AU2003233847A1

AU2003233847A1 - Construction joint

Info

Publication number: AU2003233847A1
Application number: AU2003233847A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Guillaume Bernard; Philippe Salmon; Jerome Stubler
Original assignee: Freyssinet International STUP SA
Current assignee: Freyssinet International STUP SA
Priority date: 2002-04-12
Filing date: 2003-03-21
Publication date: 2003-10-27
Anticipated expiration: 2023-03-21
Also published as: FR2838465A1; AU2003233847B2; EP1495189B1; JP4121965B2; DK1495189T3; JP2005522604A; DK1495189T5; PT1495189E; KR20040101989A; ATE434686T1; KR100962703B1; DE60328091D1; EP1495189A1; ES2328918T3; WO2003087479A1; FR2838465B1

Abstract

The expansion joint (1), between two construction sections (5) e.g. of a highway, is a thermoplastic profile with two mounting points (2) at the ends at the constructions, and take up any forces. A distorting section (3) is between the mountings to take up any movements. Each mounting point has an upper surface (8) to extend the road surface (6) at the constructions. The ends of the joint are held in place by rigid bars (4) with in longitudinal recesses (7).

Description

- ,1 IN THE MATTER OF an Australian Application corresponding to PCT Application PCT/FRO3/00910 RWS Group plc, of Europa House, Marsham Way, Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, England, hereby solemnly and sincerely declares that, to the best of its knowledge and belief, the following document, prepared by one of its translators competent in the art and conversant with the English and French languages, is a true and correct translation of the PCT Application filed under No. PCT/FRO3/00910. Date: 27 November 2003 S. ANTHONY Director For and on behalf of RWS Group plc WO 03/087479 PCT/FRO3/00910 CONSTRUCTION JOINT The present invention relates to the joints used for connecting construction elements which are liable to 5 move relative to one another and can support external loads. A typical, although non-exclusive, example of such joints is that of roadway joints. The function of a 10 roadway joint is to provide continuity of the road surface by filling the gap or discontinuity which may separate structural elements on which the roadway is built and allowing a relative movement, due to dynamic loads and/or thermal deformation, of the elements with 15 respect to one another. Another requirement generally placed on roadway joints is that they be sufficiently sealed to prevent the ingress between the elements of liquids which are 20 liable to spread over the roadway (rainwater, oils, gritting salts, etc.). The roadway joints must also collect these liquids to prevent them accumulating at least on the traversable part of the roadway. 25 In addition to these basic requirements, roadway joints must have good resistance to wear caused by vehicles passing repeatedly over the roadway. They must have high ozone resistance because they are constantly outside and therefore in contact with ambient gases, 30 and also good resistance to radiation, in particular ultraviolet radiation. They must offer sufficient mechanical strength in order to withstand the operating loads, i.e. the weight of the vehicles together with the dynamic forces resulting from their movement. They 35 must additionally offer characteristics which are stable as a function of temperature within the usual range of external temperatures (typically from -30 to +40 degrees Celsius). Finally, given a very competitive WO 03/087479 PCT/FRO3/00910 - 2 market, the cost of implementing the roadway joints must be as low as possible. Roadway joints currently exist in materials whose 5 properties comply more or less with the aforementioned requirements. Joints conventionally used have their deformable part made of an elastomer, in particular rubber. Joints having an elastomeric bellows which is fitted, on either side of the discontinuity, into two 10 aluminum profiled sections each resting on a structural element supporting the roadway (see, for example, FR-A-2 758 348) are found, for example. In this case, the bellows is suspended above the discontinuity without direct contact with said elements. The aluminum 15 profiled sections are fixed to the structural elements by way of screws and pegs, for example. Protective steel plates screwed onto the fixing profiled sections may cover the bellows. 20 Another known joint is a prefabricated joint made of elastomer which sheaths cast-iron inserts. The inserts are thus protected against corrosion by the elastomeric material which sheaths them., However, this sheathing is quite complicated to produce industrially. Such a joint 25 additionally comprises a thinner elastomeric portion which is integral with the sheathing of the inserts and is suspended above the discontinuity. This slender portion may be in the form of a concave bellows, for example. The joint is fixed to the construction 30 elements by way of screws passing through the metal inserts. This type of joint is generally molded over lengths of about a meter. Other types of roadway joints intended to allow quite 35 large variations in the width of the discontinuity have a deformable portion formed by an assembly of hinged mechanical components. This prevents the problems posed by the choice of an elastomeric material. However, the WO 03/087479 PCT/FRO3/00910 - 3 joints involved are relatively expensive because of the rather high number of components to be manufactured and assembled. 5 One object of the present invention is to provide construction joints, in particular roadway joints, which have a low manufacturing cost and are very easy to install. 10 The invention thus provides a construction joint for insertion between two adjacent construction elements, comprising an integral profiled section made of thermoplastic and having two portions bearing on the two construction elements, respectively, which are 15 designed to withstand external loads exerted occasionally on the construction elements, and a deformable portion extending between the two bearing portions to allow a relative movement of the two construction elements with respect to one another. 20 Various thermoplastics comply well with various requirements imposed by the functions of the construction joints, in particular in terms of elasticity, sealing and resistance to the operating 25 loads. The construction of the joint, consisting essentially of an integral profiled section, allows it to have a low manufacturing cost. Moreover, the joint is very simple to implement, which represents a considerable advantage. The profiled section may have a 30 length equal to the width of the construction elements, for example to the width of the roadway. It may also be shorter to make it easier to transport, with a number of sections being welded end to end in situ. Welding is facilitated by the use of a thermoplastic. 35 According to preferred characteristics of the invention: WO 03/087479 PCT/FRO3/00910 - 4 - each bearing portion of the profiled section has an upper side provided to extend into the continuity of a road surface of the construction elements; 5 - this upper side of each bearing portion has a longitudinal groove, the joint additionally comprising rigid retaining bars, preferably made of metal (in particular aluminum or stainless steel), placed into the grooves in the bearing 10 portions, and fixing means for anchoring the bars and the bearing portions to the construction elements; - the retaining bars may have oblong holes for receiving the fixing means; 15 - each bearing portion of the profiled section receives a retaining bar extending substantially over the total length of the joint; - alternatively, each bearing portion of the profiled section receives a number of successive 20 retaining bars over the length of the joint; - the thermoplastic of the profiled section comprises a polyolefin such as a high-density polyethylene or a polypropylene; - the profiled section is extruded; 25 - the deformable portion of the profiled section forms at least one liquid runoff-collecting channel at the surface of the construction elements; - the deformable portion of the profiled section has 30 the shape of a concave bellows; - the deformable portion of the profiled section has a thickness which is substantially less than that of the bearing portions, preferably of less than 10 millimeters; 35 - the deformable portion of the profiled section has the shape of a bi-convex bellows; - each bearing portion of the integral profiled section has at least one longitudinal cavity.

WO 03/087479 PCT/FRO3/00910 - 5 Other features and advantages of the present invention will emerge in the description hereinbelow of non limiting examples of embodiment with reference to the 5 appended drawings, in which: - figure 1 is a cross section of a roadway joint according to the invention; - figure 2 is a perspective view of this joint; and - figures 3 to 5 are cross sections of alternative 10 embodiments of the integral profiled section of the joint according to the invention. Figure 1 presents an embodiment of the invention. It shows a roadway joint 1 straddling two adjacent 15 construction elements 5 consisting, for example, of concrete slabs or bridge deck segments. A roadway 6 is formed on the upper surface of the construction elements 5. Since the elements 5 are separate, the roadway 6 would have a discontinuity in the absence of 20 the roadway joint 1. The roadway joint 1 provides continuity of the roadway by connecting the construction elements 5. The edges of the elements 5 receiving the joint 1 are 25 liable to undergo movements relative to one another, in particular when vehicles travel over the roadway 6 or because of thermal expansion of the elements. The roadway joint 1 absorbs any deformation resulting from such movements. 30 The roadway joint represented in figure 1 essentially consists of an integral profiled section 1 produced from a thermoplastic. 35 Thermoplastics constitute an important class of synthetic materials. They are derived from linear or slightly branched polymers. One of the characteristics of thermoplastics is that they soften under the action WO 03/087479 PCT/FRO3/00910 - 6 of heat and solidify on cooling, adopting a new shape, thus permitting easy welding by local heating. Thermoplastics also generally have properties which 5 make them particularly able to meet the requirements demanded of a roadway joint, as described above. In particular, they have sufficient elasticity to allow considerable deformation, provide sealing with regard to liquids and have good mechanical strength to 10 withstand operating loads, such as bearing the weight of vehicles and the dynamic forces entailed by their movements. A roadway joint thus arranged on construction elements 15 makes it possible to withstand operating loads applied to the roadway 6 by vehicles which pass over or stop on the joint, and absorbs relative movements of the elements 5 without a high risk of fracture. 20 In an advantageous embodiment, the thermoplastic used for the profiled section 1 of the roadway joint is a polyolefin. Polyolefins consist of polymers and copolymers of ethylene, propylene and heavier ethylenic hydrocarbons. They also have a large number of the 25 characteristics demanded of a roadway joint. The profiled section 1 may thus be made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) or else polypropylene (PP). It may also be produced from any other thermoplastic or a combination of polyolefin-type materials. 30 The thermoplastic profiled section may be extruded by a conventional method. This profiled section may be produced such that its length covers the entire width of a roadway (about 7 meters for a roadway comprising 35 two traffic lanes). It is also possible to produce a profiled section with a length which is less than the width of the roadway.

WO 03/087479 PCT/FRO3/00910 - 7 In this case, a number of profiled sections will be successively joined end to end in the longitudinal direction so as to cover the entire width of the roadway. These profiled sections will be fixed together 5 by adhesive bonding or, preferably, by welding. It should be noted that the characteristics of thermoplastics such as HDPE provide the possibility of easy welding-together of two profiled sections in this same material, by heating their ends before placing 10 them end to end. Producing a profiled section with a length less than the width of the roadway gives the advantage of having a profiled section of limited length, which is easier to transport and can also be used for roadways of different widths. 15 The integral profiled section 1 comprises two bearing portions 2. These bearing portions rest directly on the construction elements 5 and have their sides in contact with the roadway 6, as represented in figure 1. These 20 bearing portions 2, the upper side 8 of which extends into the continuity of the road surface of the roadway 6, are subjected to the loads experienced by this roadway. The thermoplastic provides them with resistance to these loads, such as the weight of 25 vehicles which travel over the roadway or the dynamic forces brought about by these vehicles. Optionally, the bearing portions 2 comprise longitudinal cavities 12, 13, such as those represented 30 in figures 3 and 4. These cavities make it possible to limit the amount of thermoplastic in the joint and therefore their cost. They also make it possible to reduce the cooling times of the thermoplastic following extrusion of the profiled section. 35 Figure l also shows a more slender portion 3 of the profiled section 1 of the roadway joint. This portion forms the junction between the two bearing portions 2.

WO 03/087479 PCT/FRO3/00910 - 8 On account of its thinner shape, and of the thermoplastic of which it is composed, this more slender portion 3 has good deformability when the elements 5 move relative to one another. The elasticity 5 properties of the aforementioned thermoplastics also allow that this deformation. In a typical embodiment of the invention, the slender portion 3 of the roadway joint 1 has a thickness of less than 10 mm. 10 A number of shapes can be envisioned for the slender portion 3. In figure 1 the slender portion 3 is in the shape of a concave bellows. This configuration is advantageous insofar as the slender portion 3 is set back relative to the roadway 6, which prevents it from 15 being too directly in contact with vehicles traveling over the roadway and, therefore, of being subjected to excessive wear. Moreover, such a concave structure forms a channel making it possible to collect liquid spreading over the roadway 6, such as, for example, 20 runoff water which may carry with it oils or gritting salts, to which the thermoplastic is also resistant. This channel drains off the water toward the shoulder of the roadway. 25 In the embodiment illustrated by figure 5, the slender portion 3 is in the shape of a bi-convex bellows, thus improving its robustness and allowing a double sealing barrier to be formed. 30 The thermoplastic profiled section 1 represented in the drawings additionally comprises longitudinal grooves 7 formed on the upper side 8 of each of the two bearing portions 2. These grooves may extend over the total length of the profiled section 1. They are 35 advantageously obtained through the shape of the extrusion die for the profiled section 1. The grooves 7 are intended to receive retaining bars 4 which are fitted therein over their entire length.

WO 03/087479 PCT/FRO3/00910 - 9 Figure 2 gives a perspective schematic representation of the roadway joint of figure 1. It can be seen from this figure that the retaining bars 4 have been placed 5 into the grooves 7 in each of the bearing portions 2 of the thermoplastic profiled section 1. Their outer profile is made to match the shape of the grooves 7. These retaining bars 4 are aligned with the profiled section, and their upper side is flush with the upper 10 side 8 of the bearing portions 2, i.e. the road surface of the roadway 6. The retaining bars 4 are preferably made of metal, in particular aluminum or stainless steel. They may extend as a single component over the entire length of the joint. It is also possible to 15 arrange a number of successive bars over the length of the joint. The function of the bars 4 is to keep the thermoplastic profiled section in contact with the elements 5 20 supporting the roadway 6. They have pierced holes 9 distributed over their length, through which fixing means such as screws 10 are passed. These screws pass through the bar 4 and the bearing portion 2 of the profiled section in order to anchor them on the 25 subjacent construction element. As represented in figure 2, these pierced holes 9 are advantageously oblong, which gives a certain degree of scope with regard to the position of the fixing means 10 along the profiled section in the event of the concrete 30 reinforcing bars being encountered when piercing the element 5 in order to put the anchoring pegs in place. The retaining bars 4 prevent the bearing portions 2 of the profiled section from having a tendency to ripple between the fixing screws 10. 35 The structure of the roadway joint, and also the materials used for the profiled section 1 and for the fixing bars 4, provide the possibility of firmly WO 03/087479 PCT/FRO3/00910 - 10 clamping the profiled section 1 between the fixing bars 4 and the elements 5 using conventional fixings which may be prestressed so as not to undergo any loosening under the effect of vibration. In order to compensate 5 for the deformation due to creep of the thermoplastic of the profiled section 1 under the effect of the prestressing, a conventional mechanism of the Belleville washer or spring type may be employed. 10 The retaining bars 4 and the mechanism of fixing them, through the thermoplastic profiled section, in the structural elements 5 also make it possible to avoid deformation of the thermoplastic of the profiled section 1, which might otherwise appear in the event of 15 expansion, for example.

Claims

1. A construction joint for insertion between two adjacent construction elements (5), 5 characterized in that it comprises an integral profiled section (1) made of thermoplastic and having two portions (2) bearing on the two construction elements, respectively, which are designed to withstand external loads exerted occasionally on the construction 10 elements, and a deformable portion (3) extending between the two bearing portions to allow a relative movement of the two construction elements with respect to one another, in that each bearing portion (2) of the profiled 15 section (1) has an upper side (8) provided to extend into the continuity of a road surface of the construction elements (5), and in that the upper side (8) of each bearing portion (2) has a longitudinal groove (7), the joint 20 additionally comprising rigid retaining bars (4) placed into the grooves in the bearing portions, and fixing means (10) for anchoring the bars and the bearing portions to the construction elements (5). 25

2. The joint as claimed in claim 1, in which the retaining bars (4) have oblong holes (9) for receiving the fixing means (10).

3. The joint as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the 30 retaining bars (4) are made of metal, in particular aluminum or stainless steel.

4. The joint as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, in which each bearing portion (2) of the profiled 35 section (1) receives a retaining bar (4) extending substantially over the total length of the joint. WO 03/087479 PCT/FRO3/00910 - 12 5. The joint as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, in which each bearing portion (2) of the profiled section (1) receives a number of successive retaining bars (4) over the length of the joint.

5

6. The joint as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the thermoplastic of the profiled section (1) comprises a polyolefin such as a high density polyethylene or a polypropylene. 10

7. The joint as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which said profiled section (i) is extruded.

8. The joint as claimed in any one of the preceding 15 claims, in which the deformable portion (3) of the profiled section (1) forms at least one liquid runoff collecting channel at the surface of the construction elements (5). 20

9. The joint as claimed in claim 8, in which the deformable portion (3) of the profiled section (1) has the shape of a concave bellows.

10. The joint as claimed in any one of the preceding 25 claims, in which the deformable portion (3) of the profiled section (1) has a thickness which is substantially less than that of the bearing portions.

11. The joint as claimed in claim 10, in which the 30 deformable portion of the profiled section has a thickness of less than 10 millimeters.

12. The joint as claimed in claim 8, in which the deformable portion (3) of the profiled section (1) has 35 the shape of a bi-convex bellows.

13. The joint as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which each bearing portion (2) of the WO 03/087479 PCT/FRO3/00910 - 13 integral profiled section has at least one longitudinal cavity (12, 13).