Pedestal Tile Support Structure for Drainage and Wind Uplift
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tile and support systems for outdoor deck and roof systems face challenges in providing a stable, drainage-efficient, and maintenance-free surface, particularly in handling water and preventing puddling and wind uplift, while allowing for some movement without damaging the tiles.
Innovation Solution
A tile and support structure system that includes joists, support structures with flanges and apertures, and tiles with grooves and protrusions, allowing for secure positioning and drainage, and optionally using pedestals with spines and rails for additional support, enabling tiles to be securely fixed in multiple dimensions and preventing uplift.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If tiles are securely fixed to prevent wind uplift, then stability is improved, but the system becomes more complex requiring additional support structures
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure is divided into modular components: pedestals positioned at corners and intermediate points, with L-brackets that can be selectively applied only where needed for wind uplift resistance. This segmentation allows the system to achieve stability through distributed, simple elements rather than a complex unified structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Pedestals are pre-positioned on the substrate before tile installation, establishing a stable foundation in advance. The L-brackets are designed to be pre-assembled on the pedestals, allowing for preliminary stabilization without requiring complex field adjustments during tile installation.
2Stability of the object's composition
If tiles are rigidly fixed to prevent movement, then stability is improved, but the system becomes vulnerable to freeze-thaw damage
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs a dynamic fixation approach where tiles rest on pedestals with allowable micro-movement, rather than rigid bonding. The L-brackets provide rotational constraint but allow thermal expansion and contraction, accommodating freeze-thaw cycles while maintaining stability against wind uplift through the pinned connection at the pedestal.
3Ease of operation
If a continuous surface is created without grout, then maintenance is reduced, but tile positioning precision must be higher
Solution Approach 1:
The pedestals are designed with built-in adjustment mechanisms that allow installers to self-level the tile surface without requiring precise pre-positioning. The adjustable height features of the pedestals compensate for substrate irregularities, enabling grout-free installation with standard tile tolerances while maintaining a flat, maintenance-free surface.
Data Source
AI summary
In one aspect of a tile and support structure, a support structure may be engaged with a top portion of a pedestal. The support structure may be formed with a generally vertical spine having at least one rail extending outward from a distal end thereof. The spine and rail(s) may be configured to secure one or more tiles, which tiles may be formed with a groove on at least one edge thereof, and wherein one or more rails may be positioned within the groove.