Pioneering Sustainable Structures

Armadillo Foundation System, Inventing Technology.

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The Armadillo Foundation System is a construction technology that builds robust, cost effective, time effective and environmentally aware waffle slabs. The Armadillo Foundation System is an excellent solution for construction on grounds with poor performance such as liquefiable, soft or expansive soils and it has been successfully used for the Christchurch post earthquake recovery program.


Up to five storey without piles*.

An efficient use of land is a paramount for modern cities, the Armadillo Foundation System is the ideal option for residential and commercial buildings up to five storey high.


(*) Depending on the ground conditions and the building loads. Enquiries at info@bang-international.com



As efficiency is key to generate cost savings and sustainability, we have focused on the optimization of three key resources:



1. Labour and duration of construction is significantly reduced: The installers simply click pods, keystones and the steel into place without ties. The use of steel cages and stirrups is virtually eliminated.The Armadillo Foundation System also minimizes earthworks and ground improvement works. The easiness of the system allows a working team of 4 people to install 200 square meters in a day.



On the left. Conventional in-ground footing system involving soil trenching and complex steel reinforcing. On the right. Arnadillo on-ground footing system no requiring soil trenching and complex steel reinforcing.


2. The use of construction materials is optimized: The superior performance of the Armadillo pattern design allows savings with the use of concrete and reinfrcing steel.


3. Freight and use of the site are minimized: All components stack neatly into and on top of each other. The components required to construct a building with a floor area of 500 square meters can be delivered (and stored on site) using nothing larger than a standard two axis trailer. The equivalent material currently used in waffle floors would require a volume comparable to two 40ft containers.


Just as a car needs good tyre tread to be safe on the road, a building needs a foundation with a good footprint to be safe on the ground. The Armadillo Foundation System transfers the loads of your building onto the ground minimizing pressure peaks and the risk of settlement. On the other hand the voided contact patch mitigates potential uplift forces of swelling soils beneath the slab resulting extraordinarily efficient on expansive clays. The spacing of the ribs is adequate to achieve a group effect and the foundation performs as a floating raft. A stiff foundation designed to perform as a floating raft is able to spread the load of the building on a large footprint and provides protection against deformations induced by ground movements. Since stiffness and stresses are related, stiffness must always be accompanied with an adequate robustness. In the Armadillo Foundation System the perfect balance of stiffness and strength is achieved by a unique interweaving pattern of the structure. The patented design of the void formers allows a efficient distribution of the stresses induced by point loads eliminating the need for concrete pads or ground beams.


Superior results across the board.


On the left. The pressure diffusion pattern of a conventional polystyrene waffle slab. No group effect is achieved, the ribs perform as a grid of individual strip footings. On the right. The pressure diffusion pattern of the Armadillo Foundation System.


By using components exclusively made of recycled polypropylene, the Armadillo Foundation System is also a sustainable alternative to foundations generating tonnes of polluting polystyrene from void former offcuts every year.

Sustainable without limiting performance.


Armadillo 500 pod The Armadillo 500 pod is a sacrificial void former. The patented design of the ArmadilloTM 500 pod shapes the concrete with a unique interweaving pattern of ribs and arcs delivering extraordinary structural performance to the foundation. The Armadillo 500 pod is designed to reduce slab curling and shrinkage cracks, while providing higher quality to the concrete surface. The Armadillo 500 pods are also an effective capillary barrier against moisture across the foundation.

Technical data: Material = Re-milled Black Polypropylene; L x L x Height = 750 x 750 x 500 mm; Volume ≈ 150 litres; Weight ≈ 4,5 kg; Consumption of concrete = 0,32 m3/m2


Armadillo keystone The Armadillo keystones engage the ArmadilloTM pods forming a stable array. The Armadillo keystones also retain the reinforcing steel bars providing adequate concrete cover. The Armadillo keystone has been designed to be perfectly ergonomic and stackable for easy handling and installation.

Technical data:  L x L x Height = 220 x 220 x 120 mm Weight 120 g; Material = Re-milled Black Polypropylene;  Maximum number of bars = 2 in each way;  Maximum diameter of bars = 20 mm;  Minimum diameter of bars = 12 mm;  Bottom spacing for cover = 50 mm; Lateral spacing for cover = 35 mm


The Armadillo Foundation System is distributed in Australasia by

 

Bang New Zealand Limited

 

For equiries contact: info@bang-international.com


The Armadillo Foundation System is protected by international patents: NZ 625921, AU 2014275575, EU app:14807425, CHINA 201480044297, US 14/895972, NZ Design Reg.: 421383, 421384, 421385, 421386, 421387


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