Method of manufacturing composite structural panels and using superimposed truss members with same

Abstract

A method of producing an engineered composite structural panel by selecting a structural panel having at least two structural shells, an insulating material extending therebetween, and a plurality of truss members extending therebetween. A determination is made if the two or more structural shells act as a unitary composite structural panel. If the structural panel is not a unitary composite structural panel, then parameters of the panel are adjusted and it is further determined whether the panel is a unitary composite structural panel. Combined truss systems for strengthening the structural panels may be formed by combining ladder truss members with warren truss members, by superimposing the ladder truss members and warren truss members, and by superimposing ladder truss members with a warren truss member and another warren truss member that is inverted.

1 . A stiffened truss member for a structural panel having a pair of wire-mesh panels connected to and separated by an insulating material extending therebetween, the stiffened truss member comprising:
 a ladder truss member having a pair of spaced-apart elongated parallel first ladder truss bars and a plurality of spaced-apart elongated second ladder bars extending therebetween in perpendicular relationship to the first ladder truss bars to form a ladder configuration;   a warren truss member having a pair of spaced-apart elongated parallel first warren truss bars and a second warren truss bar extending at an angle therebetween in a zigzag configuration; and   wherein the ladder and warren truss members are superimposed upon each other and being attachable to a portion of the structural panel such that the second ladder truss bars intersect the second warren truss bars to form a unitary composite structural panel.   
   
   
       2 . The stiffened truss member as in  claim 1  wherein the ladder and warren truss members are superimposed upon each other along the first ladder truss bars and the first warren truss bars respectively so to align the first ladder truss bars and the first warren truss bars in parallel relationship. 
   
   
       3 . The stiffened truss member as in  claim 2  wherein the ladder and warren truss members are attached to each other via a plurality of retainer clips disposed at locations along the first ladder truss bars and the first warren truss bars. 
   
   
       4 . The stiffened truss member as in  claim 1  wherein the angle is in the range of between 40 to 50 degrees. 
   
   
       5 . The stiffened truss member as in  claim 4  wherein the angle is exactly 45 degrees. 
   
   
       6 . The stiffened truss member as in  claim 1  wherein the first ladder truss bars, the second ladder truss bars, the first warren truss bars, and the second warren truss bars are fabricated from a rigid material of a uniform thickness. 
   
   
       7 . The stiffened truss member as in  claim 6  wherein the first ladder truss bars, the second ladder truss bars, the first warren truss bars, and the second warren truss bars are fabricated from steel. 
   
   
       8 . A stiffened truss member for a structural panel having a pair of wire-mesh panels connected to and separated by an insulating material extending therebetween, the stiffened truss member comprising:
 a ladder truss member having a pair of elongated parallel first ladder truss bars and a plurality of elongated second ladder bars extending therebetween in perpendicular relationship to the first ladder truss bars to form a ladder configuration;   first and second warren truss members each having a pair of elongated parallel first warren truss bars and a second warren truss bar extending at an angle therebetween in a zigzag configuration; and   wherein the first warren truss member is inverted and superimposed upon the first and second warren truss members and being attachable to a portion of the structural panel such that the second ladder truss bars intersect the second warren truss bars of both the first and second warren truss members to form a unitary composite structural panel.   
   
   
       9 . The stiffened truss member as in  claim 8  wherein the ladder truss member, the first warren truss member and the second warren truss member are superimposed upon each other along the first ladder truss bars, the first warren truss bars of the first warren truss member, and the first warren truss bar of the second warren truss member respectively so to align the first ladder truss bars, the first warren truss bars of the first warren truss member, and the first warren truss bars of the second warren truss member in parallel relationship. 
   
   
       10 . The stiffened truss member as in  claim 9  wherein the ladder truss member, the first warren truss member and the second warren truss member are attached to each other via a plurality of retainer clips disposed at locations along the first ladder truss bars, the first warren truss bars of the first warren truss member, and the first warren truss bars of the second warren truss member. 
   
   
       11 . The stiffened truss member as in  claim 9  wherein the angle is in the range of between 40 to 50 degrees. 
   
   
       12 . The stiffened truss member as in  claim 11  wherein the angle is exactly 45 degrees. 
   
   
       13 . The stiffened truss member as in  claim 9  wherein the first ladder truss bars, the second ladder truss bars, the first warren truss bars of both the first and second warren truss members, and the second warren truss bars of both the first and second warren truss members are fabricated from a rigid material of a uniform thickness. 
   
   
       14 . The stiffened truss member as in  claim 13  wherein the first ladder truss bars, the second ladder truss bars, the first warren truss bars of both the first and second warren truss members, and the second warren truss bars of both the first and second warren truss members are fabricated from steel. 
   
   
       15 . A stiffened truss member for a structural panel having a pair of wire-mesh panels connected to and separated by an insulating material extending therebetween, the stiffened truss member comprising:
 a pair of elongated parallel combined truss bars and a plurality of elongated ladder bars extending therebetween in perpendicular relationship to the combined truss bars to form a ladder configuration;   an elongated zigzag bar extending between the combined truss bars at an angle in a zigzag configuration; and   wherein the ladder bars and the zigzag bars intersect each other at spaced-intervals along the combined truss bars and being attachable to a portion of the structural panel to form a unitary composite structural panel.   
   
   
       16 . A method of producing an engineered composite structural panel comprising the steps of:
 (a) selecting a structural panel having at least two structural shells, an insulating material extending therebetween, and a plurality of truss members extending therebetween;   (b) determining if the two or more structural shells act as a unitary composite structural panel; and   (c) if the structural panel is not a unitary composite structural panel, then adjusting parameters of the panel and repeating step (b).   
   
   
       17 . The method as in  claim 16  wherein step (b) comprises the step of calculating the buckling capacity of the shells such that P Global >P Local  and V Truss >V u . 
   
   
       18 . The method as in  claim 17  further comprising the step of:
 (d) determining capacity of each of the structural shells.   
   
   
       19 . The method as in  claim 18  further comprising the step of:
 (e) determining limit state of the panel by calculating a plurality of force and eccentricity pairs such that at least one of the shells exceeds the capacity calculated in step (d).   
   
   
       20 . The method as in  claim 19  further comprising the step of:
 (f) if the structural panel is a unitary composite structural panel, then checking shear capacity of the truss according to the formula V Truss >V u .   
   
   
       21 . The method as in  claim 20  further comprising the step of:
 (g) if the structural panel works as unitary composite panel, then verifying connectivity between the truss members and structural shells such that all shear load is taken by truss members.   
   
   
       22 . The method as in  claim 21  wherein step (g) further comprises the step of:
 (1) verifying the pullout capacity of the unitary composite panel; and   (2) verifying the punching shear capacity of the unitary composite panel.   
   
   
       23 . The method as in  claim 16  wherein at least three structural shells are selected in step (a) and further comprising the step of determining stress-strain for capacity of the unitary composite structural panel. 
   
   
       24 . The method as in  claim 16  wherein the parameters are selected from the group consisting of: spacing between the truss members, number of truss members, thickness of truss members, thickness of shells, and distance between shells. 
   
   
       25 . The method as in  claim 16  wherein step (a) comprises the steps of:
 1) selecting loads to be carried by the panel; and   2) selecting parameters of panels.   
   
   
       26 . The method as in  claim 16  wherein step (a) further comprises the step of:
 attaching a stiffened truss member for a structural panel having a pair of wire-mesh panels connected to and separated by an insulating material extending therebetween, the stiffened truss member comprising:
 a ladder truss member having a pair of spaced-apart elongated parallel first ladder truss bars and a plurality of spaced-apart elongated second ladder bars extending therebetween in perpendicular relationship to the first ladder truss bars to form a ladder configuration; 
 a warren truss member having a pair of spaced-apart elongated parallel first warren truss bars and a second warren truss bar extending at an angle therebetween in a zigzag configuration; and 
 wherein the ladder and warren truss members are superimposed upon each other and being attachable to a portion of the structural panel such that the second ladder truss bars intersect the second warren truss bars to form a unitary composite structural panel. 
   
   
   
       27 . The method as in  claim 16  wherein step (a) further comprises the step of:
 attaching a stiffened truss member for a structural panel having a pair of wire-mesh panels connected to and separated by an insulating material extending therebetween, the stiffened truss member comprising:
 a ladder truss member having a pair of elongated parallel first ladder truss bars and a plurality of elongated second ladder bars extending therebetween in perpendicular relationship to the first ladder truss bars to form a ladder configuration; 
 first and second warren truss members each having a pair of elongated parallel first warren truss bars and a second warren truss bar extending at an angle therebetween in a zigzag configuration; and 
 wherein the first warren truss member is inverted and superimposed upon the first and second warren truss members and being attachable to a portion of the structural panel such that the second ladder truss bars intersect the second warren truss bars of both the first and second warren truss members to form a unitary composite structural panel. 
   
   
   
       28 . The method as in  claim 16  wherein step (a) further comprises the step of:
 attaching a stiffened truss member for a structural panel having a pair of wire-mesh panels connected to and separated by an insulating material extending therebetween, the stiffened truss member comprising:
 a pair of elongated parallel combined truss bars and a plurality of elongated ladder bars extending therebetween in perpendicular relationship to the combined truss bars to form a ladder configuration; 
 an elongated zigzag bar extending between the combined truss bars at an angle in a zigzag configuration; and 
 wherein the ladder bars and the zigzag bars intersect each other at spaced-intervals along the combined truss bars and being attachable to a portion of the structural panel to form a unitary composite structural panel.