Climbing Jack Building Construction System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional methods of constructing tall buildings are time-consuming and costly due to the need for lifting and connecting structural elements using cranes, and recent methods that construct from the top down require strand jacks that are difficult to install and remove.
Innovation Solution
A building construction system that uses a vertical support core with a climbing rail and climbing jack to raise floor plates from ground level, attaching them to the core with connecting rails that provide redundant load paths, eliminating the need for strand jacks and allowing safer attachment without working underneath the plates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional bottom-up construction method is used, then structural elements can be assembled sequentially, but construction time and cost increase significantly due to crane operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional construction sequence by building floor plates at ground level and lifting them upward, rather than assembling elements from bottom to top. This reversal eliminates the need for cranes during assembly and significantly accelerates construction while maintaining ease of assembly through ground-level work
2Productivity
If top-down construction method with strand jacks is used, then construction speed improves, but installation and removal of strand jacks becomes difficult and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the lifting function from the complex strand jack system and implements it through a simpler climbing jack mechanism that moves along external rails. This separation of lifting function from the main structure reduces device complexity while maintaining high construction speed
Solution Approach 2:
The climbing jacks are designed as temporary, movable devices that can be easily installed and removed, replacing the permanent-looking strand jack system. These simpler devices perform the lifting function temporarily during construction and are then discarded, reducing overall system complexity
3Ease of operation
If floor plates are attached from underneath, then attachment is easier, but worker safety is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates alignment holes and connecting rails into the floor plate design before construction begins. These preliminary features enable workers to attach plates from above in a safe manner, eliminating the need to work underneath while maintaining ease of attachment through pre-planned connection points
4Ease of manufacture
If climbing jacks are used instead of strand jacks, then installation and removal is simplified, but additional climbing rails must be installed
Solution Approach 1:
The climbing rails serve multiple functions: they guide the climbing jacks during lifting operations, provide structural support for the lifting process, and can be integrated with the building's external architecture. This multi-functionality justifies the additional rail system by eliminating the need for complex strand jack installations
Data Source
AI summary
A method of constructing a building includes constructing a vertical support core of the building, and attaching a climbing rail to an exterior of the vertical support core. The climbing rail includes holes spaced vertically. A first floor plate is constructed around a periphery of the vertical support core, at a ground elevation, and includes at least one connecting rail having vertically spaced holes. A climbing jack is attached to the climbing rail, and moved vertically upward on the climbing rail to raise the first floor plate to a first floor final elevation. The first floor plate is permanently attached to the climbing rail at the first floor final elevation by inserting a pin through aligned holes in the connecting rail and the climbing rail.