Modular construction mold apparatus and method for constructing concrete buildings and structures

Abstract

A modular steel-framed construction mold apparatus comprised of a plurality of contiguous foundation, cavity wall and roof deck void spaces defined and formed by assemblies of interlocking encasement panels and connectors integrally attached to a structural steel grillage for accepting, containing, and shaping wet concrete fill, a method for forming, casting, and encasing monolithic composite concrete and steel buildings and structures in situ using said mold apparatus, and a permanently encased monolithic composite concrete and steel structure constructed by employing the foregoing modular mold apparatus and method of concrete construction. The structural steel grillage supports the encasement assemblies before and during the casting process, becoming fully embedded within the cast concrete, and provides tensile strength complementing the compressive strength of concrete fill. The panelized encasement assemblies remain in place following casting protecting and insulating the resulting composite concrete and steel buildings and structures.

1 . An encased monolithic concrete and steel composite building or structure in situ underwater comprising:
 (a) a structural steel framework fully embedded within a monolithically cast joint-free concrete structure;   (b) a monolithic concrete structure with interior and exterior walls and the underside of horizontal ceiling and roof slabs encased by panelized assemblies that protect and insulate the concrete surface.   
     
     
         2 . The composite structure of  claim 1  further comprising:
 (a) a plurality of interlocking panels, connector brackets and cap connectors integrally connected together to form a water tight, air tight encasement assembly for housing and protecting said composite monolithic concrete and steel structure; 
 
     
     
         3 . The structure of  claim 1  wherein said means for interlocking encasement panels comprising:
 (a) forming the end walls of said encasement panels with a t-shaped key protruding from the portion of end wall between the cross section centerline and inner wall to resist tension forces and the portion of end wall between the cross section centerline and outer wall thickened to resist compression forces, 
 (b) configuring the edges of said panel connector brackets that attach said encasement assembly to said steel grillage with a t-shaped receptor keyway formed between the centerline of said connector's hollow body and the inner wall corresponding with the inner wall of said encasement panel to resist tension forces and the portion of body wall between the centerline and outer wall corresponding with the outer wall of said encasement panel thickened to resist compressive forces. 
 
     
     
         4 . The structure of  claim 1  further wherein elements of said panelized encasement component comprise:
 (a) hollow panels with one inner wall in contact with said concrete fill, a second parallel outer wall exposed to the surrounding environment, two end walls formed with the means of interlocking said panels together to form a continuous surface, and webbing or rigid foam in said hollow space between and joining said inner and outer walls and where said webbing form interstices and said foam a solid structural unit. 
 (b) hollow panel connector brackets, hollow panel connectors, hollow inside corner connector brackets, hollow outside corner connector brackets, and double channeled cap connectors with one flange formed to interlock with said panel connector bracket or panel connectors, 
 (c) bracket arms extending into said void spaces integrally attached to corresponding steel brackets affixed to said steel grillage component. 
 
     
     
         5 . A method for constructing permanently encased monolithic composite concrete and steel structures for use in underwater sites comprising the off-site steps of:
 (a) fabricating under controlled conditions, not underwater, structural steel grillage components for a modular custom-engineered construction mold apparatus with structural steel grillage components;   (b) integrally connecting encasement panels and connectors under complementary conditions into custom-engineered panelized encasement components corresponding to the steel grillage components fabricated in step (a);   (c) integrally attaching said panelized encasement assembly components produced in step (b) to said steel grillage component fabricated in step (a) under controlled conditions (off site or on a barge above it) to create modular steel-framed modular construction mold units;   (d) hatching and mixing concrete fill under controlled conditions;   
       and construction site steps of:
 (1) site preparation work including one or more steps of surveying, dredging out unsuitable material and backfilling stones or other suitable base materials; 
 (2) transporting the modular construction unit produced in step (c) site; 
 (3) placing the suitable materials to support the concrete foundation slab, and lowering the constructed mold apparatus into the underwater site, and 
 (4) pumping and casting concrete fill into the structured void spaces of said modular mold apparatus to produce a permanently encased monolithic composite concrete steel structure.