Built-up deep deck unit for a roof or floor

#A roof or floor may be constructed by fastening metal deck units together to form a deck system. The deck system may then serve as a roof or a floor, or may be covered with a layer of concrete to form a composite structure. For some applications, such as airports, stadiums, sports arenas, convention centers, schools and other large, open areas, a deck system may include sound-absorbing materials.

#The ability of a deck system to support its design load is the most critical consideration. The design load for a roof begins with the weight of the roof itself and may vary with local environmental conditions, such as, for example, snow, ice and wind loads. Likewise, the design loads for floor applications vary by the use and location of the building. The strength of a deck system comes from its geometry, the choice of construction materials, and how those materials are formed, are connected and cooperate with each other and with other structural materials in the building. Finally, a deck system must be economical and its components easily manufactured, efficiently transported and simply and quickly installed at the job site. Designing an economical and practical roof or floor deck unit capable of supporting the design load presents a challenge.

#Thus there is a continuing need for improvements in the design of deck units, particularly those that are designed for greater strength for a given amount of materials while remaining cost-effective.

#In the figures,

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a deck, according to the present invention;

#FIG. 2 is an end view of a cellular deck unit with a channel attached to the hat-shaped profile supporting a layer of concrete, according to the present invention;

#The present invention is a deck unit suitable for supporting heavy design loads and/or spanning greater distances. The present deck unit is made of sheet metal and has a profile that allows it to be joined to other similar deck units in order to form a deck system that supports a specified design load. The present deck system may be used as a roof or a floor; it may be combined compositely with concrete for added strength, and it may include acoustic features for those applications where noise reduction is desired. Acoustic features are structures and materials that absorb sounds or facilitate the absorption of sounds.

#In the present specification, the word deck refers to a small group of deck units, such as one, two or three deck units, that can be manufactured, handled and delivered as an assembly, and thus deck systems can be made by combining a sufficient number of individual deck units or multi-deck-unit decks or combinations thereof. The deck units may be cellular or fluted; that is, when the deck units include a liner panel, the liner panel defines a cell with the deck unit above it. If there is no liner panel, the deck units are said to be fluted.

#Referring now to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrated in FIG. 1, there is shown a deck 10 according to the present invention, made of three cellular deck units 20. Deck 10 may be joined to other decks 10 or deck units 20, or combinations of decks 10 and deck units 20 to form a deck system. Plural decks 10 are joined by any convenient means including welding, crimping, riveting or using self-drilling fasteners, or a combination of these, to form a deck system of the desired dimensions and shape. A framework, not shown, may support a deck system.