Permanent forms for composite construction columns and beams and method of building construction

Abstract

A permanent form member for a composite construction member comprises an elongated body having an outer wall defining a concrete retaining channel therethrough, and a bracing member extending from the outer wall into the concrete retaining channel. The bracing member comprises ribs fixed to the outer wall at diametrically opposed positions thereon. For use as a beam form the outer wall of the elongated member is open along its entire length such that concrete retaining channel is substantially U-shaped. A method of constructing a composite concrete house frame is provided wherein form members are connected to a foundation wall and filled with concrete to form composite columns. Form members for beams are connected to the composite columns and interconnected to one another and filled with concrete to form a composite lintel supported on the plurality of composite columns.

1 . A permanent form member for a composite construction member, said permanent form member having a longitudinal axis and comprising:
 an elongated body having a first end, a second end, and an outer wall defining a concrete retaining channel therethrough; and,   a bracing member extending from the outer wall into the concrete retaining channel.   
     
     
         2 . The permanent form member of  claim 1 , wherein the bracing member is coterminous with the elongated body. 
     
     
         3 . The permanent form member of  claim 2 , wherein the bracing member is continuous. 
     
     
         4 . The permanent form member of  claim 3 , wherein the bracing member and the elongated body are unitary. 
     
     
         5 . The permanent form member of  claim 4 , wherein the bracing member and the elongated body are constructed from a material selected from the group consisting of polyvinylchloride, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene and polybutylene. 
     
     
         6 . The permanent form member of  claim 5 , wherein the bracing member and the elongated body are constructed by extrusion. 
     
     
         7 . The permanent form member of  claim 6 , wherein the permanent form member is a column form. 
     
     
         8 . The permanent form member of  claim 7 , wherein the bracing member comprises a least two ribs fixed to the outer wall at diametrically opposed positions thereon. 
     
     
         9 . The permanent form member of  claim 8 , wherein the bracing member further comprises a tubular wall defining a central cavity coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the permanent form member and disposed within the concrete retaining channel; with a first end of each of the ribs fixed to the outer wall and a second end of each of the ribs being fixed to the tubular wall, thereby portioning the concrete retaining channel into longitudinally extending sub-channels. 
     
     
         10 . The permanent form member of  claim 6 , wherein the permanent form member is a beam form. 
     
     
         11 . The permanent form member of  claim 10 , wherein the outer wall of the elongated member is open along its entire length such that concrete retaining channel is substantially U-shaped. 
     
     
         12 . The permanent form member of  claim 11 , wherein the bracing member comprises at least three ribs fixed to the outer wall at diametrically opposed positions thereon. 
     
     
         13 . The permanent form member of  claim 12 , wherein the at least three ribs of the bracing member each define a plurality of concrete filling portals. 
     
     
         14 . The permanent form member of  claim 12 , further comprising a rebar rest located on the at least three ribs. 
     
     
         15 . A method of constructing a composite concrete house frame comprising the steps of:
 placing a permanent form member, being a column form comprising an elongated body having a first end, and a second end, and an outer wall defining a concrete retaining channel therethrough, and a bracing member having at least two ribs fixed to the outer wall at diametrically opposed positions thereon, on the foundation wall, said foundation wall having a plurality of portions of rebar having free ends extending from a foundation wall; such that the first end of the elongated body is in contact with the foundation wall and the rebar extending from the foundation wall is received within the concrete retaining channel and extends beyond the second end of the elongated body   framing the column form in position with framing boards;   filling the concrete retaining channel with flowable, high strength concrete; and allowing the concrete to set, forming a composite column; and,   repeating the foregoing steps iteratively to form a plurality of composite columns.   
     
     
         16 . A method of  claim 15  further comprising the steps of:
 inserting a plurality of portions of rebar into a concrete retaining channel defined in a permanent form member, being a beam form comprising an elongated body having a first end, and a second end, and an outer wall defining the concrete retaining channel therethrough, and having a bracing member having at least three ribs fixed to the outer wall at diametrically opposed positions thereon; 
 placing the beam form on the top of the composite column and tying the rebar extending beyond the column form to the rebar positioned in the beam form; and repeating these steps iteratively with a plurality of abutting beam forms. 
 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising the steps of:
 tying together the rebar positioned within the plurality of abutting beam forms; and, 
 filling the concrete retaining channels of the abutted beam forms with flowable, high strength concrete; and allowing the concrete to set, forming a composite lintel supported on the composite columns.