Wall construction

Abstract

A tilt-up wall panel for use in the construction of a building is disclosed. The panel includes a composite slab that includes (a) a profiled decking sheet and (b) concrete cast on the profiled decking sheet.

1 . A tilt-up wall panel for use in the construction of a building that includes a composite slab that includes (a) a profiled decking sheet and (b) concrete cast on the profiled decking sheet. 
     
     
         2 . The wall panel defined in  claim 1  further includes reinforcement, such as mesh and/or bars and/or fibres and/or cables, embedded in the concrete. 
     
     
         3 . The wall panel defined in  claim 1  wherein the profiled decking sheet is in the form of a single sheet, for example a roll-formed sheet or a press-formed sheet, that includes a plurality of flat pans and one or more than one lengthwise extending ribs that separate the pans. 
     
     
         4 . The wall panel defined in  claim 3  wherein the ribs are closed ribs. 
     
     
         5 . The wall panel defined in  claim 1  wherein the profiled decking sheet is in the form of a plurality of separate sheets connected together in side-by-side relationship. 
     
     
         6 . The wall panel defined in  claim 5  wherein each separate decking sheet includes a single pan and opposed side edge formations that are formed to enable adjacent sheets to be connected together in side-by-side relationship. 
     
     
         7 . The wall panel defined in  claim 1  including one or more than one member that is embedded in the concrete and is formed from a material that can more easily receive and retain screws or other mechanical fasteners to mount laths or other fittings to the wall panel than the cast concrete of the wall panel. 
     
     
         8 . The wall panel defined in  claim 7  wherein the mounting member is in the form of a batten glued or otherwise secured to an inner surface of the profiled decking sheet and embedded in the concrete. 
     
     
         9 . The wall panel defined in  claim 7  wherein the mounting member is in the form of a ferrule glued or otherwise secured to an inner surface of the profiled decking sheet and embedded in the concrete. 
     
     
         10 . A wall of a building wall that includes an assembly of (a) one or more than one composite wall panel that includes a profiled decking sheet and concrete cast on the profiled decking sheet, the wall panel or wall panels being mounted on an underlying wall support structure and (b) an internal wall lining mounted to and spaced inwardly of the wall panel or wall panels so that there is a gap between the wall panel or wall panels and the lining. 
     
     
         11 . The wall defined in  claim 10  wherein the assembly includes one or more than one lath mounted to the wall panel or wall panels and to the lining that spaces the lining inwardly of the wall panel or wall panels. 
     
     
         12 . A method of constructing a wall on a wall support structure that includes a rebate having a horizontal surface and a vertical surface, which method includes steps of:
 (a) positioning a composite slab wall panel, the wall panel including a profiled decking sheet, so that it rests on the horizontal surface of the wall support structure and extends vertically upwardly with the rib or ribs of the profiled decking sheet of the wall panel forming an internal face of the wall;   (b) and connecting together the wall panel and the wall support structure with one or more than one connection means via engagement of the connection means with a rib or ribs of the wall panel.   
     
     
         13 . The method defined in  claim 12  wherein the connection means is a mechanical connection device that can engage the rib or ribs of profiled decking sheets of wall panels and facilitate connecting together wall panels and the wall support structure. 
     
     
         14 . The method defined in  claim 12  wherein the wall support structure includes a series of first access passages extending downwardly into the wall support structure inboard of the rebate and a series of second access passages extending outwardly from the first passages and forming openings in the vertical surface of the rebate. 
     
     
         15 . The method defined in  claim 14  wherein the connection device includes an elongate shaft that extends through one of the second passages and has an enlarged head at an outboard end that can be received in the rib or one of the ribs of the profiled decking sheet and, in use, includes a means for placing the shaft under tension and pulling the wall panel and the wall support structure together. 
     
     
         16 . The method defined in  claim 12  including successively positioning a plurality of composite slab wall panels connecting the panels to the wall support structure and forming the wall. 
     
     
         17 . The method defined in  claim 12 , wherein the edges of composite slabs that form side edges composite slab wall panels include complementary formations, such as tongue and groove formations, so that adjacent composite slab wall panels fit together in overlapping relationship at the side edges. 
     
     
         18 . A method of constructing an at least partially completed roof on walls of a building, which method includes steps of:
 (a) positioning the roof or partially completed roof in a lowered position between opposed walls of the building with members on opposite sides of the roof or partially completed roof extending into one or more vertically-extending ribs of profiled decking sheets of composite slab wall panels, the wall panels each including a profiled decking sheet and concrete cast on the profiled decking sheet, of the opposed walls of the building,   (b) raising the roof or partially completed roof to a required raised position, whereby the ribs of profiled decking sheets of wall panels act as vertically extending guides that guide the roof or partially completed roof to the raised position, and   (c) connecting the roof or partially completed roof to the walls in the raised position.   
     
     
         19 . (canceled)