GB2572987A

GB2572987A - Building module

Info

Publication number: GB2572987A
Application number: GB1806338.8A
Authority: GB
Inventors: James Freeman Robert; Olof Eagle Timothy
Original assignee: Dutypoint Ltd
Current assignee: Dutypoint Ltd
Priority date: 2018-04-18
Filing date: 2018-04-18
Publication date: 2019-10-23
Anticipated expiration: 2038-04-18
Also published as: GB2572987B; GB201806338D0; AU2018205141A1

Abstract

The building module for subterranean use 10 comprises a substantially rigid framework 12 and a side wall 20, the side wall being attached to the framework. The side wall includes two substantially parallel layers 22 and an opening for receiving concrete between the panels. Also claimed is a method of installing an underground or subterranean structure by excavating a hole in the ground, placing the building module and pouring concrete into the cavity. Also claimed is a building module for underground use comprising a sidewall, a ceiling 18 and a base. An access opening 19 is provided in the ceiling and a suspended floor covers the base but spaced from the base. A channel is proved from an upper surface for the floor for draining fluid into a void space between the floor and base. The module may be used for pumping apparatus which is noisy and providing sound insulation.

Description

The present invention relates to a building module and particularly but not exclusively to a subterranean building module.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Building projects generally require the installation of plant, such as water tanks, water pressure boosting pumps, heating equipment and other water treatment apparatus. Some equipment, particularly boosting pumps, generates significant amounts of noise while operating, and may be operational for much or all of the day. This can cause discomfort to residents or other building users. It is therefore often desirable to install such equipment underground to provide sound insulation.

Subterranean plant installation has the additional benefit of protecting the equipment from temperature fluctuations which may cause wear or failure, and freeing aboveground space for other purposes.

Such installation requires the construction of an underground chamber to receive the equipment and provide access and space for routine maintenance work. This chamber will often be situated at least partially below the water table and will be sealed against ingress of water to protect the plant equipment. This makes the chamber highly buoyant, requiring significant weight to avoid being forced upwards by subterranean hydrostatic pressure.

This weight is typically provided by concrete. Construction therefore requires excavation of a large hole in the ground and other preparation work including assembly of concrete shuttering for concrete. This work is costly, time consuming and relatively dangerous for construction operatives.

Subterranean plant installation also presents a safety hazard to operatives servicing the plant equipment. This is because the equipment is installed in a sealed chamber, typically of small volume. Should any equipment failure or malfunction cause a leak of high volumetric flow rate, the chamber may rapidly fill with water. Operatives must leave the chamber quickly to escape drowning.

The same problems apply if there is a fire in the chamber.

Access to such chambers is typically from the ceiling of the chamber, often via a hatch and ladder arrangement. This makes it additionally difficult to quickly leave the chamber, particularly if an operative has been injured. In installations of this type, two service engineers are required, in view of the risks.

It is an obj ect of the present invention to provide a building module, particularly suitable for subterranean installation which can be installed relatively quickly and has improved safety characteristics.

STATEMENT OF INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a building module for subterranean use comprising a substantially rigid framework and a side wall, the side wall being attached to the framework, the side wall including two substantially parallel layers defining a cavity therebetween, in which there is an opening at the top of the side wall in communication with the cavity for receiving concrete.

The building module provides a rapidly installable chamber particularly suitable for subterranean use. The side wall provides a mould which may be filled with concrete to provide a rigid and strong wall for the chamber. The wall must be rigid and strong to withstand hydrostatic pressure and the weight of surrounding earth and other structures above the chamber. This avoids the need to assemble shuttering for concrete at the site, significantly reducing the overall build time and the amount of time operatives must spend working in an excavation, which is a relatively unsafe environment. Additionally, the building module is relatively low-weight before addition of concrete, making it economical to manufacture the building module off-site and transport it to the site, thus saving on-site construction time.

The opening in the top of the side wall provides access to the cavity of the side wall, allowing the side wall to be filled with concrete from above. This is convenient as the building module will be situated below ground level when concrete pouring begins.

The rigid framework supports the side wall during transport and installation of the building module, allowing the building module to be manufactured off-site and transported to the site in one piece. This reduces construction time at the site.

The rigid framework also provides structural reinforcement to the subterranean chamber during and on completion of construction.

The side wall may form a closed periphery about the framework. This allows the building module to be used to construct a completed subterranean chamber.

The building module may further comprise a base.

A channel may be provided in the upper surface of the base for receiving a lower edge of the side wall.

The base provides a floor for the finished chamber. It will be understood that the base and the building module may be provided as separate components for ease of transportation. Alternatively, the base may be constructed in-situ.

The channel receives the lower edge of the side wall, providing a strong sealed joint between the side wall and the base. When concrete is added to the cavity of the side wall, it flows from the opening at the top, down the cavity and to the bottom of the side wall to fill the channel of the base, creating the joint.

The sealed joint prevents ingress of water from the surrounding earth to the finished chamber. As the joint is near the lowest point of the installed chamber, which is where hydrostatic pressure will be highest, it is especially important for the joint to be strong and watertight.

An opening may be provided at the bottom of the side wall for allowing concrete to flow from the cavity of the side wall to the channel of the base.

The base may be made of concrete. This allows the base to be conveniently assembled on site by pouring concrete into the excavation. It will be understood that some minimal shuttering may be required to form the base, but the overall amount of shuttering required is significantly reduced by the invention. A concrete base also provides high strength for resisting hydrostatic pressure and other loads, and high density for weighting against buoyancy of the finished chamber.

The base may include reinforcing, for example a plurality of steel bars embedded in the concrete, portions thereof extending out of the base from the channel for reception in the cavity of the side wall.

The steel bars become embedded in concrete within the side wall when concrete is introduced into the cavity. This provides a stronger joint between the base and the side wall.

A plurality of steel bars may be provided in the cavity of the side wall. The steel bars will be come embedded in concrete within the side wall when concrete is introduced into the cavity. This reinforces the finished walls of the chamber. It is convenient to provide steel bars in the building module to minimise on-site assembly.

The framework may include a plurality of steel beams. Steel beams provide a relatively high strength and low weight framework for supporting the side wall and other components during transportation of the module, and reinforcing the finished chamber.

The side wall may be made of plastics. This provides a low weight shuttering for retaining the concrete which will not react with water in the surrounding earth or concrete, or with chemicals in the concrete.

The side wall is preferably made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

The side wall may include conduits for receiving water pipes. This allows the finished chamber to be conveniently used for plant and water treatment equipment. No adaptation of the building module is then required. This is particularly advantageous for providing a series of uniform prefabricated subterranean plant rooms.

The building module may further comprise a suspended floor, the suspended floor being a planar element disposed perpendicular to the side wall and situated part way between a bottom edge of the side wall and a top edge of the side wall, such that there is a substantial clearance between the suspended floor and the bottom edge of the side wall, a fluid path being provided between the space below the suspended floor and the space above the suspended floor for draining fluid from above the suspended floor.

The suspended floor provides a platform on which equipment may stand and operatives may work. Because the suspended floor is situated above the bottom edge of the side wall, a void will exist in the finished chamber between the suspended floor and the base of the chamber, since the base of the chamber will be planar and contact the lower edge of the side wall. This void provides an emergency reservoir for fluids. If there is a malfunction or equipment failure and a leak develops, the resulting fluid will drain via the path to the space below the suspended floor, allowing the operatives additional time to escape from the chamber or rectify the leak.

It will be understood that the phrase ‘fluid path’ is employed in a general manner to mean any means by which fluid may drain. The fluid path may be provided as a grille in the suspended floor, or indeed the entire suspended floor may be a grille. Alternatively, suspended floor may include apertures or cut-outs through which fluid may drain. In some embodiments, the suspended floor may not extend to all parts of the side wall, so that a gap exists between the suspended floor and the side wall through which fluid may drain.

The suspended floor may cover substantially all of the area enclosed by the side wall in a plane perpendicular to the side wall. This maximises the available work and storage space within the chamber, and provides a larger space below the suspended floor so that more fluid can be accommodated in the event of a leak.

The building module may further include a water pumping apparatus. This allows a subterranean water pumping room to be constructed quickly, as there is no need to sequentially construct a subterranean chamber and then install pumping equipment, rather, the pumping equipment is provided as part of the building module.

The pumping apparatus may be situated on the suspended floor.

The suspended floor may include a metal grille, the channel being provided by the grille. This maximises usable space within the finished chamber while allowing leaked fluid to drain to the space below the suspended floor, saving equipment from damage and giving operatives time to escape in case of a catastrophic leak.

The building module may include a staircase, for example a straight flight staircase. The staircase makes it easier for operatives to leave the finished chamber quickly, in case of fire or flood. It will be understood that access to the finished chamber will usually be via the top of the chamber. Providing a staircase as part of the building module reduces the amount of work that must be done on-site. The staircase also avoids the need for safety equipment when entering or leaving the building module, such as safety harnesses and tripods.

The building module may have a length greater than 3.5 m. This provides adequate space to accommodate a staircase. Typically, a length of 3.5 m will be required to accommodate 2 m headroom.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of installing a subterranean structure comprising the steps of: excavating a hole in the ground; placing a building module according to any preceding claim within the hole; and pouring concrete into the cavity of the side wall of the building module.

The method minimises the amount of work that must be performed on-site, as it reduces the need to provide shuttering for concrete. Advantageously, the building module reduces the amount of time spent by operatives in the excavation, which is a relatively hazardous environment.

An additional advantage of the method is that equipment and furnishings may be added to the interior of the building module during off-site fabrication. This further reduces the work that must be done on-site to produce a completed underground plant room or other chamber, and reduces the requirement for access to the interior of the building module during the construction process.

The method may further comprise the step of placing a base in the hole and placing the building module upon the base.

Providing a separate base reduces the weight of the building module, making it easier to transport to site.

The base may have a channel in its upper surface, and in which the side wall of the building module is received in the channel.

According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a building module for subterranean use comprising a side wall, a base and a suspended floor, the suspended floor being a planar element disposed perpendicular to the side wall and situated part way between a bottom edge of the side wall and a top edge of the side wall, such that there is a substantial clearance between the suspended floor and the bottom edge of the side wall, a fluid path being provided between the space below the suspended floor and the space above the suspended floor for draining fluid from above the suspended floor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the present invention, and to show more clearly how it may be carried into effect, reference will now be made by way of example only to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a cutaway perspective view of a building module;

Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the building module of Figure 1 with steel reinforcement bar and a temporary handrail;

Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a base for a building module;

Figure 4 shows perspective view of the building module of Figure 1 installed on the base of Figure 3.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring firstly to Figure 1, a building module is indicated generally at 10.

The building module 10 includes a frame 12. The frame 12 includes a plurality of vertical 14 and horizontal 16 support elements. The support elements are provided by steel beams. The support elements 14, 16 are welded together at their joints. In other embodiments, the support elements 14, 16 may be bolted together. The frame 12 has a rectangular footprint.

A ceiling 18 is provided on top of the frame 12. The ceiling 18 is a section of conventional steel shuttering for receiving concrete, such as is known in the art. The ceiling does not cover the entire footprint of the frame 12. Instead, an access opening 19 is left free. In this embodiment, the access opening 19 extends the full length of the frame 12.

A full-length staircase 17 is provided below the access opening 19.

The building module 10 includes a side wall 20. The side wall 20 extends around the outside of the frame 12 and is joined to the frame 12. The side wall 20 has four sides, forming a rectangular prism around the periphery of the frame 12. Other embodiments may have a square footprint and the side wall 20 may form a square prism.

Each side comprises two substantially parallel layers 22 of thin rigid plastics sheeting. Each layer 22 is substantially waterproof. Between the two parallel layers 22 is a cavity. The cavity is open at the top and the bottom of the side wall 20.

A plurality of joining webs 24 is provided in the cavity, connecting the two layers 22. The joining webs 24 include apertures 26, which take up substantially the majority of the area of the joining webs 24 for allowing concrete to flow through the joining webs 24.

One of the longer sides of the side walls 20a extends to a greater height than the other of the longer sides 20b. Adjoining portions 32 of its neighbouring sides also extend to the same greater height, then step down to a lower height. The steps are joined by a partition wall 34. The partition 34 is similar to the side wall 20 in that it comprises two layers 22 defining a cavity for receiving concrete. The partition 34 is of smaller height than the side wall 20. The taller side 20a, taller portions 32 and partition wall 34 define a rectangular prism over the access opening 19. The roof of the building module 10 is therefore split-level.

The building module 10 also includes a suspended floor 28. The floor 28 is a steel grille. The floor 28 is supported by horizontal support elements 16. The floor 28 covers all of the area within the side wall 20.

The floor 28 is fixed part-way up the vertical support elements 16, so that there is some distance between the floor 28 and the bottom ends of the vertical support elementsl6.

Water processing equipment 30 is provided within the building module 10. In this embodiment, the water processing equipment 30 includes a pump and a water tank. The water processing equipment is supported by the floor 28.

Referring now to Figure 2, the building module is shown with the addition of a temporary handrail 36 and steel reinforcement bar 38. The temporary handrail 36 is formed of steel tubes and junctures. In this embodiment, the temporary handrail 36 extends around three edges of the ceiling 18. The remaining edge coincides with the partition wall 34 and so there is no need for a handrail.

The reinforcement bar 3 8 is laid over the upper surface of the ceiling 18 in a grid pattern. Further reinforcement bar extends within the cavity of the side wall 20. The reinforcement bar of the cavity is linked to the reinforcement bar over the ceiling by Lshaped sections of reinforcement bar.

The side wall 20 includes conduits 39. The conduits 39 are for connection to utilities pipes for servicing the water processing equipment 30 and providing electrical power and ventilation.

Referring now to Figure 3, a base 40 is shown. The base 40 is a rectangular reinforced concrete panel, sized and shaped to match the footprint of the frame 12. In other embodiments, the base 40 may be square. The base 40 is preferably cast at the site due to its large size and weight. Steel shuttering 42 has been used to form the base 40.

The base 40 includes a channel 44. The channel 44 is formed in an upper surface of the base 40. The channel 44 follows a closed rectangular path around the periphery of the base 40.

A plurality of projecting reinforcement bars 46 protrude from the channel 44. The reinforcement bars 46 are partly embedded in the concrete of the base 40. Each reinforcement bar is a single straight section of steel reinforcement bar extending in a vertical direction, i.e. perpendicular to the base 40. In this embodiment, the two longer sides of the base 40 each include 18 to 20 projecting bars 46, and the two shorter sides each include 11 projecting bars 46. Each projecting bar 46 extends to a height of approximately Im from the surface of the base 20.

Referring now to Figure 4, the building module 10 is shown installed on the base 40. The side wall 20 is received in the channel 44. The projecting reinforcement bars 46 extend into the cavity of the side wall 44.

A method of constructing a subterranean chamber using the building module 10 will now be described.

A hole is first excavated at the desired site to a depth approximately equal to the height of the taller side wall 20a. Shuttering 42 is then installed at the bottom of the hole to cast the base 40. Steel reinforcement bar 46 is placed in the shuttering and ends of the reinforcement bar 46 are orientated upwards to project beyond the shuttering 42. Concrete is poured into the shuttering 42 and allowed to set to form the base 40. A channel 44 is formed in the upper surface of the base 40, preferably by suspending blanks in place during the casting process.

A building module 10 is then lowered onto the base 40. The projecting reinforcement bar 46 is inserted into the cavity of the side wall 20. The side wall 20 is received in the channel 44. A wooden cover 48 is disposed over the access opening 19 to protect the interior of the building module 10 until an access cover is fitted.

The temporary handrail 36 is removed, if this has not already been done.

Concrete is then poured into the cavity of the side wall 20 via the open top of the side wall 20. Concrete is also poured into the open top of the partition wall 34 and onto the ceiling 18. The concrete flows through the cavity of the side wall 20 to form a rectangular shell, and sets in that configuration. The projecting reinforcement bar 46 is embedded in concrete within the side wall 20.

On curing of the concrete, the hole is back filled as required.

Several modules may be connected together to create a multi-module subterranean structure. Embodiments of the building module provided for this purpose may have an opening in the side wall for connecting to adjacent modules. The opening may be small, such as a doorway, or it may be that an entire side of the side wall is omitted.

These embodiments are provided by way of example only, and various changes and modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A building module for subterranean use comprising a substantially rigid framework and a side wall, the side wall being attached to the framework, the side wall including two substantially parallel layers defining a cavity therebetween, in which there is an opening at the top of the side wall in communication with the cavity for receiving concrete.

2. A building module as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a base, the base having a channel in its upper surface for receiving a lower edge of the side wall.

3. A building module as claimed in claim 2, in which the base is made of concrete.

4. A building module as claimed in claim 2, in which the base includes a plurality of steel bars embedded in the concrete, portions thereof extending out of the base from the channel for reception in the cavity of the side wall.

5. A building module as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, in which a plurality of steel bars is provided in the cavity of the side wall.

6. A building module as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the framework includes a plurality of steel beams.

7. A building module as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the side wall is made of plastics.

8. A building module as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the side wall is made of PVC.

9. A building module as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the side wall includes conduits for receiving water pipes.

10. A building module as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising a suspended floor, the suspended floor being a planar element disposed perpendicular to the side wall and situated part way between a bottom edge of the side wall and a top edge of the side wall, a fluid path being provided between the space below the suspended floor and the space above the suspended floor for draining fluid from above the suspended floor.

11. A building module as claimed in claim 10, in which the suspended floor covers substantially all of the area enclosed by the side wall in a plane perpendicular to the side wall.

12. A building module as claimed in any preceding claim, further including a water pumping apparatus.

13. A building module as claimed in claim 11 when dependent on claim 10, in which the pumping apparatus is situated on the suspended floor.

14. A building module as claimed in any of claims 10 to 12, in which the suspended floor includes a metal grille, the channel being provided by the grille.

15. A building module as claimed in any preceding claim, in which a staircase is provided.

16. A building module as claimed in any preceding claim, having a length greater than 3.5 m.

17. A method of installing a subterranean structure comprising the steps of:

excavating a hole in the ground;

placing a building module according to any preceding claim within the hole; and pouring concrete into the cavity of the side wall of the building module.

18. A method as claimed in claim 17, further comprising the step of placing a base in the hole and placing the building module upon the base.

19. A method as claimed in claim 18, in which the base has a channel in its upper surface, and in which the side wall of the building module is received in the channel.

20. A method as claimed in any of claims 17 to 19, further comprising the step of placing an additional building module within the hole, the side wall of the additional building module contacting the side wall of the first building module.

21. A building module for subterranean use comprising a side wall, a ceiling and a base defining a closed interior, an access opening provided in the ceiling, and a suspended floor covering substantially all of the base and spaced from the base, the suspended floor and base defining a void therebetween, and a channel being provided from an upper surface of the suspended floor to the void for draining fluid from the upper surface of the suspended floor to the void.