Back to results
US 9,790,702 B2Granted
Methods and apparatus of building construction resisting earthquake and flood damage
AssigneeArx Pax Labs, Inc.
InventorD. Gregory Henderson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A three part foundation system for supporting a building is described. Three part foundation systems can include a containment vessel, which constrains a buffer medium to an area above the containment vessel, and a construction platform. A building can be built on the construction platform. In a particular embodiment, during operation, the construction platform and structures built on the construction platform can float on the buffer medium. In an earthquake, a construction platform floating on a buffer medium may experience greatly reduced shear forces. In a flood, a construction platform floating on a buffer medium can be configured to rise as water levels rise to limit flood damage.
Claims18
A foundation system for a structure, comprising:
- a containment vessel configured to hold a buffer medium, the containment vessel placed on a ground;
- and
- a construction platform formed above the containment vessel wherein the construction platform including the structure is configured to float on the buffer medium;
- one or more cantilevered columns anchored beneath the containment vessel and passing through an aperture in the construction platform;
- and
- a ballast system for distributing weight from one side of the construction platform to another side of the construction platform;
- wherein the construction platform is positioned relative to sides of the containment vessel and the aperture is sized such that during an earthquake the containment vessel can move from side to side while the construction platform floats above it allowing seismic forces transferred from the ground to the construction platform to be minimized and wherein one or more cantilevered columns allow the construction to rise vertically relative to the containment vessel while remaining over the containment vessel and wherein during flood conditions a bottom of the construction platform is allowed to rise above a top of the containment vessel.
4 more elements
A foundation system for a structure, comprising:
- a containment vessel configured to hold a buffer medium, the containment vessel placed on a ground;
- a construction platform formed above the containment vessel including the structure;
- a ballast system for distributing weight from one side of the platform to another side of the platform;
- and
- a tank, separate from the containment vessel, configured to hold the buffer medium;
- wherein, in a dry operating condition, the buffer medium is contained in the tank and the construction platform is configured to rest on the containment vessel;
- wherein, upon detection of an earthquake, the buffer medium is released from the tank into the containment vessel to allow the construction platform to float on the buffer medium and wherein the construction platform is positioned relative to sides of the containment vessel such that during an earthquake the containment vessel can move from side to side while the construction platform floats above it allowing seismic forces transferred from the ground to the construction platform to be minimized.
4 more elements
A foundation system for a structure, comprising:
- a first containment vessel configured to hold a buffer medium, the containment vessel placed on a ground;
- a second containment vessel, separate from the first containment vessel, configured to hold the buffer medium, the containment vessel placed on the ground;
- a construction platform, including the structure, formed above the first containment vessel and the second containment vessel, wherein the construction platform includes a first portion configured to float on the buffer medium in the first containment vessel and a second portion configured to float on the buffer medium in the second containment vessel;
- a ballast system for distributing weight from one side of the platform to another side of the platform;
- and
- a surface of the ground between the first containment vessel and the second containment vessel a distance beneath a bottom of the construction platform;
- wherein the first portion of the construction platform is positioned relative to sides of the first containment vessel and the second portion of the construction platform is position relative to sides of the second containment vessel such that during an earthquake the first containment vessel and the second containment vessel can move from side to side while the construction platform floats above it allowing seismic forces transferred from the ground to the construction platform to be minimized wherein the distance beneath the bottom of the construction platform between the bottom of the construction platform and the surface between the first containment vessel and the second containment vessel is high enough to allow a car to be parked underneath.
4 more elements
A foundation system for a structure, comprising:
- a containment vessel configured to hold a buffer medium, the containment vessel placed on a ground and including a first level which allows a first depth of buffer medium and second level lower than the first level which allows a second depth of buffer medium;
- a construction platform formed above the containment vessel wherein the construction platform, including the structure, is configured to float on the buffer medium and wherein the construction platform includes a first portion positioned above the first level configured to provide buoyancy and a second portion positioned above the second level configured to provide buoyancy wherein the second portion extends into the containment vessel to a depth lower than the first level;
- and
- a ballast system for distributing weight from one side of the platform to another side of the platform;
- and
- wherein the construction platform is positioned relative to sides of the containment vessel such that during an earthquake the containment vessel can move from side to side while the construction platform floats above it allowing seismic forces transferred from the ground to the construction platform to be minimized.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.