Building construction

Abstract

A new building construction is intended especially but not exclusively for use in areas with "active soils", i.e., soils in which drastic dimensional changes occur with the seasons, owing principally to changes in water content. Such soils heave considerably particularly, within the confines of the building footing, causing severe cracking of any floor laid directly thereon and possibly of the floors above. In this new construction the lowermost floor structure is supported by one or more trusses, each of which is supported at its ends on the footing. The ends of the truss or trusses slide freely on the footings so as not to be affected by movement of the latter and are therefore clear of any direct earth movements. The truss or trusses support vertical loads only, while the floating floor structure is arranged to withstand the horizontal forces applied by the active soil. Any other floor structure is supported from the lowermost floor structure by means of one or more post members supported directly by the truss or trusses and in turn supporting respective beams for the other floor structure. In this way none of the floor structures of the building is adversely affected by the soil movements.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.