Composite construction element, in particular for making wall structures for buildings and process for its manufacture

Abstract

A composite construction element ( 1 ) is described including a body ( 2 ) made of expanded plastics material provided with opposite faces ( 8, 9 ) and at least one reinforcing section bar ( 10, 11 ), transversely extending in the body ( 2 ) between the faces ( 8, 9 ) and incorporated in the expanded plastic materials. The reinforcing section bar ( 10, 11 ) includes a central portion ( 12 ) having at least one fin ( 13, 14 ) extending in a cantilevered fashion from the same and forming a longitudinal edge ( 15, 15 b ) therewith and a plurality of openings ( 16, 17 ) at least partially formed in the central portion ( 12 ) of the section bar ( 10, 11 ) at the longitudinal edge ( 15 a, 15 b ). Advantageously, the construction element ( 1 ) has improved self-supporting characteristics and improved characteristics of resistance to bending load which it is subjected to during installation.

1 . Composite construction element ( 1 ) comprising: 
 a) a body ( 2 ) made of expanded plastics material provided with opposite faces ( 8 ,  9 );    b) at least one reinforcing section bar ( 10 ,  11 ), transversely extending in said body ( 2 ) between said faces ( 8 ,  9 ) and incorporated in said expanded plastics material, said at least one reinforcing section bar ( 10 ,  11 ) comprising a central portion ( 12 ) having at least one fin ( 13 ,  14 ) extending in a cantilevered fashion from said central portion ( 12 ) and forming a longitudinal edge ( 15   a,    15   b ) therewith;    characterized in that said at least one reinforcing section bar ( 10 ,  11 ) comprises a plurality of openings ( 16 ,  17 ) at least partially formed in the central portion ( 12 ) of the section bar ( 10 ,  11 ) at said longitudinal edge ( 15   a,    15   b ).    
   
   
       2 . Composite construction element ( 1 ) comprising: 
 a) a body ( 2 ) made of expanded plastics material provided with opposite faces ( 8 ,  9 );    b) at least one reinforcing section bar ( 10 ,  11 ), transversely extending in said body ( 2 ) between said faces ( 8 ,  9 ) and incorporated in said expanded plastics material, said at least one reinforcing section bar ( 10 ,  11 ) comprising a central portion ( 12 ) having at least one fin ( 13 ,  14 ) extending in a cantilevered fashion from said central portion ( 12 ) and forming a longitudinal edge ( 15   a,    15   b ) therewith;    characterized in that said at least one reinforcing section bar ( 10 ,  11 ) comprises a plurality of openings ( 16 ,  17 ) formed in the central portion ( 12 ) of the section bar ( 10 ,  11 ) at a predetermined distance from said longitudinal edge ( 15   a,    15   b ) comprised between about 1% and about 4% of the width of the central portion ( 12 ) of the section bar ( 10 ,  11 ).    
   
   
       3 . Construction element ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein said openings ( 16 ,  17 ) are formed astride said longitudinal edge ( 15   a,    15   b ) and comprise a first portion ( 16   a,    17   a ) extending in said at least one fin ( 13 ,  14 ) and a second portion ( 16   b,    17   b ) extending in said central portion ( 12 ) of the reinforcing section bar ( 10 ,  11 ), said first portion ( 16   a,    17   a ) of the openings ( 16 ,  17 ) having an area lower than the area of said second portion ( 16   b,    17   b ).  
   
   
       4 . Construction element ( 1 ) according to  claim 3 , wherein the area of the first portion ( 16   a,    17   a ) of the openings ( 16 ,  17 ) formed astride the longitudinal edge is between about 10% and about 40% of the total area of said openings ( 16 ,  17 ).  
   
   
       5 . Construction element ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein said openings ( 16 ,  17 ) are formed in the central portion ( 12 ) of the reinforcing section bar ( 10 ,  11 ) and are substantially tangent to said longitudinal edge ( 15   a,    15   b ).  
   
   
       6 . Construction element ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein said openings ( 16 ,  17 ) have a transversal size, measured along a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (X-X) of the central portion ( 12 ) of the section bar ( 10 ,  11 ), comprised between about 10 mm and about 60 mm.  
   
   
       7 . Construction element ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein said openings ( 16 ,  17 ) axe longitudinally spaced apart pitchwise.  
   
   
       8 . Construction element ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein said reinforcing section bar ( 10 ,  11 ) is transversely extending in the body ( 2 ) of the construction element ( 1 ) along the entire thickness thereof.  
   
   
       9 . Construction element ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein said reinforcing section bar ( 10 ,  11 ) is longitudinally extending in said body ( 2 ) along substantially the entire length thereof.  
   
   
       10 . Construction element ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein said reinforcing section bar ( 10 ,  11 ) comprises a pair of fins ( 13 ,  14 ) extending from opposite sides of the central portion ( 12 ) of the reinforcing section bar ( 10 ,  11 ).  
   
   
       11 . Construction element ( 1 ) according to  claim 10 , wherein said reinforcing section bar ( 10 ,  11 ) is substantially C-shaped or Z-shaped.  
   
   
       12 . Construction element ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one fin ( 13 ,  14 ) of the reinforcing section bar ( 10 ,  11 ) extends flush with and substantially parallel to at least one face ( 8 ,  9 ) of said body ( 2 ) made of expanded plastics material.  
   
   
       13 . Construction element ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one fin ( 13 ,  14 ) of the reinforcing section bar ( 10 ,  11 ) is completely incorporated in the expanded plastics material of the body ( 2 ) of the construction element ( 1 ).  
   
   
       14 . Construction element ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one fin ( 13 ,  14 ) comprises at least one first rectilinear portion ( 13   a,    14   a ) substantially perpendicular to the central portion ( 12 ) of the reinforcing section bar ( 10 ,  11 ).  
   
   
       15 . Construction element ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein said reinforcing section bar ( 10 ,  11 ) has a thickness comprised between about 0.4 mm and about 1.2 mm.  
   
   
       16 . Construction element ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein said reinforcing section bar ( 10 ,  11 ) further comprises a second plurality of openings ( 18 ) formed in said central portion ( 12 ) of the section bar ( 10 ,  11 ).  
   
   
       17 . Construction element ( 1 ) according to  claim 16 , wherein the total area of all of the openings ( 16 ,  17 ,  18 ) formed in the reinforcing section bar ( 10 ,  11 ) is comprised between about 10% and about 60% of the total area of the reinforcing section bar ( 10 ,  11 ).  
   
   
       18 . Construction element ( 1 ) according to  claim 16 , wherein the openings ( 18 ) of said second plurality have a transversal size, measured along a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (X-X) of the central portion ( 12 ) of the section bar ( 10 ,  11 ), comprised between about 15 mm and about 100 mm.  
   
   
       19 . Construction element ( 1 ) according to  claim 16 , wherein the openings ( 16 ,  17 ) formed in the central portion ( 12 ) of the section bar ( 10 ,  11 ) at said longitudinal edge ( 15   a,    15   b ) or at a predetermined distance from said longitudinal edge ( 15   a,    15   b ), have an overall area comprised between about 15% and about 40% of the total area of all of the openings ( 16 ,  17 ,  18 ) formed in the reinforcing section bar ( 10 ,  11 ).  
   
   
       20 . Construction element ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one rigid covering element ( 19 ) associated to said reinforcing section bar ( 10 ,  11 ).  
   
   
       21 . Construction element ( 1 ) according to  claim 20 , wherein said rigid covering element ( 19 ) is a panel of plasterboard, wood, rigid plastics material or another suitable material optionally coated with ceramic tiles.  
   
   
       22 . Process for manufacturing a construction element ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing a strip ( 20 ) of a rigid material having a predetermined thickness and width, said strip ( 20 ) having a central portion ( 21 ) and a pair of opposite side portions ( 22 ,  23 ) extending from opposite sides of said central portion ( 21 );    b) forming in said strip ( 20 ) a plurality of openings ( 16 ,  17 ) extending at least partially in said central portion ( 21 ) at at least one of said opposite side portion ( 22 ,  23 );    c) bending said strip ( 20 ) along at least one longitudinal bending line ( 24 ,  25 ) intersecting or being substantially tangent to said plurality of openings ( 16 ,  17 ), in such a way as to form a reinforcing section bar ( 10 ,  11 ) comprising a central portion ( 12 ) having at least one fin ( 13 ,  14 ) extending in a cantilevered fashion from said central portion ( 12 ) and forming a longitudinal edge ( 15   a,    15   b ) therewith;    d) positioning the reinforcing section bar ( 10 ,  11 ) thus obtained in a molding seat of a suitable apparatus for molding plastics material;    e) feeding granules of expandable plastics material into said molding seat;    f) expanding and then bonding together the plastics granules in said molding seat, so as to form a body ( 2 ) made of expanded plastics material provided with opposite faces ( 8 ,  9 ) incorporating said reinforcing section bar ( 10 ,  11 ).    
   
   
       23 . Process for manufacturing a construction element ( 1 ) according to  claim 2 , comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing a strip ( 20 ) of a rigid material having a predetermined thickness and width, said strip ( 20 ) having a central portion ( 21 ) and a pair of opposite side portions ( 22 ,  23 ) extending from opposite sides of said central portion ( 21 );    b) forming in said strip ( 20 ) a plurality of openings ( 16 ,  17 ) extending in said central portion ( 21 ) near to at least one of said opposite side portion ( 22 ,  23 );    c) bending said strip ( 20 ) along at least one longitudinal bending line ( 24 ,  25 ) extending at a predetermined distance from said plurality of openings ( 16 ,  17 ), in such a way as to form a reinforcing section bar ( 10 ,  11 ) comprising a central portion ( 12 ) having at least one fin ( 13 ,  14 ) extending in a cantilevered fashion from said central portion ( 12 ) and forming a longitudinal edge ( 15   a,    15   b ) therewith, the distance between said bending line ( 24 ,  25 ) and said plurality of openings ( 16 ,  17 ) being between about 1% and about 4% of the width of the central portion ( 12 ) of the resulting section bar ( 10 ,  11 );    d) positioning the reinforcing section bar ( 10 ,  11 ) thus obtained in a molding seat of a suitable apparatus for molding plastics material,    e) feeding granules of expandable plastics material into said molding seat;    f) expanding and then bonding together the plastics granules in said molding seat, so as to form a body ( 2 ) made of expanded plastics material provided with opposite faces ( 8 ,  9 ) incorporating said reinforcing section bar ( 10 ,  11 ).    
   
   
       24 . Process according to  claim 22 , wherein said openings ( 16 ,  17 ) form at least one row extending in the longitudinal direction along said strip ( 20 ).  
   
   
       25 . Process according to  claim 24 , wherein said bending line ( 24 ,  25 ) extends parallel to the row of openings ( 16 ,  17 ) at a distance from the longitudinal axis (Z-Z) of the row comprised between about 15% and about 50% of the maximum transversal size of said openings ( 16 ,  17 ) measured along a direction substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis (Z-Z).  
   
   
       26 . Process according to  claim 22 , wherein said bending step c) is carried out in such a way that said at least one fin ( 13 ,  14 ) formed an angle of about 90° with respect to the lying plane of the central portion ( 21 ) of said strip ( 20 ).  
   
   
       27 . Process according to  claim 22 , wherein said bending step c) is carried out by bending said strip ( 20 ) along two longitudinal bending lines ( 24 ,  25 ) substantially parallel to each other so as to form a pair of fins ( 13 ,  14 ) extending in a cantilevered fashion from axially opposite sides with respect to the central portion ( 21 ) of the strip ( 20 ).  
   
   
       28 . Process according to  claim 27 , wherein said fins ( 13 ,  14 ) extend in a cantilevered fashion both above or both below the lying plane of the strip ( 20 ).  
   
   
       29 . Process according to  claim 27 , wherein said fins ( 13 ,  14 ) extend in a cantilevered fashion respectively above and below the lying plane of the strip ( 20 ).  
   
   
       30 . Process according to  claim 22 , further comprising the step of forming a second plurality of openings ( 18 ) in the central portion ( 21 ) of the strip ( 20 ).  
   
   
       31 . Process according to  claim 22 , wherein said step f) is carried out in such a way that said at least one fin ( 13 ,  14 ) of the reinforcing section bar ( 10 ,  11 ) extends flush with and substantially parallel to at least one face ( 8 ,  9 ) of said body ( 2 ) made of expanded plastics material.  
   
   
       32 . Process according to  claim 22 , wherein said step f) is carried out in such a way that said at least one fin ( 13 ,  14 ) of the reinforcing section bar ( 10 ,  11 ) is completely incorporated in said body ( 2 ) made of expanded plastics material.  
   
   
       33 . Wall structure comprising at least one construction element ( 1 ) according to any one of  claim 1 .  
   
   
       34 . Coating structure for covering buildings comprising a plurality of composite construction elements ( 1 ) according to  claim 1  arranged next to each other on a supporting structure.