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.

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.