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Patent Issued for Innovative Method of Constructing THERMOMASS® Post-Tensioned Insulated Wall Panels

Boone, Iowa (September 10, 2007) -- Composite Technologies Corporation (CTC), the manufacturer and supplier of the THERMOMASS® C-Wall Insulation System, is pleased to announce that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued a Patent (No. 7,237,366) for its innovative method of constructing Post-Tensioned Insulated Wall Panels.    First used in 2004, this patented technique covers the construction of insulated concrete panels with one or more tendons positioned within the integral insulation layer.  The tendons are put into tension after the concrete panel has cured.

Used exclusively for building structurally composite wall panels, CTC’s patented method features THERMOMASS C-BAR connectors manufactured specifically to transfer shear between two concrete wythes.  The C-BAR connectors provide the composite characteristics to the wall. 

The full patent is available on the THERMOMASS website at: www.thermomass.com/downloads/pt_patent.pdf.

Construction Process

Construction of Post-Tensioned Insulated Wall Panels begins in typical fashion.  First, the exterior wythe reinforcing and concrete are placed.  Next, pre-fabricated insulation is installed on top of the fresh concrete and THERMOMASS C-BAR connectors are immediately inserted into pre-cut slots through the insulation layer.  Once the concrete has hardened, the connectors are tested for proper anchorage.  Then, the post-tensioning tendons or rods are placed in the insulation’s pre-cut grooves which are specially fabricated to house and center the post-tensioning hardware.  Next, the interior wythe reinforcing is placed and concrete for the interior wythe is poured.  Once the concrete reaches sufficient strength, the tendons are stressed and the panels are erected in place. 

Applications

This system has been used successfully by both site-cast tilt-up and plant precast manufacturers to create taller and thinner insulated panels for projects where plant pre-stressing is not readily available.

Design Software

A comprehensive software package is available through CTC to aid architects and engineers in the design of panels using this patented system.

About Composite Technologies Corporation

Composite Technologies Corporation is headquartered in Boone, Iowa. The THERMOMASS® Building Insulation System has been used in a variety of concrete projects totaling over 850 million square feet during the past 25 years. For more information about THERMOMASS® call (800) 232-1748 or visit our web site at www.thermomass.com.