Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
METHOD OF MAKING PRECAST REINFORCED CONCRETE FORM
FIELD
[0001] This invention relates to methods for making pre-cast concrete forms
for forming
.. poured-in-situ concrete structures selected from the group consisting of
structural walls,
columns, floors and parapets of residential or commercial buildings.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Concrete wall construction has been historically mostly relegated to
the cast in
place method through the installation of formwork. This basically involves
setting up the
forms in advance, placing the required rebar and any external reinforcement to
secure
the forms in place when the concrete is poured, then pouring the concrete
inside the
forms. The concrete is allowed to cure sufficiently to enable the forms to be
removed
(stripped). It may be necessary after the forms are removed to brace the walls
while the
concrete continues to cure. The cycle therefore requires these operations to
be performed
on site. The schedule consequently becomes a critical factor because all these
elements
get on the critical path. Additionally, the formwork is not the best method in
terms of
quality, requiring several touch ups and patching to the walls after
stripping.
[0003] Precast reinforced concrete forms are introduced to address the
shortcomings of
traditional formwork. A precast reinforced concrete form has at least one
precast
.. reinforced concrete panel. A known method of making precast reinforced
concrete forms
can be time-consuming as the method only allows one concrete panel of the form
to be
made at a time. Typically, if the precast reinforced concrete form is to have
two concrete
panels, the concrete for the first panel is poured into a mold having a
reinforcement
structure positioned therein, and the first panel has to completely cure
before the form
can be rotated to make the second panel. Therefore, the process of making a
precast
reinforced concrete form using the known method can take many hours or even
days
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Date Recue/Date Received 2023-05-02
because multiple concrete panels of the same form must be cured sequentially.
Further,
rotating the form to make subsequent panel(s) can be cumbersome and difficult
due to
the size and weight of the cured concrete panel(s) and the reinforcement
structure cast
thereto. Special equipment may thus be required to rotate semi-complete forms.
[0004] Accordingly, the present disclosure aims to address the above-mentioned
issues
of the existing method of making precast reinforced concrete forms.
SUMMARY
[0005] The present invention, in one embodiment, provides a method of making a
form
for forming poured-in-situ concrete structures, the method comprising:
a) pouring a first load of concrete into a cavity of a mold, the mold
having a base, a
first side, a second side, a first end, and a second end, collectively
defining the cavity
therebetween, and the mold being configured to accommodate the entirety of the
form;
b) inserting a first face of a reinforcement assembly into the first load
of concrete, the
reinforcement assembly having a mesh, at least a first portion of the mesh
being adjacent
to an inner surface of a second face of the reinforcement assembly, the mesh
configured
to prevent concrete from bleeding therethrough, the reinforcement assembly
having a
first side and a second side; and
c) pouring a second load of concrete into the cavity, with at least some of
the second
load being on top of the first portion of the mesh and covering the second
face of the
.. reinforcement assembly,
wherein an inner space is defined between the mesh and the surface of the
first load of
concrete.
[0006] In some embodiments, a second portion of the mesh is adjacent to an
inner surface
of the first side of the reinforcement assembly to define a first gap between
the second
.. portion of the mesh and the first side of the mold.
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[0007] In some embodiments, pouring the second load comprises filling the
first gap with
some of the second load of concrete to cover the first side of the
reinforcement assembly.
[0008] In some embodiments, a third portion of the mesh is adjacent to an
inner surface of
the second side of the reinforcement assembly to define a second gap between
the third
portion of the mesh and the second side of the mold.
[0009] In some embodiments, pouring the second load comprises filling the
second gap
with some of the second load of concrete to cover the second side of the
reinforcement
assembly.
[0010] In some embodiments, the reinforcement assembly comprises a plurality
of
continuous chairs attached to the first face, the plurality of continuous
chairs extending
outwardly from the first face.
[0011] In some embodiments, the reinforcement assembly comprises a plurality
of
reinforcing members.
[0012] In some embodiments, the plurality of reinforcing member comprises a
plurality of
longitudinal reinforcing members and a plurality of lateral reinforcing
members.
[0013] In some embodiments, the mesh is coupled to at least one of the
plurality of the
longitudinal reinforcing members and/or the plurality of lateral reinforcing
members at one
or more of: the second face of the reinforcement assembly, the first side of
the
reinforcement assembly, and the second side of the reinforcement assembly.
[0014] In some embodiments, the mesh has a plurality of openings defined in
and each
opening of the plurality of openings is about 0.234" by about 0.375".
[0015] In some embodiments, inserting comprises covering the entirety of the
first face of
the reinforcement assembly with the first load of concrete.
[0016] In some embodiments, inserting comprises maintaining a distance between
the first
face and the base.
[0017] In some embodiments, the distance is about 30 mm.
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[0018] In some embodiments, the distance is maintained by a plurality of
continuous chairs
attached to the first face, the plurality of continuous chairs extending
outwardly from the
first face.
[0019] In some embodiments, inserting comprises positioning the reinforcement
assembly
relative to the mold such that the first portion of the mesh is parallel to
the base.
[0020] In some embodiments, the method further comprises curing the first load
and the
second load of concrete simultaneously.
[0021] In some embodiments, the second face of the reinforcement assembly has
at least
one insert coupled thereto, and wherein pouring the second load comprises
leaving a
portion of the at least one insert exposed, and the method further comprises,
after curing,
lifting the form out of the mold via the at least one insert.
[0022] Further features of the invention will be described or will become
apparent in the
course of the following detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, the
embodiments
thereof will now be described in detail by way of example, with reference to
the
accompanying drawings, in which:
[0024] Figure 1A is a perspective view of a precast concrete form according to
one
embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0025] Figure 1B is a side plan view of the precast concrete form of Figure
1A.
[0026] Figure 1C is a lateral cross-sectional view of the precast concrete
form of Figure
1B, taken along line A-A.
[0027] Figure 2 is an illustration showing a first step of a method for making
a precast
concrete form, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2021-08-27
[0028] Figure 3 is an illustration showing a second step of the method for
making the
precast concrete form.
[0029] Figure 4A is an illustration showing a third step of the method for
making a first
embodiment of the precast concrete form.
[0030] Figure 4B is an illustration showing a fourth step of the method for
making the
first embodiment of the precast concrete form.
[0031] Figure 5A is an illustration showing a third step of the method for
making a second
embodiment of the precast concrete form.
[0032] Figure 5B is an illustration showing a fourth step of the method for
making the
second embodiment of the precast concrete form.
[0033] Figure 6A is an illustration showing a third step of the method for
making a third
embodiment of the precast concrete form.
[0034] Figure 6B is an illustration showing a fourth step of the method for
making the
third embodiment of the precast concrete form.
[0035] Figure 7 is a partial transparent view of a portion of a panel of a
precast concrete
form, showing an insert configured to allow lifting of the precast reinforced
concrete
form, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0036] Similar references are used in different figures to denote similar
components.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0037] Figures 1A to 1C show an embodiment of a precast reinforced concrete
form 20 for
forming poured-in-situ concrete structures such as walls, columns, floors and
parapets
for residential or commercial buildings that can be made using a method
described
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Date Recue/Date Received 2021-08-27
herein. In the illustrated embodiment, form 20 is generally cuboid-shaped and
has a top
end 22a, a bottom end 22h, a first side 24a, and a second side 24b. Form 20
comprises at
least one precast reinforced concrete panel extending axially between the top
end 22a and
the bottom end 22b.
[0038] In the illustrated embodiment, form 20 has a pair of precast reinforced
concrete
panels 30a, 30b. The concrete panels 30a,30b are mirror images of one another
so only
panel 30a will be described in detail. The panel 30a has an inner surface 36
facing the
space in which the poured-in-situ concrete is to be placed, an outer surface
38 opposite
the inner surface 36, a top end 32a, a bottom end 32b, a first lengthwise side
34a, and a
.. second lengthwise side 34b. The outside surface 38 can be a smooth finished
concrete
surface. In some embodiments, panel 30a has a nominal thickness of about 50 mm
to
about 150 mm. In some embodiments, panel 130a has a nominal thickness of about
50
mm to about 70 mm. Panel 30a may be formed from air or non-air entrained
concrete
having the required psi prescribed by applicable codes. For example, typical
psi values
are about 3000-7000 psi.
[0039] The form 20 comprises a reinforcement assembly 40. In some embodiments,
the
reinforcement assembly 40 is a three-dimensional lattice and/or a cage-like
structure
made of reinforcing members. The reinforcing members may be rebars, threaded
wire
rods, or other materials as required pursuant to building codes in the
jurisdiction where
.. the form 20 is to be erected. Each reinforcing member may be about 15 mm to
about 25
mm in diameter. In the illustrated embodiment, the reinforcement assembly 40
comprises
a plurality of longitudinal reinforcing members 42 and a plurality of lateral
reinforcing
members 44. Other configurations of the reinforcement assembly 40 are
possible.
[0040] As best shown in Figure 1C, the reinforcement assembly 40 has a first
side 46a, a
second side 46b opposite the first side 46a, a first face 48a, and a second
face 48b opposite
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the first face 48a, with both faces 48a,48b extending between the sides
46a,46b. The first
side 46a is adjacent to the first side 24a of the form 20 and the second side
is adjacent to
the second side 24b of the form 20. In the illustrated embodiment, each face
48a,48b of the
reinforcement assembly 40 is cast into a respective one of the panels 30a,30b,
such that
the inner surfaces 36 of the panels 30a,30b are separated by the lateral
reinforcing
members 44.
[0041] In the illustrated embodiment, the form 20 has a mesh 52 that may be
incorporated
into or otherwise coupled to the reinforcement assembly 40. In some
embodiments, at
least a portion of the mesh 52 is positioned somewhere between the two
opposing faces
48a,48b of the reinforcement assembly 40. In the illustrated embodiment, the
mesh 52 is
placed on the inner surface of the second face 48b of the reinforcement
assembly 40. In
some embodiments, when the mesh 52 is secured to the second face 48b, there is
some
space between the lateral reinforcing members 44 of the second face 48b and
mesh 52. In
some embodiments, the mesh 52 is secured to one or more of the longitudinal
reinforcing
members 42 and/or lateral reinforcing members 44 by, for example, fasteners
such as
reinforcing cross ties and/or by welding. Other ways of attaching the mesh 52
to the
reinforcing members 42,44 are possible.
[0042] In some embodiments, the length and width of the mesh 52 is about the
same as
those of the second panel 30b. In some embodiments, a surface of the mesh 52
is cast on
to the inner surface 36 of the second panel 30b. In some embodiments, the mesh
52 is
substantially parallel to and space apart from the inner surface 36 of the
first panel 30a.
An inner space 50 is defined between the mesh 52 and the inner surface 36 of
the first
panel 30a. The inner space 50 is configured to receive the poured-in-situ
concrete when
the form 20 is erected at the building site. Additional rebar can be placed in
the inner
space 50 of the form 20 on site to meet design and/or building code
requirements. The
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Date Recue/Date Received 2021-08-27
dimensions of the precast reinforced concrete form depend on the specific
application of
the form and/or the particular design of the building where the form is to be
erected.
[0043] In some embodiments, the mesh 52 comprises galvanized metal. In some
embodiments, the mesh 52 is made of one or more galvanized carbon steel
sheets, such
as Stay-form , that are stretched to form a mesh having alternating lengthwise
portions
of solid ribs and expanded mesh. In some embodiments, each solid rib is about
3/4" thick
and is spaced part from an adjacent rib by about 3 7/8". In some embodiments,
the
openings in the mesh portions are each about 0.234" by about 0.375" and may be
parallelogram-shaped. Other configurations of the mesh 52 are possible. For
example, in
other embodiments, mesh 52 is a substantially solid sheet of material without
openings.
[0044] In some embodiments, the reinforcement assembly 40 has a plurality of
continuous chairs 58 (sometimes also referred to herein as "slab bolsters")
such as those
sold by RIV Concrete Supply (Lee's Summit, Missouri, USA). In the illustrated
embodiment, the plurality of continuous chairs 58 are attached to and
intermittently
spaced apart on the first face 48a, such that the continuous chairs 58 extend
outwardly
from the first face 48a. Each continuous chair 58 may extend axially along at
least a
portion of the length of the first panel 30a, for example, from about the top
end 32a to
about the bottom end 32b. In some embodiments, a portion of the outer tips 58a
of the
chairs 58 may be exposed on the outer surface 38 of the first panel 30a. In
some
embodiments, at least a portion of the chair 58 is made of plastic. For
example, the outer
tips 58a of the chair 58 may be made of plastic to prevent rusting thereof.
[0045] Figures 2, 3, 4A, and 4B illustrate the steps of a method for making
the precast
reinforced concrete form 20 (shown in Figures 1C and 4B) having two opposing
precast
concrete panels 30a,30b, according to one embodiment. A mold 60 is shown in
Figure 2.
The mold 60 has a base 62, a first side 64a, and a second side 64b opposite
the first side
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Date Recue/Date Received 2021-08-27
64a. The first and second sides 64a,64b extend between two opposing closed
ends which
are not shown in the Figures. A cuboid-shaped cavity 70 is defined between the
base 62,
the sides 64a,64b, and the closed ends of the mold 60. Cavity 70 is initially
empty. The
mold 60 is configured to accommodate therein the entirety of the four' to be
made so the
dimensions of cavity 70 are predetermined accordingly. Mold 60 may be made of
metal,
such as steel, or other suitable materials known to those skilled in the art.
[0046] Referring to Figure 3, a first load 110a of concrete is poured into the
mold 60 for
forming the first panel 30a of the form 20. The amount of concrete required
for the first
load depends on the desired thickness of the first panel 30a when cured. The
amount of
concrete for the first load 110a is sufficient to cover the surface of base 62
in cavity 70,
from side 64a to side 64b and from end to end. In some embodiments, the amount
of
concrete in the first load is selected to fully accommodate the first face 48a
of the
prefabricated reinforcement assembly 40 (shown in Figures 4A and 4B) therein
while
providing the desired thickness of the first panel 30a when the concrete is
cured. In some
embodiments, the concrete used to make form 20 is self consolidating concrete.
In some
embodiments, the self consolidating concrete is a highly workable concrete
that, in its
pre-cured wet state, flows easily around reinforcing members to fill voids and
formwork
with minimal compaction.
[0047] With reference to Figure 4A, once the first load 110a of concrete is in
place, the
reinforcement assembly 40 is placed into the cavity 70, with the first face
48a inserted into
the first load. In some embodiments, the reinforcement assembly 40 is inserted
into the
first load until at least the concrete fully covers the first face 48a. The
presence of the
plurality of continuous chairs 58 in the reinforcement assembly 40 helps
maintain some
distance between the first face 48a and the base 62 so that the first face 48a
is not directly
touching the surface of the base 62 and there is some concrete therebetween. A
suitable
amount of concrete cover around the first face 48a may be predetermined to
prevent the
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Date Recue/Date Received 2021-08-27
first face 48a from unintentionally extracted from the cured concrete panel of
the form 20
during use. The height of the continuous chairs 58 may vary depending on the
applicable
building codes. For example, building codes may require a 30 mm cover over
reinforcing
members for exterior walls, and in such instances, the height of the
continuous chairs 58
is about 30 mm.
[0048] The length of the mesh 52 is sized to be about the same as the distance
between
the ends of the mold 60 and the width of the mesh 52 is about the same as the
distance
between the sides 64a,64b of the mold 60, such that when the mesh 52 is
substantially
parallel to the base 62, the mesh 52 spans substantially the entire area of
the base 62 in
cavity 70. Once the reinforcement assembly 40 is placed into the first load,
as described
above, the mesh 52 extends from side 64a to side 64b and from end to end in
cavity 70
such that the inner space 50 is defined between the mesh 52, the sides 64a,64b
of the mold
60, and the first layer of concrete 110a.
[0049] With reference to Figure 4B, after the first face 48a of the
reinforcement assembly
40 is placed into the first layer of concrete 110a, a second load 110b of
concrete is poured
into the cavity 70 of the mold 60, on to the mesh 52 and second face 48b of
the
reinforcement assembly 40, to make the second panel 30b of the form 20. The
type of
concrete used to make form 20 and the configuration of the mesh 52 are
selected to
minimize any concrete segregation or bleeding through the mesh 52, when the
second
load 110b of concrete is placed on the mesh 52 in its pre-cured wet state. The
presence of
the mesh 52 helps prevent the concrete of the second load 110b from entering
the inner
space 50. In some embodiments, the second load of concrete is poured on to the
mesh 52
at least until the second face 48b of the reinforcement assembly 40 is fully
covered. In
some embodiments, the second load is poured on to the mesh 52 until the
concrete fills
.. up to about the height of the sides 64a,64b and/or ends of the mold 60 to
form the second
panel 30b. In some embodiments, the concrete of the second load 110b
sufficiently fills
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-08-27
the space between the lateral reinforcing members 44 of the second face 48b
and mesh 52.
The second load, when cured, forms the second panel 30b which is configured to
provide
a sufficient amount of concrete cover around the second face 48b to prevent
unintentionally extraction of same during use of the form 20, as described
above with
respect to first face 48a.
[0050] The reinforcement assembly 40 is configured to withstand the weight of
the
concrete of the second load 110b during pouring and curing with minimal damage
or
deformation of its structure. The reinforcement assembly 40 is also configured
to provide
stability during the handling and transport of the precast reinforced concrete
form 20 and
to provide structural integrity (e.g., flexural strength) to the form to
resist against the
hydraulic pressure of the wet concrete that is subsequently poured in situ
into inner space
50.
[0051] Using the above-described method of manufacture, both the first and
second loads
of concrete for forming the two panels 30a,30b of the form 20 can cure
simultaneously,
thereby minimizing manufacturing time. In some embodiments, it takes about 12
hours
or less for the first and second loads 110a,110b to cure. As a skilled person
in the art can
appreciate, the exact curing time depends on the composition and properties of
the
concrete used and the conditions of the environment in which the form is
cured.
[0052] Once the first and second loads 110a,110b of concrete are cured, the
precast
reinforced concrete form 20 is complete and can be lifted out of the mold 60
to be
transported to the building site. With reference to Figure 7, to facilitate
removal of the
form 20 from the mold 60, one or more inserts 82 can be cast into the second
panel 30b.
In the illustrated embodiment, the insert 82 is a coil tie member coupled to
one of the
lateral reinforcing members 44 and at least a portion of the insert 82 is
exposed at the
outer surface 38 of the second panel 30b. An eyebolt 84 can be threaded into
the coil tie
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Date Recue/Date Received 2021-08-27
82 to provide a hoisting point on the form 20 to allow an overhead crane to
lift the form
20 up and out of the mold 60. Other configurations of the insert 82 are
possible. For
example, insert 82 itself comprise a hook or the eyebolt 84 may be integrally
formed with
the coil tie member. In some embodiments, form 20 may have one or more
additional
inserts (not shown), for example, cast into one or both of the first and
second panels
30a,30b at the top end 32a thereof, to provide a hoisting point for the crane
at the building
site to lift the form to the desired location.
[0053] With reference to Figures 1A to 1C, the completed precast reinforced
concrete form
20 can be lifted by the tower crane to the desired location and then supported
and kept
.. vertical by temporary A-frame props 90 (shown in Figure 1A). Once the form
20 is erected
at the desired location, concrete can be poured into the inner space 50. In
some
embodiments, the concrete that is poured in situ may fill substantially the
entire volume
of the inner space 50, for the full length of the panels 30a,30b, up to the
top of the form
20. In other embodiments, the concrete is poured into the inner space 50 in
lifts. The
manner in which the poured-in-situ concrete fills the inner space 50 of the
form 20 may
depend on the design and specification of the building.
[0054] The concrete form 20 may be used to make load-bearing walls and/or
columns of
the building. In some embodiments, a plurality of forms 20 are used to provide
a
monolithic shear connection to the cast in place structure. This may be
achieved by
positioning two or more forms 20 side by side onsite; inserting additional
reinforcing
members (not shown) between adjacent forms before concrete is poured in situ
into the
inner spaces 50 of the forms 20; and then wet setting one or more dowels (not
shown)
into the freshly poured concrete at the top end 22a of the forms 20. The inner
space 50 of
the form 20 may accordingly be configured and sized to accommodate the
additional
reinforcing members that may be subsequently added on site in order to comply
with
requirements of the building design and/or specifications.
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[0055] Figures 2, 3, 5A, and 5B illustrate a method for making a three-sided
precast
reinforced concrete form 220 (best shown in Figure 5B), according to one
embodiment.
Form 220 is structurally similar to form 20 described above with respect to
Figure 4B,
except instead of having a separate panel on each face of the reinforcement
assembly,
form 220 has a precast reinforced concrete panel 230 that covers the first
side 46a, the first
face 48a, and the second face 48b of its reinforcement assembly 240. The
method begins
with an empty mold such as mold 60 as described in detail above with reference
to Figure
2.
[0056] Referring to Figure 3, a first load 110a of concrete is poured into the
mold 60 for
forming a first side of the panel 230 of the form 220. The amount of concrete
required for
the first load 110a depends on the desired thickness of the first side of
panel 230 when
cured. In some embodiments, the amount of concrete in the first load is
selected to fully
accommodate the first face 48a of the reinforcement assembly 240 (shown in
Figures 5A
and 5B).
[0057] With reference to Figure 5A, the reinforcement assembly 240 of form 220
is
structurally similar to the reinforcement assembly 40 described above with
respect to
Figures 1C and 4A, except reinforcement assembly 240 has a mesh 252 that is
configured
slightly differently from mesh 52 of assembly 40. In some embodiments, the
length of the
mesh 252 is about the same as the distance between the ends of the mold 60.
The mesh
252 has a first panel 254a and a second panel 254h. In some embodiments, the
first panel
254a is substantially orthogonal to the second panel 254h. In the illustrated
embodiment
shown in Figure 5A, the first panel 254a and the second panel 254h of the mesh
252 are
placed on the inner surfaces of the first side 46a and the second face 48b,
respectively, of
the reinforcement assembly 240. In some embodiments, when the mesh 252 is
secured to
the first side 46a and second face 48b, there is some space between the mesh
252 and the
lateral reinforcing members adjacent thereto.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2021-08-27
[0058] Once the first load 110a of concrete is in place, the reinforcement
assembly 240 is
placed into the cavity 70, with the first face 48a inserted into the first
load, as described
above with respect to reinforcement assembly 40 in Figure 4A. When the
reinforcement
assembly 240 is in place, the free side of the mesh 252 adjacent the first
panel 254a may
abut against the surface of the first load 110a of concrete. The first panel
254a is spaced
apart from and substantially parallel to the first side 64a of the mold 60,
thereby defining
a gap 256 therebetween. The other free side of the mesh 252 adjacent the
second panel
254b may abut against the second side 64b of the mold 60 and the second panel
254b may
be substantially parallel to the surface of the first load 110a. Accordingly,
the mesh 252
.. extends from the surface of the first load 110a to the second side 64b of
the mold 60 and
from end to end in cavity 70 such that an inner space 250 is defined between
the two
panels of the mesh 252, the second side 64b of the mold 60, and the first
layer of concrete
110a.
[0059] With reference to Figure 5B, after the first face 48a of the
reinforcement assembly
.. 240 is placed into the first layer of concrete 110a, a second load of
concrete is poured into
the cavity 70 of the mold 60, on to the mesh 252 and second face 48b of the
reinforcement
assembly 240, and into the gap 256, to complete the panel 230 of the form 220.
The
presence of the mesh 252 prevents the concrete of the second load from
entering the inner
space 250. In some embodiments, the second load of concrete is poured into the
cavity 70
at least until the second face 48b of the reinforcement assembly 240 is fully
covered. In
some embodiments, the second load is poured into the cavity 70 until the
concrete fills
up to about the height of the sides 64a,64b and/or ends of the mold 60. In
some
embodiments, the concrete of the second load sufficiently fills the space
between the
lateral reinforcing members and the mesh 252. The first and second loads, when
cured,
form the three-sided panel 230 which is configured to provide a sufficient
amount of
concrete cover around the first side 46a, the first face 48a, and the second
face 48b of the
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Date Recue/Date Received 2021-08-27
reinforcement assembly 240 to prevent unintentionally extraction of same
during use of
the form 220. In some embodiments, the panel 230 has a nominal thickness of
about 50
mm to about 150 mm when cured. In some embodiments, the panel 230 has a
nominal
thickness of about 50 mm to about 70 mm when cured.
[0060] The reinforcement assembly 240 is configured to withstand the weight of
the
concrete of the second load during pouring and curing with minimal damage or
deformation of its structure. The reinforcement assembly 240 is also
configured to
provide stability during the handling and transport of the precast reinforced
concrete
form 220 and to provide structural integrity (e.g., flexural strength) to the
form to resist
against the hydraulic pressure of the wet concrete that is subsequently poured
in situ into
inner space 250.
[0061] Once the first and second loads of concrete are cured, the precast
reinforced
concrete form 220 is complete and can be lifted out of the mold 60 to be
transported to
the building site. To facilitate removal of the form from the mold and/or
transportation
of the form, the form 220 may include one or more inserts 82 as described
above with
respect to form 20 and Figure 7.
[0062] Figures 2, 3, 6A, and 6B illustrate a method for making a four-sided
precast
reinforced concrete form 320 (best shown in Figure 6B), according to one
embodiment.
Form 320 is structurally similar to form 220 described above with respect to
Figure 5B,
except instead of having a three-sided panel, form 320 has a continuous
precast reinforced
concrete panel 330 that covers the first and second sides 46a,46b and the
first and second
faces 48a,48b of its reinforcement assembly 340. The method begins with an
empty mold
such as mold 60 as described in detail above with reference to Figure 2.
[0063] Referring to Figure 3, a first load 110a of concrete is poured into the
mold 60 for
forming a first side of the panel 330 of the form 320. The amount of concrete
required for
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-08-27
the first load 110a depends on the desired thickness of the first side of
panel 330 when
cured. In some embodiments, the amount of concrete in the first load is
selected to fully
accommodate the first face 48a of the reinforcement assembly 340 (shown in
Figures 6A
and 6B).
[0064] With reference to Figure 6A, the reinforcement assembly 340 of form 320
is
structurally similar to the reinforcement assembly 40 described above with
respect to
Figures 1C and 4A, except reinforcement assembly 340 has a mesh 352 that is
configured
slightly differently from mesh 52 of assembly 40. In some embodiments, the
length of the
mesh 352 is about the same as the distance between the ends of the mold 60.
The mesh
352 has a first panel 354a, a second panel 354b, and third panel 354c. In some
embodiments, the first and third panels 354a,354c are substantially parallel
to one another
but are substantially orthogonal to the second panel 354b. In the illustrated
embodiment
shown in Figure 6A, the first and third panels 354a,354c and the second panel
354h of the
mesh 352 are placed on the inner surfaces of the first and second sides
46a,46b and the
second face 48b, respectively, of the reinforcement assembly 340. In some
embodiments,
when the mesh 352 is secured to the first and second sides 46a,46b and second
face 48b,
there is some space between the mesh 352 and the lateral reinforcing members
adjacent
thereto.
[0065] Once the first load 110a of concrete is in place, the reinforcement
assembly 340 is
placed into the cavity 70, with the first face 48a inserted into the first
load and the mesh
352 extending from end to end of the mold 60, as described above with respect
to
reinforcement assembly 40 in Figure 4A. When the reinforcement assembly 340 is
in
place, the free sides of the mesh 352 adjacent the first and third panels
354a,354c may abut
against the surface of the first load 110a of concrete. The first and third
panels 354a,354c
are spaced apart from and substantially parallel to the first and second sides
64a,64b of
the mold 60, respectively, thereby defining respective gaps 356a,356b
therebetween. The
16
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-08-27
second panel 354h may be substantially parallel to the surface of the first
load 110a.
Accordingly, an inner space 350 is defined between the panels of the mesh 352
and the
first layer of concrete 110a.
[0066] With reference to Figure 6B, after the first face 48a of the
reinforcement assembly
340 is placed into the first layer of concrete 110a, a second load of concrete
is poured into
the cavity 70 of the mold 60, on to the mesh 352 and second face 48b of the
reinforcement
assembly 340, and into the gaps 356a,356b, to complete the panel 330 of the
form 320. The
presence of the mesh 352 prevents the concrete of the second load from
entering the inner
space 350. In some embodiments, the second load of concrete is poured into the
cavity 70
at least until the second face 48b of the reinforcement assembly 340 is fully
covered. In
some embodiments, the second load is poured into the cavity 70 until the
concrete fills
up to about the height of the sides 64a,64b and/or ends of the mold 60. In
some
embodiments, the concrete of the second load sufficiently fills the space
between the
lateral reinforcing members and the mesh 352. The first and second loads, when
cured,
form the continuous four-sided panel 330 which is configured to provide a
sufficient
amount of concrete cover around the first and second sides 46a,46b and the
first and
second faces 48a,48b of the reinforcement assembly 340 to prevent
unintentionally
extraction of same during use of the form 320. In some embodiments, the panel
330 has a
nominal thickness of about 50 mm to about 150 mm when cured. In some
embodiments,
.. the panel 330 has a nominal thickness of about 50 mm to about 70 mm when
cured.
[0067] The reinforcement assembly 340 is configured to withstand the weight of
the
concrete of the second load during pouring and curing with minimal damage or
deformation of its structure. The reinforcement assembly 340 is also
configured to
provide stability during the handling and transport of the precast reinforced
concrete
.. form 320 and to provide structural integrity (e.g., flexural strength) to
the form to resist
17
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-08-27
against the hydraulic pressure of the wet concrete that is subsequently poured
in situ into
inner space 350.
[0068] Once the first and second loads of concrete are cured, the precast
reinforced
concrete form 320 is complete and can be lifted out of the mold 60 to be
transported to
the building site. To facilitate removal of the form from the mold and/or
transportation
of the form, the form 320 may include one or more inserts 82 as described
above with
respect to form 20 and Figure 7.
[0069] The completed precast reinforced concrete forms 220,320 can be lifted
to the
desired location of a building side and can be erected and filled with in situ
concrete in
the inner spaces 250,350, as described above with respect to form 20. Further,
additional
reinforcing members and/or dowels may be added on site to forms 220,230 as
describe
above with respect to form 20.
[0070] Accordingly, the inclusion of a mesh in the reinforcement assembly of
the precast
reinforced concrete form allows a multi-sided or multi-panel form to be
manufactured in
fewer steps and less time than previous methods. By changing the configuration
of the
mesh, the shape of the completed form can be modified without changing the
steps of the
method.
[0071] While the principles of the invention have been shown and described in
connection with specific embodiments, it is to be understood that such
embodiments are
by way of example and are not limiting as is evident from the foregoing
description,
certain aspects of the present invention are not limited by the particular
details illustrated
in the drawings. Other modifications and applications, or equivalents, will
occur to those
skilled in the art. The terms "having", "comprising" and "including" and
similar terms
as used in the foregoing specification are used in the sense of "optional" or
"may include"
and not as "required". Many changes, modifications, variations and other uses
and
18
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-08-27
applications of the present construction will, however, become apparent to
those skilled
in the art after considering the specification and attached drawings. All such
changes,
modifications, variations and other uses and applications which do not depart
from the
spirit and scope of the invention are deemed to be covered by the invention
which is
limited only by the claims that follow. The scope of the disclosure is not
intended to be
limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the full scope
consistent
with the claims, wherein reference to an element in the singular is not
intended to mean
"one and only one" unless specifically so stated, but rather one or more. All
structural
and functional equivalents to the elements of the embodiment described
throughout the
disclosure that are known or later come to be known to those of ordinary skill
in the art
are intended to be encompassed by the claims.
19
Date Recue/Date Received 2023-05-02
