CH716077B1 - Box and thermal insulation process for technical elements. - Google Patents

Abstract

A method of fireproof protection of technical elements of a building by means of one or more prefabricated insulation boxes, allowing the pre-caulking of a vacant space in the structure of a building. The box consists of an easily moldable fire retardant material and is placed before the concrete pouring of the building structure. The prefabricated box is then hollowed out so as to install the technical elements to be protected from fire.

Description

Technical area

The present invention relates to the thermal insulation of the technical elements of a building and in particular their fire insulation. The present description refers in particular to an insulation box comprising a flame-retardant material, as well as to a method of flame-retardant insulation of the technical elements to be incorporated into the building.

State of the art

Traditionally, the concrete structures of buildings under construction are cast in their entirety without taking into account any passages of technical elements such as ducts or pipes. This practice requires drilling the concrete afterwards to accommodate the technical elements essential to the functioning of the building. This takes time and effort, which is detrimental to delivery times and construction costs.

[0003] In addition, when the passages are arranged in the concrete structure, it is customary to seal the technical elements after their installation by inserting a fire-retardant material into the remaining space. The installation of the flame retardant material after the fact can be made difficult for reasons of size or ease of access. The caulking operation is then delicate and may not lead to optimal protection.

[0004] According to traditional practices, the holes in concrete structures are protected by wood or slatted panels screwed into the concrete, pending the installation of technical elements, so as to prevent possible accidents to personnel. This operation takes time to complete the work.

[0005] The process should then be improved to make it possible to reduce construction costs and times, while improving the quality of the protection against fires.

Brief summary of the invention

The present invention aims to overcome these difficulties. In particular, the present invention covers a method of flame retardant protection of the technical elements of a building by means of a prefabricated insulation box. The insulation box comprises or is made of flame retardant material.

The method comprises a step b) of pre-caulking, during which an insulation box is placed in a vacant space, intended to accommodate the technical elements of the building.

The method comprises a casting step c) during which the concrete of the concrete structure of the building is poured around the insulation box, so as to trap the box in the concrete, at least by its side surfaces. Side surfaces refer to the surfaces of the insulation box perpendicular to the plane of the concrete structure of the building.

The method comprises a step d) of hollowing out the insulation box, during which the insulation box is perforated. Preferably, the perforation is carried out in the central part so as to leave a substantial volume of the insulating box between the concrete structure and the technical elements which must be integrated.

The method comprises an installation step e) of technical elements in or through the recess of the insulation box.

The method can further comprise a step a) of reinforcement during which the reinforcing bars are arranged to construct the concrete structure of the building. The reinforcement is then carried out so as to leave at least one space vacant, in which the insulation box is placed during the pre-caulking step b). The reinforcement step a), although it can be carried out before the positioning of the insulation box, it is preferably carried out after the arrangement of the insulation box.

[0012] Where appropriate, the insulation box is arranged so as to come into contact with the concrete irons, or to be interconnected with the end of the reinforcing bars arranged during the first step a). In the case where the reinforcement is carried out after the arrangement of the insulation box, the reinforcing bars are arranged so as to come into contact with the insulation box or to be interconnected with the latter. The insulation box may include one or more side recesses to allow the passage of concrete bars.

Casting step c) can be carried out so as to touch the visible surface of the insulation box installed during the second step b), with the surface of the concrete structure, once cast, or so as to partially or totally cover the visible surface of the insulation box, or so as to leave a part of the insulation box protruding from the surface of the concrete structure once poured. The visible surface refers to the surface of the insulation box parallel to the plane of the concrete structure. It is therefore orthogonal to the side surfaces.

[0014] The recessing step d) is preferably carried out by hand or using manual tools such as a knife, spatula or the like.

A sixth step f) of waterproofing can be provided at the end of the steps described above. The process is then carried out according to the sequence: first a), second b), third c), fourth d) and fifth steps e), which are carried out chronologically in this order. The first a) and second steps b) can be reversed.

The object of the present invention is also an insulating box comprising an easily moldable flame retardant material, or made of an easily moldable flame retardant material, optionally covered with a layer of impermeable material. The insulation box is suitable for being incorporated into a concrete structure of a building. The flame retardant material is preferably selected from rock wool or compacted glass wool. The density is preferably equal to or greater than 150 kg / m <3>. The insulation box can be completely or partially covered with an intumescent paint.

The object of the present invention further comprises any concrete structure comprising at least one insulation box as described above. Concrete structure can refer to the concrete reinforcement of a building, or any concrete element intended to be integrated into the concrete reinforcement of the building during its construction, and which can be assembled to the rest of the building, before being built. hollow out the insulation box and install the technical elements to be protected.

Brief description of the figures

Examples of implementation of the invention are indicated in the description illustrated by the appended figures: • Figure 1: insulation box arranged before pouring concrete. • Figure 2: schematic view of an insulation box integrated into the building structure. • Figure 3: schematic view of an insulation box according to one embodiment.

Example (s) of embodiment of the invention

The present invention relates to a thermal insulation box Cdestiné to protect the technical elements of a building from fire. The insulation box C comprises in particular a flame retardant material resistant to fire at least 30 minutes, or even 60 minutes, or even 90 minutes and more. The fire resistance is determined according to the provisions of the AEAI standard in force.

The insulation box is a block made of a flame retardant material such as rock wool, or harder materials. Preferably, the insulating box used for the purposes of the invention consists of an easily moldable material so as to be able to hollow out and insert the technical elements of the building. Stone wool is an RF1 material, as defined in the currently valid “building materials and components” fire protection directive, and is particularly suitable for this purpose. Such materials can be compacted so as to maintain a clean and rigid shape. RF1 materials are defined as having no contribution to fire.

The terms "easily moldable" denote a material that can be worked by hand, or with a manual tool such as a knife or a spatula or equivalent. Such a material eliminates the need for heavy and bulky equipment such as electric or pneumatic jackhammers and perforators. Such a material also saves you time in setting up technical elements.

The insulation box takes the dimensions necessary for the location of the technical elements of the building. It may for example take the form of a cube or a rectangular parallelepiped with a thickness of the order of 20 cm, 30 cm, 50 cm or more. The width is adapted to the technical elements to be incorporated into the building during its construction. A width of a few tens of centimeters may be sufficient. The width can extend up to 1 m, 2 m, 3 m or more depending on the dimensions of the technical elements. The length is adaptable in the same proportions, that is to say of the order of a few tens of centimeters to 1 m or 2 m or 3 m or more.

The technical elements designate any installation to be incorporated into the building during its construction. They include heating and sanitary networks, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or polyethylene (PE) pipes, ventilation ducts, ventilation boxes, electrical boxes, electrical cable trays, any devices. monitoring integrated into the building structure, including building integrity monitoring devices where applicable, communication devices and their connections, air conditioning or heating devices.

The insulation boxC can be covered with a layer of waterproof materialC2, so as to preserve the flame-retardant material from moisture, in particular during its storage or transport. The waterproof C2 layer may be an aluminum layer, or a polymeric layer such as plastic, or a mixture of several layers of different materials. The waterproof layer C2 can for example consist of a first layer of cardboard material to give it the rigidity necessary for its maintenance, and a second waterproof layer of aluminum or plastic. It may for example be of the TétraPack® type including a layer of water-resistant cardboard, one or both sides of which are covered with a polymer such as polyethylene, and comprising a layer of aluminum, optionally attached to a layer. layer of polymer such as polyethylene. The waterproof layer C2 can be an elastomer layer such as rubber or a thermoplastic.

The insulation box is intended to be placed in the concrete structure of the building. It can for example be placed between two parts of the building under construction, such as two floors or two adjoining rooms, before the concrete is poured. In this way, the insulation box is integrated into the structure of the building at locations previously identified during the design of the building. For the purposes of the present invention, the concrete structure of the building designates any structural element shaped in concrete. The concrete structure therefore includes any vertical wall, any horizontal slab or floor, any prefabricated structure incorporated into the building during its construction.

In this case, the insulation boxC can be integrated into the metal frame, comprising the reinforcing bars, at the places where the technical elements of the building will be arranged.

When the concrete is poured, the insulation boxCest preferably still visible and accessible to be able to be hollowed out in the proportions necessary for the installation of the technical elements. The insulation box is therefore sized to be flush with the surface of the concrete structure once completed. Alternatively, the insulation box is dimensioned so as to protrude a few centimeters, of the order of 1, 2, 5 or 10 cm or 15 cm or more from the surface of the concrete structure, once completed, so as to compensate for the 'thickness of any coating on the surface of the concrete structure P. On a vertical wall, such a coating may for example comprise a layer of thermal insulation placed for energy saving purposes.

Alternatively, the insulation box C can be sized so as to remain set back from the surface of the concrete structure P. Under these conditions, the insulation box C is covered with a small thickness of concrete during its casting, of the order of 1, 2, 5 or 10 cm. The concrete layer covering the insulation boxC can however be easily broken later, due to its small thickness and therefore its low resistance. Once the concrete covering the insulation box Having been removed, the space can be exploited to place on the insulation box A layer of waterproof material to ensure the watertightness of the assembly of the insulation box with the building structure. Alternatively or in addition, a decorative or covering material can be placed there. The thickness of the material thus added can be defined to be flush with the surface of the concrete structure.

The insulation box C allows for example a cutout between two floors to allow the passage of vertical technical ducts which run along the concrete structure of the building over its entire height or over a substantial portion of its height. The thickness of the insulation box C can be determined to match the thickness of the concrete slab once poured. It follows that the insulation boxC is still visible after the slab separating the two floors is poured. It can then be hollowed out to allow the service ducts to pass from one floor to another.

The same principle is applicable for the vertical walls, which must be perforated to allow the passage of technical elements on either side of these walls.

The insulation box is preferably sufficiently rigid to retain its shape despite the pressures exerted by the liquid concrete during its pouring. Preferably the density of the insulation box C, when it is made of rock wool, is at least 150 kg / m <3>. The density may however be higher depending on the requirements or the material used in the manufacture of the insulation box.

The isolation boxCest more resistant enough to allow the passage of a person. In other words, the insulation box C, once incorporated into a concrete slab, for example, allows workers to walk on it safely, without the risk of them falling to the lower level.

[0033] Optionally, the isolation box can be covered with a rigid material such as hard plastic or cardboard material. In addition or alternatively, the insulation boxC can include in its mass rigid reinforcements such as reinforcing bars. Such reinforcements can be integrated into the insulation boxCet close to its surface so as not to hinder the installation of technical elements. Such reinforcements can, for example, be made of a sufficiently rigid plastic material to support the weight of a man. The reinforcements of the insulation box C, if necessary, must be able to be shaped or removed for the possible passage of technical elements. They can be easily cut or broken. PVC reinforcements can, for example, play this role.

[0034] The insulating box C advantageously makes it possible to dispense with the formwork and stripping stages usually practiced in the construction of a building. To this end, the insulation box C can be pre-cut to measure and if necessary modified on site and placed before the concrete of the structure P is poured.

One or more of the surfaces of the insulation boxC can include asperities so as to anchor the insulation boxC in the concrete structure of the building. More particularly, the surfaces intended to be in contact with the concrete structure P may be provided with one or more protuberances, which may be conical, rectangular, or of different shapes, and intended to be cast in the concrete of the structure P. In this way the insulation boxCne can be removed or moved after the concrete structure is poured. Alternatively or in addition, one or more of the surfaces of the insulation box C are not flat so as to allow anchoring of the insulation box C in the concrete structure P. The surfaces of the insulating casing can, for example, be ridged or in the form of waves.

Alternatively, the insulation box is arranged so as to be partially penetrated by one or more concrete irons of the concrete structure. Thus, the insulation box is placed in a non-removable manner before the concrete structure is poured around the reinforcing bars. Once the concrete structure has been poured, the insulation box is immobilized by the end of the reinforcing bars and cannot be removed or moved. The reinforcing bars can for example be incorporated into the insulation box C over a length of a few centimeters, of the order of 1, 2, 5 cm or more.

[0037] Alternatively, independent anchoring systems, such as sealing bars or other rigid rods which can be inserted into the insulation box C, over a length of a few centimeters, of the order of 1, 2, 5 cm or more, at the time of its installation, can be considered.

Alternatively, the insulation box C comprises one or more rectilinear recesses passing through one or more of its faces, so as to allow the passage of one or more reinforcing bars. Figure 3 shows an example of such an arrangement. According to this particular arrangement, the insulation box C may include a rectilinear recess crossing two of its opposite side faces over their entire length L. The depth of these recesses is of the order of a few centimeters and may depend on the diameter of the reinforcing bars used. The depth of the recesses can be for example between 2 and 10 centimeters, preferably between 3 and 8 cm, or of the order of approximately 5 cm. The widthlof the recessMay be equal to or different from its depthh. The width l is preferably greater than its depth h. The width of the recesses is for example between 8 and 15 cm, preferably of the order of approximately 10 cm. The recesses Can be centered on the side faces of the insulation box C. They are preferably eccentric, either towards the upper half or towards the lower half of the insulation box C, so that the lower and upper side surfaces of the insulation box C which surround the recessesE are not equal. In other words, the heights h1 of the lower lateral surface eth2 of the upper lateral surface, which surround the recess E of a lateral face of the insulation box C, of total height H, are different. According to a particular embodiment, the height h1 of a lower lateral surface is of the order of 12 cm and the height h2 of an upper lateral surface is of the order of 8 cm. According to a particular arrangement, the height h2, defined by an upper lateral surface, corresponds to the thickness of the impermeable layer C2 of the insulation box C. The waterproof layer C2 is placed on the upper surface of the insulation box C. The terms upper (e), lower (e), lateral (E) designate the parts of the insulation box C according to their usual meaning, when the insulation box C is oriented according to figure 3.

According to another aspect of the invention, the insulation box C can be integrated into an element of the concreteP prefabricated structure in the factory. For example, walls or slab elements can be prepared with one or more insulation boxes C, then transported to the site to be integrated into the rest of the building.

The insulation boxC can be made from rock wool, also known as stone wool, in powder form or previously extruded, then compacted. One or more additives can be included, in particular to facilitate the cohesion of the raw material during pressing. Possible additives include glues and hydrophobic materials.

The present invention further covers a method of isolating technical elements against fire.

The method comprises a first step a) of reinforcement during which the reinforcing bars of a concrete structure are arranged. The reinforcing bars of the structure P are arranged so as to leave at least one space vacant, without reinforcing bars. The location and dimensions of this vacant space can be planned in advance when designing the building. The location and dimensions of this vacant space can alternatively be determined on site. This reinforcement step can however be optional. When reinforcing bars are not needed, the process begins with step b).

The method comprises a second step b) of pre-caulking during which an insulating box C, as described above is placed in the vacant space created during step a). The insulation box C can be arranged so as not to be in contact with or associated with the reinforcing bars of the structure P. Alternatively, the insulation box C can be arranged so as to be in close contact with the reinforcing bars, or even interconnected with the end of the reinforcing bars, over a distance of a few centimeters, of the order of 1, 2, 5 cm or more. When step a) is not required, the insulation box C can be held by any other fixing device such as fixing lugs screwed or nailed to a support structure.

The method comprises a third step c) of casting during which the concrete is poured to form the concrete structure of the building. The concrete is poured so as to come into contact with the insulation box, the surfaces of which serve as formwork. The concrete of the concrete structure can be poured in such a way that it touches the visible surface of the insulation box C. alternatively, the concrete can be poured so as to partially or completely cover the insulation box C. Depending on requirements, the concrete of the concrete structureP can be poured so as to leave a visible surface of the insulation box C protruding, which then forms a setback from the surface of the concrete structure once it is poured.

The method comprises a fourth step d) of hollowing out the insulation box C. The insulation boxC is perforated, preferably in its central part, in the dimensions which correspond to the dimensions of the technical elementE, or of the technical elementsE to be incorporated. The recess is carried out with bare hands or using manual tools, such as spatulas, knife, possibly chisels. Preferably, the recess of the insulation box does not require any mechanical tool. In the case where the insulation box C is covered by a layer of concrete during step c), the hollowing step d) comprises the destruction of this layer of concrete. Preferably, the destruction of the concrete layer can be carried out without a mechanical tool, but using manual tools such as hammer, sledgehammer, possibly chisel. In the case where the insulating box comprises a layer C2 impermeable to water, the step of hollowing out comprises the destruction of this layer C2 of impermeable material. When the insulation box C comprises one or more reinforcements, the step of hollowing out the insulation box C may include the destruction of one or more of these reinforcements. Preferably these reinforcements can be easily destroyed by hand or using manual tools such as a chisel, chisel or saw. The dimensions of the recess of the insulation box C correspond to those of the technical elements E to be incorporated, possibly increased by a clearance necessary for the installation of these technical elements E. The clearance can be of the order of a few millimeters or a few centimeters depending on the size and shape of the technical elements to be incorporated.

In the case where the concrete structure is a prefabricated structure to be integrated into a construction in progress, a step c2) of assembling the concrete structure The rest of the building must be provided before step d) recess of the insulation box.

The method comprises a fifth step e) of placing the technical elements in the insulation box C. The technical elements are those listed above. However, the list is not exhaustive. It is understood that any element intended for the operation of the building and its integrity, and which must be the subject of fireproof protection, can be considered as a technical element for the purposes of the present invention. The technical elements also include any accessories such as thermal insulation layers to prevent condensation, reinforcing structures, cladding elements. The technical element (s) are placed in the recess made during the fourth step d).

The method may comprise a sixth step f) of waterproofing, so as to make the assembly of the insulation box with the concrete structure watertight. This step f) is not compulsory. It is especially superfluous in the internal parts of the building. However, it may be necessary for the external parts of the building, in particular for the roofs and external walls. The waterproofing step f) can comprise the sprinkling, the dispersion, or the insertion into the intermediate spaces of an impermeable material such as a silicone paste. Alternatively or in addition, the waterproofing can be carried out using tar paper, expanded foam, or any other means customary in the context of real estate construction.

According to the method of the present invention, steps a), b), c), d), e) and f) described above are carried out in the order explained. According to a preferred variant, steps b), a), c), d), e) and f) described above are carried out in this order.

Reference numbers used in figures

C Insulation box C1 Flame retardant material C2 Layer of waterproof material E Technical elements P Concrete structure of the building L Length of the insulation box R Recess l Width of the recess h Height of the box insulation h Depth of recess h1 Height of the lower side face of the insulation box h2 Height of the upper side face of the insulation box

Claims (10)

1. A method of flame retardant protection of technical elements (E) of a building by means of one or more prefabricated insulation boxes (C), the method comprising: - a step b) of pre-caulking, during which at least one prefabricated insulation box (C) comprising a fire-retardant material is arranged so as to be integrated into the structure of the building at one or more locations identified beforehand , corresponding to one or more vacant spaces of the concrete structure, left free for the passage of technical elements (E), - a casting step c) during which the concrete of the concrete structure (P) is poured around the insulation box (s) (C) until it comes into contact with the insulation box (s) (C) arranged during step b), - a step d) of hollowing out the insulation box (s) (C), during which the insulation box (s) (C) are perforated in their central part, - an installation step e) of technical elements (E) in or through the recess of the insulation box (s) (C) arranged during step b). 2. Method according to claim 1, further comprising a step a) of reinforcement during which the reinforcing bars are arranged to construct the concrete structure (P) of the building, so as to leave the space or spaces vacant, and in which the insulation box (s) (C) are put in place during pre-caulking step b) so as to come into contact with the reinforcing bars, or to be interconnected with the end of the reinforcing bars arranged during the first step a). 3. Method according to claims 1 or 2, wherein the casting step c) is carried out so as to touch the visible surface of the insulation box (s) (C) installed during the second step b), with the surface of the concrete structure (P), once poured, or so as to partially or totally cover the visible surface of the insulation box (C), or so as to leave part of the insulation box (s) (C) ) protrude from the surface of the concrete structure (P) once poured. 4. Method according to either of the preceding claims, wherein the hollowing step d) is carried out by hand or using manual tools such as a knife or spatula. 5. Method according to either of the preceding claims, further comprising a sixth step f) of waterproofing. 6. Method according to either of claims 2 to 5, wherein the first a), second b), third c), fourth d) and fifth steps e) are performed chronologically in this order. 7. Insulation box (C) comprising a fire-retardant material easily moldable by hand or using manual tools such as a knife or spatula, optionally covered with a layer of impermeable material, suitable for being incorporated into a structure. concrete (P) of a building. 8. Insulating box (C) according to claim 7, characterized in that the flame retardant material is selected from rock wool or compacted glass wool. 9. Insulation box (C) according to either of claims 7 and 8, characterized in that its density is equal to or greater than 150 kg / m <3>. 10. Concrete structure (P) comprising one or more insulation boxes (C) according to one of claims 7 to 9.