Precast concrete building construction

Abstract

A building construction utilizing precast concrete building units which are positioned side-by-side and end-to-end as well as stacked to form a multistory structure; the units being secured together by tendons freely threaded through horizontal and vertical chases provided in the building units, placed under tension and anchored at their extremities. The building units may also include precast beams containing longitudinal catenary tendons anchored at the end extremities of each building unit, the units being bolted in end-to-end relation.

I claim: 
     
       1. A multiple story garage structure, comprising: a. a first set of precast concrete building units, each unit thereof including an elongated rectangular slab and legs at the ends thereof, the slabs .Iadd.having substantially continuous upper and lower surfaces except for vertical tendon passages at said legs and .Iaddend.being arranged .Iadd.coplanar .Iaddend.in side-by-side and end-to-end relation and the legs disposed in rows under the ends of the slabs, the rows of legs defining therebetween rows of parking spaces adjacent the legs and access lanes between the parking spaces;   b. a second set of precast concrete building units, each unit of the second set including a beam and a leg at each end thereof, the members of the second set of building units being disposed in longitudinal alignment with the rows of legs of the first set at the ends thereof to define transversely extending corridors connecting the access lanes;   c. a third set of precast concrete building units, each unit of the third set including a slab and at least one beam thereunder, the ends of the members of the third set of building units resting on the beams of the second set of building units and continuing in .Iadd.coplanar .Iaddend.side-by-side and end-to-end relation from the slabs of the first set of building units;   d. and means securing the sets of building units in their assembled relation.   
     
     
       2. A building construction, as defined in claim 1, wherein: a. said building units are adapted to be stacked to form a multideck structure;   b. said legs are provided with vertical tendon guideways adapted to be aligned when said building units are stacked;   c. and said securing means includes .Iadd.steel cable .Iaddend.vertical tendons slidably received in said aligned vertical guideways, and anchor means are provided at the extremities of said tendons to hold said vertical tendons under tension, thereby to exert a compressive force between the vertically stacked building units, said vertical tendons being freely movable in their respective passageways between their respective anchors whereby tension loads thereon are uniformly distributed along the length of each vertical tendon.   
     
     
       3. A building construction, as defined in claim 1, wherein: a. each slab defines a plurality of horizontal tendon guideways, disposed .Iadd.between their upper and lower surfaces and .Iaddend.in alignment with guideways of adjacent slabs, when the slabs are assembled in side-by-side relation;   b. and said securing means includes .Iadd.steel cable .Iaddend.tendons slidably received in the guideways of a plurality of slabs, and anchors at the remote ends of the tendons to hold said tendons under tension thereby to exert a compressive force between slabs located between said anchors, said tendons being freely movable in said guideways between said anchors whereby tension loads are uniformly distributed along the length of each tendon.   
     
     
       4. A building construction, as defined in claim 3, wherein: a. the slabs of said building units are initially disposed in spaced relation;   b. grout including expansive cement occupies said spaces to exert an expansive force between said slabs;   c. and said tendons exert a compressive force on the grout compensating for the expansive force of said grout.   
     
     
       5. A horizontal multiple deck construction, comprising: a. a set of elongated concrete slabs for each deck arranged in coplanar relation with their side edges in contiguous relation to form a plurality of continuous junctures between their side edges;   b. .Iadd.longitudinally extending .Iaddend.deflection resisting beams integral with corresponding slabs .[.;.]..Iadd., the slabs, except for said longitudinal beams defining between their ends essentially parallel upper and lower surfaces; .Iaddend.   c. integral legs at the ends of the beams for supporting each deck above the deck below;   d. each set of slabs having a plurality of horizontal transversely extending parallel guideways disposed .Iadd.in a zone between their upper and lower surfaces and .Iaddend.in alignment across the junctures and through a plurality of slabs;   e. a plurality of continuous slab connecting .Iadd.steel cable .Iaddend.flexible tendons, slidable in and coextensive with the guideways in each deck;   f. anchoring means secured to the ends of the tendons of each deck to maintain predetermined uniformity of distributed tension loads throughout the lengths of the tendons thereby to maintain corresponding compression loads .Iadd.in and parallel to the common zone of the tendons between the upper and lower surfaces of the slabs and .Iaddend.distributed throughout the slabs disposed between the anchors as well as the junctures between contiguous slabs, the tension loads being of sufficient magnitude to secure the slabs against relative movement at their junctures, thereby to cause the slabs to resist deflecting forces as a unit;   g. the legs extending between the decks being disposed in vertically aligned groups and each leg forming a juncture with a slab of the deck below;   h. a pier below the lowermost leg of each group and forming a horizontal juncture therewith;   i. each group of legs, the corresponding ends of the beams and the slabs therebetween having vertical guideways extending from the piers therethrough;   j. flexible tendons extending through the vertical guideways;   k. and anchoring means in said piers and bearing against the slabs of the top deck secured to the vertical tendons to maintain a predetermined uniformity distributed tension loads throughout the lengths of the vertical tendons thereby to maintain compression loads distributed throughout the legs, beam ends and slabs disposed between the anchors as well as the horizontal junctures therebetween to cause the decks to resist deflection forces as a unit.   
     
     
       6. A multiple story building construction, comprising: a. at least four building units forming a lower story; each unit including a horizontal rectangular concrete slab .Iadd.defining upper and lower surfaces and .Iaddend.having a major longitudinal and a minor lateral dimension.Iadd., .Iaddend.underlying supporting beams extending longitudinally of the slabs between the ends thereof and spaced vertical concrete legs fixed to the ends of the slabs;   b. the four units being assembled with the slabs in a common horizontal plane and with the ends of the slabs in abutting relation on .Iadd.at least a .Iaddend.first vertical plane.[.s.]., the adjacent longitudinal edges of adjacent slabs likewise being in abutting relation on .Iadd.at least a .Iaddend.second vertical plane.[.s.]. at right angles to the first named plane.[.s.].;   c. foundation means serving to engage and support the lower ends of the vertical legs;   d. at least four building units assembled upon the first four units and forming a second story;   e. the units of the second story likewise each including a horizontal rectangular concrete slab .Iadd.defining upper and lower surfaces and .Iaddend.having a major longitudinal and a minor lateral dimension.Iadd., .Iaddend.underlying supporting beams extending longitudinally of the slabs between the ends thereof.Iadd., .Iaddend.and spaced vertical concrete legs fixed to the end portions of the slabs;   f. the four units of the second story being assembled with their slabs in a common horizontal plane and with the adjacent ends of the slabs in abutting relation on said first vertical plane.[.s.]. and the longitudinal edges of adjacent slabs being in abutting relation on said second vertical plane;   g. the vertical legs for the upper story having their lower ends seated upon end portions of an underlying slab and in vertical alignment with legs for the lower story;   h. the space between vertical legs of a story as measured longitudinally of the units being substantially unobstructed to form free corridors;   i. the legs for adjacent ends of units for the second story being disposed adjacent and on opposite sides of a corresponding first plane;   j. the slabs of the units forming both the lower and upper stories having aligned horizontal tendon accommodating guideways .Iadd.occupying a common zone between the upper and lower surfaces of the slabs and .Iaddend.extending laterally through the same from one remote longitudinal side edge of a slab to the remote other side edge;   k. the end portion of each slab of the units forming both the lower and upper stories having a vertical tendon accommodating guideway extending through the same and through a corresponding vertical leg;   l. the vertical guideways of the units forming the upper floor being aligned with the vertical guideways of the units forming the lower story;   m. tensioned horizontal .Iadd.steel cable .Iaddend.tendons extending through the horizontal guideways of the slabs and tendon anchors at the remote side edges of the slabs thereby serving to apply forces in compression to the slabs .Iadd.centered in the common zone of the horizontal guideways thereby .Iaddend.causing mutual engagement of their intermediate longitudinal edges;   n. tensioned .Iadd.steel cable .Iaddend.tendons extending through the aligned vertical guideways and tendon anchors in the foundation means and upper story serving to apply forces in compression to the vertical legs and to the corresponding portions of the slabs engaged thereby;   o. the portions of the horizontal tendons intermediate their extremities being free of force transmitting attachment with the slabs through which they extend;   p. the portions of the vertical tendons intermediate the foundation means and their upper extremities being free of force transmitting attachment with the legs and slabs through which they extend;   q. and means securing adjacent ends of the slabs together.   
     
     
       7. A multiple deck structure, comprising: a. a set of elongated concrete modules, each module including a horizontally extending slab .Iadd.defining upper and lower surfaces.Iaddend., at least one beam extending between the ends of the slab, at least one vertically extending leg adjacent each end of the beam;   b. each module having a vertical tendon guideway extending continuously through each leg, beam and slab, the modules being stacked with their respective vertical guideways in vertical alignment, and the modules having areas of mutual engagement between the extremities of their legs and the slabs of vertically adjacent modules;   c. continuous .Iadd.flexible steel cable .Iaddend.tendons slidable in the aligned guideways;   d. and tendon anchoring means at the upper and lower extremities of the guideways bearing against the modules for applying vertical tension to the tendons and vertical compression loads to the extremities of the slabs and beams and longitudinally of the legs as well as the areas of mutual engagement, thereby securing said areas against relative displacement and increasing resistance of the slabs, beams and legs to bending loads.   
     
     
       8. A multiple deck structure, as defined in claim 7, wherein: a. the lower tendon anchoring means includes foundation piers disposed under the legs of the lowermost modules;   b. and the tendons for each stack of modules are adapted to be threaded through the guideways in sequence as the modules are placed in stacked relation.   
     
     
       9. A horizontal deck construction, comprising: a. a set of elongated concrete slabs .Iadd.defining essentially parallel upper and lower surfaces and .Iaddend.arranged in coplanar relation with their side edges in contiguous relation to form a plurality of junctures coextensive with the side edges;   b. the slabs having a plurality of parallel, aligned tendon guideways .Iadd.disposed in a common zone between the upper and lower surfaces of the slabs and .Iaddend.extending continuously through the set of slabs transverse to said junctures;   c. a plurality of continuous slab connecting .Iadd.steel cable .Iaddend.flexible tendons .Iadd.in the common zone of the guideways, and .Iaddend.slidable in and coextensive with the guideways;   d. anchoring means engaging the tendons and fixed to the slabs at the ends of the guideways the anchoring means maintaining predetermined tension loads on the tendons and corresponding compression loads in the slabs, including the junctures therebetween .Iadd.also centered in the common zone of the guideways and said compression loads being .Iaddend.of sufficient magnitude to secure the slabs against relative movement at their junctures thereby to cause the slabs to resist deflection forces as a unit;   e. and a set of deflection resisting slab supporting beams underlying the slabs and extending parallel to the junctures, the beams being in rigid relation to the slabs and cooperating therewith to support loads as a unit.   
     
     
       10. A construction, as defined in claim 9, wherein: a. said anchoring means are removable from the tendons and the tendons are removable from the slabs to permit disassembly of the slabs thereby to permit removal to another site for reassembly.   
     
     
       11. A construction, as defined in claim 9, wherein: a. supporting legs extend vertically from the ends of each beam to form with the set of beams and corresponding set of slabs a set of coplanar building units;   b. and the sets of building units are stacked vertically to form a multiple story structure.   
     
     
       12. A multiple story structure, as defined in claim 11, wherein: a. a first set of tendon anchoring means underlie the supporting legs of the lowermost set of building units;   b. junctures are formed between the members of each stack of building units;   c. the supporting legs, beams and slabs of each stack of building units have vertical tendon guideways extending continuously between the tendon anchoring means and the top of the multiple story structure;   d. a plurality of vertical tendons are secured to the first set of tendon anchoring means and are slidable in the vertical guideways;   e. and a second set of tendon anchoring means engage the upper ends of the tendons and are fixed to the top of the multiple story structure to maintain vertical tension loads on the tendons and corresponding vertical compression loads on the members of each stack of building units as well as the junctures therebetween to secure the members against relative movement at their junctures thereby to cause the members of each stack of building units to resist deflection forces as a unit.   
     
     
       13. A construction, as defined in claim 12, wherein: a. the anchoring means for the slab connecting tendons are removable therefrom, and the tendons are removable from the slabs to permit disassembly;   b. at least the second act of anchoring means for the vertical tendons are removable therefrom to permit disassembly of each stack of building units, whereby the building units may be removed to another site for reassembly. .Iadd. 14. A horizontal deck construction, as defined in claim 9, wherein:   a. the side edges of the slabs are initially disposed in spaced relation;   b. and grout is received in the spaces between the slabs and around the portions of the tendons traversing said spaces: .Iaddend..Iadd. 15. A horizontal deck structure, as defined in claim 14, wherein:    a. the grout includes expansive cement to exert an expansive force between the slabs. .Iaddend..Iadd. 16. A slab structure, comprising:   a. a plurality of elongated slab members having essentially planar upper and lower surfaces and being arranged with their side edges in side-by-side relation to form a slab set;   b. means for supporting the members of the slab set in coplanar relation;   c. each slab member having a plurality of transverse parallel coplanar tendon guideways distributed between said upper and lower surfaces;   d. the tendon guideways of the slab members forming the slab set being in alignment between and including the remote slab members of the slab set;   e. a plurality of steel cable tendons coextensive with the slab set and maintained slidably received in the guideways;   f. and anchoring means fixed to the end slab members of the slab set and engaging the tendons to apply a predetermined distributed tension force thereto throughout the slab set and a corresponding uniform transverse compression force to all the slab members of the slab set, the tendons remaining free to slide relative to their guideways to maintain such uniform distribution of tension and compression while permitting change in the dimensions of the slab set caused by external forces. .Iaddend..Iadd.   
     
     
         7.  A slab structure, as defined in claim 16, wherein: a. grout is disposed between the side edges of the slab members of the slab set and around the portions of tendons traversing the grout between the slab members, the tendons being slidable with respect to the grout as well as the guideways to permit and maintain distributed tensioning of the tendons. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 18. A slab structure as defined in claim 17, wherein:   a. the grout includes expansive cement to exert an expansive force between the slab members of the slab set. .Iaddend. .Iadd.19. A slab structure, as defined in claim 16, wherein:   a. supporting cross beams underlie a selected number of the slab members of the slab sets at the ends thereof..Iaddend..Iadd.20. A slab structure, as defined in claim 17 wherein:   a. legs are provided at the ends of each cross beam;   b. and other legs are provided under the ends of selected other slab members of the slab set to elevate the slab set. .Iaddend. 21. A slab structure, as defined in claim 16, wherein:   a. the slab set is provided with a plurality of underlying reinforcing beams integral with and extending longitudinally with respect to the slab members. .Iadd. 22. A slab structure as defined in claim 19, wherein:   a. each longitudinal beam includes at least one tendon extending the length thereof, and tendon anchors at the ends thereof. .Iaddend..Iadd. 23. A slab structure as defined in claim 19, wherein:   a. selected slab members include integral depending legs underlying selected beams. .Iaddend..Iadd. 24. A slab structure, as defined in claim 23, wherein:   a. a plurality of slab sets are stacked to form a plurality of floors;   b. the depending legs of each floor are disposed in vertical alignment, and include continuous vertically aligned tendon guideways extending through the legs and corresponding slab members. .Iaddend.