Prefabricated compound masonry units

Abstract

Embodiments of prefabricated compound masonry units in lieu of build site-constructed elements are provided, as well as methods of producing the same. One embodiment comprises a first course comprising hollow blocks laid end to end with adjacent ends adhered with mortar, the hollow blocks positioned such that the first course has a hollow core; at least one channel formed in a top surface of the first course, the channel having a length; and provisional reinforcement provided along at least a portion of the length of the channel and held within the channel with a bonding material different from the mortar. The provisional reinforcement provides tensile strength to the first course for transportation and handling of the first course from a fabrication location to a build location where the first course is configured to receive permanent structural masonry reinforcement in the hollow core at the build location.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A prefabricated compound masonry unit made at a fabrication site and configured for transportation to a build site comprising:
 a first course comprising a plurality of hollow blocks laid end to end with adjacent ends adhered with mortar, the plurality of hollow blocks positioned such that the first course has a hollow core;   at least one channel formed in a top surface of the first course, the at least one channel having a length; and   provisional reinforcement provided along at least a portion of the length of the at least one channel and held within the at least one channel with a bonding material different from the mortar,   wherein the provisional reinforcement provides tensile strength to the first course for transportation and handling of the first course from a fabrication location to a build location where the first course is configured to receive permanent structural masonry reinforcement in the hollow core at the build location.   
     
     
         2 . The prefabricated compound masonry unit of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one channel is two channels formed in spaced relation on the top surface of the first course with provisional reinforcement provided along at least a portion of the length of each of the two channels and held within the two channels with a bonding material. 
     
     
         3 . The prefabricated compound masonry unit of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of hollow blocks are a plurality of U-shaped blocks such that the top surface of the course has a first side and a second side, with one of the two channels formed on the first side and another of the two channels formed on the second side. 
     
     
         4 . The prefabricated compound masonry unit of  claim 1  further comprising one or more additional courses laid in ascending order upon the first course and adhered to adjacent courses with mortar. 
     
     
         5 . The prefabricated compound masonry unit of  claim 4 , wherein a top course comprises:
 at least one channel formed in a top surface of the top course, the at least one channel having a length; and   provisional reinforcement provided along at least a portion of the length of the at least one channel and held within the at least one channel with bonding material.   
     
     
         6 . The prefabricated compound masonry unit of  claim 3 , wherein the portion of the length that the provisional reinforcement extends is intervals along the length, each interval spanning a joint between adjacent U-shaped blocks. 
     
     
         7 . The prefabricated compound masonry unit of  claim 6  further comprising one or more additional courses laid in ascending order upon the first course and adhered to adjacent courses with mortar. 
     
     
         8 . The prefabricated compound masonry unit of  claim 7 , wherein a top course comprises:
 at least one channel formed in a top surface of the top course, the at least one channel having a length; and   provisional reinforcement provided along at least a portion of the length of the at least one channel and held within the at least one channel with bonding material.   
     
     
         9 . The prefabricated compound masonry unit of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of U-shaped blocks each have a bed between two side walls such that the first course has a bed extending along the length of the first course, and wherein additional provisional reinforcement is provided above a surface of the bed at least along a portion of the length of the bed. 
     
     
         10 . The prefabricated compound masonry unit of  claim 3 , wherein the blocks in the plurality of U-shaped blocks each has a bed between two side walls such that the first course has a bed extending along the length of the first course, and wherein additional provisional reinforcement is provided in one or more slits within ends of adjacent U-shaped blocks such that a joint between adjacent blocks is spanned, the slits formed within the surface of one or both of the bed and the two side walls. 
     
     
         11 . The prefabricated compound masonry unit of  claim 1 , wherein the provisional reinforcement extends along substantially an entire length of the first course. 
     
     
         12 . The prefabricated compound masonry unit of  claim 1 , wherein the provisional reinforcement is fiber reinforced polymer. 
     
     
         13 . A prefabricated compound masonry unit comprising:
 a first course comprising a plurality of U-shaped blocks each having a bed extending between two side walls, the plurality of U-shaped blocks laid end to end with adjacent ends adhered with mortar and positioned to form a continuous bed along a length of the first course; and   provisional reinforcement provided along at least a portion of the continuous bed of the first course and held with a bonding material different from the mortar,   wherein the provisional reinforcement provides tensile strength to the first course for transportation and handling of the first course from a fabrication location to a build location where the first course is configured to receive permanent structural masonry reinforcement in a cavity defined by the continuous bed and side walls at a build location.   
     
     
         14 . The prefabricated compound masonry unit of  claim 13 , wherein the provisional reinforcement is laid above a surface of the continuous bed along a majority of the length of the continuous bed. 
     
     
         15 . The prefabricated compound masonry unit of  claim 13 , wherein the provisional reinforcement is provided in one or more slits within ends of adjacent U-shaped blocks such that a joint between adjacent blocks is spanned, the slits formed within the surface of one or both of the bed and the two side walls. 
     
     
         16 . A method of making a prefabricated compound masonry unit prior to transporting the unit to a build site comprising:
 (a) forming a first course from a plurality of hollow blocks by joining ends of adjacent blocks with mortar, the plurality of hollow blocks positioned such that the first course has a hollow core;   (b) forming at least one channel in a top surface of the first course, the at least one channel having a length;   (c) placing provisional reinforcement along at least a portion of the length of the at least one channel; and   (d) retaining the provisional reinforcement within the at least one channel of the first course with a bonding material different from the mortar, wherein (a)-(d) are performed at a fabrication location and the provisional reinforcement provides tensile strength to the first course for transportation and handling of the first course from the fabrication location to a build location, the hollow core of the first course configured to receive permanent structural masonry reinforcement at the build location.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of hollow blocks are U-shaped blocks having two side walls and a bed extending there between, and the at least one channel is two channels, and wherein:
 step (b) comprises forming one of the two channels along a top surface of one of the two side walls and forming another of the two channels along a top surface of another of the two side walls;   step (c) comprises placing provisional reinforcement in each of the two channels; and   step (d) comprises retaining the provisional reinforcement within the two channels with the bonding material.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the first course has a bed extending along the length of the first course, the bed positioned between external walls of the first course, the method further comprising:
 (e) providing bonding material along at least a bottom surface of the bed; and   (f) placing provisional reinforcement in the bonding material within the bed along at least a portion of the length, wherein (e) and (f) are performed at the fabrication location.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising:
 (e) forming a second course from a plurality of blocks by joining adjacent blocks with mortar, the second course having a top surface with a first side and a second side and a joint between each pair of adjacent blocks, wherein (e) is performed at the fabrication location and the provisional reinforcement provides tensile strength to the second course sufficient for transportation and handling of the first course and second course from the fabrication location to a build location. 
 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the first course has a bed extending along the length of the first course, the bed positioned between external walls of the first course, the method further comprising:
 (e) providing slits in adjacent hollow blocks that span joints between the adjacent hollow blocks, the slits located along the bed; and 
 (f) placing provisional reinforcement in the slits and retaining the provisional reinforcement in the slits with bonding material, wherein (e) and (f) are performed at the fabrication location.