Building element and structure

Abstract

A precast concrete building element and structure constructed from such elements, the elements being designed so that either face of the element can be used in the design of the construction of retaining walls, foundations, posts or other structures, wherein one face of the element gives the appearance of a dual vertical octagon shape, and the other face of the element is vertically flat faced, with a 45 degree vertically angled corner on each end of the element. Thus, the overall wall or structure gives the appearance of repeating vertical part octagonal shapes. Through various configurations of such a design, arrangements of elements to form structures which have an internal angle of 45, 90 and 135 degrees are possible. The structure can be designed so that it can be stacked straight up, in that each element comprising the structure has a groove or channel on a bottom of the element, which internally extends a length of the element, and a top surface of the element has two button shaped protrusions thereon. The protrusions are designed to allow each element to lock or connect into the groove or channel of another element placed thereon.

1 . A building element for use in the construction of elevated structures comprising: 
 front and rear faces;    a channel formed internally on an underside of the element;    first and second sides; and    first, second, third, and fourth diagonal sides, wherein said front and rear faces are disposed approximately parallel to each other, said first and second sides are disposed approximately parallel to each other, the first one of the diagonal sides being disposed between said front face and said first side, the second one of the diagonal sides being disposed between said front face and said second side, the third one of the diagonal sides being disposed between said rear face and said first side, and the fourth one of the diagonal sides being disposed between said rear face and said second side.    
   
   
       2 . A building element according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a protrusion projecting from a top surface of the element, said protrusion being dimensioned slightly narrower than a width of said channel and being capable of insertion into the channel of another element, so as to secure the elements together.    
   
   
       3 . A building element for use in the construction of elevated structures comprising: 
 eight sides forming a substantially octagonal shape;    a channel formed internally on an underside of the element; and    a protrusion projecting from a top surface of the element, said protrusion being dimensioned slightly narrower than a width of said channel and being capable of insertion into a channel of another element, so as to secure the elements together.    
   
   
       4 . A building element for use in the construction of elevated structures comprising: 
 a front face comprising first and second halved portions, each of the halved portions being substantially part octagonal in shape;    a substantially planar rear face which extends substantially the length of the first and second halved portions;    first and second sides;    a channel formed internally on an underside of each of the halved portions of the element; and    a protrusion projecting from a top surface of each of the halved portions of the element, said protrusion being dimensioned slightly narrower than the width of said channel and being capable of insertion into the channel of another wall element so as to secure the elements together.    
   
   
       5 . The building element according to  claim 4 , wherein each of the halved portions each further comprise first and second diagonal sides, a first one of the diagonal sides being disposed between said front face and said first side, and a second one of the diagonal sides being disposed between said front face and said second side, and wherein the first halved portion further comprises a third diagonal side being disposed between said rear face and said first side of said first halved portion, and wherein the second halved portion further comprises a fourth diagonal side being disposed between said rear face and said second side of said second halved portion.  
   
   
       6 . The building element according to  claim 5 , wherein the second diagonal side of the first halved portion intersects the first diagonal side of the second halved portion at a mid-point on the element, the mid-point being recessed back from the front face of the element.  
   
   
       7 . The building element according to  claim 1 , wherein the element is formed of concrete.  
   
   
       8 . The building element according to  claim 1 , wherein a textured exterior finish is provided for the element.  
   
   
       9 . The building element according to  claim 1 , wherein a 45 degree internal corner is formed by the face of the element and an adjacent face of another element.  
   
   
       10 . The building element according to  claim 1 , wherein a 90 degree internal corner is formed by the face of the element and an adjacent face of another element.  
   
   
       11 . The building element according to  claim 1 , wherein a 135 degree internal corner is formed by the face of the element and an adjacent face of another element.  
   
   
       12 . An elevated structure comprising a plurality of mutually juxtaposed and interconnected building elements as defined in  claim 2 .  
   
   
       13 . The elevated structure according to  claim 12 , wherein protrusion-free elements are located on a top surface of said structure as capping elements so as to provide a substantially planar top surface for said structure.  
   
   
       14 . The elevated structure according to  claim 12 , wherein mutually adjacent elements are configured to achieve a plurality of internal corner angles of 45, 90 and 135 degrees formed by the face of an element and an adjacent face of another element, through manipulating various arrangements of elements with adjacent elements.  
   
   
       15 . A method of assembling an elevated structure in which said structure comprises a plurality of selectively juxtaposed and interconnected building elements, said method comprising the steps of providing a first building element, having front and rear faces; a channel formed internally on an underside of said element; first and second sides; and first, second, third, and fourth diagonal sides, wherein said front and rear faces are disposed approximately parallel to each other, said first and second sides are disposed approximately parallel to each other, the first one of the diagonal sides being disposed between said front face and said first side, the second one of the diagonal sides being disposed between said front face and said second side, the third one of the diagonal sides being disposed between said rear face and said first side, and the fourth one of the diagonal sides being disposed between said rear face and said second side; and, said method including the steps of positioning the first building element adjacent to one or a plurality of other building elements along one or more diagonal sides, and providing a plurality of internal corner angles formed by the face of the first building element and an adjacent face of one or a plurality of other building elements, and marshalling arrangements of a plurality of building elements with adjacent building elements along one or more diagonal sides, and positioning a protrusion projecting from a top surface of a building element, being dimensioned slightly narrower than a width of the channel and being capable of insertion into the channel of another building element, and inserting the protrusion into the channel of another building element, and securing the interconnection between the protrusion and the channel of the building elements, and arranging a plurality of building elements by securing the protrusion of one or more building elements into the channel of one or more building elements, and thereafter positioning a plurality of building elements along a plurality of adjacent diagonal sides, channels and protrusions, thus providing an elevated structure formed of said elements.  
   
   
       16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein said corner angles are formed at 45, 90 and 135 degrees respectively.