Removable Fire-Rated Wall Panels for Parking Garage Conversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Multi-level parking garages constructed near adjacent buildings face challenges due to the high cost, labor, and impracticality of removing or remodeling solid concrete exterior wall panels, which are load-bearing and meet fire regulations, limiting the ability to repurpose individual levels for alternative uses.
Innovation Solution
The use of lightweight, fire-rated, non-load bearing exterior wall panels that are independently and removably mounted to a load-bearing support structure, allowing for easy conversion or remodeling of multi-level parking garages by removing panels on a panel-by-panel or level-by-level basis, while meeting fire regulations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If solid concrete load-bearing exterior wall panels are used to meet fire regulations, then fire safety is improved, but the cost and labor required for construction increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the exterior wall system into separate components: a load-bearing support structure and removable non-load bearing wall panels. This segmentation allows the load-bearing structure to be constructed with standard materials while the wall panels can be made from lighter, more cost-effective materials that still meet fire safety requirements, eliminating the need for extremely thick concrete panels.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the load-bearing function from the exterior wall panels, placing it solely in the support structure. This allows the wall panels to be designed purely for enclosure and fire protection without needing to support structural loads, enabling the use of thinner, lighter materials that reduce construction cost and labor while maintaining fire safety.
2Strength
If solid concrete load-bearing exterior wall panels are used, then structural integrity is improved, but the ability to remodel or repurpose the building increases
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the load-bearing support structure from the wall panels, the patent enables independent modification of the panels without affecting structural integrity. The panels can be removed, replaced, or reconfigured for different uses while the support structure remains intact, providing high adaptability while maintaining strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic, removable wall panels that can be easily installed and removed, transforming the static concrete wall system into a flexible configuration system. This allows the building to adapt to changing needs over time while the permanent support structure maintains structural integrity.
3Reliability
If thick concrete wall panels are used to meet fire regulations, then fire resistance is improved, but the weight and difficulty of transport and erection increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the structural load-bearing function from the wall panels, allowing them to be made from lighter materials that achieve fire resistance through design and material selection rather than extreme thickness. This dramatically reduces panel weight while maintaining fire protection capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameters of the wall panels by reducing thickness and weight while compensating for fire resistance through alternative means such as fire-rated materials, intumescent coatings, or compartmentalization designs, eliminating the need for extremely heavy concrete panels.
4Strength
If load-bearing solid concrete exterior wall panels are used, then structural support capability is improved, but the ease of removal and reconfiguration for alternative uses increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the wall system into permanent load-bearing support structures and removable non-load bearing panels. This allows the support structure to provide necessary structural strength while the panels can be easily removed and reconfigured for different uses without affecting structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
By extracting the load-bearing function from the wall panels and placing it solely in the support structure, the patent enables easy removal and reconfiguration of panels while the support structure maintains structural support capability independently.
Data Source
AI summary
A multi-level parking garage constructed to be in close proximity to an adjacent building includes two or more levels above ground. Each of the two or more levels has a floor and a ceiling. The multi-level parking garage includes a load-bearing support structure for supporting the two or more levels and a plurality of fire-rated, non-load bearing exterior wall panels. Each of the exterior wall panels are independently and removably mounted to the support structure around at least a portion of a periphery of each of the two or more levels such that the plurality of exterior wall panels extend from the floor of each of the two or more levels to the ceiling of each of the two or more levels.