Method of constructing a concrete basement from prefabricated concrete panels

A method of constructing a concrete basement, comprising the steps of:

• a. firstly, excavating earth from an intended building site and positioning footings in the excavation to define an outline of a building with precast concrete floor panels positioned between the footings;
• b. secondly, placing prefabricated free standing concrete corner sections onto the footings at each point where it is intended that the building have a corner;
• c. thirdly, securing by means of bolts a plurality of prefabricated concrete wall panels in end to end relation between the corner sections thereby completing a peripheral wall, each of the concrete wall panels having a top, a bottom, opposed ends and an interior grid of reinforcing rod and a plurality of equally spaced substantially truncated wedge-shaped vertical ribs that extend between the top and the bottom, each of the ribs having an attachment member adjacent the top which is secured to the reinforcing rod grid, the bottom of each of the concrete wall panels resting against the floor panels, longitudinal seal grooves being positioned at the opposed ends of the panel, the seal grooves receiving a sealing strip, washers having angular faces that correspond to the angle of the wedge-shaped ribs being used to ensure tight engagement between the ribs and the bolts, the concrete wall panels having frangible concrete membranes over window openings, such that the window openings are completed to the correct size in situ by removing a portion of the frangible membrane;
• and
• d. fourthly constructing a subfloor and securing each of the ribs of the concrete wall panels to the subfloor by means of the attachment member, such that the securely attached subfloor provides the top of the concrete wall panels and the interposed floor panels provide the bottom of the concrete wall panels with sufficient lateral stability to withstand backfilling.