High strength composite wall panel system

Abstract

The present invention is directed to improved composite action walls having an insulation wythe sandwiched between structural wythes. The structural wythes provide the load-bearing function and prevent the collapse of the wall under high wind loads. The structural wythes demonstrate composite action existing between the structural wythes such that an improved, stronger and less expensive wall may be constructed. The present invention is also directed to an insulation wythe, which is useful in the composite action wall of the present invention, having grooves formed therein such that the material of the structural wythes flow into the groove to form a mechanical bond between the structural wythes and the insulation wythe. The walls of the present invention are simple to manufacture and provide a verifiable and consistent composite action between about 50% to about 100% composite action.

1 ) A structural foam and composite action concrete wall, comprising: 
 at least one layer formed of polymer foam including a plurality of grooves formed therein; and    at least one layer formed of concrete, wherein said concrete layer enters at least one of said grooves and is fixed to said foam layer.    
     
     
         2 ) The structural foam and composite action concrete wall of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 at least one shoulder formed of polymer foam adjacent at least one of said plurality of grooves and providing a mechanical attachment between said structural foam and said concrete.    
     
     
         3 ) The structural foam and composite action concrete wall of  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 shoulders formed on opposing sides of said plurality of grooves.    
     
     
         4 ) The structural foam and composite action concrete wall of  claim 2 , wherein said grooves are dovetail grooves.  
     
     
         5 ) The structural foam and composite action concrete wall of  claim 2 , wherein said grooves are generally cylindrical.  
     
     
         6 ) The structural foam and composite action concrete wall of  claim 2 , wherein said grooves are generally in the shape of a truncated tear-drop.  
     
     
         7 ) The structural foam and composite action concrete wall of  claim 1 , wherein said wall is a structural wall member comprising first and second concrete wythes and a polymer foam wythe therebetween.  
     
     
         8 ) The structural foam and composite action concrete wall of  claim 7 , further comprising: 
 a plurality of structural connectors penetrating said polymer foam wythe and connected to said first and second concrete wythes.    
     
     
         9 ) The structural foam and composite action concrete wall of  claim 8 , wherein said connector comprises: 
 a body having a penetrating segment configured to reside within the first concrete wythe, a trailing segment configured to reside within the second concrete wythe, and a mesial segment between the penetration and trailing segments configured to reside within the polymer foam wythe when the connector is in use.    
     
     
         10 ) The structural foam and composite action concrete wall of  claim 9 , wherein said connector body comprises: 
 two sidewalls that are spaced apart and that have a width or diameter;    a web portion extending between the two sidewalls, the web portion having a thickness that is less than the width or diameter of the sidewalls; and    a tapered end configured to facilitate penetration of the connector through an insulating layer and a layer of unhardened structural material adjacent to the insulating layer.    
     
     
         11 ) The structural foam and composite action concrete wall of  claim 9 , wherein said connector body comprises: 
 a collar for limiting penetration of the connector through an insulating layer at a predetermined depth.    
     
     
         12 ) The structural foam and composite action concrete wall of  claim 9 , wherein the sidewalls and the web portion of said connector body have a substantially I-shaped cross section within the mesial segment.  
     
     
         13 ) The structural foam and composite action concrete wall of  claim 9 , wherein the sidewalls of said connector body are substantially parallel and the web portion is substantially perpendicular to the sidewalls.  
     
     
         14 ) The structural foam and composite action concrete wall of  claim 1 , wherein said grooves are formed in a grid.  
     
     
         15 ) The structural foam and composite action concrete wall of  claim 14 , wherein said grooves are formed in a right angle grid.  
     
     
         16 ) The structural foam and composite action concrete wall of  claim 1 , wherein said grooves are formed on both major surfaces of the polymer foam layer.  
     
     
         17 ) A composite action structural wall member, comprising: 
 a first concrete wythe;    a second concrete wythe; and    a polymer foam wythe therebetween, wherein said structural wall member having deflection under load less than the deflection under load of a structural wall member having composite action in excess of the 50% of the theoretical maximum composite action for the structural wall.    
     
     
         18 ) The composite action structural wall member of  claim 17 , wherein said structural wall member having deflection under load less than the deflection under load of a structural wall member having composite action in excess of the 60% of the theoretical maximum composite action for the structural wall.  
     
     
         19 ) The composite action structural wall member of  claim 17  wherein said structural wall member having deflection under load less than the deflection under load of a structural wall member having composite action in excess of the 70% of the theoretical maximum composite action for the structural wall.  
     
     
         20 ) The structural foam and concrete composite material of  claim 17 , further comprising: 
 a plurality of structural connectors penetrating said polymer foam wythe and connected to said first and second concrete wythe.    
     
     
         21 ) The structural foam and concrete composite material of  claim 20 , wherein said connector comprises: 
 a body having a penetrating segment configured to reside within the first concrete wythe, a trailing segment configured to reside within the second concrete wythe, and a mesial segment between the penetration and trailing segments configured to reside within the polymer foam wythe when the connector is in use.    
     
     
         22 ) The structural foam and concrete composite material of  claim 21 , wherein said connector body comprises: 
 two sidewalls that are spaced apart and that have a width or diameter;    a web portion extending between the two sidewalls, the web portion having a thickness that is less than the width or diameter of the sidewalls; and    a tapered end configured to facilitate penetration of the connector through an insulating layer and a layer of unhardened structural material adjacent to the insulating layer.    
     
     
         23 ) The structural foam and concrete composite material of  claim 22 , wherein said connector body comprises: 
 a collar for limiting penetration of the connector through an insulating layer at a predetermined depth.    
     
     
         24 ) The structural foam and concrete composite material of  claim 22 , wherein the sidewalls and the web portion have a substantially I-shaped cross section within the mesial segment.  
     
     
         25 ) The structural foam and concrete composite material of  claim 22 , wherein the sidewalls are substantially parallel and the web portion being substantially perpendicular to the sidewalls.  
     
     
         26 ) An insulation layer for use as an insulation wythe of a composite action wall, comprising: 
 a polymer foam layer having first and second opposed major surfaces;    at least one groove formed in each major surface, each groove forming at least one shoulder in the polymer foam layer.    
     
     
         27 ) The polymer foam insulation layer of  claim 26 , wherein said polymer foam layer is selected from the group consisting of: extruded polystyrene foam, expanded polystyrene foam, polyurethane foam, polypropylene foam, polyisocyanate foam, polyisocyanurate foam, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         28 ) The polymer foam insulation layer of  claim 26 , wherein said groove is a square groove.  
     
     
         29 ) The polymer foam insulation layer of  claim 26 , wherein said groove is a dovetail groove.  
     
     
         30 ) The polymer foam insulation layer of  claim 26 , wherein said groove is a keyhole groove.  
     
     
         31 ) The polymer foam insulation layer of  claim 26 , wherein said groove is a truncated teardrop groove.  
     
     
         32 ) The polymer foam insulation layer of  claim 26 , wherein said grooves on opposed major surfaces are aligned.  
     
     
         33 ) The polymer foam insulation layer of  claim 26 , wherein said grooves on opposed major surfaces are offset.  
     
     
         34 ) A connector for a structural foam and composite action concrete wall comprising: 
 a body having a penetrating segment configured to reside within a first concrete wythe, a trailing segment configured to reside within a second concrete wythe, and a mesial segment between the penetration and trailing segments configured to reside within a polymer foam wythe when the connector is in use.    
     
     
         35 ) The connector of  claim 34 , wherein said connector body further comprises: 
 two sidewalls that are spaced apart and that have a width or diameter;    a web portion extending between the two sidewalls, the web portion having a thickness that is less than the width or diameter of the sidewalls; and    at least one leg portion extending from said web portion wherein said leg portion comprises a tapered end configured to facilitate penetration of the connector through an insulating layer and a layer of unhardened structural material adjacent to the insulating layer.    
     
     
         36 ) The connector of  claim 35 , wherein said connector body further comprises: 
 a collar for limiting penetration of the connector through an insulating layer at a predetermined depth.    
     
     
         37 ) The connector of  claim 35 , wherein the sidewalls and the web portion of said connector body have a substantially I-shaped cross section within the mesial segment.  
     
     
         38 ) The connector of  claim 35 , wherein the sidewalls of said connector body are substantially parallel and the web portion is substantially perpendicular to the sidewalls.  
     
     
         39 ) The connector of  claim 35 , wherein said tapered end is larger than said leg portion.