S&T Jordan PowerStructure System

Abstract

The present invention relates to flood resistant building structures, and more particularly to building structures that are floatable such that damage is reduced in the event of a flood. The invention includes significant improvements for combining various necessary elements to resist floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, high winds, fire, and bullets while not impeding on architectural aesthetics. It utilizes novel approaches to structural hold down and controlled ascent and descent during flooding.

1 . A building system that is highly energy efficient, that also resists tornados, hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, bullets, fires, said structure includes:
 a) a building structure having a floor structure integral with said building structure,   b) trussed floor joists integral with said floor structure whereby said trussed floor joists support said floor structure and the contents of said building structure,   c) rectangular beams integral with said floor structure, some of which are at least are disposed contiguously around the perimeter of said floor structure, whereby said rectangular beams support said floor joists and said building structure,   d) wall system using structurally supporting members spaced where polystyrene panels are placed within panel voids to act as insulation, structural support, and a substrate for cementious covering or sheathing that is considerably lighter than typical building systems,   e) a wall system holddown bolt or anchor tube that connects to the top plate of the wall holding the wall members down and together,   f) flotation means defined by highly buoyant polystyrene blocks encapsulated in a UV protective and abrasion-resistant coating,   g) a plurality of guide posts disposed within the structurally framed walls that are installed with tubes located within other tubes allowing controlled vertical ascension and descent in a telescopic manner,   h) a holddown bolt connected to top of the inner tube of said guide post system that holds the said top wall plate down when not in flood mode,   i) flanges on top of each outer guidepost that contact a collar plate as the structure rises to anchor structure at a limiting point during flood rise,   j) a collar plate installed around the guide pole that will contact the top flange of the guide pole during structural ascent preventing the structure from floating away,   k) seismic shock absorbers installed between foundation piers/walls and where floor system and guide posts make contact with foundation piers/walls and where piers make contact with subterranean footings,   l) a cementious coating with flexible polymers on the exterior of the said walls that will stiffen the structure while providing flexural strength and bullet and fire resistance, said flood resistant structure configured such that, in a usual configuration, is supported by structural piers or structural foundation supports and will float above said foundation level in the event of a flood when flood waters cause the said buoyant material to force the structure upward until flood waters recede, at which point the structure will return to its original position and again be supported by the tera firma foundation.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  is further comprised of vertical tubing or vertical rods that protrude through the top plate of the structure's wall system and are held down and compressed by a nut and bolt assembly upon the top plate. 
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  is further comprised with a floor that allows interconnection with the vertical poles or vertical bars. The floor system includes openings for vertical tubular members to slide through when walls are erected. 
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  is further comprised a seismic shock absorber or damper installed beneath the pier or foundation footings. 
   
   
       5 . A method for  claim 1 , the guide pole and anchoring system can be used in conjunction to be assembled laid out flat on top of a floor system with holes cut into the floor edges where the vertical poles will be mounted with the entire wall system including vertical tubes tilted up without machinery in most cases due to reduced weight load of the wall system when utilizing polystyrene providing the ability to do tilt-up framing, which is an important design consideration and further distinguishes this system from other vertically anchored structural systems, which typically require wall assembly and erection on ladders and lifts. 
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  is further comprised of vertical tubes placed within each other with holes drilled at a height that will be reachable from within the crawl space or basement void beneath the structure where a safety bolt, safety pin, or other restraining member will be inserted through the hole and fastened to secure the tubes to prevent vertical ascension when flooding is not imminent. 
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  is further comprised of a structural bottom plate connected to the outer tube that will be bolted to the foundation and a top flange with sufficient strength to stop vertical ascent of the structure when the structure makes contact with the top flange. 
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 1  is further comprised of an adjustable anchoring system for the outer tube where the base of the outer tube will have a receiver nut welded into the base plate that will receive a threaded bolt that will be connected to the foundation base plate, which will be bolted to the foundation. 
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 1  is further comprised of a stop plate hereby named the JBP Collar Plate, which will be screwed to the bottom wall plate member around the exterior guide pole at each guide pole location to act as a stop for the structure when it is rising and when safety bolts or safety pins are removed during flood stages where the plate is rectangular with a round hole in the center big enough for the outer tube to fit through with a small amount of clearance space and the plate is a two-part plate so that it can be installed after walls are erected. 
   
   
       10 . A method for  claim 1  whereas the said JBP Collar Plate will be attached to the bottom plate of the said wall and when flooding is imminent, the safety bolts are removed allowing the structure to ascend vertically, the outer tube described in  claim 3  will have a top flange that will contact with the said JBP Collar Plate ensuring that the structure cannot lift higher than the height of the outer vertical tube and the combination of the vertical tubing, safety bolts, adjustable tie-down anchors, top flange, and said JBP collar plate hereby labeled as a sub-system named “Jordan Extension Pole” for identification purposes. 
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 1  is further comprised of highly buoyant material such as polystyrene or air baffles that will be attached to bar joists or grade beams using corrosion-resistant strapping or anti-corrosive structural wire mesh where amount of buoyant material required shall be sufficient to safely keep the structure afloat during flood stages and shall not be susceptible to UV degradation or abrasion by use of protective coatings. 
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 1  is further comprised of a seismic cushioning structural gasket placed at the base of each pole providing seismic cushioning for the floor system to rest upon. 
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 1  is further comprised of a seismic shock absorber or damper installed beneath the pier or foundation footings that acts as a redundant seismic shock absorber the whole foundation structure. 
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 1  is further comprised of safety anchor strapping to connect objects to the structure floor or walls to prevent potential damaging and loss-causing movement during ascent and descent of the previously described floatable structure. 
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 1  is further comprised of break away bolts for guide posts that will allow the entire anchoring assembly to break away if the upward stresses are consistent with or exceed pressures exerted when flood waters will cover the said structure when fully ascended thus preventing a complete loss of the structure allowing the structure to float free in an extreme flood situation.