wall panel and wall structure

Abstract

A lightweight concrete panel for use as an outer layer of a dwelling wall, said panel made of concrete mix of cement, sand, lightweight concrete aggregate such as polystyrene beads, superplasticiser and water, said concrete mix having a nominal density in the range of 500 to 1500 kg/m 3 . The panel preferably has a backing sheet of polystyrene affixed thereto. The panel is used as in a cladding and insulating veneer arrangement for a load bearing subwall formed from studs or masonry. The panels are loose fixed in vertical alignment in a horizontally and vertically extending stack of panels and retained in position by retaining clips without any bonding jointing material between the panels. A method of forming such a cladding and insulating arrangement is also disclosed.

1 . A cladding and insulating veneer arrangement fixed to a load bearing subwall, said arrangement comprising a vertically and horizontally extending stack of substantially vertically aligned panels which are loose fixed without bonding jointing material between the panels, and retaining clips extending between said panels and the subwall.  
   
   
       2 . The arrangement as defined in  claim 1  wherein said load bearing subwall comprises a framework of vertically extending studs.  
   
   
       3 . The arrangement as defined in  claim 1  wherein said load bearing subwall comprises a masonry wall.  
   
   
       4 . The arrangement as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said panels have tongue and groove inter-engagement means.  
   
   
       5 . The arrangement as claimed in  claim 4  wherein said retaining clips each have a hook which mates with the tongue of said tongue and groove inter-engagement means.  
   
   
       6 . The arrangement as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said panels have an inter-engagement means comprising a peripheral groove and a sealing strip dimensioned to be retained in a cavity formed by opposed grooves of abutting panels.  
   
   
       7 . The arrangement as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said panel stack does not include control joints and any thermal expansion or contraction of said panels is accommodated by the loose fixing thereof.  
   
   
       8 . The arrangement as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said panels comprise lightweight concrete.  
   
   
       9 . The arrangement as claimed in  claim 8  wherein said lightweight concrete comprises cement, sand, lightweight aggregate, superplasticiser and water.  
   
   
       10 . The arrangement as claimed in  claim 9  wherein said lightweight aggregate comprises polystyrene beads.  
   
   
       11 . The arrangement as claimed in  claim 10  wherein said polystyrene beads are uncoated.  
   
   
       12 . The arrangement as claimed in  claim 9  wherein the ratio of water/cement is 0.30-0.35 or 0.30-0.40 by weight.  
   
   
       13 . The arrangement as claimed in  claim 9  wherein the proportion of said superplasticiser comprises 0.5-1.5% of cement by weight.  
   
   
       14 . The arrangement as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the density of said panels is in the range of 500-1500 kg/m 3 .  
   
   
       15 . A method of erecting a cladding and insulating veneer arrangement for a load bearing subwall, said method comprising the steps of: 
 (i) positioning a plurality of substantially vertically aligned panels in edge abutment to form a row,    (ii) loose fixing said panels without bonding jointing material between the panels,    (iii) utilizing retaining clips extending between said panels and said subwall to retain said panels in said row, and    (iv) repeating step (i) for a vertically adjacent row.    
   
   
       16 . The method as claimed in  claim 15  including the step of: 
 (v) forming said subwall from a frame of vertically extending studs.    
   
   
       17 . The method as claimed in  claim 16  including the step of: 
 (vi) securing plasterboard to that side of said studs to which said panels are not secured.    
   
   
       18 . The method as claimed in  claim 15  including the step of: 
 (vii) forming said subwall from masonry.    
   
   
       19 . A lightweight panel for use in the arrangement of  claim 1 , said panel being formed substantially from concrete which comprises cement, sand, lightweight aggregate, superplasticiser and water; having a density in the range of 500-1500 kg/m 3 ; and having an inter-engagement means to enable said panel to be loose fixed with a plurality of like panels in a vertically and horizontally extending stack of said panels, and said inter-engagernent means being shaped to permit engagement with a retaining clip which permits said stack of panels to be retained adjacent a subwall from which said retaining clip extends.  
   
   
       20 . The panel as claimed in  claim 19  wherein: 
 said lightweight aggregate comprises polystyrene beads,    the ratio of water/cement is 0.30-0.35 or 0.30-0.40 by weight, and    the proportion of said superplasticiser comprises 0.5-1.5% of cement by weight.