Truss lock floor systems and related methods and apparatus

Abstract

Top-down construction techniques are disclosed for providing panelized building systems. The systems can include pre-manufactured floor and stem wall panels that can built to a desired specification, e.g., according to site-specific requirements. The floor panels can include height-adjustable members to raise/lower portions of one or more panels to a desired height relative to an underlying surface. The floor panels can be leveled, locked together, and then remaining portions of a building structure can be built around the floor panels in a top-down process. The height-adjustable members can include pier and jack system that includes a jack screw, a sleeve, and a pier. Related grout system are also disclosed.

1 . A panelized building system comprising:
 one or more prefabricated floor panels;   one or more height-adjustable members disposed on the one or more floor panels for adjusting the height of the one or more floor panels; and   a prefabricated stem wall, wherein the prefabricated stem wall includes one or more sections.   
   
   
       2 . The floor system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more building panels are composite panels. 
   
   
       3 . The floor system of  claim 1 , further comprising a foundation footing for supporting the one or more sections of the prefabricated stem wall. 
   
   
       4 . The floor system of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more composite floor panels include steel reinforcement members. 
   
   
       5 . The floor system of  claim 4 , wherein the steel reinforcement members include an open-web truss. 
   
   
       6 . The floor system of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more composite floor panels include cement. 
   
   
       7 . The floor system of  claim 6 , wherein the one or more composite floor panels include a Portland-type cement. 
   
   
       8 . The floor system of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more composite floor panels include a non-Portland type cementatious binder. 
   
   
       9 . The floor system of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more composite floor panels include GigaCrete™. 
   
   
       10 . The floor system of  claim 1 , further comprising a grout channel disposed on a lateral surface of at least one floor panel. 
   
   
       11 . The floor system of  claim 10 , wherein the grout channel includes a channel disposed on a lateral surface of each of two or more abutting floor panels. 
   
   
       12 . The floor system of  claim 10 , wherein the grout channel includes a channel disposed on a lateral surface of at least one floor panel and a supporting foundation stem wall. 
   
   
       13 . The floor system of  claim 10 , further comprising an injection fitting configured and arranged to deliver grout to the grout channel. 
   
   
       14 . The floor system of  claim 10 , further comprising an epoxy containing grout disposed within the grout channel. 
   
   
       15 . The floor system of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more fasteners configured and arranged to attach adjacent floor panels to one another. 
   
   
       16 . The floor system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more height-adjustable members each include a jack and pier system. 
   
   
       17 . The floor system of  claim 16 , wherein the jack and pier systems comprises a jack screw, a sleeve, and a pier connected to the jack screw, wherein sleeve is connected to a building panel, wherein the pier includes a weight-bearing surface, and wherein the jack screw is threadedly received by the sleeve and configured and arranged to adjust the position of the weight bearing surface relative to the building panel connected to the sleeve. 
   
   
       18 . The floor system of  claim 17 , wherein the sleeve is connected to a truss disposed on the building panel. 
   
   
       19 . The floor system of claim of  claim 13 , wherein the injection fitting includes a spring-loaded member adapted to admit grout applied to the fitting under pressure and to seal the fitting when grout is not applied. 
   
   
       20 . A top-down method of constructing a panelized floor system, the method comprising:
 preparing a building pad at a construction site for construction of a building;   building one or more composite floor panels at a location remote from the construction site;   positioning the one or more floor panels at a desired height above the building site with height-adjustable members;   fabricating a foundation footing on the construction site; and   positioning a pre-cast foundation stem wall between one or more of the floor panels and the foundation footing.   
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising forming a channel for receiving grout in an outer surface of the one or more floor panels. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising injecting grout into a channel. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein building one or more floor panels comprises incorporating one or more trusses within a floor panel. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein incorporating one or more trusses includes incorporating one or more trusses having an open-web. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein constructing one or more floor panels comprises incorporating a binder in the one or more floor panels. 
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein incorporating a binder comprises incorporating a cement. 
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein incorporating a cement includes incorporating a Portland-type cement. 
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein incorporating a binder includes incorporating a non-Portland type cement. 
   
   
       29 . A grout channel system for forming a seal between panelized building system components, the grout channel comprising:
 a first grout channel for receiving grout, wherein the first grout channel is disposed on a lateral surface of one or more floor panels; and   a second grout channel for receiving grout, wherein the second grout channel is disposed on a lateral surface of one or more floor panels or foundation stem walls adapted to be positioned adjacent the lateral surface including the first grout channel.   
   
   
       30 . The grout channel system of  claim 29 , further comprising a grout disposed within the first or second grout channels. 
   
   
       31 . The grout channel system of  claim 30 , wherein the grout includes an epoxy. 
   
   
       32 . The grout channel system of  claim 29 , further comprising an injection fitting configured and arranged to provide grout to the first or second grout channels. 
   
   
       33 . The grout channel system of  claim 32 , wherein the injection fitting includes a spring-loaded member adapted admit grout applied to the fitting under pressure and to seal the fitting the when grout is not applied.