EP1180561A1 - Block for connecting with reinforcement and retaining wall - Google Patents

Abstract

The wall comprises a plurality of blocks (1) each comprising at least one recess (14) and a tongue (15) for connection to other blocks and means (12) for attaching a frame (100). At least a part of the blocks of the wall are blocks (1) of armature attachment (100) comprising a groove (9) for receiving the armature (100) providing a foot (12) for attachment of the frame (100). The groove (9) extends to receive the reinforcing strip (100), its bottom (13) has the shape of a curved surface, the bottom of the middle zone being inclined on the bottom of its entry zones (10, 11). The strengthening of the support thus has a very good resistance.

Description

A reinforced retaining structure, here we are mainly referring to a embankment support, as found in masonry and the construction of roads, docks, buildings and other achievements of the buildings and public works sector, includes a facing wall and, between the wall and a solid mass located at the rear, a specific embankment, generally of granular material, reinforced by reinforcements, extending in a plurality of superimposed horizontal planes winding between a deflection bar, located near the solid block, and the facing wall to which the frames are attached.

Some facing walls are made of blocks, connected between them. There are mainly two types of block connection system between them.

In the first type system, the blocks are linked together by vertical through rods, length equal to a few heights block. The frames are attached to the rods and pinched between the blocks. The blocks providing through holes for receiving the rods, means stopping rods are provided to prevent their escape.

In the system of the second type, taught by the document WO 98 06907, each block includes a connecting tab, projecting out of one of the faces of the block, for example outside the upper face, and a connecting groove made in the underside of the block. The blocks are connected vertically, two by two, by fitting the tongue of the block lower in the complementary shaped groove of the upper block. Some blocks include two grooves. By superimposing a row of blocks at tongue and groove and a row of groove and groove blocks, minus a horizontal cavity for receiving an attachment rod to which are attached frames, taken between the two rows of blocks.

The system of the first type is economically uncompetitive, given the high cost of the numerous connecting and fastening rods vertical.

The second type system is less expensive. However, the implementation Place of tie rods and reinforcement is relatively complex.

By document US 4,470,728, we know a fastening block of a reinforcement strip for facing wall of a retaining structure reinforced, comprising at least one recess and a connecting tongue between blocks of the wall and a groove for receiving an armature providing a frame attachment foot.

But in the block taught by this previous document, the frame is attached to the foot via a steel loop slipped around the foot. This solution presents a risk of corrosion and a risk of generation internal efforts, not to mention the inconvenience of having to introduce a additional accessory.

The present invention aims to eliminate these drawbacks.

To this end, it relates to a fastening block of the type defined above, characterized by the fact that the groove extends to receive the reinforcing strip, its bottom has the shape of a curved surface, the bottom of the middle zone being tilted on the bottom of its entry areas.

Thus, according to the invention, the bottom of the groove is conformed so that the reinforcing tape marries her harmoniously, in the curved position she would naturally take after placing its two strands in parallel, one in opposite each other. We can say that the twist at the back of the throat corresponds practically a molding. It results naturally, in addition to elimination disadvantages of the prior art recalled above, keeping the considerably improved reinforcement.

Preferably, the attachment foot includes a receiving plane for a adjacent block and the bottom of the inlet areas of the gorge is parallel to the plane of reception of the attachment foot.

Advantageously, the bottom of the middle zone is slightly inclined with respect to the vertical, perpendicular to the underside of the block.

The invention also relates to a wall facing a structure. reinforced support, comprising a plurality of blocks comprising each at least one obviously and a connecting tab to other blocks and means for attaching a frame, a wall characterized by the fact that it includes armature attachment blocks according to the invention.

Advantageously, the obviousness and the tongue of the blocks are arranged so that the forces exerted on a fastening block by the armature and by at least one adjacent block connected to said attachment block are exerted respectively in opposite directions exclusively on the foot of the attachment block.

• la figure 1 représente une vue en perspective d'un bloc d'une paroi de parement, selon une première forme de réalisation de l'invention;
• la figure 2 représente une vue de côté du bloc de la figure 1, sur laquelle est représenté, en transparence, le fond d'une gorge;
• la figure 3 représente une vue de face avant de trois blocs, analogues à celui de la figure 1, connectés de manière à former une paroi de parement droite;
• la figure 4 représente une vue de dessus, en transparence, des trois blocs de la figure 3;
• la figure 5 représente une vue de côté de deux blocs connectés de la paroi de parement de la figure 3;
• la figure 6 représente une vue de côté de deux blocs, selon la première forme de réalisation de l'invention, connectés de manière à former une paroi de parement inclinée;
• la figure 7 représente une vue en perspective d'un bloc d'une paroi de parement, selon une deuxième forme de réalisation de l'invention;
• la figure 8 représente une vue de face avant de trois blocs, analogues à celui de la figure 7, connectés de manière à former une paroi de parement droite;
• la figure 9 représente une vue de dessus des trois blocs de la figure 8;
• la figure 10 représente une vue en perspective du bloc de la figure 1, avec une barre d'armature, et
• la figure 11 représente une vue schématique d'un ouvrage de soutènement de remblai.

The invention will be better understood with the aid of the following description of various embodiments of the facing wall and of the attachment block of the invention, with reference to the appended drawing in which:

• FIG. 1 represents a perspective view of a block of a facing wall, according to a first embodiment of the invention;
• 2 shows a side view of the block of Figure 1, on which is shown, in transparency, the bottom of a groove;
• FIG. 3 represents a front view of three blocks, similar to that of FIG. 1, connected so as to form a straight facing wall;
• FIG. 4 represents a top view, in transparency, of the three blocks of FIG. 3;
• 5 shows a side view of two connected blocks of the facing wall of Figure 3;
• FIG. 6 represents a side view of two blocks, according to the first embodiment of the invention, connected so as to form an inclined facing wall;
• FIG. 7 represents a perspective view of a block of a facing wall, according to a second embodiment of the invention;
• FIG. 8 represents a front view of three blocks, similar to that of FIG. 7, connected so as to form a straight facing wall;
• Figure 9 shows a top view of the three blocks of Figure 8;
• FIG. 10 represents a perspective view of the block of FIG. 1, with a rebar, and
• Figure 11 shows a schematic view of an embankment retaining structure.

The retaining structure reinforced here with embankment, represented on the Figure 11, includes a facing wall 30 and, between the wall 30 and a solid 31 located at the rear (i.e. the embankment itself), an embankment specific 32, of granular material, reinforced by reinforcements 100, extending in a plurality of superposed horizontal planes and winding between a rear deflection bar 33, located near the block 31, and the wall of facing 30 to which the frames 100 are attached.

The facing wall 30, partially shown in Figures 3 to 5, comprises a plurality of facing blocks, each comprising a tongue and a recess connecting to other blocks, connected together here by inserting their tongue into the recesses of two blocks adjacent. Certain facing blocks are blocks for attaching a strip of reinforcement 100, such as that shown in FIG. 1.

• une face avant principale 2,
• deux facettes avant 3, prolongeant latéralement la face avant 2, de part et d'autre de celle-ci, et formant un angle intérieur d'environ 150° avec la face avant 2,
• deux faces latérales de contact 4, perpendiculaires à la face avant 2 et respectivement reliées aux deux facettes avant 3,
• une face arrière 6, parallèle à la face avant 2,
• deux autres faces latérales 5, reliant respectivement les deux faces latérales de contact 4 et la face arrière 6 et formant un angle intérieur d'environ 170° avec les faces latérales 4,
• une face supérieure 7 et une face inférieure 8, perpendiculaires aux faces avant 2, latérales 4, 5 et arrière 6 et aux facettes avant 3.

With reference to FIG. 1, the attachment block 1 comprises

• a main front face 2,
• two front facets 3, extending laterally the front face 2, on either side thereof, and forming an internal angle of approximately 150 ° with the front face 2,
• two lateral contact faces 4, perpendicular to the front face 2 and respectively connected to the two front facets 3,
• a rear face 6, parallel to the front face 2,
• two other lateral faces 5, respectively connecting the two lateral contact faces 4 and the rear face 6 and forming an internal angle of approximately 170 ° with the lateral faces 4,
• an upper face 7 and a lower face 8, perpendicular to the front 2, side 4, 5 and rear 6 and to the front facets 3.

From the outset, it will be noted that "length" designates the parallel dimension at the front 2, rear 6, lower 7 and upper 8 faces, while the "width" designates the dimension perpendicular to the front 2 and rear 6 faces.

The upper face 7 of the attachment block 1 provides a groove 9 of receiving a reinforcement strip 100, of generally semi-circular shape and with two inlet openings 10, 11 in the rear face 6. The height of the groove 9, in the two entry zones 10, 11, is here substantially equal to two thirds of the total height of block 1.

The groove 9, which extends to receive a reinforcing strip 100, as has just been explained, thus spares a central attachment foot 12, generally having the shape of a truncated cylinder in the plane of the face rear 6. This foot 12 acts as a support for winding a strip of reinforcement 100 and allows the reinforcement strip 100 to be attached to block 1 without additional accessory. The foot 12 includes a flat upper surface 16, parallel to the outer edge of the groove 9, and therefore to the upper faces 7 and lower 8, forming a receiving plane of two adjacent blocks, located above of block 1. This reception plane 16 projects slightly out of the edge external of the groove 9. In other words, the receiving plane 16 extends slightly above the plane of the upper face 7, in which the outer edge of the throat 9.

At the front of the receiving plane 16, the attachment foot 12 is extended by a connecting tongue 15, projecting out of the receiving plane 16. On underline here that the tongue 15 extends only on the attachment foot 12.

The upper surface of the tongue 15, parallel to the receiving plane 16 is connected to the latter by a perpendicular abutment surface 17. Wall longitudinal rear of the recess of each of the two adjacent blocks upper, connected to block 1, are intended to abut against the surface of stop 17 either directly or with the interposition of a spacer, like this will be explained later.

The lower face 8 of the attachment block 1 provides a lower recess horizontal, in this case a groove 14 for connecting and receiving a tongue. By "horizontal" recess is meant to mean that it is a recess in a horizontal face, namely the underside 8. This groove 14 extends over the entire length of the block 1, along an axis longitudinal and has a plane of symmetry 20. In FIG. 2, we have represented the plane of symmetry 20 of the groove 14, which contains the axis longitudinal of the groove 14 and is parallel to the front 2 and rear 6 faces of the block 1.

The width of the tongue 15, that is to say the maximum dimension of the tongue in a plane perpendicular to the front 2 and rear 6 faces, is lower than that of the groove 14. In addition, the tongue 15 is offset laterally with respect to the plane of symmetry 20 of the groove 14. In others terms, the median plane 21 of the tongue 15, in the width direction (as shown in Figure 2), is laterally offset, here backwards, relative to the plane of symmetry 20 of the groove 14. The "median plane" of the tongue 15, in the width direction, indicates the longitudinal, parallel plane at the abutment surface 17, intersecting the cross section (perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the groove 14) of greater width of the tongue 15 the along a center line.

The bottom 13 of the groove 9 has the shape of a curved surface. As we can see it in figure 2, the bottom 13 of the middle area of the groove 9 is inclined to the bottom 13 of its entry zones 10, 11, which is parallel to the face lower 8. When the lower face 8 of the block 1 extends horizontally, the bottom 13 of the inlet zones 10, 11 of the groove 9 also extends horizontally and the bottom 13 of its middle zone is slightly inclined by compared to the vertical. Thanks to this, the attachment block 1 is arranged to twist the reinforcing strip 100, without any additional accessories, so that that it leaves horizontally from the attachment block 1 through the openings 10, 11.

In addition, the attachment block 1 houses two vertical openings of gripping 25, 26, here through, symmetrically arranged substantially on either side of the groove 9, slightly forward. These openings 25, 26 are intended to facilitate the handling of block 1, in particular using a nail puller.

Ordinary facing blocks, i.e. without fastening means of a reinforcement strip, are generally identical to the attachment block 1 described above, with the difference that they do not include a receiving groove of a reinforcing strip 9, and consequently of a projecting plane 16 for reception from another block.

The manufacture of the facing wall will now be described.

To manufacture the facing wall 30, a plurality of rows of facing blocks, staggering the respective blocks of two successive superimposed rows. The blocks in the same row are in contact with each other by their lateral contact faces 4. The wall 30 includes rows of tie blocks, separated by rows of ordinary blocks.

As the facing wall 30 is constructed, we fills the space between the facing wall 30 and the solid block 31, located at the back, with the embankment 32 made of granular material and strips are installed armature 100, by winding them between the rear deflection bar 33 and the facing wall 30, in a plurality of superimposed horizontal planes, as shown in FIG. 11. Each reinforcement strip 100 is attached to attachment blocks 1 of the same row of blocks of the wall 30, by winding the strip 100 around the attachment foot 12 of each block 1. Thanks to the shape curve of the bottom 13 of the groove 9 of the blocks 1, the strip 100 is in contact on its entire width with the bottom 13 of the median zone of the groove 9 and out of this horizontally, through the rear openings 10, 11.

To avoid, when the reinforcing tape is pretended before being covered by the fill, that the strands of the strip do not tend to pivot vertically, we hold and guide these strands in a pin suitable for this effect and arranged outside the attachment block. For example, this pin, which can be described as lost, can have each of its ends curled in on itself.

In FIG. 3, an "intermediate" lower block 1A has been shown, connected, or connected, to two adjacent upper blocks 1B, 1C. By the term "intermediate" means to mean that it is a block of a row of blocks, located between two end blocks in this row. The neighboring blocks of block 1A, in the same row, are not shown for the sake of clarity. On the Figure 4, there is shown a top view of the blocks of Figure 3. The block lower 1A, with its tongue 15A, as well as the respective grooves 14B, 14C of the two upper blocks 3B, 3C are drawn in dotted lines.

The block 1A is here a block for attaching a reinforcing strip 100 and the two other blocks 1B and 1C are ordinary facing blocks. On the FIG. 4, a reinforcement strip 100 is shown, attached to the attachment foot, not shown, of block 1A.

The upper blocks 1B, 1C are connected to the lower block 1A by introduction of the tongue 15A of the lower block 1A into the grooves 14B and 14C respectively of the upper blocks 1B, 1C. In addition, the blocks upper 1B, 1C are only supported on the foot receiving plane attaching the lower block 1A.

The reinforcing strip 100 exerts on the base of the lower block 1A rearward tractive effort, as indicated by the arrow 18A. Conversely, due to the forward thrust exerted by the embankment granular 32 against the facing wall 30, the upper blocks 1B and 1C exert on the attachment foot of the lower block 1A a pushing force towards the front, represented by arrows 18B and 18C, opposite the tensile force of the reinforcing strip 100. Because the tongue 15A extends the foot of attachment of the lower block 1A and is introduced into the respective grooves 14B, 14C of the two upper blocks 1B, 1C, the forces exerted by the strip of reinforcement 100 and by the upper blocks 1B, 1C, are exerted in opposite directions exclusively on the base of the lower block 1A.

In addition, the upper blocks 1B, 1C being supported only on the plane receiving the foot of attachment of this lower block 1A, all the load of upper blocks 1B, 1C is exerted on the attachment foot of the lower block 1A. Thanks to this, the thrust force, transmitted by the upper blocks 1B, 1C to foot of attachment of the lower block 1A, is particularly important. Indeed, the pushing of the lower block attachment foot 1A by the upper blocks 1B, 1C is carried out without loss of effort by friction between the lower faces respective of the two upper blocks 1B, 1C and the upper face of the block lower 1A.

The facing wall 30, partially shown in Figures 3 and 4, is right. In other words, the front faces 3A, 3B, 3C of the blocks of facing 1A, 1B, 1C extend substantially in the same vertical plane. Sure Figure 5, there is shown a side view of the lower block 1A and the block upper 1C of the wall of FIGS. 3 and 4.

Under the forward thrust force exerted by the embankment 32 on the upper block 1C, represented by arrow 19, the rear longitudinal wall of the groove 14C of the upper block 1C abuts against the rear surface of stop 17A of the tongue 15A. The lateral offset of the tongue 15A by relative to the axial plane 20A of the groove 14A is such that, in this position relative of the lower block 1A and the upper block 1C, the axial planes respective 20A, 20C of the two grooves 14A, 14C merge and especially the respective front faces 3A, 3C of the two blocks 1A, 1C extend substantially in the same vertical plane.

In FIG. 6, a lower block 1A and an upper block 1C have been represented, bearing for the sake of clarity the same references as the blocks of FIG. 5, of a facing wall inclined at an angle α _max , here substantially equal to 6 ° from the vertical. The inclination of the wall at an angle α _max with respect to the vertical means that the plane 22 defined by the upper edges of the front faces 3A, 3C respective of the two blocks 1A, 1C is inclined by an angle α _max with respect to vertically.

To tilt the wall, we interpose, during its construction, a spacer 23 between the rear abutment surface 17A of the tongue 15A of the block lower 1A and the rear wall of the groove 14C of the upper block 1C. The width of the spacer 23 is here substantially equal to the difference between the respective widths of the groove 14C and the tongue 15A. In this relative position of the two blocks 1A, 1C, the rear wall of the groove 15C is in abutment against the abutment surface 17A of the tongue 15A by through the spacer 22 and its front wall is substantially in contact with the front of the tongue 15A. In addition, the respective axial planes 20A, 20C of the two grooves 14A, 14C are offset laterally.

One could also tilt the wall at an angle α, less than the maximum angle of inclination α _max , using a narrower spacer.

A second embodiment, shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, differs from the first embodiment which has just been described only by which will now be explained. For the sake of clarity, the elements correspondents of the two embodiments have the same references.

The attachment block 1, shown in FIG. 7, comprises two faces lateral verticals 4, directly connecting the front facets 3 and the rear face 6 and each providing a vertical lateral recess 14, 14 'for connection and receiving a tab. The recesses 14, 14 'are here grooves extending over the entire height of the attachment block 1, generally having a shape complementary to that of a connecting half-tab, in section transverse (perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the groove 14, 14 '), but slightly wider than a tongue in order to be able to make inclined facing walls using spacers, as previously described.

Figures 8 and 9 show a lower attachment block intermediate 1A, connected to two adjacent upper attachment blocks 1B, 1 C. The upper blocks 1B, 1C are connected to the lower block 1A by introduction of the tongue 15A of the lower block 1A into two grooves side 14B, 14'C, belonging respectively to blocks 1B, 1C.

The attachment block 1, shown in FIG. 10, is that of FIG. 1. Its groove 9 receives, no longer a band, but a rebar 101. The foot 12 continues to function as a winding support for the bar 101 as well attached to the block. Like the strip, the bar 101 extends horizontally from the block 1 through the openings 10, 11.

The rebar 101 is rigid but can be deformed to be wrapped around foot 12. Bar 101 was formed from a bar smooth round then laminated to give it the shape of bamboo that we see on the figure, with the burrs 102.

A strip 100, in the literal sense of the term, flat and relatively thin, and the bar 101 which has just been mentioned are reinforcing means equivalents. Also, the following claims must protect a block of a strip or a rebar.

Instead of a lower horizontal recess for receiving a tongue, we could make two recesses in the underside horizontal, close to the lateral edges of the underside.

Alternatively, the horizontal recess (s) could be provided in the upper face of the attachment block, the tab then protruding out from the underside of the block.

Likewise, the lateral recesses, formed in vertical faces of the attachment block, may not extend over the entire height of the block attachment.

In the above description, the blocks are staggered. They could also be arranged one on top of the other in columns.

The facing wall may include only fastening blocks.

Of course, the shape of the facing blocks is not limited to previously described forms.

Claims (14)

Block for attaching a reinforcing strip for the facing wall of a reinforced retaining structure, comprising at least one recess (14) and a tongue (15) for connection between the blocks of the wall and a groove (9) for receiving an armature (100; 101) providing a foot (12) for attaching the armature (100; 101), characterized in that the groove (9) extends to receive the armature strip (100), its bottom (13) has the shape of a curved surface, the bottom of the middle zone being inclined on the bottom of its entry zones (10, 11). Block according to claim 1, wherein the attachment foot (12) comprises a plan (16) for receiving an adjacent block and the bottom (13) of the entry areas (10, 11) of the groove (9) is parallel to the receiving plane (16) of the attachment foot (12). Block according to one of claims 1 and 2, in which the bottom (13) of the middle zone is slightly inclined with respect to the vertical, perpendicular to the underside (8) of the block. Block according to one of claims 1 to 3, in which the foot attachment (12) protrudes from the outer edge (7) of the groove (9). The block of claim 4, wherein the tongue (156) extends the foot (12) of said block (1). Block according to one of claims 4 and 5, in which the foot of attachment (12) comprises a plane (16), projecting from the outer edge (7) of the groove (9), for receiving an adjacent block. Block according to one of claims 1 to 6, in which the width of the tongue (15) is less than that of the recess (14). Block according to claim 7, in which the recess (15) extending through a plane of symmetry (20), the tongue (15) is offset laterally with respect to the plane of symmetry (20) of the recess (14). Block according to one of claims 1 to 8, in which the recess (14) is obviously horizontal. Block according to one of claims 1 to 8, in which it is provided two vertical recesses (14, 14 '). Block according to one of claims 1 to 10, in which it is provided at least one gripping opening of the block. Facing wall of a reinforced retaining structure, comprising a plurality of blocks (1) each comprising at least one recess (14) and a tongue (15) for connection to other blocks and attachment means (12) of an armature (100; 101), wall characterized in that it comprises blocks (1) of armature attachment (100; 101) according to claim 1. Wall according to claim 12, in which the recess (14) and the tongue (15) of the blocks (1) are arranged so that the forces exerted on an attachment block (1A) by the armature (100; 101) and by at least one block adjacent (1B, 1C) connected to said attachment block (1A) are exerted respectively opposite directions exclusively on the base of the attachment block (1A). Wall according to one of claims 12 and 13, in which the width of the tabs (15) is less than that of the recesses (14) and a spacer (23) is interposed between the tongue (15A) of each block (1A), introduced in the recess (14C) of another adjacent block (1C), and one longitudinal walls of said obviously (14C).

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