REINFORCED CONCRETE COMPOSITE WALL PANEL WITH AN ENERGY-EFFICIENT INSULATION

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a method for the construction of a wall panel with an energy-efficient insulation. The method first provides for cleaning a formwork table using a tool, assembling a formwork by aligning plywood formwork elements, installing additional elements and lubricating the formwork. Then, the method teaches installing a first reinforcement layer and a plurality of clips of the predetermined size and arranged with a predetermined spatial configuration, concreating a first sheet by pouring a concrete mixture into the formwork, installing an insulation layer on top of the first sheet, installing fiberglass ties into holes drilled into the insulation layer, installing a second reinforcement layer using a traverse, concreating a second sheet by pouring the concrete mixture over the second reinforcement layer, exposing the wall panel to heat for about twelve hours, and finally, dismantling the formwork and removing the additional elements.

Claims

1. A method for construction of a wall panel with an energy-efficient insulation, the method comprising: cleaning a formwork table using a tool; assembling a formwork by aligning plywood formwork elements, installing additional elements and lubricating the formwork; installing a first reinforcement layer and a plurality of clips of the predetermined size and arranged with a predetermined spatial configuration; concreating a first sheet by pouring a concrete mixture into the formwork; installing an insulation layer on top of the first sheet; installing fiberglass ties into holes drilled into the insulation layer; installing a second reinforcement layer using a traverse; concreating a second sheet by pouring the concrete mixture over the second reinforcement layer; exposing the wall panel to heat for about twelve hours; and dismantling the formwork and removing the additional elements.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the wall panel further comprises: a plurality of lifting hinges.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first reinforcement layer and the second reinforcement layer comprise: a mesh made from steel or steel alloy.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the wall panel comprises a lock for securing a connection between one wall panel to the other wall panel.

5. A method of installing the reinforced-concrete column of claim 4, wherein the lock is a labyrinth lock made from bitumen sealing cord.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the concrete mixture has a strength of about 8000 pound per square inch (psi).

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the insulation layer comprises extruded polystyrene insulation (XPS).

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of the installation of the fiberglass ties is carried out not later than 45 minutes from concreting of the first sheet.

9. A wall panel with an energy-efficient insulation, the wall panel comprising: a first sheet and a second sheet; an insulation layer sandwiched between the first and second sheets; and a reinforcement layer configured between the first sheet and the insulation layer, wherein the first sheet and the second sheet comprise a concrete mixture having strength of about 8000 psi; and the wall panel having length of about 5 feet to 31 feet, height of about 5 feet to 17 feet, and thickness of less than 8 inches.

10. The wall panel according to claim 9, wherein the wall panel comprises a lock for securing a connection between a first wall panel to a second wall panel.

11. The wall panel according to claim 9, wherein the insulation layer comprises extruded polystyrene insulation (XPS).

12. The wall panel according to claim 9 further comprises a truss connector to further strengthen the wall panel.

13. The wall panel according to claim 9, the reinforcement layer comprises a mesh made from steel or steel alloy.

14. The wall panel according to claim 9 further comprises a second reinforcement layer configured between the insulation layer and the second sheet.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] In order that the invention will be readily understood, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments that are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, aspects of the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings.

[0010] FIG. 1A depicts a diagram of a wall panel with an energy-efficient insulation according to embodiments of the present invention;

[0011] FIG. 1B depicts a diagram of the wall panels coupled with two columns integrated with a foundation footer in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;

[0012] FIG. 1C depicts a diagram showing the wall panel with hinges according to embodiments of the present invention;

[0013] FIG. 2 depicts a diagram of a method for manufacturing the wall panel according to embodiments of the present invention; and

[0014] FIG. 3 depicts a diagram of a reinforcement layer according to embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0015] Reference to a specific embodiment or a similar expression in the specification means that specific features, structures, or characteristics described in the specific embodiments are included in at least one specific embodiment of the present invention. Hence, the wording in a specific embodiment or a similar expression in this specification does not necessarily refer to the same specific embodiment.

[0016] Hereinafter, various embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Nevertheless, it should be understood that the present invention could be modified by those skilled in the art in accordance with the following description to achieve the excellent results of the present invention. Therefore, the following description shall be considered as a pervasive and explanatory description related to the present invention for those skilled in the art, not intended to limit the claims of the present invention.

[0017] Reference to an embodiment, a certain embodiment or a similar expression in the specification means that related features, structures, or characteristics described in the embodiment are included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Hence, the wording in an embodiment, in a certain embodiment or a similar expression in this specification does not necessarily refer to the same specific embodiment.

[0018] Embodiments of a concrete composite wall panel with an energy-efficient insulation and method of its manufacture that can be used in a construction system for erecting multipurpose industrial buildings with the controlled indoor environment are described herein. In particular, the present disclosure is directed to a method for manufacturing a concrete composite wall panel with an energy-efficient insulation. The construct and method of manufacture of the concrete composite wall panel with an energy-efficient insulation allows its application in erecting multipurpose industrial buildings with the controlled indoor environment.

[0019] Generally, the construction material of choice for modern industrial structures is concrete. Concrete is a durable material, and readily available around the world. It can be used to form walls and columns of the industrial building. Conventional cast-in-place concrete construction relies on the use of labor-intensive, time-consuming, built-in-place formwork that must be erected for each wall panel. The formwork takes up space that could be used for moving around the site and is a time-consuming process.

[0020] Given the time-consuming nature of cast-in-place concrete, the concept of casting off-site arose, with the pre-cast concrete pieces then being assembled on-site. While moving the slow and time-consuming process of pouring concrete and waiting for cure, to an off-site location, does speed up the process of construction, the resulting structure lacks the strength of a cast-in-place building due to weak connectivity.

[0021] The present invention solves the foregoing issues of manufacturing the concrete composite wall panel with an energy-efficient insulation that is manufactured using the continuous moulding method.

[0022] Further, prefabricated reinforced concrete sandwich composite panels are generally formed by clamping heat-insulating materials in inner and outer reinforced concrete slabs and connecting the three layers of materials through connecting pieces. Such constructs has the advantages of convenience in construction, heat preservation, heat insulation, sound insulation, good fireproof performance and the like.

[0023] More specifically, an outer leaf wall in traditional prefabricated reinforced concrete sandwich composite wall panel is ordinary reinforced concrete, and the three-layer material passes through oblique inserted bar and connects to form wholly. The cost is relatively low, but such design has certain problems. For example, the reinforced concrete inner and outer leaf wall boards have relatively large thickness and heavy self-weight components, and are inconvenient for transportation, hoisting and installation in the industrial building construction process. The prefabricated reinforced concrete wallboard usually has poor crack resistance, and cracks often appear in the construction process and as a result of external environment on the anchoring end of the connecting piece. Additionally, the reinforcing steel bar, which is often used as a connecting piece, has a high heat conductivity coefficient thereby causing a heat bridge effect and reducing a heat insulation qualities.

[0024] Embodiments of the present invention address the forgoing shortcomings by providing the concrete composite wall panel having three layers with an energy-efficient insulation. The wall panel can be provided with two thin layers of reinforced concrete with effective thermal insulation between them connected to each other by fiberglass connections. In addition, a reinforced mesh to ensure rigidity of the panel can also be provided. Embodiments of the present invention are illustrated by FIGS. 1-3 in more detail below.

[0025] FIG. 1A shows a diagram of a concrete composite wall panel 100 according to embodiments of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1A, the wall panel 100 can be provided with two sheets 1 and an insulation layer 2 sandwiched between the sheets 1.

[0026] The sheets 1 can be manufactured from high-strength concrete, for example, having compression strength of 8000 pounds per square inch (PSI). The installation layer 2 can be made from extruded polystyrene insulation (XPS), for example, Styrofoam Brand SM XPS Foam type I distributed by DuPont corporation.

[0027] Two reinforcement layers 3 can also be provided between the first sheet 1 and first side of the insulation layer 2 and the second sheet 1 and the second side of the insulation layer 2. The reinforcement layers 3 are preferably made from steel or steel alloy mesh.

[0028] To further enhance the strength of the bond between the layers of the wall panel 100, a truss connector 4 can be added to the sheets 1. For example, the connector 4 can be a Nu-Tie connector distributed by Aslan.

[0029] The wall panel 100 can additionally be provided with lifting hinges 6 for transport of the wall panel 100 to a construction site. The hinges 6 are preferably made from galvanized steel or steel alloy

[0030] FIG. 1B illustrates the means to connect the wall panels 100 for a wall construction of the industrial building. The wall panels 100 are shown coupled with two columns 10 integrated with a foundation footer 12 in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. The columns 10 are described in the U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/900,097.

[0031] According to embodiments of the present invention, the wall panels 100 can be connected by using a plug-type connection. For example, plugs 7 are configured to be inserted into a socket 9 to establish a secure connection between the two wall panels 100 (as shown in FIG. 1B). Additionally, a lock 8 can be provided for additional securement of the two wall panels 100, the lock 8 can be made from, for example, a bitumen sealing cord with a labyrinth lock.

[0032] FIG. 1C illustrates hinges 5, which allow lifting the wall panel 100 to a construction site. The hinges 5 can be of any suitable configuration and strength suitable for transporting the wall panel 100 of a particular size and weight. For example, the hinges 5 can be Galvanized steel lifting hinges.

[0033] The preferred dimensions of the wall panel 100 can be as follows. The length of the wall panel 100 can be from 5 feet to 31 feet depending on the industrial building size being assembled. The height of the wall panel 100 can be from 5 feet to 17 feet depending on the industrial building size being assembled. And, the thickness of the wall panel 100 (including all three layers does not exceed 8 inches in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

[0034] FIG. 2 illustrates a method 200 according to embodiments of the present invention for formation of the wall panel 100 off-site to be transformed to the construction site and be implemented during the construction of the industrial building. As shown in FIG. 2, first a cleaning step 210 is carried out by cleaning a formwork table (not shown), for example, with a disc motorized tool, and a formwork (not shown), including plywood elements.

[0035] Next, a step of formwork assembly 215 is carried out. During the formwork assembly, first magnetic locks are installed to fix the embedded parts to the formwork in the exact designated positions according to a specification. Then, additional elements are installed. Additional elements such as doors, windows, louvers can be made from plywood or XPS boards or other suitable materials. The installation can be performed using hot-melt glue, self-tapping screws and magnetic boxes (in some cases also with hot-melt glue). The final step of formwork assembly 215 includes formwork lubrication by spraying a lubricant using a spray gun over surface of the magnetic boards, pallet, liners and other additional formwork elements. The pressure in the atomizer should be between 4 and 6 bar. Among other benefits, the lubrication prevents concrete sticking to the formwork surfaces and protects the surfaces.

[0036] The next step of reinforcement installation 220 is carried out by installing the reinforcement layer 3, a required number of clips (not shown) of the predetermined size to ensure the correct spatial arrangement of the reinforcement layer 3 (steel mesh) (shown separately in FIG. 3) and installing additional reinforcement cage elements (not shown). The number of clips is selected based on the massiveness of the reinforcement frame and the area of the product. Generally, one or two clamps are required per one square foot. Additionally, side clamps (not shown) can be installed for further integrity of the assembly.

[0037] The installation of reinforcement layer 3 in the step 220 is carried by placing the reinforcement meshes into the formwork using a traverse. Then, installation of the required reinforcing elements is carried out to ensure the positioning by means of binding wire.

[0038] The step of concreting the first sheet 1 230 is performed by pouring the concrete mixture into the formwork. The concrete mix container preferably is pre-treated with grease at least 30 min before the concrete mixture is delivered. The concrete mixture can be delivered following the steps of (i) laying the concrete mixture in the required amount, distributing and leveling it in the mold with a hand tool; (ii) compacting the concrete mixture using the integrated vibration compaction system; (iii) checking the level of the concrete mixture using a tape measure or measuring template (for the second sheet 1 of the wall panel 100); and (iv) cleaning the formwork table and the magnet boards from the residues of fresh concrete mix;

[0039] The step of installing the insulation layer 2 235 is preferably carried out immediately after the step of concreting the first sheet 1 230. According to embodiments of the present invention, the insulation layer 2 is installed by providing the XPS slab and boards on top of the first sheet 1. Any gaps greater than 3/16 between the XPS boards and framework are preferably sealed using a silicone sealant or taped.

[0040] The next step of installing fiberglass ties 240 (not shown) is carried out by drilling holes in the insulation layer 2 and installing the fiberglass ties in the holes. The installation of the ties preferably takes place not later than 45 minutes from concreting the first sheet 1. After the fiberglass ties installation, additional reinforcement elements such as rods, bent brackets (clamps) anchor bars, screws and binding wires, are used to secure the assembly.

[0041] Next, the installation of the second reinforcement layer 3 is carried out in the step 250, using the same process as in the step 220, by placing the reinforcement meshes into the formwork using a traverse.

[0042] In the step 255, installation of additional hardware is carried out by adding project parts and fixing them to the formwork or reinforcement layer 3.

[0043] In the step 260, the second sheet 1 installation is carried out by pouring the concrete mixture over the insulation layer 2 installed in the step 235 and reinforcement layer 3 installed in the step 250. During concreting of the second sheet 1 it is allowed to overflow the level of the concrete mixture of the second sheet 1 by 3/16 inch to allow for the subsequent finishing of the surface. The finishing should not be carried out using the vibration compaction but rather a troweling machine.

[0044] In the next step 265, the wall panel 100 is covered, for example, with the thermal blankets, spreading it evenly and fixing it securely for at least twelve hours.

[0045] The step of disassembly 270 is carried out by dismantling the formwork and removal of additional equipment elements. Additionally, the wall panel 100 is inspected and all foreign objects, such as XPS inserts for voids, recess openings and anchor bars, are removed. Styrofoam plugs are inserted into the holes formed by the corrugated tubes and the perimeter of the plugs' circumference is treated with silicone sealant. The chamfer formation is inspected, and build-up and other unconformities are removed via sandpaper or other means.

[0046] The final step of the wall panel 100 production 275, is acceptance of the wall panel 100 by a quality control officer and dispatching the wall panel 100 to the warehousing or construction site.

[0047] The foregoing detailed description of the embodiments is used to further clearly describe the features and spirit of the present invention. The foregoing description for each embodiment is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. All kinds of modifications made to the foregoing embodiments and equivalent arrangements should fall within the protected scope of the present invention. Hence, the scope of the present invention should be explained most widely according to the claims described thereafter in connection with the detailed description, and should cover all the possibly equivalent variations and equivalent arrangements.

[0048] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the present invention. As used herein, the singular forms a, an and the are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms comprises and/or comprising, when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, element components, and/or groups thereof.

[0049] The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of all means or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure, material, or act for performing the function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. The description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form described. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.