Structural Assembly

Abstract

A structural assembly includes at least one panel, the, or each, panel being hollow and of a fibre reinforced polymer (FRP). The panel includes a front wall, a rear wall, and upper and lower walls, wherein the rear wall is shaped to define at least one outwardly curved portion. The assembly includes at least two posts of FRP. Each post includes two opposed flanges and a web interposed between the flanges such that the flanges and the web define opposed channels, such that opposed sides of the, or each, panel can be received in facing channels of consecutive posts.

1 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A structural assembly which comprises:
 at least one panel, the, or each, panel being hollow and of a fibre reinforced polymer (FRP), and including:
 a front wall; 
 a rear wall; and 
 upper and lower walls, wherein the rear wall is shaped to define at least one outwardly curved portion; and 
 at least two posts of FRP, each post including: 
 two opposed flanges; and 
   a web interposed between the flanges such that the flanges and the web define opposed channels, such that opposed sides of the, or each, panel can be received in facing channels of consecutive posts.   
     
     
         21 . The structural assembly as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the, or each, panel, and the posts, are pultruded products. 
     
     
         22 . The structural assembly as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the front wall and the upper and lower walls of the, or each, panel are substantially planar. 
     
     
         23 . The structural assembly as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the rear wall of the, or each, panel is shaped to define two or more outwardly curved portions. 
     
     
         24 . The structural assembly as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the rear wall of the, or each, panel defines at least one corrugation. 
     
     
         25 . The structural assembly as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the upper and lower walls of the, or each, panel are oriented substantially orthogonally with respect to the front wall. 
     
     
         26 . The structural assembly as claimed in  claim 25 , wherein internal corners defined by the front and upper and lower walls of the, or each, panel have a minimum radius of between 2 mm and 5 mm. 
     
     
         27 . The structural assembly as claimed in  claim 25 , wherein a height of the upper and lower walls of the, or each, panel is between 0.6 and 0.8 times an overall thickness of the, or each, panel. 
     
     
         28 . The structural assembly as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the FRP includes at least one of glass fibre yarn and glass fibre mat. 
     
     
         29 . The structural assembly as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the FRP includes both glass fibre yarn and glass fibre mat. 
     
     
         30 . The structural assembly as claimed in  claim 29 , wherein the FRP is between 50 percent and 60 percent, by mass, glass fibre yarn, and between 10 percent and 15 percent, by mass, glass fibre mat. 
     
     
         31 . The structural assembly as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the web of each post is hollow and includes two, spaced web walls. 
     
     
         32 . The structural assembly as claimed in  claim 31 , wherein at least one bracing wall interconnects the web walls. 
     
     
         33 . The structural assembly as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein an overall width of each post is between 0.4 and 0.6 times an overall depth of the, or each, post. 
     
     
         34 . The structural assembly as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein one of the flanges is between 0.7 and 0.9 times the width of the other flange. 
     
     
         35 . The structural assembly as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein corners defined by the web and the flanges of each post have a radius of between 10 mm and 14 mm. 
     
     
         36 . A panel for a structural assembly, the panel comprising:
 a front wall;   a rear wall; and   upper and lower walls, wherein the panel is hollow and of FRP, and the rear wall is shaped to define at least one outwardly curved portion.   
     
     
         37 . A post for a structural assembly, the post comprising:
 two opposed flanges; and   a web interposed between the flanges such that the flanges and the web define opposed channels, such that opposed sides of a panel can be received in facing channels of consecutive posts, wherein the post is of FRP.   
     
     
         38 . A method of erecting a structural assembly, the method comprising the steps of:
 mounting at least two posts, in a spaced apart manner, in a substrate, each post comprising two opposed flanges and a web interposed between the flanges such that the flanges and the web define opposed channels, the posts being of FRP; and   positioning at least one panel between the posts, with opposed sides of the, or each, panel being received in facing channels of the posts, the, or each, panel comprising a front wall, a rear wall, and upper and lower walls, wherein the rear wall is shaped to define at least one outwardly curved portion, and the, or each, panel being of FRP.