Area Normal Load = 44.45668 lb/ft²	Longitudinal Modulus =
	3 million PSI
Stud spacing (a) = 24 in.	Second Moment of Area =
	2,129 in⁴
Stud Length (L) = 10 ft.	Cross-sectional area = 1.093 in²
Horizontal span = 30 ft.	Centroid to Outer Fiber Distance =
	1.871 in
Stud vertical load (P) = 1,333.7 lb	Deflection (D) = 0.333 in.
	Allowable Deflection (L/360) =
	0.333 in.
Critical Buckling Load = 4,378 lb
Maximum Stress - 1,611 PSI

TABLE 2


Compression of Single -I Stud (30)

Area Normal Load = 44.46 lb/ft²	Longitudinal Modulus =
	3 million PSI
Stud spacing (a) = 24 in.	Second Moment of Area =
	1,881 in⁴
Stud Length (L) = 10 ft.	Cross-sectional area = 0.974 in²
Horizontal span = 30 ft.	Centroid to Outer Fiber Distance. =
	1.75 in
Stud vertical load (P) = 1,322.308 lb	Deflection (D) = 0.333 in.
	Allowable Deflection (L/360) =
	0.333 in.
Critical Buckling Load = 3,868 lb
Maximum Stress - 1,757 PSI

TABLE 3


Compression of Assembled Stud Interlocking Component (200)

Area Normal Load = 88.91335 lb/ft²	Longitudinal Modulus =
	6 million PSI
Stud spacing (a) = 24 in.	Second Moment of Area =
	2,129 in⁴
Stud Length (L) = 10 ft.	Cross-sectional area = 1.093 in²
Horizontal span = 30 ft.	Centroid to Outer Fiber Distance. =
	1.871 in
Stud vertical load (P) = 2,667.401 lb	Deflection (D) = 0.333 in.
	Allowable Deflection (L/360) =
	0.333 in.
Critical Buckling Load = 8,755 lb
Maximum Stress - 3,221 PSI

TABLE 4


Compression of Single -I Stud (30)

Area Normal Load = 88.15386 lb/ft²	Longitudinal Modulus =
	6 million PSI
Stud spacing (a) = 24 in.	Second Moment of Area =
	1,881 in⁴
Stud Length (L) = 10 ft.	Cross-sectional area = 0.974 in²
Horizontal span = 30 ft.	Centroid to Outer Fiber Distance =
	1.75 in
Stud vertical load (P) = 2,644.616 lb	Deflection (D) = 0.333 in.
	Allowable Deflection (L/360) =
	0.333 in.
Critical Buckling Load = 7,735 lb
Maximum Stress - 3,535 PSI

The interlocking mechanism design of the inverted connectingstud member200 and

corner post

378,380 differs in part from the male/femaleinterlocking stud member300 design in that once adjacent panels incorporating the inverted connectingstud200 are secured to one another, a gap is created between the two interlocked panels (or between the panel and

corner post

378,380,475,476). No such gap is created in a panel-to-panel or panel-to-corner post connection employing the male/female interlocking stud300. The creation of this gap between adjacent panels (or corner post and panel) resulting from the employment of theinverted stud200 and

corner post

378,380,475,4776 design is advantageous in that it provides another location within the panels comprising the constructed building for housing various electrical wiring, cables, fiber optic wiring, and the like.

As discussed above, the interlocking components (either designs) of adjacent connecting stud members should be further secured to one another bymechanical fasteners1b(with or without adhesives) for ultimate strength. As shown in the figures, this mechanical fastening of the interlocking components and all component fastening is always in shear (i.e. 90 degrees to the force) to provide a much stronger connection therebetween. In contrast, it is typical in wood fabrication to drive nails through sill boards and top boards into the ends of the studs. Other wood studs may be toe nailed into the bottom or top studs. These fasteners fail easily in uplift pull out forces as encountered in hurricanes and tornadoes. In the present invention, each screw driven into the construction components in shear has a minimum pullout force of 1,700 pounds each in shear, compared to a10dnail with a pullout force of 58 pounds in pullout (in recent tests by the inventor).

As shown inFIGS. 22-23, the space between the interior and

wall sheets

70,71 of the connected panels may be filed with an insulation material I, for example, fiberglass, radiant barrier, rock wool, foam insulation, or remain empty.

Each of the inventive panels may be lifted separately by a crane C (FIG. 21) and arranged upon a foundation or floor pad F. The panels may be secured to an underlying floor pad via any conventional means, including the use of the inventive stud mounts and/or sill plates described and illustrated in the inventor's co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/116,769. As discussed above and shown inFIGS. 12B and18, the panels include a C-channel top plate72asecured to the top ends of the vertical studs comprising the panel. A C-channel bottom plate72b(i.e.top plate72asimply inverted) may also be secured to the bottom ends of the studs, as shown inFIG. 12B, during assembly of the wall panel. In lieu of thebottom connecting plate72b,a sill plate or stud mount as illustrated in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/116,769 may be secured thereto during panel assembly. In both designs, the panel may then be mechanically fastened to the floor pad via industry standard concrete anchors installed on site after the wall panels are in position.

Alternatively, the bottom ends of the vertical studs may remain free from attachment to a sill plate, stud mount, orbottom connecting plate72bduring assembly, and instead, may be engaged within a stud mount or sill plate that is pre-set within the floor pad or foundation F. A preferred means for securing the wall panels to the underlying floor pad, however, is thesill plate100 illustrated inFIGS. 4 and 29, wherein the sill plate is pre-set within the foundation prior to installation of the assembled wall panel, as discussed further below. Thesill plate100 comprises interior107 andexterior108 side walls defining alongitudinal recess106 for engaging therein a structural stud or a stud mount, either alone or as part of a panel. The side walls extend upward from afloor portion103aof the sill plate, the floor portion having an inner surface onto which the structural stud or stud mount rests, and an oppositeouter surface103bfor abutment against the floor pad. The sill plate also includes ashield104 projecting from the outer surface of the exterior side wall, the shield having a portion angled downward as best shown inFIG. 29. Extending downward from, and integral with, the outer surface of the floor portion of the sill plate is an inverted T-shapedanchor102. Prior to pouring the concrete to form the floor pad, the sill plate is positioned within the floor pad mold, with theanchor102 extending into the concrete floor pad. When the concrete is poured, the anchor is totally submerged within the concrete, fastening the sill plate to the concrete pad and sealing the space beneath the sill plate for the entire length of the sill plate, leaving the remaining components of the sill plate exposed above the floor pad upon curing (seeFIGS. 6, 7A, and7B). The inventive sill plates provides an excellent barrier to air and insects, thereby obviating the need for foam or asphalt tape to cover gaps that might be caused by subsidence. The sill plate may be formed of any conventional material such as plastic or metal; however, a preferred material is a composite material as defined herein, and more preferably, a composite material comprising a thermoplastic resin that allows the sill plate to be penetrable by a nail, for example, alternatively a thermosetting resin may be used.

The present invention is also directed to the use of a novel connectingvertical stud60 for use in the fabrication of the wall panels, wherein the stud is configured to house the roller mechanism of a security shutter assembly, such as roll-type hurricane shutters, for example, the roller mechanism namely comprising the roller guide bearing and roller hinge located on each side of the shutter. Thestud60 is illustrated inFIGS. 11, and30-31. Like the stud designs illustrated inFIGS. 9 and 10, thesecurity shutter stud60 of the present invention comprises anexterior flange62 and aninterior flange64, each flange extending perpendicularly from anelongated web portion66 of the stud. The stud may also includes anintermediate flange68 extending perpendicularly from theweb portion66 and positioned subjacent with and parallel to theexterior flange62 to form, in combination with the exterior flange, alongitudinal channel69 extending the height (i.e.top end60ato thebottom end60b)of the stud. As illustrated inFIGS. 11 and 30, for example, thischannel69 is sufficiently large to engage the outer edge of ashear wall sheet80 or cross buck bracing83 (not shown). The securityshutter connecting stud60 further includes an elongatedlongitudinal channel69a(extending from the top end to the bottom end of the stud) for engaging the roller mechanism of the shutter, this roller mechanism located on the outer edges of the shutter S (seeFIGS. 31-32). Thechannels69aof each of the pair of the securityshutter connecting studs60 are positioned adjacent one another, and thus face one another, within the window opening to function as a track within which the roller mechanism of the security shutter are engaged. Theshutter assembly500 may move freely up and down within the adjacent tracks of studs via a motor andwinch assembly700 secured outside of the panel within the assembled building.

The various interlocking joints, corner posts, and connecting studs of the present invention may be fabricated of any material (metal and non-metal) commonly known and used in the metal, composite, or construction industries; however, the illustrated designs of the structural components and their assembly are particularly well-suited for fabrication using extruded metals and composite materials, molded composite materials, or pultruded composite materials. The combination of the structural design and use of these lightweight materials provides for a more cost-effective product that is lighter in weight, more precise dimensionally, capable of automated production, faster to erect, and has an improved life cycle performance than currently applied construction support framing technologies, such as pre-cast lintels or cast in place tie beams, used with concrete block buildings, wood fabricated or manufactured lumber headers used in wood buildings, or steel box beams or steel I beams used in steel buildings. The use of composites in the inventive panelized assembly in particular is also more ecologically friendly, requires less material, has superior sustainability, and lower life cycle costs when compared with all other structural support framing assemblies.

As used herein, “composite” material shall mean any material that is formed from fiber materials impregnated with a resin, mats, and filler, also commonly referred to as “fiber-reinforced plastics” (FRP). The fibers and resins used to form the composite material may be combined in an extrusion process, and therefore referred to herein as an “extruded fiber reinforced composite,” or they may be combined in a molding process, and therefore referred to herein as a “molded fiber reinforced composite,” or finally, they may be combined in an pultrusion process, and therefore referred herein as a “pultruded composite.” Exemplary fiber materials for use in the pultruded composites include, but are not limited to, hemp, kenaf, jute, flax, sisal, acralate, polyethylene, polyester, or spectra organic fibers or fiberglass, aramids (e.g. KEVLAR), basalt, carbon, graphite, boron, and quartz inorganic fibers. Generally, the fiber material may be formed from any long, longitudinally oriented, fiber strands woven into ropes or rovings, or processed into woven cloth mats in a variety of orientations, from 15 degrees to 90 degrees, but more preferably in 45-degree and 90-degree warp and weft fiber orientations or other configurations of filaments, such as directionally laid mats, continuously laid mats, and stitched mats. Other exemplary fiber materials include, but are not limited to, silicon carbide, ceramics, stainless steel, and nickel.

The resins may be selected from any number of thermoset or thermoplastic materials. Exemplary thermoplastic materials include, but are not limited to, polyesters, polypropylenes (PP), vinylesters, polycarbonates, nylon, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and PVC derivatives, polyethylene (PE), high density polyethylene (HDPE), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polycarbonate (PBT), acetal, acrylonitrile-butadine-styrene (ABS), polysulfone, polyethersulfone, polyetheramide, polyetheretherkeytone (PEEK), and Teflon. Exemplary thermoset materials include, but are not limited to, phenolics, polyesters, epoxies, and polystyrenes, silicon, vinyl esters, polyesters alkyds, cyanate esters, bismaleimides (BMI), polyimides, melamines, dially phthalate (DAP), urea, furans, silicates and polyurethanes.

Typical composite formulations used in industries such as fiberglass ladders have a bending modulus in the range of 2.5 to 3.0 million PSI (pounds per square inch) are made from formulae such as that recited in Table 5 below.

TABLE 5


Composite Formula-Total Glass 50%
by weight and 18.36% Filler¹

	Weight (%)	Component

A.	49	fiberglass roving
	1	fiberglass continuous strand mat
B.	18	polyester resin
	6	vinyl ester fire retardant resin
	4	PVA (polyvinyl acetate)anti shrink agent
	1	release agent
	1.5	styrene
	0.5	White Pigment
	0.015	UV stabilizer
	18.36	calcium carbonate
	0.5	high initiation temp catalyst
	0.125	low initiation temp catalyst
	100.000

¹350° F. = Die temperature
36 inches per minute = pull speed

In the present invention, more advanced composites generally used in highly specialized applications, such as those used in the military and aerospace industries. These advanced composites have a bending modulus typically in the range of 6.0 to 8.0 million PSI. Preferred composites for the present invention, which the inventor refers to as “advanced construction composites,” are similar to those used in these highest applications, but have a bending modulus in the range of 4.0 to 7.0 million PSI and are made from formulae such as that recited in Table 6 below.

TABLE 6


Pultrusion Formula - Total glass (80% by
weight, 60% by volume) and No Filler²

750	pounds 507AA Glass Roving -Johns Manville
40	pounds T1777 W C glass -Freundenberg Veil
10	pounds Unifire continuous strand mat - Saint-Gobain Vetrotex
800	pounds

Total Resin (20% by weight)

Resin Ratio (2.76 parts resin, 1.00 parts hardener, 2.50% mold release)

143.5	pounds of resin - Dow Accelacure PT 2000R (phenolic resin)
52.0	pounds of hardener - Accelacure PT 1000H
4.5	pounds release agent -Accelacure MR 500
200	pounds

²475° F. = Die temperature
36 inches per minute = pull speed

The pultrusion, molding, and extrusion processes that may be employed, as well as the amounts and combinations of resins and fiber materials used, depending upon the particular manufacturing process employed (i.e. extrusion versus pultrusion versus molding), are those that are commonly known by those of ordinary skill in the art. Preferred resin formulations are described in the inventor's co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/116,769, which as discussed above, is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.