Concrete-to-Timber Floor Anchor for Lightweight Load-Bearing Slabs
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Solution Overview
Problem
The use of corrugated steel decks in concrete floors adds significant weight to the structure due to the thickness required to support poured concrete, necessitating a more robust structural support system.
Innovation Solution
An anchor system comprising a first portion attached to wooden sub-floor members and a second portion embedded in the concrete layer, connecting the concrete floor to the wooden sub-floor, which includes openings for fastening and a transverse extension to support rebar, enhancing load resistance and reducing structural weight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a corrugated steel deck is used to support poured concrete, then the floor structure gains strength and stability, but the overall weight of the structure increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a composite construction system combining wood subfloor members with concrete layers, fastened together using specialized anchors. This composite approach achieves the required structural strength through the combination of materials rather than relying solely on heavy steel decking, thereby reducing overall weight while maintaining load-bearing capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The floor structure is divided into discrete components: wood subfloor members, concrete layers, and anchor fasteners. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the wood provides lightweight structural support, the concrete adds surface durability, and the anchors provide controlled connection strength, collectively achieving high strength-to-weight ratio.
2Strength
If the corrugated steel deck is made thicker to support the concrete weight, then the load-bearing capacity increases, but the structural weight increases even more
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a single thick steel deck, the patent uses a composite system where a thinner wood subfloor is reinforced with concrete layers and specialized anchors. The wood provides the primary structural framework with adequate load-bearing capacity, while the concrete layers add surface strength and durability without requiring excessive thickness in any single material component.
Solution Approach 2:
The structural reinforcement is applied locally where needed - concrete layers are poured over specific areas of the wood subfloor, and anchors are strategically positioned to provide localized connection strength. This allows the structure to achieve necessary load-bearing capacity in critical areas without uniformly increasing material thickness throughout the entire floor system.
3Reliability
If traditional anchoring methods are used to connect concrete to wood subfloor, then the connection is achieved, but the load distribution and structural unity are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The anchors are installed in the wood subfloor members before the concrete is poured. This preliminary placement ensures proper positioning and alignment, allowing the concrete to be poured around the anchors and fully bond to both the anchor and the wood subfloor, creating a unified structural connection that effectively distributes loads across the entire floor assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The anchor acts as an intermediary element that bridges the wood subfloor and the concrete layer. It provides a mechanical connection that transfers and distributes loads between the two materials, ensuring structural unity and effective load resistance. The anchor's design allows it to engage both materials optimally, creating a reliable composite connection.
Data Source
Figure 1~1A
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
An anchor for connecting a concrete layer to timber supports in building. The anchor has a first portion and an intermediate section disposed between upper and lower edge margins dividing a height of the first portion into thirds. The first portion can extend between two adjacent members of the timber supports into the concrete layer of the floor. The first portion may have a plurality of openings to receive fasteners to attach the first portion to one of the two adjacent members to attach the anchor to the timber supports. A second portion of the anchor extends from the upper edge margin in a first direction that is transverse to the first portion, and is configured to be spaced apart from the timber supports and embedded within the concrete layer to attach the anchor to the concrete layer.