Use of partial precast panels for construction of concrete walls and shells
View Patent ↗A precast panel for building reinforced concrete walls has a metal liner that forms a front surface of the panel. A concrete mass is disposed behind the liner. The panel has reinforcement structure within the concrete mass that can be used to provide continuity of reinforcement between adjacent panels. Edges on the concrete mass are recessed, facilitating the connection of a splice end on a reinforcing bar with a splice end on an adjacent panel. The liner, reinforcement structure, and concrete mass form a composite steel-concrete structure.
1. A method for building a wall, the method comprising the steps of:
erecting a precast panel that has a metal liner that forms a front surface of the panel, a concrete mass that is disposed behind the metal liner and has exposed lateral sides, reinforcement structure that extends laterally through the concrete mass and exits the mass through the exposed lateral sides, and shear structure that extends rearwardly through the concrete mass and projects outwardly from the rear surface of the concrete mass;
aligning a subsequent panel with the previously-erected precast panel so that an edge of the metal liner on the previously-erected panel is adjacent a metal liner on the subsequent panel;
connecting the adjacent edges of the metal liners;
using the reinforcement structure to provide continuity of reinforcement between the panels; and
adding concrete behind the precast panels to cover the projecting shear structure and form an additional wall mass.
2. A method as recited in claim 1 , in which:
the concrete mass has at least one recessed edge that is recessed inwardly from a corresponding edge of the metal liner;
the reinforcement structure comprises at least one reinforcing bar that has a splice end that projects beyond the recessed edge of the concrete mass; and
the continuity of reinforcement is provided by connecting the splice end with a splice end on the second panel.
3. A method as recited in claim 1 , in which:
the concrete mass has at least one recessed edge that is recessed inwardly from a corresponding edge of the metal liner;
the reinforcement structure comprises at least one duct that exits the concrete mass at an exposed concrete edge; and
the continuity of reinforcement is provided by extending post-tensioning through the duct to a corresponding duct in the second panel.
4. A method as recited in claim 1 , in which the added concrete forms an outside face of the completed wall.
5. A method as recited in claim 1 , in which adhesive is used to provide a shear-resisting bond between the concrete mass and the additional wall mass.