Modular building for deployment in disaster regions

Abstract

A modular building structure is provided. The building structure has a support framework comprising a pair of longitudinally extending beams, a plurality of vertically and transversely extending identical arched ribs spaced apart from one another, a plurality of level one joists coupled at each transverse end to one of the ribs and one of the beams, a plurality of level two joists coupled at each transverse end to one of the ribs at a location above the level one joists, and a plurality of longitudinally extending hat bars coupled to the transverse insides of all of the arched ribs. The hat bars may have a generally trapezoidal cross-section. The beams, arched ribs, level one joists, level two joists, and hat bars are preformed and provided with pre-drilled holes for coupling to other components of the support framework. Methods and kits for building a modular building structure are also provided.

1 . A modular building structure comprising a support framework, the support framework comprising:
 a pair of longitudinally extending beams, spaced apart from one another in a transverse direction;   a plurality of vertically and transversely extending identical arched ribs spaced apart from one another in a longitudinal direction, each arched rib comprising a pair of identical opposing curved members, each curved member coupled to an angled member at an apex of the arched rib;   a plurality of transversely extending identical level one joists spaced apart from one another in the longitudinal direction, each level one joist coupled at its transverse ends to longitudinal sides of the lower ends of the curved members of a corresponding arched rib and coupled at each of its transverse ends to a corresponding one of the beams;   a plurality of transversely extending identical level two joists spaced apart from one another in the longitudinal direction, each level two joist coupled at its transverse ends to the longitudinal sides of the curved members of a corresponding arched rib at a location above the level one joists; and   a plurality of longitudinally extending identical hat bars coupled to the transverse insides of all of the arched ribs, the hat bars having a generally trapezoidal cross-section;   wherein each of the beams, curved members, level one joists, level two joists and hat bars is preformed, pre-cut to length and provided with pre-drilled holes for coupling to other components of the support framework.   
   
   
       2 . A structure according to  claim 1  wherein the support framework comprises a plurality of transversely extending identical level three joists spaced apart from one another in the longitudinal direction, each level three joist coupled at its transverse ends to the longitudinal sides of the curved members of a corresponding arched rib at a location above the level two joists. 
   
   
       3 . A structure according to  claim 2  comprising external wall/roof sheeting coupled to the transverse outsides of the arched ribs, wherein the external wall/roof sheeting comprises longitudinally extending corrugations that extend between the longitudinally outermost arched ribs and wherein each external wall/roof sheet is precut to size and pre-drilled with holes at locations of the arched ribs for mounting the external wall/roof sheet to the arched ribs. 
   
   
       4 . A structure according to  claim 3  wherein lowermost edges of each external wall/roof sheet overlap uppermost edges of the wall/roof sheet immediately therebelow. 
   
   
       5 . A structure according to  claim 3  comprising level one sub-floor sheeting coupled to the upper sides of the level one floor joists, wherein the level one sub-floor sheeting comprises longitudinally extending corrugations that extend between the longitudinally outermost arched ribs and wherein each level one sub-floor sheet is precut to size and pre-drilled with holes at locations of the level one joists for mounting the level one sub-floor sheet to the level one joists. 
   
   
       6 . A structure according to  claim 5  comprising spacers coupled between the longitudinally outermost level two joists and the longitudinal sides of the curved members of the corresponding longitudinally outermost arched ribs, such that the longitudinally outermost level two joists are longitudinally inwardly spaced apart from the longitudinal inward sides of the corresponding longitudinally outermost arched ribs. 
   
   
       7 . A structure according to  claim 6  comprising level two sub-floor sheeting coupled to the upper sides of the level two floor joists, wherein the level two sub-floor sheeting comprises longitudinally extending corrugations that extend between the longitudinally outermost level two joists and wherein each level two sub-floor sheet is precut to size and pre-drilled with holes at locations of the level two joists for mounting the level two sub-floor sheet to the level two joists. 
   
   
       8 . A structure according to  claim 7  comprising level three sub-floor sheeting coupled to the upper sides of the level three floor joists, wherein the level three sub-floor sheeting comprises longitudinally extending corrugations that extend between the longitudinally outermost arched ribs and wherein each level three sub-floor sheet is precut to size and pre-drilled with holes at locations of the level three joists for mounting the level three sub-floor sheet to the level three joists. 
   
   
       9 . A structure according to  claim 7  comprising a central end wall framework, the central end wall framework comprising a plurality of studs that extend from a horizontal and transversely extending lower channel coupled to the level one sub-floor sheeting, through spaces between the longitudinally outermost level two joists and the longitudinal inward sides of the corresponding longitudinally outermost arched ribs, and to a horizontal and transversely extending upper channel coupled to undersides of the level three joists. 
   
   
       10 . A structure according to  claim 8  comprising a plurality of longitudinally extending third floor hat bars coupled to the lower edges of the level three joists, the third floor hat bars having a generally trapezoidal cross-section, and further comprising a central end wall framework, the central end wall framework comprising a plurality of studs that extend from a horizontal and transversely extending lower channel coupled to the level one sub-floor sheeting, through spaces between the longitudinally outermost level two joists and the longitudinal inward sides of the corresponding longitudinally outermost arched ribs, and to a horizontal and transversely extending upper channel coupled to the undersides of the third floor hat bars. 
   
   
       11 . A structure according to  claim 9  wherein each of the plurality of studs in the central end wall framework is pivotally coupled to the upper and lower channels and is telescopically expandable and collapsible such that the central end wall framework may be collapsed to a collapsed configuration by telescopically collapsing the studs and pivoting the studs in a first angular direction with respect to both the upper and lower channels and such that the central end wall framework may be expanded to an expanded configuration by pivoting the studs in a second angular direction with respect to both the upper and lower channels and telescopically expanding the studs. 
   
   
       12 . A structure according to  claim 11  wherein the upper channel of the central end wall framework is pre-drilled with holes at locations of the level three joists and the undersides of the level three joists are pre-drilled with corresponding holes for coupling the upper channel of the central end wall framework to the undersides of the level three joists and wherein the lower channel of the central end wall framework is pre-drilled with holes at transversely spaced apart locations and the longitudinally outermost ends of the level one sub-floor sheeting are pre-drilled with corresponding holes for coupling the lower channel of the central end wall framework to the level one sub-floor sheeting. 
   
   
       13 . A structure according to  claim 11  wherein the central end wall framework comprises a plurality of transversely and vertically extending intermediate frame elements and a plurality of transversely and horizontally extending intermediate frame elements and wherein the intermediate frame elements define, at least in part, one or more window and door openings in an end wall of the structure. 
   
   
       14 . A structure according to  claim 11  comprising a pair of transverse end wall frameworks, each transverse end wall framework comprising a plurality of end wall studs that extend from a horizontal and transversely extending lower channel coupled to the level one sub-floor sheeting, through spaces between the longitudinally outermost level two joists and the longitudinal inward sides of the corresponding longitudinally outermost arched ribs, and to a horizontally and vertically angled and transversely extending upper channel coupled to the longitudinally outermost arched ribs. 
   
   
       15 . A structure according to  claim 14  wherein each of the plurality of end wall studs in each transverse end wall framework is pivotally coupled to the upper and lower channels and is telescopically expandable and collapsible such that the transverse end wall framework may be collapsed to a collapsed configuration by telescopically collapsing the end wall studs and pivoting the end wall studs in a first angular direction with respect to both the upper and lower channels and such that the transverse end wall framework may be expanded to an expanded configuration by pivoting the end wall studs in a second angular direction with respect to both the upper and lower channels and telescopically expanding the end wall studs. 
   
   
       16 . A structure according to  claim 15  wherein the upper channel of the transverse end wall framework is pre-drilled with holes and the longitudinally outermost arched ribs are pre-drilled holes with corresponding holes for coupling the upper channel of the transverse end wall framework to the longitudinally outermost arched ribs and wherein the lower channel of the transverse end wall framework is pre-drilled with holes at transversely spaced apart locations and the longitudinally outermost ends of the level one sub-floor sheeting are pre-drilled with corresponding holes for coupling the lower channel of the transverse end wall framework to the level one sub-floor sheeting. 
   
   
       17 . A structure according to  claim 15  comprising external end wall sheeting coupled to the longitudinal outsides of the central and transverse end wall frameworks wherein the external end wall sheeting comprises transversely extending corrugations that extend between the longitudinally outermost ends of the external wall/roof sheeting and wherein each external end wall sheet is precut to size and pre-drilled with holes at locations of the studs in the central end wall framework and the end wall studs in the transverse end wall frameworks for mounting the external end wall sheet to the central and transverse end wall frameworks. 
   
   
       18 . A structure according to  claim 17  wherein the transverse edges of at least some of the external end wall sheets are precut to conform to the shape of the arched ribs and the upper edge of at least one of the external end wall sheets is precut to conform to the shape of the arched ribs. 
   
   
       19 . A structure according to  claim 1  comprising internal wall/roof sheeting coupled to insides of the hat bars, wherein each internal wall/roof sheet is precut to size and pre-drilled with holes at locations of the hat bars for mounting the internal wall/roof sheet to the hat bars. 
   
   
       20 . A kit for building a modular building structure, the kit comprising:
 a pair of longitudinally extending beams, capable of being spaced apart from one another in a transverse direction;   a plurality of identical arched ribs capable of extending vertically and transversely at locations spaced apart from one another in a longitudinal direction, each arched rib comprising a pair of identical opposing curved members, each curved member coupled to an angled member at an apex of the arched rib;   a plurality of identical level one joists capable of extending transversely and being spaced apart from one another in the longitudinal direction, each level one joist coupleable at its transverse ends to longitudinal sides of the lower ends of the curved members of a corresponding arched rib and coupleable at each of its transverse ends to a corresponding one of the beams;   a plurality of identical level two joists capable of extending transversely and being spaced apart from one another in the longitudinal direction, each level two joist coupleable at its transverse ends to the longitudinal sides of the curved members of a corresponding arched rib at a location above the level one joists; and   a plurality of identical hat bars capable of extending longitudinally and coupleable to the transverse insides of all of the arched ribs, the hat bars having a generally trapezoidal cross-section;   wherein each of the beams, curved members, level one joists, level two joists and hat bars is preformed, pre-cut to length and provided with pre-drilled holes for coupling to other components of the building structure.   
   
   
       21 . A method for building a modular building structure comprising a support framework, the method comprising:
 providing a pair of longitudinally extending beams and spacing the beams apart from one another in a transverse direction;   assembling a plurality of vertically and transversely extending identical arched ribs and spacing the arched ribs apart from one another in a longitudinal direction, wherein assembling each arched rib comprises coupling a pair of identical opposing curved members to an angled member at an apex of the arched rib;   providing a plurality of transversely extending identical level one joists, spacing the level one joists apart from one another in the longitudinal direction, coupling each level one joist at its transverse ends to longitudinal sides of the lower ends of the curved members of a corresponding arched rib, and coupling each level one joist at each of its transverse ends to a corresponding one of the beams;   providing a plurality of transversely extending identical level two joists, spacing the level two joists apart from one another in the longitudinal direction, and coupling each level two joist at its transverse ends to the longitudinal sides of the curved members of a corresponding arched rib at a location above the level one joists; and   providing a plurality of longitudinally extending identical hat bars and coupling the hat bars to the transverse insides of all of the arched ribs, the hat bars having a generally trapezoidal cross-section; wherein each of the beams, curved members, level one joists, level two joists and hat bars is preformed, pre-cut to length and provided with pre-drilled holes for coupling to other components of the support framework.