Concrete-to-Wood Foundation Coupling for Horizontal Beam Leveling

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Solution Overview

Problem

The challenge in modern wooden buildings is achieving stable coupling between concrete foundations and wooden vertical beams due to unevenness in the concrete foundation surfaces, leading to structural instability and increased construction complexity.

Innovation Solution

A method involving perforating anchor holes in the concrete foundation, installing post-installed anchors, aligning wooden vertical beams with nuts, and filling the gaps with non-shrinking mortar or wedge-shaped wooden washer plates to achieve simultaneous horizontal leveling and strong coupling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If traditional horizontal leveling methods (grinding, self-leveling mortar, reinforcing bars) are used on concrete foundations, then the horizontal surface can be improved, but the construction complexity and time increase, and these methods cannot be directly applied to wooden buildings

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehorizontal surface qualityVSAvoidconstruction process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines horizontal leveling and structural coupling into a single integrated operation. The leveling member is inserted into the gap between the concrete foundation and wooden understructure, simultaneously achieving horizontal alignment and providing a coupling interface, eliminating the need for separate leveling and coupling processes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The leveling member serves multiple functions: it provides horizontal leveling of the foundation surface, acts as a coupling element between concrete and wood, and creates a stable base for vertical beams. This multi-functional component replaces multiple separate operations with a single element

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Manufacturing precision

If plastic leveling members are inserted between foundation and understructure to achieve horizontal leveling, then the horizontal surface quality improves, but the device complexity and material requirements increase due to needing three types of materials (concrete, plastic, wood) and managing air layers

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehorizontal leveling accuracyVSAvoidnumber of materials and coupling steps

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the leveling function and coupling function into a single leveling member operation. The member is inserted into the gap and simultaneously achieves both horizontal alignment and structural coupling, reducing the number of separate components and steps required

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses wood as the leveling member material, which is homogeneous with the wooden understructure and vertical beams. This eliminates the complexity of managing interfaces between different materials (concrete-plastic-wood) and creates consistent structural properties throughout the wooden building system

Inventive Principle:

Principle #33Homogeneity

3Strength

If wooden vertical beams are coupled to concrete foundation with post-installed anchors, then the coupling strength improves, but the construction time increases due to multiple separate steps (anchor installation, leveling, beam coupling)

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoupling strength between concrete and woodVSAvoidconstruction period

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines coupling and leveling operations into a single step. The leveling member is inserted into the gap between foundation and understructure, and wooden vertical beams are then coupled to this leveled surface, completing both functions in sequence rather than as separate operations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The leveling member is inserted into the gap beforehand, creating a pre-leveled surface. This preliminary action allows subsequent beam coupling to proceed efficiently without requiring additional leveling operations during the coupling phase

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS12460405B2Method for horizontal leveling coupling between concrete foundation and wooden vertical beams

Publication Date: 2025.11.04 IND ACADEMIC COOP FOUND YONSEI UNIV

AI summary

A method is for horizontal leveling coupling between a concrete foundation and wooden vertical beams. The method includes (a) perforating n anchor holes in a predetermined position of the concrete foundation (where n is a natural number that is greater than or equal to 2); (b) installing a post-installed anchor in each of the n anchor holes; (c) coupling each of nuts to each thread-shaped anchor head located on an upper portion of the post-installed anchor, wherein the nuts are coupled so that upper surfaces of the nuts coincide with a reference surface X1; (d) preparing wooden vertical beams having lower surfaces in which insertion holes into which the nuts are inserted, are formed; (e) installing the wooden vertical beams by moving the wooden vertical beams in a horizontal direction so that the nuts are inserted into the insertion holes formed in the lower surfaces of the wooden vertical beams, wherein a movement direction of each of the wooden vertical beams is one of two or more movement directions; and (f) filling a space between lower surfaces of the concrete foundation and the nuts with a predetermined member.