Multi-purpose precast concrete panels, and methods of constructing concrete structures employing the same

A prefabricated concrete slab adapted to be transported as a unit from a fabrication location to a remote building location for placement substantially vertically in an elongated foundation ground trench at said building location closely adjacent to prefabricated substantially vertically positioned like-constructed such slabs in the trench to form a building structure at said building location, said prefabricated concrete slab being of substantially rectangular shape and having a height which is significantly greater than its width, the opposed outer edges of said slab in the direction of its height being shaped for mating engagement with complementarily shaped outer edges of the adjacent like-constructed such slabs in the trench, said prefabricated concrete slab having means providing for a positive fixed horizontal and vertical anchoring of said slab into said foundation ground trench, after said prefabricated concrete slab is aligned in abutting relationship with other such slabs in said foundation ground trench, by a pour of flowable anchoring material filling said ground trench, said means comprising an opening of elongated rectangular shape adjacent one end of said slab, said rectangular opening being positioned in said slab for disposition entirely below grade when said one end of said slab is placed in the trench, so that said rectangular opening is adapted to pass and be filled by the flowable anchoring material which is to be poured into the trench after said one end of said slab has been placed in the trench, the direction of elongation of said rectangular opening in said slab being transverse to the height of said slab and extending substantially horizontally when said slab is placed in the trench, and said slab further defining a pair of horizontally extending aligned bores which are located respectively between the opposed outer edges of said slab and the substantially vertically disposed shorter opposed edges of said rectangular opening in said slab for use in aligning said slab with adjacent ones of such slabs prior to the pouring of the anchoring material into the trench, the diameter of each of said bores being significantly smaller than the width of the shorter opposed edges of said opening, the length of said rectangular opening being more than the combined length of said bores to permit the insertion of an elongated rigid alignment member into said opening in said slab for horizontal passage from said opening through one of said bores in said slab and through an aligned such bore in an adjacent one of such slabs and into the rectangular opening of the adjacent one of said slabs, and the height of said rectangular opening being sufficiently great to permit the ready manipulation of the elongated rigid alignment member by hand tools inserted into said rectangular opening during the aligning of said slab with adjacent ones of such slabs in the trench.

A concrete structure comprising a plurality of generally rectangular substantially vertically oriented like-constructed prefabricated concrete slabs positioned closely edge-wise adjacent to one another, the lower end of each of said slabs being disposed within a foundation ground trench, each of said slabs having means providing for a positive fixed horizontal and vertical anchoring of said slabs into said foundation ground trench, after said prefabricated concrete slabs are positioned closely adjacent to one another in said foundation ground trench, by a pour of flowable anchoring material filling said ground trench, said means comprising an elongated substantially rectangular opening extending in a generally horizontal direction and located within said foundation ground trench at a position entirely below grade, the horizontal dimension of the rectangular opening in each of said slabs being equal to at least slightly more than one-half the width of said slab, structural means extending in a generally horizontal direction between and in engagement with adjacent ones of said slabs for aligning said slabs horizontally and vertically with one another, said structural means comprising at least one bore extending horizontally through the body of each of said slabs between the opposing generally vertically extending edges of said slab and an elongated member located within and passing continuously from the said bore in each of said slabs into the said bore in an adjacent one of said slabs, and a flowable anchoring material filling said foundation ground trench and, as it does so, extending from one side of each of said slabs through the rectangular opening in said slab to the other side of said slab, and thereby filling said rectangular opening, for positively retaining said slabs in fixed horizontal and vertical position within said foundation ground trench.

The method of forming a concrete structure which comprises prefabricating at a fabrication location a plurality of like-constructed substantially rectangular concrete slabs each of which has at least one bore extending therethrough in the direction of its width, and each of which has an elongated rectangular opening adjacent one end thereof extending in the direction of the width of said slab and having a length in its direction of extension which is at least slightly more than one-half the width of said slab;

• transporting said prefabricated concrete slabs from said fabrication location to a building location;
• digging a foundation ground trench at said building location;
• then successively placing said plurality of prefabricated concrete slabs one-by-one in substantially vertical orientation into said trench with the respective rectangular openings of said slabs all being located entirely below grade in said foundation ground trench and with the generally vertical edges of each of said slabs extending upwardly out of said trench and disposed closely adjacent to the generally vertical edges of the next adjacent ones of said slabs;
• then aligning each of said prefabricated concrete slabs horizontally and vertically with respect to a next adjacent prefabricated concrete slab by inserting an elongated rigid alignment element into the said bore in each of said slabs and into the said bore of an adjacent one of said slabs;
• then mechanically fastening each of said prefabricated concrete slabs to a next adjacent one of said slabs;
• and thereafter fixedly structurally anchoring said prefabricated concrete slabs, both horizontally and vertically, in place within the confines of the said foundation ground trench, by pouring a flowable anchoring material into said foundation ground trench to fill said trench and, thereby, to pass said flowable anchoring material from one side of each of said concrete slabs to the other side thereof through the said elongated rectangular openings in said prefabricated concrete slabs.

A prefabricated concrete slab adapted for placement substantially vertically in an elongated foundation ground trench at a building location adjacent to prefabricated substantially vertically positioned like-constructed such slabs in the trench to form a building structure at said building location, said prefabricated concrete slab having means providing for a positive fixed horizontal and vertical anchoring of said slab into said foundation ground trench, after said prefabricated concrete slab is aligned in abutting relationship with other such slabs in said foundation ground trench, by a pour of flowable anchoring material filling said ground trench, said means comprising an opening of elongated rectangular shape adjacent one end of said slab, said rectangular opening being positioned in said slab for disposition entirely below grade when said one end of said slab is placed in the trench, so that said rectangular opening is adapted to pass and be filled by the flowable anchoring material which is to be poured into the tench after said one end of said slab has been placed in the trench, the direction of elongation of said elongated rectangular opening in said slab being transverse to the outer vertical edges of said slab and extending substantially horizontally in the direction of the width of said slabs when said slab isplaced in the trench, the length of said rectangular opening being at least about one-half the width of said slab, and the height of said opening being at least adequate for the ready passing and filling of said opening by said flowable anchoring material.

The method of forming a concrete structure which comprises prefabricating at a fabrication location a plurality of like-constructed substantially rectangular concrete slabs each of which has an elongated rectangular opening adjacent one end thereof extending in the direction of the width of said slab and having a length in its direction of extension which is at least slightly more than one-half the width of said slab;

• transporting said prefabricated concrete slabs from said fabrication location to a building location;
• digging a foundation ground trench at said building location;
• then successively placing said plurality of prefabricated concrete slabs one-by-one in substantially vertical orientation into said trench with the respective rectangular openings of said slabs all being located entirely below grade in said foundation ground trench and with the generally vertical edges of each of said slabs extending upwardly out of said trench and disposed closely adjacent to the generally vertical edges of the next adjacent ones of said slabs;
• and thereafter fixedly structurally anchoring said prefabricated concrete slabs, both horizontally and vertically, in place within the confines of the said foundation ground trench, by pouring a flowable anchoring material into said foundation ground trench to fill said trench and, thereby, to pass said flowable anchoring material from one side of each of said concrete slabs to the other side thereof through the said elongated rectangular openings in said prefabricated concrete slabs.

A prefabricated concrete slab adapted to be placed in a wall or the like of a building structure edge-wise closely adjacent to prefabricated like-constructed such slabs to form a building structure, said prefabricated concrete slab being of substantially rectangular shape, said prefabricated concrete slab having means for aligning it with and fastening it fixedly to other such slabs after said slab is placed in abutting relationship with other such slabs in the building structure, said means comprising at least one opening of elongated rectangular shape positioned entirely interiorly of all the edges of said slab, the direction of said elongated rectangular opening in said slab being transverse to two opposite edges of said slab, said means further comprising at least one pair of aligned bores which are located respectively between the said opposite edges of said slab and the shorter opposite edges of said rectangular opening in said slab, the diameter of each of said bores being significantly smaller than the width of the shorter opposite edges of said opening, the length of said rectangular opening being greater than the combined length of said bores to permit the insertion of an elongated alignment and fastening member into said opening in said slab for passage from said opening through one of said bores in said slab and through an aligned such bore in an adjacent one of such slabs and into the rectangular opening of the adjacent one of said slabs, and the width of said rectangular opening being sufficiently great to permit the ready manipulation of the elongated alignment and fastening member by hand tools inserted into said rectangular opening during the aligning and fastening of said slab with adjacent ones of said slabs of the building structure.