GB2266102A - Method of constructing buildings - Google Patents

Abstract

A method of constructing a building includes the steps of: establishing a base (11) and erecting a structural frame (12- 15); providing a weather-protected zone in which at least part of the area of a weather protecting shield is provided by a curtain of insulation panels (26) erected in a position to form permanent wall insulation in the completed building; conducting interior building work, and building inner (29) and outer (28) skins of the wall one to each side of the curtain of insulation panels while said interior building work is in progress. The panels may be supported on a grid-work of stainless steel windposts (31, Fig 3, not shown) and horizontal channel section plastics members (32-34), arranged between the main steel columns (12) of the structural frame. <IMAGE>

Description

BUILDING METHOD AND WALL STRUCTURE The invention relates to a method of constructing a building and to a wall structure having particular relevance to the huiiding method.

In the establishment of commercial and industrial buildings, speed of construction has significant economic advantages. Building work has to take place in several stages, starting n h planning and site preparation and ending with fitting out. Many of these stages have to he carried out consecutively rather than concurrently. Any changes in procedure ellabling normally consecutive operations to he carried out concurrently can lead to substantial savings of time.

Time savings of this kind are particularly beneficial with large retail stores because opening a store early reduces the period of investment without return in the site and building works.

One critical factor in planning a building is to establish a weatherproof shell as early as possible to permit interior work which requires dry conditions before it can be allowed to proceed. Such work includes installation of electrical and other services, flooring, installation of stairs, lifts or elevators if required, installation of internal partitions, plastering and installation of ceilings. An objective of the invention is to provide a method of constructing a building which permits time savings to be made compared with conventional practice.

According to one aspect of the invention a method of constructing a building includes the following steps: a) establishing a base and erecting a structural frame, b) providing a weather-protected zone in which at least part of the area of a weather protecting shield is provided by a curtain of insulation panels erected in a position to form permanent wall insulation in the completed building, c) conducting interior building work while the curtain of insulation panels is providing weather protection for the weather-protected zone, d) building inner and outer skins of the wall one to each side of the curtain of insulation panels while said interior building work is in progress.

It has previously been proposed to provide a temporary curtain to give weather protection on a building site or to erect an inner or outer skin of a cavity wall to provide the required protection. however, temporary curtains are usually ineffective, subject to damage and they involve extra expense. Similarly, while one skin can possibly be built more quickly than a complete wall, any saving in time is marginal. In contrast, a curtain of insulation panels can be erected very quickly because the panels are usually light in weight and fixings are not required to be particularly strong or durable. In effect one is establishing temporary protection from a wall structure which will become permanent cavity insulation.

According to a secolld aspect of the invention a wall structure intended to form permanent insulation between two wall skins and also intended to provide temporary weather protection dllrillg building construction comprises a grid of uprights aiid horizontal members, and insulation panels supported by the grid.

The insulation panels may be standard rigid panels of expanded plastics material faced with aluminium foil.

These standard panels are sufficiently stiff and strong to withstand normal wind loads, particularly when the panel are supported around their edges. Similarly they do not normally deteriorate significantly on exposure to rain for a short period of time.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a cross section through part of a building in a partially completed state; Figure 2 is an enlarged cross section showing a detail of part of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view showing generally the same parts as Figure 2; Figure 4 is a cross section through the vertical member shown in Figure 3; and Figure 5 is a cross section through a horizontal member shown in Figure 3.

Figure 1 is a cross section through a part of the building showing areas below and above ground level.

Ground level is depicted by the line 10. A concrete base 11 carries a steel structure incorporating steel columns 12 (one of which is shown in dotted outline). These steel columns support horizontal steel I-beams 13 which in turn support additional steel work including steel beams 14 forming a flat roof structure and steel beams 15 forming a mansard sloping roof area adjacent to the edge of the building. Details of the structure of the roof are incidental to the invention and are described only briefly. The flat roof section may be provided with a steel structure in accordance with UK published patent specification UK A-2054694. The roof structure 14 supports insulation roof panels 16 carried on corrugated steel sheet 17. Any typical felt or similar weather resistant covering layer may be provided above the insulation 15. A typical drainage detail is illustrated at 18.

The mansard roof structure made up of steel beams 15 is insulated by typical insulation panels 19 supported on the main roof structure and by steel angles such as 21.

In the completed roof, angles 21 carry purlins to which rafters and a normal tile or slate roof are applied as indicated in dotted outline at 22.

The floor structure incorporates a typical concrete slab 23 complete with damp proof membrane and other usual details.

Pre-cast concrete inner and outer ground beams 24 and 25 rest on the base 11. The outer ground beam 25 runs continuously along the side of the building whereas there are several inner ground beams 24 extending between adjacent vertical steel columns 12. As shown for the lower part of the wall, the completed wall incorporates an insulation layer 26 in a cavity 27 formed between a brick outer skin 28 and a block-work inner skin 29. The invention is concerned particularly with the insulation layer 26 which will now be described in greater detail with reference to Figures 2 to 4.

As shown in Figure 3, at points intermediate the steel columns 12, stainless steel vertical windposts 31 extend upward from the inner ground beam 24 to attachment points (not shown) on the horizontal beams 13. Each windpost 31 is a box-section stainless steel column as shown in Figure 4. A function of the windposts in the completed building is to provide support for large areas of brickwork extending between columns 12.

The windposts 31 and a series of horizontal members such as 32, 33 and 34 build up a rectangular grid. The lower horizontal member 32 is a channel section plastics extrusion. Intermediate horizontal members such as 33 and 34 are generally I-section plastics extrusions with their webs horizontal. The outer edges 30 of the flanges of members 32, 33 and 34 are directed inward as best seen in Figure 5. The members such as 32 and 33 are located so that they remain in the plane of the wall by extensions such as 35 and 36 which extend beyond the end of the corresponding web and lie one to each side of the windpost.

Where the horizontal members 32 and 33 engage with steel columns such as 12, vertical plastic channel sections corresponding to that shown at 32 may run vertically adjacent to the column and incorporate suitable cut away sections for interlocking with the horizontal members.

This latter detail is not shown.

As shown in Figures 2, 4 and 5, insulation panels 37 are supported by the rectangular grid formed by windposts and horizontal members. A typical insulation panel measures 1.2 metres x 1.2 metres and has a thickness of 75 mm.

The insulation panels are each formed of rigid expanded foamed plastics covered on both sides with aluminium foil.

The method of construction of the insulation layer 26 is as follows. Firstly, the windposts are fixed in position by bolting them mild steel angle brackets such as 41 for securement to a ground beam 24 or an upper horizontal beam 13. Channel section members 32 are then placed in position at ground level, lifting one end to drop their extensions 35 around the windpost. The bracket 41 is spaced from the windpost by packing material 40 to allow room for an extension 35.

A first insulation panel is then placed in position with its lower edge within the channel 32. An I-section member 33 is then positioned along the upper edge of the insulation panel with the upper edge of the panel inside the lower channel of the horizontal member as shown in Figures 2 and 5. The inwardly directed ends of the flanges of both the channel section and I-section members grip edges of the insulation panels. A further insulation panel is then placed in the upwardly directed channel of the I-section member 33 and a further Isection member is placed above the panel to repeat the process. When the upper horizontal steel beam 13 is reached, the uppermost insulation panel is edged with a channel corresponding to channel 32 and any necessary adjustment of size of the panel is carried out immediately prior to installation.

Clips 42 shown in Figures 3 and 4 engage in slots 43 in the windposts and support the insulation panels.

The curtain of insulation panels made up by the panels supported by the windposts and horizontal members is sufficiently strong and durable to survive on a building site in typical weather conditions for a period of several weeks without deteriorating. In conjunction with weather protection provided by the roof, the curtain provides a weather-protected zone in the interior of the building. For the mansard roof area, the insulation may be relied on for providing weather protection provided suitable water tight seals are achieved between insulation panels. Adhesive tape might be sufficient to provide such a seal on a temporary basis. As an alternative in the mansard roof area, one might wish to advance further than the insulation stage before treating this roof area as providing sufficient weather protection for the interior of the building.On the flat roof section, it is a relatively quick operation once the insulation panels have been applied, to apply the usual weather protection such as layers of roofing felt.

Once a weather-protected zone has been established in the interior of the building, other building work which requires a dry environment can be commenced. Electrical wiring, flooring, building interior partitions, ceiling work and even some fitting out come into this category.

The weather-protected zone may be the whole of the interior of the building. However, with a large building, it is feasible to treat a smaller zone of the building adjacent to a curtain of insulation material and an area of at least partially completed roof as a weather-protected zone while corresponding exterior work is under progress in other parts of the building.

In order to complete the wall of the building, it is of course necessary to construct the block-work inner skin 29 and the brick outer skin 28. During this part of the building operation, stainless steel brick ties such as the ties 44 shown in Figure 3 are installed in the slots 43 and used to tie the inner and outer skins to the windposts. A pre-formed damp-proof course 45 supported on the insulation, is also incorporated into the brick outer skin.

The sequence in which various building operations can be carried out is of great significance to the invention.

Work proceeds normally through the stages of site preparation, establishing the concrete base, structural steelwork, installing ground beams and floor and any other work such as provision of services to the building which normally has to be carried out at an early stage.

As soon as the steelwork has been erected, the windposts, insulating curtain and at least part of the roof covering are installed. This provides a weather-protected zone in the interior of the building only a short time after the erection of the steelwork. Interior work needing a dry environment which normally cannot be commenced until the complete wall has been built, can now be commenced very much earlier. When planning, constructing and fitting out a building such as a retail superstore, the overall time saved by relying on the insulating curtain to provide temporary weather protection can be as much as six weeks in a project which would normally require about 40 weeks from site preparation to completion.

The economic benefits associated with such a saving are very significant. They bring forward by the above mentioned period of six weeks or so the time at which the capital investment in the project begins to yield a return.

Claims (9)

1. A method of constructing a building including the following steps: a) establishing a base and erecting a structural frame, b) providing a weather-protected zone in which at least part of the area of a weather protecting shield is provided by a curtain of insulation panels erected in a position to form permanent wall insulation in the completed building, c) conducting interior building work while the curtain of insulation panels is providing weather protection for the weather-protected zone, d) building inner and outer skins of the wall one to each side of the curtain of insulation panels while said interior building work is in progress.

2. A method as claimed in Claim 1 in which insulation panels supported on a sloping roof are also employed as part of the temporary weather protection.

3. A method of constructing a building as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 in which flat roofing is also employed as part of the weather protecting shield.

4. A wall structure intended to form permanent insulation between two wall skins and also intended to provide temporary weather protection during building construction comprises a grid of uprights and horizontal members and insulation panels supported by the grid.

5. A wall structure as claimed in Claim 4 in which the insulation panels are rigid panels of expanded plastics material faced with aluminium foil.

6. A wall structure as claimed in Claim 5 in which the horizontal members are channels of elongated plastics members in which the edges of the insulation panels are inserted.

7. A wall structure as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 6 in which in the completed wall the uprights form supports for the inner and outer skins.

8. A method of constructing a building substantially as described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.

9. A wall structure intended to form permanent insulation between two wall skins and also intended to provide temporary weather protection during building construction substantially as described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.