Building Element With Through-Apertured Formation For Post-Tensioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing balcony construction methods lack effective thermal insulation between the balcony and the building's interior floor, leading to thermal bridges and complications with load transfer, particularly with post-tensioning tendons, which interfere with the thermal break system and slow down construction.
Innovation Solution
A building element with a through-apertured formation that allows post-tensioning tendons to pass through, minimizing the compromise of the thermal break by using a tubular member with apertures complementarily sized for the tendons, enabling load transfer while maintaining thermal insulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If a thermal break system is used to provide thermal insulation between the balcony and the building interior, then thermal energy loss is reduced, but load transfer capability is compromised and construction efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The building element is segmented into distinct functional zones: an insulating body for thermal insulation, and through-apertured formations for load transfer. This segmentation allows the thermal break system to maintain insulation performance while the apertured formations provide dedicated pathways for post-tensioning tendons, enabling load transfer without compromising thermal performance or construction efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The through-apertured formations are nested within the insulating body, with apertures complementarily sized to receive post-tensioning tendon members. This nested configuration allows the tendon members to pass through the thermal break system without disrupting the insulating material, enabling both thermal insulation and structural load transfer functions to coexist effectively.
2Strength
If post-tensioning tendons are used to transfer load across the thermal break, then load transfer capability is improved, but the thermal break system is compromised and construction is slowed
Solution Approach 1:
The insulating body has different local qualities: regions with through-apertured formations for load transfer and regions without apertures for optimal thermal insulation. The apertures are complementarily sized to receive tendon members, providing localized load transfer capability while minimizing disruption to the overall thermal break system. This local differentiation allows simultaneous optimization of both load transfer and thermal insulation.
3Strength
If conventional balcony construction is used to extend the floor part, then structural continuity is achieved, but thermal bridges are created between the balcony and building interior
Solution Approach 1:
The building element acts as an intermediary between the balcony and the building interior floor. It provides structural continuity through reinforcement elements and post-tensioning tendons while simultaneously creating a thermal break through its insulating body. This intermediary function resolves the contradiction by decoupling structural continuity from thermal continuity, allowing load transfer without creating thermal bridges.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables post-tensioning tendons to run across the thermal break, allowing for effective load transfer without compromising the thermal insulation, thus improving construction efficiency and reducing thermal energy loss.
Implementation Method 1
an insulating body and reinforcement elements crossing the insulating body
Data Source
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AI summary
A building element adapted to provide thermal insulation between two building parts such as a floor or ceiling slab and a balcony slab is described. The element comprises: an elongate insulating body; a plurality of reinforcing elements passing through and projecting on either side beyond the insulating body so as to be disposed in use within and serve to reinforce each of the two building parts; at least one through apertured formation extending transversely through the insulating body so as to be able to receive in use a post-tensioning tendon member. A building system including at least one such building element, a building structure incorporating such a building system and a method of building are also described.