WALL STRUCTURE HAVING PREFABRICATED, PERMANENT FORM

Abstract

The present disclosure concerns embodiments of a wall structure that can be formed from one or more permanent wall forms (or formworks). The wall forms can be prefabricated at a factory or shop in a controlled environment and then shipped to the job site. Construction of the wall structure at the job site generally entails positioning the wall forms at the desired location for the wall structure and then filling the wall forms with concrete. When the concrete cures, the wall forms are not removed and become a permanent part of the wall structure.

Description

FIELD

The present application concerns embodiments of a concrete wall structure, such as for use as a retaining wall or free-standing wall.

BACKGROUND

There are two main types of retaining walls: (i) retaining walls constructed from courses of pre-cast concrete blocks and (ii) monolithic concrete retaining walls. The construction of monolithic concrete retaining walls typically involves custom fabricating concrete forms from lumber at the job site. In such construction, steel reinforcing rods are placed in the forms, and concrete is poured into the form. After the concrete cures, the forms must be removed, cleaned, and transported back to storage. As can be appreciated, this process is time-consuming and typically requires skilled workers to construct the forms. Moreover, constructing concrete forms for concave or convex curved walls significantly increases the complexity and labor costs for the job. Furthermore, the weather and the elements can have a significant impact in conventional wall construction, especially in rainy climates such as the Pacific Northwest. For example, excavation and form building for walls it is particularly difficult, and sometimes not feasible, during especially rainy months.

Accordingly, there is a strong need for new and improved techniques for constructing monolithic concrete walls.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure concerns embodiments of a wall structure that is formed from one or more permanent wall forms (or formworks). The wall forms can be prefabricated at a factory or shop in a controlled environment and then shipped to the job site. Construction of the wall structure at the job site generally entails positioning the wall forms at the desired location for the wall structure and then filling the wall forms with concrete. When the concrete cures, the wall forms are not removed and become a permanent part of the wall structure. Because the wall forms can be manufactured in a controlled environment (e.g., a factory), they can be made for a fraction of the cost of what it would take a skilled laborer to construct custom formwork at a jobsite using conventional techniques. A 50-foot monolithic concrete retaining wall constructed using conventional forms typically would require 4-5 days of onsite labor for excavation, constructing forms and pouring concrete. Comparatively, a similar retaining wall constructed using the prefabricated forms of the invention would require less than a day of onsite labor to construct the wall. Not only are labor costs reduced, onsite construction is much less affected by the weather. Moreover, because the forms become a permanent part of the wall, the additional steps of removing, cleaning, and transporting forms are completely eliminated.

In particular embodiments, the wall form comprises a permanent footing form and a permanent panel form mounted on the footing form. The footing form supports the panel form in an upright position and is typically positioned in a trench that extends along the base of the wall. The panel form can comprise first and second panel members that are interconnected by a plurality of vertical studs positioned between the panel members. A plurality of internal cavities for receiving concrete are formed between the panel members and adjacent pairs of studs. The studs desirably are formed with a plurality of large openings or apertures that allow concrete to flow between cavities of the panel form, thereby forming a unified, monolithic concrete structure when the concrete cures. Moreover, any number of wall forms can be placed end-to-end to achieve a wall of any predetermined length. When poured, the concrete can flow between adjacent wall forms. In this manner, the entire wall, although constructed from multiple, individual forms, is a unified, monolithic concrete structure comparable in strength to a concrete wall formed from a conventional removable form having a single cavity.

In certain embodiments, the panel members can comprise perforated metal sheets, such as conventional expanded metal sheets. The size of the openings in the panel members are selected to allow concrete to seep outwardly onto the outer surface of the panel members. This concrete can be troweled over to form a thin layer of concrete on the outer surfaces of the panel members. The panel members, which can be partially or completed embedded within the concrete, serve as reinforcing members to reinforce and strengthen the wall. Moreover, the external layers of concrete can be troweled as desired to provide a desired finish for the exposed surface(s) of the wall. If desired, the external layer of concrete can also serve as a useful surface for applying a decorative outer layer to the wall. For example, the external layers of concrete can be painted; or alternatively, any of various building elements, such as pre-cast blocks or bricks, or a veneer layer, can be mounted on the external layers of concrete.

In one representative embodiment, a wall structure comprises a permanent footing form configured to receive a cementitious fill material to form the footing of the wall structure, the footing form comprising first and second longitudinally extending side portions and a plurality of transverse cross-members extending between and interconnecting the side portions. The wall structure also comprises a permanent panel form mounted to the cross-members of the footing form, the panel form comprising first and second opposing panel members, and a plurality of spaced-apart, upright studs disposed between and interconnecting the panel members such that a plurality of cavities are defined by the panel members and adjacent pairs of studs for receiving the fill material. The footing form and the panel form collectively form a permanent, pre-fabricated wall form that becomes a permanent part of the wall structure when the footing form and the panel form are filled with the fill material.

In another representative embodiment, a wall structure comprises first and second opposing panel members, wherein at least one of the panel members comprises a perforated metal panel. A plurality of spaced-apart, upright studs are disposed between and interconnect the panel members such that a plurality of cavities are defined by the panel members and adjacent pairs of studs. A cementitious fill material is disposed in the cavities and forms a solidified wall structure, wherein the metal panel is at least partially embedded in the fill material so as to reinforce one face of the wall structure.

In another representative embodiment, a wall structure comprises a permanent footing form configured to receive a cementitious fill material to form the footing of the wall structure. The wall structure also comprises a permanent panel form mounted to the footing form, the panel form comprising first and second opposing panel members, and a plurality of spaced-apart, upright studs disposed between and interconnecting the panel members such that a plurality of cavities are defined by the panel members and adjacent pairs of studs for receiving the fill material. The footing form and the panel form collectively form a permanent wall form that becomes a permanent part of the wall structure when the footing form and the panel form are filled with the fill material. The panel members desirably are curved along a length of the wall structure to form a curved wall having a convex and/or concave shape.

The foregoing and other features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a wall structure, according to one embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the prefabricated, permanent wall form used to form the wall structure of FIG. 1, shown before it is filled with concrete.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 2, wherein one of the panel members is broken away to show the interior of the panel form.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a section of the wall form shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the panel form shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the wall form shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 7 is a partial, perspective view of the wall of FIG. 1, showing a layer of concrete formed on the outer surface of the panel form.

FIG. 8 is a front elevation view of a wall structure comprising two permanent wall forms of the type shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 9 is a partial, top plan view of a permanent wall form, according to another embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the wall form shown in FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a partial, perspective view of the wall form shown in FIG. 9.

FIG. 12 is a partial perspective view similar to FIG. 11 showing the wall form after concrete is poured into the wall form.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a permanent wall form, according another embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a top plan view of the wall form shown in FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a finished wall structure formed from the wall form shown in FIG. 13.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” refer to one or more than one, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

As used herein, the term “includes” means “comprises.” For example, a device that includes or comprises A and B contains A and B but may optionally contain C or other components other than A and B. A device that includes or comprises A or B may contain A or B or A and B, and optionally one or more other components such as C.

Referring first to FIG. 1, there is shown a wall structure 8, according to one embodiment, that comprises a wall form 10 (also referred to as a form assembly or formwork) filled with cementitious fill material 16, such as concrete. The wall structure 8 can be a retaining wall that is installed at the base of slope or hill such that earth is retaining behind one face of the wall structure. The wall structure 8 alternatively can be used as a free-standing wall or fence that does not retain earth behind one face of the wall structure. In other embodiments, the wall structure 8 can be used to form one or more walls of a building or similar structure that includes a roof supported by the walls, or a structure without a roof. In still other embodiments, the wall structure can be installed completely below ground or such that a majority of the height of the wall structure is installed below ground.

The wall form 10 generally comprises a base portion 12 and an upright panel portion 14 that is supported by and extends upwardly from the base portion 12. As further described below, the base portion 12 desirably is installed in a trench that extends along the length of the wall structure while the panel portion 14 extends upwardly from the trench. When filled with concrete, the wall form 10 forms a strong, permanent monolithic concrete structure. As best shown in FIG. 6, the base form 12 has a width W1 that is substantially greater than the width W2 of the panel form 14 to provide stability and resistance to horizontal loads.

A significant advantage of the wall form 10 is that it can be entirely pre-manufactured in a controlled environment away from the jobsite (e.g., at a factory or shop), and then shipped to the jobsite, installed at the desired location, and filled with concrete, thereby significantly reducing labor and installation costs compared with a conventionally poured concrete wall. FIG. 2 shows the wall form 10 before it is filled with concrete. Prior to filling the base portion 12 and the panel portion 14 with the fill material 16, the base portion 12 serves as a permanent base form (also referred to herein as a footing form) that is configured to receive the fill material 16, and the panel portion 14 serves as a permanent panel form that is configured to receive the fill material. As used herein, the term “permanent,” referring to the forms, means that the forms become part of the wall structure and are not removed after fill material is poured into the wall structure and allowed to cure. Thus, the wall form 10, as shown without the concrete, serves as a completely pre-manufactured or prefabricated formwork that becomes a permanent part of the finished wall when filled with concrete.

Referring also to FIGS. 3 and 4, the panel form 14 in the illustrated embodiment comprises a plurality of laterally spaced-apart, upright studs, or structural members, 18 that support panel members 20 on opposite sides of the wall. The studs 18 can be metal studs formed from a suitable metal or metal alloy, such as aluminum, steel, etc. As best shown in FIG. 4, each stud 18 can have a central portion 22 and flanges 24 extending at right angles from the opposing longitudinal edges of the central portion 22. The studs 18 can be formed by bending a flat piece of metal at its edges to form the flanges 24. Although less desirable, the studs alternatively can be made from wood, composites, and other suitable materials. As can be seen in FIG. 4, a plurality of internal cavities 50 are formed within the panel by the panel members 20 and adjacent pairs of studs 18.

The studs 18 within the interior of the panel form (spaced from the opposing ends of the panel form) can be formed with a plurality of apertures, or openings, 26 that are large enough to allow concrete, when poured into the wall structure, to flow through the studs and become evenly distributed throughout the interior of the panel form 14. Thus, once cured, the concrete forms a single, unified or monolithic structure that extends the length of the panel form, with the concrete within adjacent cavities 50 being interconnected with one another. The apertures 26 can also be used to position one or more horizontally disposed reinforcing members 28 (e.g., steel rebar) that can extend the length of the panel form through the apertures 26. Alternatively, the studs can be formed with an additional set of relatively smaller openings (smaller than apertures 26) for positioning the rebar. The studs 18 at the ends of the panel form can be formed without apertures 26 so as to contain the concrete within the wall form as the concrete is poured into the cavities 50. Alternatively, one or both panel members 20 can have end portions that cover the ends of the panel form. The end portions can be formed by bending one or both panel members 90 degrees at the ends of the panel form. Alternatively, a separate piece of material can be secured at each end of the panel form to cover the studs at each end.

As explain in greater detail below, multiple wall forms 10 can be placed end-to-end to form a longer wall structure. In such cases, the studs 18 at the ends of each panel form (except at the ends of the overall wall structure) can be formed with apertures 26 to allow concrete to flow from a cavity 50 of one panel form 14 to flow into a cavity 50 of another panel form 14.

One or both of the panel members 20 desirably comprise perforated sheets of material formed with a plurality of openings, or apertures, sized to permit a limited amount of concrete to flow outwardly through the panel members. In the illustrated embodiment, for example, the panel members 20 comprise sheets of expanded metal, which can be made of any various suitable metals or metal alloys, such as steel, galvanized steel, stainless steel, aluminum, copper, etc. As used herein, “expanded metal” refers to metal sheets that are formed by cutting or otherwise forming series of slits in a sheet of metal and expanding the sheet to form a plurality of apertures, as commonly known in the art. Expanded metal of any of various mesh sizes can be used. In particular embodiments, for example, the panel members comprise ½ inch, #13 type expanded metal.

The expanded metal panel members 20 can serve several purposes. Explaining further, the expanded metal sheets serve as the formwork at the front and back of the panel portion 14 to shape the concrete as it is poured into the panel form 14. Due to the presence of the openings in the expanded metal, a limited amount concrete can seep through the openings in the expanded metal. The concrete on the outside of the expanded metal can be troweled over to form a thin layer of concrete covering the entire exposed face(s) of the wall (both faces can be troweled for a fence structure while only one face need be troweled for a retaining wall). Advantageously, this gives the appearance of a conventionally poured concrete wall, but requires significantly less labor to construct than a conventionally poured concrete wall. Another advantage of the expanded metal is that it becomes embedded within the faces of the panel portion 14, thereby further reinforcing the wall structure.

As shown in FIG. 5, in some embodiments, a thin mesh sheet 30 (e.g., a fiberglass mesh) can be positioned between the panel member 20 and the studs 18 on each side of the panel form 14. The mesh sheet 30 can have smaller openings than the expanded metal to prevent relatively small but coarse pieces of aggregate (e.g., gravel) from flowing through the panel members. However, the mesh sheets 30 need not be used if the particular mix of concrete used does not include coarse pieces of aggregate.

In alternative embodiments, instead of expanded metal, the panel members can comprise perforated metal sheets having a plurality of holes punched or otherwise cut in the metal. In still other embodiments, other types of perforated or non-perforated materials can be used to form the panel members, such as various types of sheathing boards used in construction. The panel members can be made of metal, metal alloys, wood, polymers, composite materials, or combinations thereof. Without limitation, some examples of sheathing boards that can be used include plywood, cement board, oriented strand board, sheet metal etc.

The panel members 20 can be mounted to the studs using any of various suitable techniques or mechanisms. For example, as best shown in FIG. 5, the panel members can be secured to the studs with screws 32 extending through corresponding washers 34, a panel member 20 and into a stud 18. Other types of fasteners, such as rivets, clips, or interlocking components, can be used to secure the panel members to the studs. The panel members alternatively can be welded to the studs in lieu or in addition to using mechanical fasteners.

Referring to FIGS. 3, 4 and 6, the base form 12 comprises an outer frame 36 comprising opposing side portions 38 extending the length of the wall structure and opposing end portions 40 extending between respective ends of the side portions 38. The base form 12 can further comprise a plurality of spaced-apart cross-members 42, each extending from one of the side portions 38 to the other side portion 38. The ends of each cross-member 42 can be secured to the side portions 38 using suitable techniques or mechanisms, such as the illustrated screws 44. The cross-members 42 can have the same construction as studs 18. Thus, in particular embodiments, the cross-members 42 and the studs 18 can be cut to size from lengths of the same C-shaped channel stock. The cross-members 42, like the studs 18, can be formed with apertures 26 that allow concrete to flow between the cavities defined between adjacent cross-members. The base form 12 can be reinforced with one or more horizontally extending reinforcing members 28 (e.g., rebar) (FIG. 6) extending through the apertures 26 in the cross-members 42.

The side portions 38 and the end portions 40 in the illustrated configuration are formed from sections of Form-A-Drain™ footing material (available from Certainteed Corporation, Valley Forge, Pa.), which is a four-sided, elongated plastic channel. Alternatively, these components can be formed from various other types of building materials, such as elongated channel (metal or plastic channel) having C- or U-shaped cross sections. For example, the sides and ends of the base form can be formed from metal studs having the same configuration as the studs 18. The adjacent ends of the side portions and end portions can be secured to each other with L-shaped couplers 46 at the corners of the base portion 12.

The panel form 14 can be supported directly on the cross-members 42 as shown. As best shown in FIG. 6, L-shaped brackets 52 can be secured at the base of each panel member 20. The brackets 52 can be secured to the cross-members 42 and to the panels members 20 and studs 18, such as with suitable mechanical fasteners (e.g., screws 54) or by welding. The base form 12 can also include a drain pipe 56 that can extend laterally across base form through corresponding openings in the side portions 38. The drain pipe 56 usually is used when the wall structure is installed as a retaining wall to allow water collecting in the area behind the wall to flow through the base to the front of the wall.

As noted above, the wall form 10 can be pre-manufactured and shipped to a jobsite in the form shown in FIG. 2. This significantly reduces construction costs because most of the wall can be made in a controlled environment utilizing modern manufacturing techniques. At the desired location of the wall, a trench can be formed in the ground to receive the base form 12. After positioning the form 10 along the trench, concrete or another type of cementitious material is poured into the base portion 12, and then the panel form 14. The concrete can be poured into the panel form 14 immediately after filling the base portion; thus, it is not necessary to allow the concrete in the base portion to cure before filling the panel form. As the fill material settles in the panel form 14, some of it will naturally seep outwardly through the openings in the panel members 20. As shown in FIG. 7, a layer 58 of fill material can be formed on the outer surface of the panel members, such as by troweling over the fill material that seeps through the panel members. After the fill material cures, a decorative layer can be formed on the outer layer 58 of fill material. For example, the outer layer 58 can be painted, or it can be covered with a layer of pre-cast stone or a veneer layer.

In an alternative embodiment, the base form 12 and the panel form 14 can be transported to a job site as separate components and connected to each other during installation at the job site. In another embodiment, although less desirable, the various components for making each of the base form and the panel form (e.g., studs 18, panel members 20, etc.) can be provided as a kit, which can be assembled at a job site.

In particular embodiments, the wall structure 8 can be provided without a base form 12. For example, in one implementation, the panel form 14 can be mounted on a conventional concrete footing or pad (or multiple concrete footings spaced along the length of the wall). In another implementation, the wall structure 8 can be installed without any footing structure, such as by installing a portion of the panel form 14 below ground. For example, walls that are not subject to significant external loads, such as relatively short landscaping walls, need not include any footing structure and can be installed with a lower portion of the panel form below grade.

In other embodiments, the panel form 14 need not be filled with a cementitious fill material or can be only partially filled with a cementitious fill material. In one specific implementation, the panel form 14 can be partially filled with concrete, leaving a cavity at the upper portion of the panel that can be used as a planter box, which can be filled with soil for planting plants. In another implementation, panel form 14 need not have any cementitious fill material and instead can be filled with other types of fill material, such as soil, gravel, etc. For example, relatively short wall structures, such as landscaping walls, can be filled entirely with loose fill material such as soil (in which case it would be desirable to use non-perforated panel members to keep the fill material in the panel form).

FIG. 8 shows a wall structure formed by two identical forms 10a and 10b that are placed end-to-end along the length of the wall structure. It should be noted that any number of forms can be used to achieve the final length of the wall structure. In addition, other forms can be placed at 90-degree angles with respect to forms 10a, 10b to form a wall structure having corners. In FIG. 8, there is shown a small gap between the adjacent ends of forms 10a, 10b for purposes of illustration. In reality, the forms 10a, 10b desirably are placed end-to-end in abutting contact to form a closed joint between the adjacent ends of the base forms 12a, 12b and the adjacent ends of the panel forms 14a, 14b. In contrast to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the panel forms 14a, 14b desirably have the same overall length L as the base forms 12a, 12b to allow the panel forms 14a, 14b to be placed in abutting contact with each other. Otherwise, the forms 10a, 10b can have the same general construction as already described and therefore is not repeated here.

The wall structure can include one or more reinforcing bars 28 that can extend through the panel forms 14a, 14b. In certain embodiments, a single reinforcing bar 28 can extend through multiple panel forms 14a, 14b as shown, in which case the reinforcing bar can be installed at the job site so that each form 10a, 10b can be transported to the job site as separate units. In other embodiments, each panel form 14a, 14b can have respective one or more reinforcing bars 28 that do not extend into multiple panel forms. In the latter case, the reinforcing bars 28 can be installed in the forms prior to shipment to the job site. The reinforcing bars can be sized to extend through the studs 18 at the end of the panels such that adjacent ends of reinforcing bars installed in adjacent panel forms can be connected to each other using, for example, rebar ties.

A wall structure can be formed from forms 10a, 10b by placing the forms end-to-end with the footing forms 12a, 12b positioned in a trench extending the length of the wall structure, and then filling the forms with a cementitious material (e.g., concrete) as described above. The studs at the ends of the panel forms within the interior of the wall structure (identified as 18a′ and 18b′) can be formed with apertures 26 (see FIG. 6). As a result, concrete poured into panel form 14a can flow into panel form 14b, and vice versa, via the apertures. Thus, when the concrete cures, a single unified structure spanning all panel forms in the wall is formed.

FIGS. 9-11 show a pre-fabricated, permanent wall form 100 for constructing a wall, according to another embodiment. This embodiment shares many similarities with the embodiment of FIGS. 1-7. Hence, components in FIGS. 9-11 that are identical to corresponding components in FIGS. 1-7 have the same respective reference numerals and are not described further. The wall form 100 generally comprises a base, or footing, form 102 and a panel form 104 mounted on the base form. The panel form 104 has a construction similar to panel form 14 described above, except that the panel form 104 has first and second panel members 106 that are non-perorated sheets of material. In particular embodiments, the panel members 106 comprise cement board, although other construction materials can also be used. The panel members 106 can be interconnected by a plurality of vertically oriented studs 18, as previously described.

FIG. 9 illustrates that the panel members 106 exhibit some degree of flexibility, and therefore can be placed in a curved configuration to form a wall having a concave and/or convex configuration (i.e., a curved wall for which the radius of curvature is in a horizontal plane). Advantageously, making a panel form having a curved configuration as shown in the illustrated embodiment does not increase the complexity of the manufacturing process and does not increase overall manufacturing costs to any significant degree. As can be seen, since the studs define the width of the cavities between the panel members, it is relatively easy to form a curved wall having a constant width along the entire length of the wall. In addition, the width of the wall can be varied along the wall length, such as by utilizing studs 18 of varying width. This is in stark contrast to conventional construction techniques for forming curved walls, which involves constructing curved forms from plywood and other wooden components. The prior art process for constructing curved walls is time-consuming and usually requires skilled laborers to construct the complicated forms.

It should be noted that any of the materials described herein for forming panel members 106 (or panel members 20) exhibit some degree of flexibility and therefore can be used to form curved walls. For example, the expanded metal panels 20 described above can be bent and secured to studs 18 in a curved configuration, such as shown in FIG. 9.

The base form 102 has a slightly different construction from that of base form 12 described above. The base form 102 in the illustrated embodiment comprises two longitudinally extending side portions 108 extending the length of the base form and two end portions 110 extending between respective ends of the side portions 108. The side portions 108 and end portions 110 can be sections of channel material, such as the Form-A-Drain™ material described above. The adjacent ends of the side portions and end portions can be connected by respective L-shape couplers 118.

The base form 102 further comprises a plurality of spaced-apart cross-members 112 that support the panel form 104. Each cross-member 112 extends across the width of the base form and has opposite end portions secured to the upper surface of the side portions 108, such as by welding, screws or other fasteners. The cross-members 112 can be sections of metal channel. In the illustrated embodiment, for example, the cross-members 112 are formed from U-shaped channel having longitudinally extending flanges 116 that support the panel form 104.

As shown in FIG. 10, the base form 102 can further include one or more rebar hangers 120 supported by the cross-members 112. The hangers 120 can be used to support one or more steel reinforcing members 122 that extend lengthwise of the base form 102. Optionally, one or more vertically extending reinforcing members 124 can be positioned in the panel form 104. The vertical reinforcing members 124 can have lower horizontally disposed portions 126 that are secured to or otherwise supported by the rebar hangers 120 and/or horizontal reinforcing members 122 within the base portion 102.

As further shown in FIG. 10, the lower end portions of the studs 18 can extend into the channels of the cross-members 112. The lower end of the panel form 104 can be secured to the cross-members 112 by L-shaped metal brackets 128, which are secured to the base of each panel member 106 and to the flanges 116 of the cross-members using, for example, the illustrated screws 130, other types of fasteners, or by welding. As shown in FIG. 9, the brackets 128 can comprise multiple bracket sections 132 placed end-to-end to better conform to the curvature of the panel form 104.

In the illustrated embodiment, the side portions 108 of the base form 102 are straight and do not track the curvature of the panel form 104. However, this is not a requirement. The side portions 108 can be curved to match the curvature of the panel form 104 along the length of the wall. This can be accomplished by bending the channel material used to form the side portions. A series of slits or grooves can be cut into the channel material at locations spaced along its length to allow the channel material to be bent or curved to the desired shape.

A wall structure can be formed from one or more forms 100 placed end-to-end in a straight or curved line or at 90-degree angles in a desired configuration, and then pouring a cementitious fill material into the form(s) 100 as described above. FIG. 12 shows the form 100 after the base form 102 and the panel form 104 are filled with concrete 16.

FIGS. 13-15 show the construction of wall, in accordance with another embodiment. FIGS. 13-15 illustrate the versatility of the construction techniques disclosed herein for forming walls of various shapes and sizes. FIG. 13 shows a perspective view of a pre-fabricated, permanent form 200 for constructing the wall. The form 200 comprises a base, or footing, form 202 that supports a panel form 204 and a column, or pilaster, form 206. The base form 202 can have a construction similar to base form 12 (FIGS. 1-7) or base form 102 (FIGS. 9-11) and therefore is not described further. The panel form 204 can be formed from a plurality of vertically oriented studs 18 and panel members 208 mounted to opposite sides of the studs. In the illustrated example, the panel members 208 comprise expanded metal sheets, although other types of construction materials can be used.

FIG. 13 illustrates how the height of the panel form 204 can vary along its length by varying the height of the studs. The panel members 208 can be cut to have a variable height and a top edge (indicated by dashed line 210) that extends along the top edges of the studs 18. In the illustrated embodiment, the top edge of the panel form (and therefore the top edge of the finished wall) has a sloped portion that extends from a high section of the panel form to a lower section of the panel form.

The construction of the column form 206 is best shown in FIG. 14. In the illustrated embodiment, a plurality of studs 18 are mounted on the base form 202 in a generally C-shaped configuration. A reinforcing strip 220 (FIG. 13) can be secured to upper edges of the studs on all four sides of the column form 206. Expanded metal panels 210 (or other types of panel members) (indicated by dashed lines in FIG. 14) are secured to studs 18 on the outside and inside of the column to form an end portion 212 of the column, opposing side portions 214 of the column, and another end portion 216. The panel form 204 can have an end portion, indicated by reference number 218, that extends through an opening in the end portion 216 into the open interior of the column form 206. In that way, the panel and the column become a monolithic, unified concrete structure when concrete is poured into the cavities within the panel form and the column form, as well as the cavities between the end portion 218 of the panel form and the interior of the column form.

As noted above, the size of the openings of the expanded metal panels can be selected such that a limited amount of concrete can seep out of the openings. The concrete on the outside of the metal panels can be troweled over to form a thin layer of concrete on the outside of the wall structure. Any of various decorative layers can be applied to the exposed layer of concrete. For example, FIG. 15 shows blocks or bricks 230 mounted to the outside of the wall structure using conventional techniques. Blocks 230 can be pre-cast concrete blocks or bricks, or pieces of natural stone. The blocks 230 can be secured to the cured layer of concrete on the outside of the expanded metal panels using a suitable adhesive. Mortar can be used to fill in the joints between the blocks 230.

In view of the many possible embodiments to which the principles of the disclosed invention may be applied, it should be recognized that the illustrated embodiments are only preferred examples of the invention and should not be taken as limiting the scope of the invention. Rather, the scope of the invention is defined by the following claims. We therefore claim as our invention all that comes within the scope and spirit of these claims.

Claims

1. A wall structure comprising:

a permanent footing form configured to receive a cementitious fill material to form the footing of the wall structure, the footing form comprising first and second longitudinally extending side portions and a plurality of transverse cross-members extending between and interconnecting the side portions; and

a permanent panel form mounted to the cross-members of the footing form, the panel form comprising first and second opposing panel members, and a plurality of spaced-apart, upright studs disposed between and interconnecting the panel members such that a plurality of cavities are defined by the panel members and adjacent pairs of studs for receiving the fill material;

wherein the footing form and the panel form collectively form a permanent, pre-fabricated wall form that becomes a permanent part of the wall structure when the footing form and the panel form are filled with the fill material.

2. The wall structure of claim 1, wherein the studs comprises a plurality of apertures, and the panel form further comprises a plurality of horizontal reinforcing members extending through corresponding apertures in the studs.

3. The wall structure of claim 1, wherein the panel members are curved in the direction of the length of the panel form.

4. The wall structure of claim 1, wherein the studs comprise metal studs.

5. The wall structure of claim 1, wherein at least one of the panel members comprises a perforated panel member that has a plurality of openings that allows the fill material to flow through the panel member.

6. The wall structure of claim 5, wherein the perforated panel member comprises an expanded metal panel.

7. The wall structure of claim 1, wherein the panel members comprise cement board.

8. The wall structure of claim 1, further comprising a drain pipe extending through the side portions of the footing form.

9. The wall structure of claim 1, wherein the footing form and the panel form are filled with concrete.

10. The wall structure of claim 1, wherein the permanent, prefabricated wall form comprises a plurality of permanent, prefabricated wall forms, each having a permanent footing form and a permanent panel form, wherein the wall forms are placed end-to-end in abutting relationship with each other.

11. The wall structure of claim 10, further comprising at least one steel reinforcing member extending through the studs of one or more panel forms.

12. The wall structure of claim 10, wherein the panel forms and the footing forms are filled with concrete and comprise a unified, monolithic concrete structure.

13. The wall structure of claim 1, wherein the footing form has a width extending from one side portion to the other side portion and the panel form has a width extending from one panel member to the other panel member, the width of the footing form being greater than the width of the panel form.

14. A wall structure comprising:

first and second opposing panel members, wherein at least one of the panel members comprises a perforated metal panel;

a plurality of spaced-apart, upright studs disposed between and interconnecting the panel members such that a plurality of cavities are defined by the panel members and adjacent pairs of studs; and

a cementitious fill material disposed in the cavities and forming a solidified wall structure, wherein the metal panel is at least partially embedded in the fill material so as to reinforce one face of the wall structure.

15. The wall structure of claim 14, wherein the metal panel comprises an expanded metal panel.

16. The wall structure of claim 14, wherein the metal panel has opposing, first and second faces, the first face facing the cavities and the second face facing away from the cavities, wherein the fill material extends through openings in the metal panel and forms an outer layer of fill material covering the second face of the metal panel.

17. The wall structure of claim 14, further comprising a footing portion supporting the panel members and the studs.

18. A wall structure comprising:

a permanent footing form configured to receive a cementitious fill material to form the footing of the wall structure; and

a permanent panel form mounted to the footing form, the panel form comprising first and second opposing panel members, and a plurality of spaced-apart, upright studs disposed between and interconnecting the panel members such that a plurality of cavities are defined by the panel members and adjacent pairs of studs for receiving the fill material;

wherein the panel members are curved along a length of the wall structure;

wherein the footing form and the panel form collectively form a permanent wall form that becomes a permanent part of the wall structure when the footing form and the panel form are filled with the fill material.

19. The wall structure of claim 18, wherein the panel members comprise expanded metal panels.

20. The wall structure of claim 18, wherein the panel form has a width extending from one panel member to the other panel member, the width being substantially constant from one end of the panel form to another end of the panel form.

21. A method of constructing a wall structure, comprising:

providing a pre-fabricated, permanent formwork, the formwork comprising a footing form and a panel form mounted on the footing form;

positioning the formwork at a desired location for the wall structure; and

after positioning the formwork at the desired location, introducing concrete into the footing form and the panel form.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein:

the act of providing comprises providing at least first and second pre-fabricated, permanent formworks, each comprising a footing form and a panel form mounted on the footing form;

the act of positioning comprises positioning the formworks end-to-end at the desired location for the wall structure; and

the act of introducing comprises introducing concrete into each formwork.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein:

each panel form comprises first and second panel members and a plurality of upright studs positioned between and interconnecting the panel members such that a plurality of cavities are defined by the panel members and adjacent pairs of studs for receiving concrete; and

introducing concrete into each formwork causes concrete in a cavity of the panel form of the first formwork to flow into a cavity of the panel form of the second formwork via apertures in one or more studs of one or both of the first and second formworks.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein:

the panel form comprises first and second, spaced apart panel members, at least one of the panel members comprising a perforated metal sheet having a plurality of openings such that concrete introduced into the panel form can flow outwardly through the openings onto the outer surface of the metal sheet; and

the method further comprises the step of troweling the concrete on the outer surface of the metal sheet to form a layer of concrete covering the outer surface.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising backfilling earth behind one side of the wall structure such that the earth is retained by the panel form.