Insulated structural panel connector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016010330-A1
Application number	US-201514794990-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 9, 2015
Priority date	Jul 9, 2014
Publication date	Jan 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An insulated composite structural panel comprises a first concrete layer, a second concrete layer, and an insulation layer disposed therebetween. One or more shear ties are embedded in the panel. The shear ties include a base portion and a plurality of elongated anchor elements extending from the base portion. A portion of each anchor element extends through the first and second concrete layers and insulation layer. The tie is formed of a material exhibiting ductile elastic-plastic behavior under an applied shear load. In a non-limiting example, the tie may be formed of a fiber reinforced polymer. The tie is constructed and acts to form stable flexural hinges at the interface between the insulation layer and each concrete layer. During a shear load event, portions of the anchor elements within the insulation laterally deform in a ductile manner to keep the structural panel relatively intact.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An insulated composite structural wall panel comprising:
a first concrete layer; a second concrete layer; an insulation layer disposed between the first and second concrete layers; a shear tie embedded in the wall panel and connecting the first concrete layer to the second concrete layer, the shear tie having a longitudinal axis, a base portion, and a plurality of longitudinally elongated anchor elements extending therefrom, the shear tie constructed of a non-metallic material that exhibits an elastic-plastic response to an applied shear load; each of the anchor elements having a length, an upper portion disposed in the first concrete layer, a lower portion defining a terminal distal end disposed in the second concrete layer, and an intermediate portion disposed in the insulation layer; a first flexural hinge formed in each anchor element at a first interface between the first concrete layer and the insulation layer; and wherein when a transverse shear load is applied to the anchor elements by lateral movement of the first or second concrete layers, the intermediate portion of each anchor element is transversely and angularly deformed in an elastic-plastic manner about the first flexural hinge within the insulation layer.

2 . The structural wall panel according to claim 1 , wherein the shear tie is deformable from a pre-shear undeformed condition in which the intermediate portion of the anchor elements are oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis of shear tie, to a post-shear deformed condition in which the intermediate portion of the anchor elements is obliquely oriented the longitudinal axis of the shear tie.

3 . The structural wall panel according to claim 1 , wherein the shear tie is formed of a unidirectional fiber reinforced polymer matrix, the fibers in each anchor element running in a direction along the length of each anchor element.

4 . The structural wall panel according to claim 3 , wherein the fibers in the intermediate portion of the anchor elements are delaminated from the polymer matrix after the shear load is applied.

5 . The structural wall panel according to claim 1 , wherein the shear tie is formed of a ductile resin matrix with randomly oriented fibers having a ductile-elastic response to the shear load.

6 . The structural wall panel according to claim 1 , wherein the proximal end of each anchor element is laterally enlarged in relation to the intermediate portion of the anchor element.

7 . The structural wall panel according to claim 1 , wherein the terminal distal ends of the anchor elements are pointed.

8 . The structural wall panel according to claim 1 , further comprising elongated through-slots formed between the anchor elements, the through-slots longitudinally extending for the entire length of the anchor elements.

9 . The structural wall panel according to claim 1 , wherein the anchor elements have a rectilinear cross-sectional shape.

10 . The structural wall panel according to claim 1 , wherein the intermediate portion of each anchor element in the insulation layer has opposing lateral sides which are oriented parallel to each other.

11 . The structural wall panel according to claim 1 , further comprising a second flexural hinge formed in each anchor element at a second interface between the second concrete layer and the insulation layer, wherein each anchor element is transversely and angularly deformed in an elastic-plastic manner about the first and second flexural hinges within the insulation layer when a transverse shear load is applied to the anchor elements.

12 . A method for fabricating the structural wall panel according to claim 1 , the method comprising:
casting the first concrete layer, the first concrete layer being in an unhardened condition; depositing the insulation layer on the first concrete layer; inserting the anchor elements of the shear tie completely through the insulation layer and partially into the first concrete layer, wherein the base portion of the shear tie is exposed and positioned above the insulation layer; and casting the second concrete layer on the insulation layer to embed the base portion of the shear tie in the second concrete layer.

13 . An insulated composite structural wall panel comprising:
a first concrete layer; a second concrete layer; an insulation layer disposed between the first and second concrete layers; a shear tie comprising a longitudinal axis, a front surface having a flat profile, and a rear surface having a flat profile and parallel to the front surface, the shear tie formed of a fiber reinforced polymer material characterized by an elastic-plastic response to an applied shear load; a base portion defined by the shear tie and extending transversely to the longitudinal axis; a plurality of elongated anchor elements extending from the base portion parallel to the longitudinal axis, each anchor element having a rectilinear cross-section, a length, opposing lateral sides, a proximal end at the base portion, an opposite distal end, and an axial centerline, the anchor elements spaced laterally apart by elongated through-slots formed between the anchor elements that extend for the entire length of the anchor elements; each of the anchor elements having a an upper portion embedded in the first concrete layer, a lower portion embedded in the second concrete layer, and an intermediate portion disposed in the insulation layer; wherein after a transverse shear load is applied to the first or second concrete layer, the intermediate portion of each anchor element within the insulation layer is deformed in a ductile elastic-plastic manner and laterally displaced such that the axial centerlines of the upper and lower portions are laterally offset from each other.

14 . The structural wall panel according to claim 13 , wherein the fiber reinforced polymer comprises unidirectional fibers in each anchor element running in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis along the length of each anchor element.

15 . The structural wall panel according to claim 13 , wherein the lateral sides of anchor elements are parallel in the insulation layer before to the shear load being applied.

16 . The structural wall panel according to claim 15 , wherein the lateral sides of the anchor elements are substantially parallel in the insulation layer after the shear load is applied.

17 . The structural wall panel according to claim 13 , further comprising longitudinally extending slots extending parallel to the longitudinal axis between each

18 . The structural wall panel according to claim 13 , wherein the shear tie is deformable from a pre-shear undeformed condition in which the anchor elements are oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis within the insulation layer, to a post-shear deformed condition in which intermediate portions of the anchor elements are obliquely oriented to the longitudinal axis and lower portions are parallel to the longitudinal axis.

19 . The structural wall panel according to claim 13 , wherein the intermediate portions of each anchor element after the shear load is applied angularly deform about a flexural hinge formed at a first interface between the first concrete layer and the insulation layer and a flexural hinge formed at a second interface between the second concrete layer and the insulation layer.

20 . The structural wall panel according to claim 13 , wherein the lateral sides of each anchor element in the insulation layer are oriented parallel to each

Assignees

• Univ Lehigh

Inventors

• Naito Clay
• Trasborg Patrick

Classifications

• E04C2002/046

  Flat anchors · CPC title

• E04B1/76

  specifically with respect to heat only (heat insulation in general F16L59/00) · CPC title

• E04C2/46 Primary

  specially adapted for making walls (E04C2/52, E04C2/54 take precedence; structure of slab-shaped elements E04B1/02; walls of elements of relatively thin form E04B2/72) · CPC title

• E04C2/2885 Primary

  with the insulating material being completely surrounded by, or embedded in, a stone-like material, e.g. the insulating material being discontinuous · CPC title

• E04C2/044

  of concrete (E04C2/049 takes precedence) · CPC title