Hollow core floor and deck element

Abstract

A composite structural support which may be utilized as a beam or assembled with similar supports to form a building floor or a bridge deck utilizes an open core element, made preferably of suitably treated fluted paper, upper and lower thin steel skins, and a layer of concrete poured over the top skin. Modules comprising the hollow core element and the upper and lower steel skins are fabricated to lengths required for building floor and bridge spans and, when joined by welding the upper and lower skins of adjacent elements along their full lengths, provide a floor or deck structure of a large span

1 . A horizontal structural support comprising:
 an open core element including a plurality of corrugated strips of a web material bonded together and having flutes oriented vertically, said open core element defining horizontal upper and lower surfaces;   steel skins attached to the upper and lower surface of the core element; and,   a layer of concrete on the upper steel skin.   
   
   
       2 . The structural support as set forth in  claim 1  including a plurality of upstanding steel projections attached to the upper steel skin and embedded in the concrete layer. 
   
   
       3 . The structural support as set forth in  claim 1  including a plurality of core elements having the steel skins co-extensive with and attached thereto and shaped to define modules of generally rectangular shape, said modules connected edge-to-edge with welded joints along abutting edges of the upper and lower skins to form a deck, and the layer of concrete covering the deck. 
   
   
       4 . The structural support as set forth in  claim 3  including close-out panels enclosing the portions of the core elements defining the outer periphery of the deck. 
   
   
       5 . The structural support as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the web material comprises paper. 
   
   
       6 . The structural support as set forth in  claim 5  wherein the paper is resin-impregnated. 
   
   
       7 . A method for making a load bearing deck comprising the steps of:
 (1) forming an open core element from a plurality of long and relatively narrow strips of a corrugated web material by bonding the strips together with the flutes extending between the long edges of the strips, the open core element defining parallel rectangular upper and lower surfaces perpendicular to the flutes;   (2) bonding rectangular steel skins to the upper and lower surfaces of the core element to form a deck module, the skins each having opposite long edges corresponding to the length of the strips; and,   (3) connecting adjacent modules by welding together the long edges of adjacent upper skins and lower skins.   
   
   
       8 . The method as set forth in  claim 7  including the step of pouring a layer of concrete over the interconnected upper skins to form the deck. 
   
   
       9 . The method as set forth in  claim 8  including, prior to the pouring step, the step of attaching a plurality of upstanding steel projections to the exposed surfaces of the upper skins, and wherein the pouring step includes embedding said projections in the concrete. 
   
   
       10 . The method as set forth in  claim 8  including, prior to the pouring step, the step of placing utility connections on the exposed surface of the upper skins, and wherein the pouring step includes embedding said connections in the concrete.