Pre-cast concrete formwork, wall system and method of construction

Abstract

Formwork for building a wall system, the formwork comprising: a first pre-cast concrete wall panel and a second pre-cast concrete wall panel, the first wall panel being adapted for being positioned in a spaced relationship with the second wall panel; a hollow core defined by oppositely arranged surfaces of the first and second wall panels, the core being adapted for receiving wet concrete; and a connecting arrangement for inter-connecting the first wall panel with the second wall panel in the spaced relationship, the connecting arrangement extending generally in an outwardly direction relative to said oppositely arranged surfaces of the first and second wall panels.

1 . Formwork for building a wall system, the formwork comprising:
 a first discrete reinforced pre-cast concrete wall panel and a second discrete reinforced pre-cast concrete wall panel, the first wall panel being adapted for being positioned in a spaced relationship with the second wall panel;   a hollow core defined by oppositely arranged spaced apart surfaces of the first and second wall panels, the core being adapted for receiving wet concrete; and   a connecting arrangement for inter-connecting the first wall panel with the second wall panel in a variable spaced relationship, the connecting arrangement extending generally in an outwardly direction relative to said oppositely arranged spaced apart surfaces of the first and second wall panels and being positioned along respective lengths of the first and second wall panels in between opposite lateral ends of the first and second wall panels and   wherein lateral edge portions of the first and second panel comprise reinforcing members extending horizontally from each of said edge portion for inter-connecting a first pair of said first and second panels with a second pair of said first and second panels along their respective lateral edge portions.   
     
     
         2 . Formwork in accordance with  claim 1  wherein each of the first and second panels comprises a plurality of summit portions spaced apart from each other by furrow portions and wherein during use the summit portions are located along the oppositely arranged surfaces of the first and second panels. 
     
     
         3 . Formwork in accordance with  claim 2  wherein during use, a first plurality of summit portions of the first panel are arranged in an opposed relationship relative to a second plurality of the summit portions such that each of the summit portions of the first panel is positioned adjacent a corresponding summit portion of the second panel to provide the connecting arrangement. 
     
     
         4 . Formwork in accordance with any one of the preceding claims further comprising a spacer for being positioned and retained in between respective summit portions of the first and second panel during use. 
     
     
         5 . Formwork in accordance with any one of  claims 2  to  4  wherein a first plurality of furrow portions from the first panel are positioned in an opposed relationship relative to a second plurality of furrow portions of the second panel such that each of the furrow portions of the first panel and a corresponding furrow portion of the second panel defines a hollow core portion to receive fresh concrete poured therein. 
     
     
         6 . Formwork in accordance with any one of  claims 2  to  5  wherein lateral edge portions for each of the panels comprises profiled projections such that thickness of the projections is preferably less than the height of one or more of said summit portions to accommodate said horizontally extending reinforcing members for inter-connecting a first pair of said first and second panels with a second pair of said first and second panels along their respective lateral edge portions. 
     
     
         7 . Formwork in accordance with  claim 6  wherein the projections of the first panel are spaced apart from the oppositely arranged projections of the second panel to define a grout or concrete receiving cavity. 
     
     
         8 . Formwork in accordance with any one of  claim 6  or  7  wherein said joiner members extend in a transverse direction relative to the length of the summit portions. 
     
     
         9 . Formwork in accordance with  claim 8  comprising a plurality of spaced apart joiner members positioned in between the top and bottom portions of the panels, said joiner members further comprising one or more respective receiving portions that are aligned for receiving one or more reinforcing members extending in a generally upright direction. 
     
     
         10 . Formwork in accordance with  claim 9  wherein each joiner member comprises a first receiving portion and a second receiving portion such that the first receiving portion for each of the joiner members are aligned to receive a reinforcing member in between the oppositely arranged surfaces of the first pair of panels and the second receiving portion for each of the joiner members are aligned to receive a reinforcing member in between the oppositely arranged surfaces of the second pair of panels. 
     
     
         11 . Formwork in accordance with any one of  claims 6  to  10  wherein the joiner member is structured to allow a first structural wall formed by the first pair of panels to lies in a first imaginary plane that intersects a second imaginary plane of a second structural wall formed by the second pair of panels. 
     
     
         12 . Formwork in accordance with any one of  claims 6  to  11  further comprising locking members for locking the joiner members to at least one of said oppositely arranged surfaces. 
     
     
         13 . Formwork in accordance with any one of  claims 6  to  12  comprising an elongate capping member for being positioned along oppositely arranged lateral edges of the first and second panels wherein an internal wall of the capping member and the projections of the first and second panels define an internal space for receiving grout or fresh concrete. 
     
     
         14 . Formwork in accordance with  claim 13  wherein the capping member comprises an inter-locking arrangement for inter-locking the capping member with the lateral edges of the first and second panels. 
     
     
         15 . Formwork in accordance with any one of  claim 13  or  14  further comprising an additional joiner member extending outwardly from an internal surface of the capping member into the core portion for inter-connecting the capping member with the first and second panels wherein the additional joiner member comprises receiving portions for receiving one or more reinforcing members extending in a generally upright direction. 
     
     
         16 . Formwork in accordance with any one of the preceding claims wherein the formwork further comprises one or more additional reinforcing members extending through the core, the reinforcing members extending in an outwardly direction, preferably in a vertical direction relative to a supporting surface supporting the first and second wall panel. 
     
     
         17 . Formwork in accordance with any one of the preceding claims further comprising a lintel member for being positioned above in-use upper portions of the first and second panels, the lintel member further comprising connecting members for connecting the lintel member to the core of the formwork. 
     
     
         18 . Formwork in accordance with  claim 17  further comprising reinforcing bars extending along the length of the lintel member wherein an in-use upper portion comprises a first plurality of reinforcing bars and in-use lower portion comprises a second plurality of reinforcing bars. 
     
     
         19 . Formwork in accordance with any one of the preceding claims further comprising a scaffold securing arrangement for removably securing scaffolding to at least one of said pre-cast panels. 
     
     
         20 . Formwork in accordance with any one of the preceding claims further comprising a plurality of spaced apart elongate reinforcement members positioned in the hollow core in between lateral ends of said first and second wall panels and extending generally in a vertical direction relative to a supporting surface underlying said wall system. 
     
     
         21 . A discrete pre-cast reinforced concrete panel to construct formwork for a wall system in a building, the panel comprising a plurality of summit portions spaced apart from each other by furrow portions wherein two of said panels can be oppositely arranged to position the summit portions of each panel in a connected configuration, wherein one or more of the summit portions comprises a connecting arrangement for inter-connecting one of said concrete panel with another of said wall panel in a variable spaced relationship, the connecting arrangement extending generally in an outwardly direction relative to an inwardly directed in-use surface of the panel and positioned in between opposite lateral ends of the panel and wherein the furrow portions of the oppositely arranged panels define a plurality of hollow cores for receiving fresh concrete therein. 
     
     
         22 . (canceled)