Hydraulic and earth engineering – Earth treatment or control – Shoring – bracing – or cave-in prevention
Patent
1994-08-16
1996-01-02
Taylor, Dennis L.
Hydraulic and earth engineering
Earth treatment or control
Shoring, bracing, or cave-in prevention
405286, 52605, F02D 2902
Patent
active
054802679
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The invention relates to a set of structural elements for erecting (gravity) retaining walls from a plurality of concrete blocks located one above the other and one beside the other, adjacent blocks being at least partially secured against displacements relative to one another, and, for this purpose, the blocks having a groove or depression which runs around the blocks, or is located at least on mutually opposite, in particular upper and lower, side surfaces and extends in each case in the plane of the wall, and blocks arranged one above the other and/or one beside the other being connected by means of separate coupling pieces which are inserted into the depressions of adjacent blocks.
It is known, from DD-PS 93 232, to secure blocks, having grooves running around them, relative to one another by means of cross-shaped, T-shaped or Z-shaped connecting pieces. It is thus possible to form a retaining wall which extends in a single, straight line. Deviations from this, for example curves in the retaining wall, are not possible.
The object of the present invention is to provide a set of structural elements, the constituent parts of which form a stable assembly and at the same time permit a flexible configuration of the retaining wall.
The object is achieved according to the invention in that at least part of each coupling piece is designed in the form of a truncated cone, with corresponding cross-sectional shape of the depression. The coupling piece thus has, in its position in the depression, certain degrees of freedom. In particular, a rotation is possible. Consequently, adjacent blocks can be arranged such that they are rotated with respect to one another. Nevertheless, the securing of the assembly, that is to say the blocks in the retaining wall, is maintained. As a limiting case of the truncated-cone form with a cone angle of 0.degree., that part of the coupling piece which is described as being in the form of a truncated cone may also be rectangular, and thus in the form of a round bar, in cross-section. The same applies for the cross-sectional shape of the depression.
Advantageously, with respect to a parting plane between two blocks, the coupling pieces are designed differently such that an anchoring piece--as part of the coupling piece--directed towards one block is in the form of a truncated cone and can rotate in the associated depression, and an anchoring piece directed towards an adjacent block is elongate (in the form of a trapezium) and thus cannot rotate in the associated depression. The previously described degrees of freedom are maintained. The coupling piece is prevented from twisting or tilting in the depression.
It is particularly advantageous if the coupling pieces have two different anchoring pieces for insertion into depressions of adjacent blocks, one anchoring piece being designed in the form of a truncated cone with a continuous outer surface and the other anchoring piece being designed as a hollow body with, in particular, intersecting ribs or webs. In the case of blocks located one above the other, the anchoring piece designed as a hollow body comes to be located, in particular, such that it is directed downwards, and thus in an upwardly open depression. Owing to the ribs and webs, material is saved and the weight is reduced, on the one hand. On the other hand, unevennesses in the depression, which are caused, for example, by concrete residues, gravel particles or other elevations, are compensated for. Such dirt or loose parts can, in the case of downwardly directed depressions, fall out as a result of their own weight and be deposited in the upwardly open depressions. In a development of the invention, the anchoring piece designed as a hollow body can be designed such that it is elongate in the direction parallel to the associated depression, in particular with two mutually parallel longitudinal ribs and trapezoidal transverse ribs which intersect said longitudinal ribs. The retaining of the coupling piece in the depression is improved in this manner.
Advantageous developments of t
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DE-Z: Betonwerk umnd Fertigteiltechnik H.5, 1990, S.100 u.102.
Lagman Frederick L.
SF-Kooperation GmbH Beton-Konzepte
Taylor Dennis L.
LandOfFree
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