DE20001015U1 - Amphibian and small animal protection stilt tunnel - Google Patents

Description

Egon Zieger " . ^: *· · '· '': :"::

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68794 Oberhausen-Rheinhausen

Amphibian and small animal protection - stilt tunnel

The present invention relates to an amphibian and small animal protection stilt tunnel for installation below the road surface and transverse to the road's longitudinal direction.

A large number of components and measures are known to protect amphibian populations in the vicinity of roads. A key element of the known proposals concerns an amphibian tunnel that is to be installed transversely to the longitudinal direction of the road, namely under the road surface, which gives amphibians, but also other small animals, including foxes, the opportunity to cross the road safely and without danger.

The known amphibious tunnels have a circular or rectangular, especially square, cross-section and are generally designed as a one-piece tube.
In DE GM 88 13 581, an amphibian tunnel has already been proposed, which consists of a U-shaped upper tunnel section and a lower tunnel section that serves as a walking surface for the amphibians.

The known amphibian tunnels have the disadvantage that the amphibian walking surfaces are a continuous closed surface and that, for example, in the case of heavy rainfall, these tunnel tubes ultimately form a deadly trap if the water cannot drain away quickly enough. In the older patent application P 40 06 629, this disadvantage is already counteracted by providing openings in the walking surface of the tunnel tube proposed there. This allows a microclimate to develop in the area of the tunnel tube that corresponds to the habitat of the amphibians and other small animals.

The object underlying the present invention is to propose a further component suitable for the protection of amphibians and small animals for the realization of an amphibian tunnel in which homogeneous conditions can advantageously be established along the entire walking surface of the amphibians and in which this walking surface itself is a continuous natural surface.

The amphibian and small animal protection stilt tunnel according to the invention consists of at least one U-shaped molded stone with edges of the parallel walls angled outwards relative to the plane of symmetry.

The passage dimensions for the amphibians and small animals are preferably chosen so that the tunnel width is approximately 100 cm and the tunnel height approximately 60 cm. The edges are bent at right angles relative to the parallel walls.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the drawing. This shows in
Perspective representation of the cross section or the basic shape of the molded part for the realization of the amphibious tunnel.

As can be seen from the drawing, the molded block 1 has a U-shaped passage 2, the clear width of which, at approximately 100 cm wide and 60 cm high, creates a sufficiently large space for small animals moving between the sides of the street. The parallel walls 3 of the molded block 1 are angled outwards in the area of their free edges relative to the plane of symmetry, preferably at a right angle. These angled edge areas 4 thus form a support surface or standing surface for the molded part 1 as a whole, interrupted by the passage 2.

The installation of the shaped stone 1 to create an amphibian tunnel ultimately involves creating a trench or a breakthrough across the longitudinal direction X of the road at a distance from the road surface, into which the shaped stone 1 is inserted. For example, a gravel filling is provided for the angled edge areas 4, which ensures a secure support for the shaped stone 1. The trench or breakthrough with the shaped stone 1 is then filled with soil again, so that the small animals have a natural and homogeneous migration route available.

The particular advantage of the shaped stone 1 according to the invention ultimately lies in the fact that the angled edge regions 4 simultaneously take on the function of the foundation for the shaped stone 1 or the amphibian tunnel; the edge regions 4 essentially form support or standing stilts for the shaped stone.

For the sake of completeness, it should be noted that so-called guide stones can be attached to the free front side of the shaped stone 1 that protrudes from the side of the road, i.e. in the longitudinal direction X of the road. These ensure that amphibians and small animals are guided safely to the amphibian tunnel, i.e. to the free passage 2, along the road shoulders.

The so far described “stilt tunnel” i (drawing ) is state of the art.

According to the present innovation, the stability and load-bearing capacity

(traffic load) can be improved.

This means that the "steel tunnel" 1 can be installed directly under the asphalt of the road surface. This was not the case with the already known tunnel 1 state of the art, as the design of this steel tunnel was unfavourable, i.e. the components were not connected to each other and were only offset against each other at an angle.

The foundations were therefore alternately subjected to the wheel loads.

As a rule, these structures are exposed to considerable dynamic influences.

This causes settlement in the road surface within a short period of time.

The innovation in Stelztunnel 1 is that these prefabricated parts now have a

Cross-connection to distribute the load evenly downwards,

received. . ■ ' ·

For this purpose, a so-called

"Casting channel" 2 is recessed and later after laying the individual components

(Stilt tunnel) cast into a unit using an expanding concrete, e.g. Addiment B 35.

These grouting channels are also located in the front area FIG.2 of the attached, outward-facing foundations 1 and 2.

The casting channel is arranged in such a way that it meets the static requirements.

The casting channel can be 10 cm and wider 1.2 and, when two components are put together, it can be bottle-shaped or any rectangular shape.

Claims (4)

1. Amphibian and small animal protection stilt tunnel for installation directly (near asphalt) below the road surface and transverse to the longitudinal direction of the road, characterized in that it consists of at least one U-shaped molded stone with edges angled outwards relative to the plane of symmetry as foundations of the parallel walls. 2. Amphibian and small animal protection stilt tunnel according to claim 1, characterized in that the tunnel width is approximately 100 cm and the tunnel height is approximately 60 cm. 3. Amphibian and small animal protection stilt tunnel according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the edges of the parallel walls are bent at right angles as foundations. 4. Amphibian and small animal protection stilt tunnel according to claim 1, characterized in that so-called casting channels are incorporated as recesses in the front sides (ceiling) and on the foundations, i.e. on a vertical level.