[0001] The invention relates to a supporting column to which a concrete facade panel is
connected, and which bears said facade panel with the storey floors, and near said
storey floors is provided with fixing means for the connection between said supporting
column and the concrete construction.
[0002] Such a supporting column is generally known in the prior art. Two types of facade
panels are used for the production of these prefabricated concrete facade panel constructions.
A first type is provided with relatively small openings for windows and the like,
which openings in any case do not extend over the full length of the facade panel.
The facade panel can consequently be made self-supporting and also take the weight
of the storey floors. No supporting column is necessary in the case of such constructions.
However, as soon as openings extend in the facade panel over such a length thereof
that said facade panel is no longer capable of transmitting the vertical load from
one storey to the next storey or the ground, it is necessary to place supporting columns.
In the prior art all kinds of constructions for supporting columns are known, and
in general they involve the use of an I-section or the like, on which the facade panel
is suspended and under the floor elements is provided with projections (for example
by welding), for fixing to the concrete construction. For finishing, the space between
the flanges and the body of the I-section is often filled up. Since the projections
fixed to the I-section have to take great forces, the fixing to the I-section must
also meet high standards. In other words, relatively thick-walled material has to
be used, which considerably increases the costs of such a construction. The presence
of the fixing means under the floor, and in particular in the case of storey floors
in the ceiling produces an unattractive overall appearance, and special measures have
to be taken to conceal said fixing constructions.
[0003] The object of the present invention is to provide a construction with supporting
column which is cheaper to produce, and in which the disadvantages of the unattractive
appearance are largely eliminated.
[0004] This object is achieved in the case of a supporting column of the type described
above through the fact that the column is a box section, and the fixing means comprise
a sleeve which at least partially accommodates the circumference of the box section,
the sleeve being provided with fixing projections and the wall thickness of the sleeve
being greater than that of the box section. The invention is based on the idea that
the forces to be borne by the supporting column make it unnecessary to use a thick-walled
material for it. A thick-walled material is required only for achieving the welded
connection near the corners of the box section to fixing projections. Since these
fixing projections according to the invention are now fixed to the sleeve with greater
wall thickness, and the sleeve extends over at least a large part of the circumference
of the box section and has to be fixed thereto, a decreased wall thickness will suffice.
This can greatly reduce the cost. It is also possible with this construction to fit
the sleeve within the thickness of the storey floor. This means that after the construction
has been produced the fixing between box section and facade panels or floor elements
is no longer visible. The appearance of the box section already meets all requirements,
so that externally no further finishing is necessary. Through the use of such supporting
columns, it is possible to work very accurately, i.e. once all measurements have been
marked out it is not necessary to check the entire measurements again for each storey
floor. It is possible with the construction according to the invention to use various
constructions by making simple adjustments to the sleeve.
[0005] The fixing projections can comprise all kinds of parts for fixing not only to the
facade panel and the floor slabs, but also to a tie rod fitted around the floor slabs.
Supports provided with a horizontal surface can be fitted for the facade panels. Vertically
extending lips can also be present, with an inlet opening at the top side bounded
between said lips and the sleeve or the box section, the distance between the lips
and the sleeve decreasing from the opening downwards. A metal plate, possibly having
a mating lip, which in particular is fitted in a recess of the facade panel, can be
introduced into such an opening. In this way facade panel and supporting column are
centred and tightened relative to each other.
[0006] In order to strengthen the box section further and in particular to provide the necessary
fire safety, according to a preferred embodiment it is provided with a reinforcement
and filled with mortar. Of course, the filling with mortar in any case does not take
place until after the placing of the supporting column. Since the construction of
the sleeve is surrounded within the thickness of the floor, or has mortar poured around
it, it is also provided with the necessary fire safety. In order to avoid direct contact
between the sleeve or box section and the facade panel, an elastically yielding band
is provided between them. Given the thin-walled construction of the box section, it
is possible to make it of cold-rolled steel material.
[0007] The invention also relates to a facade panel which is adapted in particular to the
above-described supporting column. More particularly, said facade panel has, in addition
to at least one boundary edge, a recess for connection to the sleeve. The facade panel
can also be provided near said recess with a bearing edge (known per se) for storey
floor elements.
[0008] The invention is explained in greater detail below with reference to an example of
an embodiment shown in the drawing, in which:
Fig. 1 shows in perspective view a sleeve according to the invention;
Fig. 2 shows in elevation from the inside, in perspective and partially cut away,
a concrete construction with supporting column and sleeve according to the present
invention;
Fig. 3 shows the construction according to Fig. 2, viewed from the outside and partially
cut away;
Fig. 4 shows a detail of the connection between sleeve/column and facade panel; and
Fig. 5 shows the connection of two supporting columns according to the invention,
in perspective view.
[0009] In Fig. 1 the sleeve according to the invention is shown in its entirety by 1. Said
sleeve comprises a bush 2. Bush 2 consists of a thick-walled steel material. Vertical
lips 9 are fixed thereto, in addition to horizontal supports 8 and sockets 10 (see
Fig. 2). Sockets 10 are provided with openings 3. Fig. 2 shows the sleeve fixed to
a column 5. Column 5 is a thin-walled box section. The fixing is by welding. Due to
the relatively large surface area, there is a large area between which the welded
connection between column 5 and sleeve 1 can be carried out. It is not necessary here
to make a welded joint only at the position of the supports 8 or lips 9 or sockets
10, as was necessary in the prior art, but the fixing can be carried out along a greater
part of the periphery. This means that a thin-walled box section 5 is sufficient.
Fig. 2 also shows an facade panel 6, comprising facade panels 13, each provided with
a bearing edge 15. A number of floor elements 7 are also shown. Facade panels 13 are
provided with recesses 14 which have to be placed on supports 8. Sockets 10 are suitable
for accommodating a tie belt anchor 4 (only partially shown), which extends around
the entire construction, in order to strengthen it further. A further reinforcement
bar 17 extends from the sleeve and is accommodated in the floor construction which
is subsequently filled up. Fig. 3 shows the construction according to Fig. 2 from
the outside. It can also be seen from it that a layer of yielding plastic material
12 is provided between the sleeve/supporting column and the facade panel. A glassfibre-reinforced
bitumen fabric 18 is placed over the entire construction, so that a closed construction
is provided. Moreover, in order to provide inner finish, such facade panels are generally
finished with further constructions placed in front of them. A detail of the lips
9 in engagement with facade panel 13 is shown in Fig. 4. It can be seen from this
figure that a steel plate 16 with a mating lip 20 is poured into facade panel 13.
Said steel plate 16 moves with the mating lip during fitting into the opening bounded
between the lips 9 and the supporting column 5.
[0010] Although the supporting column according to the invention can be of any length, according
to a preferred embodiment it is designed for several storey floors. If a building
is higher, it is necessary to extend such a supporting column. This can be carried
out by the construction shown in Fig. 5. In this case an attachment 20 is fitted in
the box section, sliding into the box section lying above it. A continuous unit can
be obtained by placing the various supporting columns 5 on top of each other. The
sleeve may be welded at the underside to the bottom supporting column if necessary.
[0011] After the placing of the supporting column(s), a reinforcement is fitted. This reinforcement
may be fitted beforehand if desired. In any case mortar is poured into the box sections
after the positioning of the box sections, in order to give them the necessary fireproofing
and further rigidity.
[0012] In the case of the construction according to the present invention the connection
between the supporting column and the facade panels or floor elements is made by means
of constructional parts whose position can be determined very accurately. It is consequently
not necessary to determine all measurements completely accurately for each storey
floor. A great saving of time can be achieved in this way. The sleeve can be connected
to the box section in the workshop, so that welding can be obtained in optimum conditions.
This means that the weld can be of optimum strength.
[0013] The use of a separate sleeve also means that it is possible to make it of a higher
grade steel than the box section and to mass-produce it.
[0014] For erecting a concrete construction and the supporting column according to the invention
it is possible in a simple way according to the invention, after the box sections
are placed on the ground, to fit the various facade panels and floor elements. In
this case a number of storeys can be constructed/assembled at high speed.
[0015] Although the invention is explained above with reference to a preferred embodiment,
it must be understood that numerous modifications can be made thereto without going
beyond the scope of the present application, as described in the appended claims.
For example, the box section can comprise any polygon, or can even be round in cross-section.
1. Supporting column to which a concrete facade panel is connected, and which bears said
facade panel with the storey floors, and near said storey floors is provided with
fixing means for the connection between said supporting column and the concrete construction,
characterised in that the supporting column is a box section, and the fixing means comprise a sleeve (1)
which at least partially accommodates the circumference of the box section, the sleeve
being provided with fixing projections (8, 9), and the wall thickness of the sleeve
being greater than that of the box section.
2. Supporting column according to Claim 1, in which the sleeve is fitted in the thickness
of the storey floor.
3. Supporting column according to one of the preceding claims, in which the fixing projections
comprise supports (8) provided with a horizontal surface for supporting the facade
panel.
4. Supporting column according to one of the preceding claims, in which the fixing projections
comprise sockets (10) for a tie belt anchor (4).
5. Supporting column according to one of the preceding claims, in which the fixing projections
comprise vertically extending lips (9) with an inlet opening (11) at the top side
bounded between said lips and the sleeve/the box section, the distance between the
lips and the sleeve /the box section decreasing from the opening downwards.
6. Supporting column according to one of the preceding claims, in which the box section
is provided with reinforcement on the inside and is filled with mortar.
7. Supporting column according to one of the preceding claims, in which an elastically
yielding band (12) is fitted at least between the sleeve/the box section and the facade
panel.
8. Supporting column according to one of the preceding claims, in which the box section
comprises a cold-rolled steel material.
9. Facade panel for use in conjunction with the supporting column according to one of
the preceding claims, comprising in addition to at least one boundary edge a recess
(14) for connection to the sleeve.
10. Facade panel according to Claim 9, provided near said recess with a bearing edge (15)
for storey floor elements.
11. Facade panel according to Claim 9 or 10, in which a metal plate (16) is provided in
the recess (14), for engagement between the lips and the sleeve.
12. Facade panel according to Claim 11, in which plate (16) is provided with mating lip
(20).