panel has an open box form with the folded edge formation being an upstanding surrounding flange, the terminal edge being located inside the flange.

14. A panel according to claim 11 or 12 wherein the panel has an open box form with the folded edge formation being an upstanding surrounding flange, the flange having spaced panel attachment means used to anchor the panel to a substrate.

15. A method for forming a panel as set out in any one of claims 1-14, the method comprising: a. providing a rectangular sheet of predetermined external dimensions having respective marginal edge sections terminating in respective terminal edges of the sheet; b. cutting corners from the sheet; c. pressing fold lines in the marginal edge sections; d. folding the marginal edge sections about the fold lines to form a double fold folded edge formation, with the terminal edges concealed inside the flange.

16. A method according to claim 15 including the further step of cutting spaced slots between the fold lines before performing step d.

17. A method according to claim 15 including, in no particular order, but before step d. the further steps of, cutting spaced slots at a position set to be between the fold lines and cutting the terminal edges with cutouts aligned with the position of said slots.

18. A method according to claim 15 including the further step of providing spaced slots in said range.

19. Sheet material when used in any one of claims 1-18, said steel layer being Zincanneal or equivalent.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] In order that the present improvements may be more readily understood and put into practical effect reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention and wherein:

[0027] FIGS. 1A to 1D are drawings showing the stages of construction of a panel according to the invention from an initial blank sheet;

[0028] FIG. 2 is a perspective drawing of a panel;

[0029] FIG. 3 is a perspective drawing of a panel of FIG. 2 with a stiffening rail;

[0030] FIG. 4 is a paneling clamp, two of which are used of each side of the panel in a typical fitting;

[0031] FIG. 5 shows a typical panel with 8 panel clamps fitted;

[0032] FIG. 6 is a section through B-B5 of FIG. 5;

[0033] FIG. 7 is a section through A-A of FIG. 5;

[0034] FIG. 8 is a detail “D” of FIG. 6;

[0035] FIG. 9 is a detail “C” of FIG. 7;

[0036] FIG. 10 is a typical stiffening rail;

[0037] FIG. 11 is a corner bracket used at each corner of the panel of FIG. 5 and at corners of each stiffening rail;

[0038] FIGS. 12 and 13 are drawings showing fitting of a group with panels directly to a wall (the wall is shown in phantom);

[0039] FIGS. 14 through 18 are respective, front, back, side, top and details “A” of the top view corresponding to the fitted panels of FIGS. 12 and 13;

[0040] FIGS. 19 and 20 are drawings showing fitting of a group of panels indirectly to a wall using “top hat” battens;

[0041] FIG. 21 is an exploded view of the assembly applicable to FIGS. 19 and 20;

[0042] FIG. 23 through 26 are respective front, back, side, top and detail “A” of the top view corresponding to the fitted panels with an intermediate panel 30 on the top hat battens;

[0043] FIG. 27 is a exploded view of the fitting arrangement of FIGS. 23 through 26;

[0044] FIGS. 28-29C is of a test rig and measurement locations for thermocouples in a fire test carried out by CSIRO in accordance with British Standard BS 8414-2 2015 (amdt 1) as modified by Australian Standard AS 5113-2016 (amdt 1); and

[0045] FIGS. 30-35 are graphical representations of the measured temperatures over time.

Method of Performance

[0046] Referring to the drawings and initially to FIGS. 1A through 1D there is illustrated in FIG. 1A a partially completed panel 10 having a partially formed edge formation along edge 11 and a further stage of the formation along edge 12. The final formed panel is in FIG. 1C and an anchor bracket fitted to the panel is shown in FIG. 1D as part of an anchoring arrangement. The arrangement is optional as many proprietary anchoring arrangements for panels are known and the panels may be configured to suit known anchoring arrangements.

[0047] The panel, in this example, is made from a square or rectangular blank of composite material being a thin front layer or outer layer of mild steel with a second thicker layer of aluminium. The sheet overall thickness is 2.5 mm. The front layer is sold under the Bluescope Steel trade name Zincanneal and is mild steel with a protective zinc coating. The composite is formed using 0.4 mm Zincanneal and 2 mm Aluminium with a 0.1 mm bonding membrane between the two fora total thickness of 2.5 mm. The Aluminium side is shown upward in FIGS. 1A-1C. A PVDF coating may be applied to the outside of the zincanneal. Three coats are preferred. The raw panel sheet material may be obtained from VANCO® having website vancopanel.com. It will be appreciated therefore that in referring to a steel layer, the layer envisage predominant steel layer but it may be protected by various treatments known in the art as in for example the zinc hot dipping and annealing process used in the production of Zincanneal. Any equivalent known to the skilled person will be suitable. Likewise the Aluminium is employed in the design process to enable a lightweight fire panel in a form which quite unexpectedly has the benefits herein described. Thus the Aluminium is effectively a carrier for the steel layer. The composite may be formed as in pressing, rolling or cutting. Thus the relative dimensions is a balance of the practical use of the panel which dictates the relative dimensions in terms of thickness and area selected for the application, while still retaining the desirable outcome as set out in the test example which follows later in this description.

[0048] Edge 11 shows the result of earlier cutting, namely, three cutouts 13, 14 and 15 aligned with cutout slots 16, 17 and 18. These cutouts fold over the slots in the finished panel. Each corner is cut as at 19. A fold groove 20 is also milled out along this edge between the slots and cutouts. In this case it is about 2 mm wide and just to a depth above the steel layer. The next step is shown along the edge 12. A second fold groove 21 is cut inboard of the slots as shown along edge 12. The arrangement of edge 12 is reproduced along each edge. The edges are then folded.

[0049] Using the groove 20 there is made an upward fold (arrow 22) so that the flange sections between the cutouts are folded over 180° with the flange sections 23, 24 and so on along the edge 12 so that the cutouts align with the slots and then this means that the terminal edge 25 is folded into a concealed position according to the further 90° fold about fold groove 21 indicated by the arrow 27 to form the folded position illustrated in FIG. 1C. The slots, for example, 18, may be fitted with a panel clamp 29 (see FIG. 1D) used to secure the panel to a wall. A corner bracket 28 is used and riveted in each corner so that the result is a box-like arrangement as depicted more clearly in FIGS. 2 and 3. The panel clamp 29 is slightly narrower than the distance from the clamp slot to the back edge of the panel so that the panel clamp performs its clamping function using suitable fasteners. It is essentially a fastenerless connection to the panel.

[0050] All the bracket slots, for example, 18, in FIGS. 1A to 1D are greater than double the bracket 29 lengths so that panels may fit side-by-side with respective brackets being offset relative to the adjacent bracket. Thus the brackets fit side-by-side.

[0051] FIGS. 2 and 3 are corner panels 30 where the slots 31 are shorter on adjacent sides with the longer slots 32 on opposite sides to cater for the bracket of the next panel. The shorter slots are where the panels terminate on the edge of a wall. In FIG. 3 an open channel stiffener 33 is fitted also using corner brackets 28.

[0052] The stiffener 33 has it's opening 34 uppermost when the panel is in its operative position. The stiffener 33 is hard against the aluminium so in a high-temperature fire event the stiffener will serve to capture melted aluminium to thereby reduce the drop of molten material from the wall.

[0053] FIGS. 8 and 9 show the fold at 35 and 36 where the terminal edges 37 and 38 of the original blank are folded and tucked up under the panel to a concealed position under the front face 39 so that edges are protected right around the panel.

[0054] FIGS. 12 through 18 show one form of direct fitting of four panels 36 to a mid-wall section shown in phantom at 37. This could, for example, be a concrete wall. In FIGS. 23 through 28 there is an intervening layer of wall paneling 38.

[0055] In FIG. 18 a fastener 39 is simultaneously used to secure the battens 40, 41 and the panels directly to the wall 37. The battens are so-called top-hat profile 42, these may first be secured, then the panels. The panels may have the stiffener or may also be infilled with insulation. The panels fit inside the top hat as clearly seen in FIG. 18. A fireproof sealant may be used between and around the panels.

[0056] In FIG. 27 it may be seen that the panel 30 fits on top of the top hat profile and the panels 37 fit on top of the intermediate panel 38. The panel 38 may be an insulating panel. A fireproof sealant may be used between and around the panels.

[0057] The panels described herein were tested according to British Standard BS 8414-2 2015 (amdt 1) as modified by Australian 5113-2016 (amdt 1) and the specimen passes the classification criteria 5.4.4(b) which concerns the temperature differential from the outer fireside and inside and 5.4.5(g) which concerns debris. Under the test conditions set out in FIGS. 28 and 29A-29C hereto, the preferred panel, in this test case Zinc-steel and Aluminium backing with 25 mm×25 mm aluminium angle brackets on each internal corner, the panels having a density of 8.5 kg/m.sup.2 total thickness 2.3 mm, steel 0.3 mm Al 2.0 mm, the panels being of various heights and width and depth being 27 mm, provides, quite unexpectedly, a very low inside temperature of less than 100° C. temperature under classification criteria 5.4.5(b), and also quite unexpectedly, under classification criteria 5.4.5(g), a result of less than 0.1 kg of debris falling from the test rig. The test rig was about 9 m high and 3 m wide.

[0058] The panels were tested according to British Standard BS 8414-2 2015 (amdt 1) as modified by Australian 5113-2016 (amdt 1) and the specimen passes the classification criteria 5.4.4(b) which concerns the temperature differential from the outer fireside and inside and 5.4.5(g) which concerns debris.

[0059] Whilst the above has been given by way of illustrative example many variations and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the broad ambit and scope of the invention as set out in the appended claims.