A construction module and method of construction

Abstract

A Construction Module and Method of Construction There is provided a construction module comprising an outer skin (1) of a first material, the outer skin defining an interior cavity therewithin and an

Description

[0001] A Construction Module and Method of Construction

[0002] This invention relates to a construction module comprising an external skin of metallic, composite or other materials and internal filling of materials that may be different from the material of the external skins and where the assembled modules are selectively joined by means of removable mechanical fasteners.

[0003] Background

[0004] Construction assemblies composed of outer skins with internal concrete filling are known. One such system is described in International Patent Publication No. W02019138233; however, such assemblies are joined by means of welding. Such welding is usually performed on the geographic site of permanent installation which requires stringent, and therefore expensive, quality control and health and safety measures. Some existing systems rely in their construction on the ability to fully construct the walls and floors then pour the concrete in one continuous pour - or a number of large pours. The main purpose of such methods of concrete pouring is to cut down construction time. Furthermore, with the latter design relying on concrete flowing between floors and walls, the quality control requirements must be exceptionally stringent to ensure the concrete reaches every corner of the construction. Most importantly, such methods makes it extremely difficult to disassemble such constructions since the assembled units are permanently welded together.

[0005] The present invention proposes materials or installations that form a composite structure that is made of a construction of modules each made of an outer skin of metallic, composite or other materials and internal filling of a material which may be different from the outer skin and that is filled within the skin on the geographic site of permanent installation or another site where the modules are joined by means of mechanical fasteners. This new joining method allows the joining of the modules by removable mechanical fasteners which allows disassembling of the modules with relative ease - and without the need to destroy the mechanical fasteners. The structural composite structure can be used for walls, floors, roofs or other similar structures.

[0006] Summary

[0007] The invention relates to a construction module comprising:- an outer skin of a first material, the outer skin defining an interior cavity therewithin; an inner filling material of a second material which substantially fills the cavity within the outer skin; connecting members adapted to allow mechanical joining of one module to another like module; and mechanical fasteners for connecting said connecting members to an adjacent like module to form a composite structure of joined modules.

[0008] Optionally, said mechanical fasteners are removable.

[0009] Optionally, the outer skin comprises a first material on its outer portion and a second material on its inner portion. The first and second material may be the same as or different from one another. At least one or both of the first or second materials may comprise carbon steel and / or stainless steel and / or a glass-fibre reinforced plastic material.

[0010] Optionally, the mechanical fasteners may be removed without destruction thereof.

[0011] Optionally, the construction assembly could include but is not limited to the use of pre-formed polyhedral shaped blocks where the infill material is installed in the cavity within the skin on the geographic site of permanent installation or another site.

[0012] There is also provided a method of construction comprising assembling the aforementioned construction modules. This method may be performed on site or off site. Where performed off site the method may also involve constructing a plurality of modules into a larger sub-module comprising several modules in a pre-construction stage.

[0013] There is also provided a method of dismantling the resultant composite structure by removing the mechanical fasteners and disconnecting the joined modules from one another.

[0014] There is further provided a method of construction comprising assembling two or more construction modules into a resultant composite structure, each construction module comprising:- an outer skin of a first material, the outer skin defining an interior cavity therewithin; the cavity within the outer skin being substantially fillable by an inner filling material of a second material; connecting members adapted to allow mechanical joining of one module to another like module; and mechanical fasteners for connecting said connecting members to an adjacent like module to form a composite structure of joined modules.

[0015] Optionally, the method includes a preliminary step of infilling the second material in liquid form into the cavity within the outer skin so that the second material substantially fills the cavity.

[0016] Optionally, the method includes a further preliminary step of waiting for the second material to solidify within the cavity.

[0017] Optionally, the method includes a preliminary step of preparing a solid block of the second material in generally the shape of the cavity, and subsequently enclosing the second material within the cavity, in which the second material substantially fills the cavity. Optionally, the method includes a pre construction stage in which two or more construction modules are temporarily or permanently pre connected to form a larger sub-module comprising several modules, this pre construction stage occurring before the cavity is filled with the second material.

[0018] Optionally, the method includes a pre construction stage in which two or more construction modules are temporarily or permanently pre connected to form a larger sub-module comprising several modules, this pre construction stage occurring after the cavity is filled with the second material.

[0019] Optionally, the method includes at least partially dismantling the resultant composite structure or the / a sub module by removing the mechanical fasteners and disconnecting the joined modules from one another.

[0020] Optionally, the method includes at least partially reassembling the resultant composite structure or the / a sub module by after the at least partial dismantling, by reconnecting previously connected and disconnected modules with each other again.

[0021] The disassembled and reassembled modules be be reattached tot eh same modules the were previously attached, or to other modules. The reassembled resultant composite structure may be identical to or different from the resultant compositire structure assembled in such a pre construction phase.

[0022] It will be appreciated that previously assembled and disassembled modules could be used together with new modules that have never been pre assembled.

[0023] Further features and advantages of the aspects of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following description.

[0024] Brief Description of Drawings Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the following diagrams, in which:-

[0025] Figure 1 and 3 show a front view of an individual construction module according to the present invention;

[0026] Figure 2 shows a rear view of the same construction module shown in Figure 1; Figure 4 is an illustrative front view example of four such construction modules arranged adjacent to one another and prior to being joined together to one another by means of mechanical fasteners;

[0027] Figure 5 is an illustrative rear view of the same modules shown in Figure 4;

[0028] Figure 6 is an illustrative front view example of the four construction modules joined to one another by means of mechanical fasteners to form a section of composite structure;

[0029] Figure 7 is an illustrative rear view of the same joined modules shown in Figure 6.

[0030] Detailed Description

[0031] With particular reference to Figure 1, outer skin 1 acts to envelop and define an interior cavity (not shown) into which filling material may be poured or otherwise filled in order to form a construction module. Outer skin 1 may comprise a metallic, composite or other material. The afore-mentioned metallic material may be steel or any other metal and the afore-mentioned composite material may be fibre-reinforced plastic or any other material. The type and installation of the latter material is widely known to persons of relevant experience.

[0032] In Figure 1, mechanical fasteners 2 comprise metallic, composite, or other materials. The afore-mentioned metallic material may be steel or any other metal and the aforementioned composite material may be fibre-reinforced plastic or any other material. The type and installation of the latter material is widely known to persons of relevant experience. Mechanical fasteners 2 contain a plurality of sub fasteners (not shown) which are used to connect the module to further similar (or dissimilar) construction modules as will subsequently be described.

[0033] In Figure 1, an upper face 3 of outer skin 1 comprises a metallic, composite or other material. The afore-mentioned metallic material may be steel or any other metal and the afore-mentioned composite material may be fibre-reinforced plastic or any other material. The type and installation of the latter material is widely known to persons of relevant experience. Upper face 3 comprises at least one opening or aperture (not shown) into which infill material may be poured into the inner cavity defined by the outer skin. The filling and the solidifying may ocurr at any combination of a filling site, the geographic site of permanent installation, any other site, or during transit between any of the aforementioned sites. The infill material may be concrete or any other material or a mixture of a number of materials that may be filled in a fluid state and later solidify. This could include but is not limited to the use of pre-formed polyhedral shaped blocks that have been filled into a mould in a fluid state and have solidified in that mould at any combination of that filling site, the geographic site of permanent installation, any other site, or during transit between any of the previous sites. The polyhedral shaped blocks of solidified infill material may subsequently be inserted within the outer skin after solidification at any combination of the filling site, the geographic site of permanent installation, any other site, or during transit between any of the previous sites. The infill material could be any appropriate material with adequate properties; however, in one specific embodiment, it could for example have a density which is equal to or greater than 800 kilograms per cubic metre.

[0034] As best illustrated in Figure 3, a long tongue element 4 projects from one long edge of the construction module and a corresponding long groove 5 is provided in the opposite edge of the construction module. Similarly, a short tongue element 6 projects from one upper short edge of the construction module and a corresponding short groove 7 is provided in the lower short edge of the construction module. The tongue elements 4, 6 and grooves 5, 7 may be localised or continuous.

[0035] With particular reference to Figures 4 - 7, a method of assembling the construction modules into a composite structure shows an example of four construction modules prior to being joined together by means of mechanical fasteners. Figure 5 shows a further view of the four construction modules referred to in Figure 4 viewed on a plane that is rotated 180° from the plane where the modules are viewed in Figure 4.

[0036] Figure 6 shows an example of four construction modules being joined together by means of removable mechanical fasteners. The afore-mentioned removable mechanical fasteners may be bolts or any other mechanical fasteners that may removed without destruction thereof. The type and installation of the latter fasteners is widely known to persons of relevant experience. Alternatively, the mechanical fasteners may be of a permanent non-removable configuration. Figure 7 shows a further view of the four construction modules referred to in Figure 6 viewed on a plane that is rotated 180° from the plane where the construction modules are viewed in Figure 6.

[0037] This invention applies to any assembly intended solely or in part to be formed by construction modules if the construction modules are made of outer skins as described herein and filled with infill material which may be concrete or any other material or a mixture of a number of materials that may be filled in a fluid state and later solidify.

[0038] The resultant composite structure comprising the joined construction modules has a very high structural strength and which has a degree of blast resistance which can be useful in many applications - including nuclear power stations, high rise building cores, ammunition stores, or any other structures that require a degree of blast resistance.

[0039] An advantage of the construction modules of the described invention is that they can either be used in a permanent mode, where they are left assembled indefinitely, or can be used in a semi-permanent mode, where they can be dismantled after a short or longer period of time. Since the construction modules are connected by removable mechanical fasteners an optional semi-permanent mode is created without significantly damaging the structure of the construction modules. This can subsequently allow the construction modules to be re-used either in their entirety, or partially, or in sub sections that could have remained connected together at a different site (or multiple sites) at a different time or broken down to be recycled. This thereby optimises the whole-life monetary and environmental cost of the construction modules and related composite structure.

[0040] Although particular embodiments of the disclosure have been disclosed herein in detail, this has been done by way of example and for the purposes of illustration only. The aforementioned embodiments are not intended to be limiting with respect to the scope of the statements of invention.

[0041] It is contemplated by the inventors that various substitutions, alterations, and modifications may be made to the invention without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the statements of invention.

Claims

Claims1. A construction module comprising:- an outer skin of a first material, the outer skin defining an interior cavity therewithin; an inner filling material of a second material which substantially fills the cavity within the outer skin; connecting members adapted to allow mechanical joining of one module to another like module; and mechanical fasteners for connecting said connecting members to an adjacent like module to form a composite structure of joined modules.

2. A construction module according to Claim 1, wherein the mechanical fasteners are removable, preferably without destruction thereof.

3. A construction module according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the outer skin comprises an outer portion and an inner portion, and comprises a first material on its outer portion and a second material on its inner portion.

4. A construction module according to Claim 3, wherein the first and second materials are the same as one another.

5. A construction module according to Claim 3, wherein the first and second materials are different from one another.

6. A construction module according to any of Claims 3 to 5, wherein at least one or both of the first or second materials may comprise carbon steel and / or stainless steel and / or a glass-fibre reinforced plastic material.

7. A construction module according to any preceding claim, wherein the connecting members comprise a tongue and / or a groove.

8. A method of construction, the method comprising assembling two or more construction modules into a resultant composite structure, each construction module comprising:- an outer skin of a first material, the outer skin defining an interior cavity therewithin; the cavity within the outer skin being substantially fillable by an inner filling material of a second material; connecting members adapted to allow mechanical joining of one module to another like module; and mechanical fasteners for connecting said connecting members to an adjacent like module to form a composite structure of joined modules.

9. A method of construction according to claim 8, the method further comprising a preliminary step of infilling the second material in liquid form into the cavity within the outer skin so that the second material substantially fills the cavity.

10. A method of construction according to claim 9, the method further comprising a further preliminary step of waiting for the second material to solidify within the cavity.

11. A method of construction according to claim 8, the method further comprising a preliminary step of preparing a solid block of the second material in generally the shape of the cavity, and subsequently enclosing the second material within the cavity.

12. A method of construction according to claim 11, in which the second material substantially fills the cavity.

13. A method of construction according to any of claims 8 to 12, the method further comprising a pre construction stage in which two or more construction modules are temporarily or permanently pre connected to form a larger sub-module comprisingseveral modules, this pre construction stage occurring before the cavity is filled with the second material.

14. A method of construction according to any of claims 8 to 12, the method further comprising a pre construction stage in which two or more construction modules are temporarily or permanently pre connected to form a larger sub-module comprising several modules, this pre construction stage occurring after the cavity is filled with the second material.

15. A method of construction according to claims 13 or claim 14, the method further comprising at least partially dismantling the resultant composite structure or the / a sub module by removing the mechanical fasteners and disconnecting the joined modules from one another.

16. A method of construction according to Claim 15, the method further comprising at least partially reassembling the resultant composite structure or the / a sub module by after the at least partial dismantling, by reconnecting previously connected and disconnected modules with each other again.

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