Prefabricated modular rebar modules and methods of using the same

Abstract

There is provided a reinforcing steel structure for use in a concrete building wall. The structure includes one or more prefabricated, welded cages having vertical reinforcing bars. A plurality of continuous ties extends around the vertical reinforcing bars and a plurality of shear ties extends generally horizontally between the vertical reinforcing bars. Each welded cage is sized and shaped for shipping and said structure can be formed onsite from a plurality of said cages lapped together. Concrete is added to the reinforcing steel structure to form a concrete building wall.There is also provided a reinforcing steel structure for use in a concrete building transfer or raft slab. The structure includes one or more prefabricated, welded beams. The prefabricated, welded beams have a top beam layer and a bottom beam layer, each having horizontal reinforcing bars, and a plurality of continuous ties extending generally vertically around the top and bottom beam layers. Each welded beam is sized and shaped for shipping and said structure can be formed onsite from a plurality of said beams lapped together. Concrete is added to the reinforcing steel structure to form a concrete building slab.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]This invention relates generally to the broad field of reinforced concrete and more particularly to the steel, or rebar used to reinforce the concrete. More particularly, this invention relates to methods and apparatus for constructing and installing rebar used in concrete construction.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Reinforced concrete is a well known and widely used building material which is used in building, bridges, roads, tunnels and other structural construction projects. Essentially the concrete, which is strong in compression but has no strength in tension, is reinforced with steel rods which pass through the zones of tension in the structural element. Engineers design the structural components; calculate the forces which will be generated by the structure, which may be carrying dynamic or static loads or both; and then develop a rebar plan to provide enough rebar reinforcement in the regions of the concrete structure where tension forces may be...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent is about a new way to make reinforced concrete structures. It uses prefabricated reinforcing steel modules that can be easily shipped and formed on the construction site. These modules have vertical reinforcing bars and continuous ties to hold them in place. This new method makes it faster and more efficient to create reinforced concrete structures.

Problems solved by technology

The fabrication of the re-bar cage according to the detailed design specifications can be slow and tedious work.

The rods themselves can be long and unwieldy.

The entire process of installing the components on site can be time consuming, which in turns increases the costs of the projects.

Delays in the construction of rebar cages can cause significant delays in the entire construction project since the installation of reinforced concrete will often be one of the first steps in a major building project.

Since the installation of the rebar components requires rodworkers and other workers to be present on site, any staffing issues may also cause delays in the overall project.

Constructing rebar structures for raft and transfer slabs onsite is also awkward in that incomplete cage assemblies may lead to partially built cage structures that are shaky and hard to walk on, causing safety issues.

Installation may also be more challenging where confined spaces exist during the construction of the slab layers.

It may also be challenging to place rebar on slabs that are deeper than 1800 mm or approximately 6′ in depth.

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