Method for constructing a multistory building
OwnerWalter H. Mawby, Britten L. Perkinsinventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A multistory concrete building formed entirely of poured in place concrete tunnels and method of making same. The structure is constructed so that the substructure can be used as a parking garage and the superstructure as residential space. The unique use of concrete tunnels in both the substructure and superstructure combines the benefits of column and plate construction with concrete tunnel construction while eliminating the need for a traditional transfer deck between the superstructure and substructure. In one embodiment, the parking structure is constructed from tunnel walls of alternating lengths such that the drive aisle in certain walls can be extended so as to allow additional parking spaces to be formed in the planes of those walls.
Claims13
A structure having a main horizontal axis and a perimeter, comprising:
- a substructure including a drive aisle and a plurality of automobile parking spaces and comprising a plurality of parallel, adjacent, poured-in-place tunnels, each tunnel extending from the main axis to the perimeter of the structure, each tunnel including a transverse drive aisle opening therethrough, said substructure including:
- a plurality of first tunnel walls having a first length, said drive aisle openings in said first tunnel walls being wider than the drive aisle openings in other tunnel walls and being wide enough to span an automobile parking space that is perpendicular to the drive aisle in addition to said drive aisle;
- and
- a plurality of second tunnel walls having a second length;
- and
- a plurality of automobile parking spaces defined in the structure formed by said tunnels, said parking spaces being configured such that a set of three adjacent tunnels includes at least four automobile parking spaces;
- an interface level comprising a plurality of parallel, adjacent, poured-in-place tunnels, said interface level including:
- a plurality of third tunnel walls vertically aligned with said first tunnel walls and having a third length, said third length being at least as great as said first length;
- and
- a plurality of fourth tunnel walls vertically aligned with said second tunnel walls and having a fourth length;
- and
- a superstructure comprising a plurality of parallel, adjacent, poured-in-place tunnels having walls that are each vertically aligned with one of said first and second tunnel walls.
A structure having a main horizontal axis and a perimeter, comprising:
- a substructure including a drive aisle and a plurality of automobile parking spaces and comprising a plurality of parallel, adjacent, poured-in-place tunnels, each tunnel extending from the main axis to the perimeter of the structure, each tunnel including a transverse drive aisle opening therethrough, said substructure including:
- a plurality of first tunnel walls having a first length, said drive aisle openings in said first tunnel walls being wider than the drive aisle openings in other tunnel walls and being wide enough to span an automobile parking space that is perpendicular to the drive aisle in addition to said drive aisle;
- and
- a plurality of second tunnel walls having a second length;
- an interface level comprising a plurality of parallel, adjacent, poured-in-place tunnels, said interface level including:
- a plurality of third tunnel walls vertically aligned with said first tunnel walls and having a third length, said third length being at least as great as said first length;
- and
- a plurality of fourth tunnel walls vertically aligned with said second tunnel walls and having a fourth length;
- and
- a superstructure comprising a plurality of parallel, adjacent, poured-in-place tunnels having walls that are each vertically aligned with one of said first and second tunnel walls.
A method for constructing a building having a main horizontal axis and a perimeter, comprising:
- a) constructing a substructure including a drive aisle and a plurality of automobile parking spaces and comprising a plurality of parallel, adjacent, poured-in-place tunnels, each tunnel including two walls and extending from the main axis to the perimeter of the building, each wall having a transverse drive aisle opening therethrough, by:
- i) pouring in place a plurality of first tunnel walls having a first length, said drive aisle openings in said first tunnel walls being wider than the drive aisle openings in other tunnel walls and being wide enough to span an automobile parking space that is perpendicular to the drive aisle in addition to said drive aisle;
- and
- ii) pouring in place a plurality of second tunnel walls having a second length;
- b) constructing an interface level comprising a plurality of parallel, adjacent, poured-in-place tunnels, each tunnel including two walls, by:
- i) pouring in place a plurality of third tunnel walls vertically aligned with said first tunnel walls and having a third length, said third length being at least as great as said first length;
- and
- ii) pouring in place a plurality of fourth tunnel walls vertically aligned with said second tunnel walls and having a fourth length;
- and
- c) constructing a superstructure comprising a plurality of parallel, adjacent, poured-in-place tunnels having walls that are each vertically aligned with one of said first and second tunnel walls.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.