EP0989236A1 - Posts made of reconstituted profiles for constructing noise protection walls made of panels - Google Patents

Abstract

The supporting post, e.g. connecting two acoustic panels (2) by their edges, consists of an H-section or double U-section beam (11) with lateral channels designed to receive sections of the panel edges and an inclined reinforcing strip (14) extending from the base of the post to at least half its height. The strip is angled at between 5 and 10 degrees to the post and is between 3 and 12 m high. The post itself is made from thin steel between 4 and 10 mm thick and with a rupture strength of 235 MPa.

Description

The present invention relates to improvements made to arrangements for absorbing or reflecting airborne noise from the road or rail traffic.

The present invention relates more particularly to walls forming acoustic protection screens and metal posts for the realization of these walls.

Acoustic screens are generally made up of panels superimposed fixed on regularly spaced posts.

The invention presented aims to modify the posts of these screens to improve their cost, their ease of installation and their aesthetics.

In most realizations, this type of post is essentially consisting of a straight section of metal beam (or profile), the cross section profile is H or I shaped; this is the case posts for noise barriers described in patents FR 2 737 514 and EP39984; such posts allow engagement in each of the two vertical grooves which they delimit, from the lateral edge of a re-entrant panel in the constitution of the wall; however the use of fasteners and / or of immobilization of the panels in the grooves of the post, such as the U-shaped connection means described in patent n ° EP39984, has drawbacks: these screw and jumper clamping systems expandable are expensive and time-consuming to install, especially since the wall height is high.

In addition, over the entire height of one face of the screens, the strong projection posts and numerous blocking devices the length of which generally greater than 50 mm and may exceed 200 mm is unsightly on the back side. The difficulties are increased when the panels are heavy, especially when using panels containing sand and / or aggregates - such as concrete-based panels; the mass of such panels can indeed exceed one ton.

Document No. FR 2 737 514 describes a screen wall made up of panels with a central concrete layer engaged by its edges lateral in U-shaped housings formed by poles with shaped cross-section of H; the thickness of this layer being greater than the width of the housing, it has recesses resulting in a thickness reduced allowing to embed the branches of H in the central layer; an outer layer fixed on each face of the central layer, covers the post to form a continuous sound barrier.

This type of screen, where the thickness of the concrete panel is substantially greater than the width of the post groove, cannot be effectively used only in particular applications where panels are manufactured and / or custom posts, which is expensive; further such design is unsuitable for the realization of high walls, in particular of height between 3 and 12 meters.

An object of the invention is to remedy, at least in part, the disadvantages of known anti-noise walls and poles entering their constitution.

• une première lame longitudinale plane, également dite semelle avant, de largeur de préférence constante ;
• une deuxième lame longitudinale plane, également dite aile intermédiaire, de largeur de préférence constante, qui s'étend parallèlement et en regard de la première lame ;
• une troisième lame longitudinale plane, également dite âme centrale, de largeur sensiblement constante, qui s'étend perpendiculairement auxdites premières et deuxièmes lames, entre celles-ci, pour former avec elles un tronçon rectiligne de poutre de section en forme générale de H ou de double U ; ce tronçon délimite ainsi deux gorges longitudinales (généralement verticales lorsque le poteau est scellé dans le sol par sa base), en forme générale de U, destinées à recevoir chacune le bord latéral vertical d'un panneau.

According to a first aspect, the invention consists in proposing a metal pole according to claim 1; preferably the post includes:

• a first flat longitudinal blade, also called front sole, of preferably constant width;
• a second planar longitudinal blade, also called intermediate wing, preferably constant width, which extends parallel and opposite the first blade;
• a third flat longitudinal blade, also called central core, of substantially constant width, which extends perpendicular to said first and second blades, between them, to form with them a straight section of beam of section in the general shape of H or double U; this section thus delimits two longitudinal grooves (generally vertical when the post is sealed in the ground by its base), in the general shape of a U, each intended to receive the vertical lateral edge of a panel.

According to one aspect of the invention, the post further comprises a fourth blade, also called rear sole, which extends longitudinally (along the H-beam), substantially perpendicular to the central core, which is inclined with respect to said first and second blades, preferably at an angle of inclination whose value is in a range from 0.5 to 10 degrees - in particular of the order of 1 to 5 degrees -, which extends from the base of the post up to a height at least equal to the half height of the post; the pole preferably further comprises at least a fifth blade longitudinal extending between the intermediate wing and the rear sole and connecting these; said fourth and fifth blades are preferably planar, and said fifth blade is preferably substantially parallel to the central core (third blade), in particular in the extension of this one.

The presence of the fourth blade which reinforces the post, at least on its lower half, reduces the dimensions of the first and second and third blades defining the vertical grooves (or grooves); this allows you to choose these three blades so that the groove is width adapted to the thickness of the panel it receives; preferably we chooses a throat width approximately 5 to 25 mm higher - in particular from 5 to 15 mm - to the thickness of the edge of the panel; thanks to that suitable width it is possible to remove the wedging member from the panel in the throat, or at least to use a very simple and very quick to implement such as a screw engaged in a threaded socket embedded in the panel and whose head rests on an internal lateral face of the U-shaped groove. This reduction in the width of the U-shaped groove eliminates (or decreases) in addition the risk of dislocation of the panel out of the groove in the absence of a wedging member, which in particular improves the conditions of safety during the nesting (by sliding) of the panels introduced by the upper end of the grooves; this operation is in very delicate effect: the heavy panel being suspended from a lifting device, its pivoting is free and can cause the fall of the human being - usually raised in a basket to a height often exceeding 4 or 5 meters - which guides the edge of the panel to insert it into the groove.

According to a preferred embodiment, the length of the fourth blade is in the range of 50 to 90% - especially 60 to 80% - of the height of the post; thereby the upper end of the post which is not reinforced lends itself, due to the reduced inertia of the portion to H section (or double U), to a deformation (in bending) of several millimeters, under a modest effort applied manually by the operator guide to facilitate the insertion of the panel into the groove; this is also facilitated by the inclination of the fourth blade: indeed this is close - for example flush - to the U-shaped grooves at its end upper where it adds little inertia and therefore little resistance to bending ; because of this inclination it regularly deviates from the grooves, in direction of the base of the post, which gives the post an inertia - and by therefore resistance to bending - increasing from top to bottom; so the gradual distance of the fourth blade from the first blade as you get closer to the base of the post allows a increase of the inertia of the pole going towards the base of the pole.

Although the fourth blade can be curved and can in this case extend for example the ends of said second blade, it is preferably flat.

The cross section of the fourth blade is generally at less equal to that of the first blade, in particular of the order of 150% at 500% of it; this increases the resistance of the post; according to a first preferred embodiment, the width of the fourth blade is for this purpose greater than the width of the first blade; according to another mode of realization the thickness of the fourth blade is greater than the thickness of the front sole (first blade), over at least part of its section; in the two embodiments which can be combined, the surface of the cross section of the fourth blade is greater than that of the first blade, on the lower part of the post where the fourth extends blade; to increase this progression in post resistance by lower part, the width of the rear sole (fourth blade) can be increasing from top to bottom; this improves the resistance of the post to spill.

According to a first alternative embodiment, the post is produced by welding of an H profile (delimiting the grooves) and of a part with an H profile T constituting said fourth and fifth blades; the "leg" of the T extends in the extension of the central core (the H bar) and is linearly increasing height; the T-shaped part can in particular be obtained by (symmetrical) cutting of an I-profile along an inclined line relative to the longitudinal axis of the profile.

According to a second alternative embodiment, the post is produced by welding along an H-profile, of a part with a section profile transverse is U-shaped, the free ends of the wings of the U being welded, over the entire length of the part, onto said second blade (wing intermediate); the assembly then forms a hollow beam whose section has a closed outline; this allows to use for the realization (by folding) of the U-shaped part, a thin sheet (thickness of the order of 4 to 10 mm) while ensuring significant inertia along the two axes transverse.

Preferably, the different metal blades constituting the post are made of steel, the breaking strength of which is at least equal to 235 Mpa.

Other advantages and characteristics of the invention will be understood through the following description which refers to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate without any limiting character preferential modes of realization of the invention.

Figures 1 to 3 and 6 illustrate the known construction technique walls with H-posts; Figures 1 and 3 illustrate a view in schematic section through a horizontal transverse plane, a post receiving the side ends of two adjacent panels partially represented; Figure 2 similarly illustrates the lateral end cracked panel; Figure 6 illustrates a perspective view of a post in the grooves of which the ends of two panels are housed adjacent.

Figures 4, 5 and 7 to 9 illustrate a first embodiment of the invention in which the post consists of an H profile reinforced by a T-profile over part of its height; Figure 7 illustrates this mode of realization in the same way as Figure 6; Figures 8 and 9 illustrate schematically in perspective, respectively a rear view and a view from the front, a portion of a wall with four posts and six panels stacked two by two; Figure 5 illustrates in cross section the post in its reinforced part; figure 4 illustrates in the same way that in Figures 1 and 3 the post in the grooves of which are engaged two adjacent panels.

Figures 10 and 12 illustrate a second embodiment of the invention; Figures 11 and 13 illustrate a third embodiment of the invention; Figures 10 and 11 are perspective views schematic and Figures 12 and 13 are respectively a sectional view along C-C in Figure 10 and a sectional view along A-A in Figure 11.

Figure 14 illustrates in side view a post such as those of the figures 10 and 11; Figure 15 illustrates the cross section of a post entirely made of folded sheet metal and fitted with a curved rear sole; the figure 16 illustrates the cross section of a corner post for the support of two adjacent non-aligned panels.

The current technique illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 6 consists of use HEA 1 posts or more rarely IPE in which come slide the vertical panels 2 constituting the acoustic screen.

Stacked panels are held in position by bolts 3 screwed into waiting sockets 4 and supported on the rear face of the post or Rear sole 9 (Figure 1).

The vertical face of the posts on the front side of the screen 8 (or Sole front) is hidden either by a reservation 5 (see figure 2) in the panel or by an attached cover 7 (see Figure 3).

On each side face of the post a groove marked 15 in the figure 5 is provided, allowing the panel to slide without being necessary to place shim bolts; the post has on each side lateral and preferably over its entire height said groove (or groove) extending vertically, of width adapted to the concrete wood panel or similar, preferably larger by 5 mm to 15 mm than the thickness of said panels, so that the vertical lateral edge of a panel can be inserted into said groove, if necessary after countersinking (or notch) along said edge of the panel.

It is no longer necessary to screw the bolts to the panels before the installation, these bolts imposing a guide of the panel during its introduction in the profile in the upper part of the posts; it becomes useless to have each side of the panel a nacelle and a technician blocking the panel before installing the next panel; this results in improvements important on the times of exposure, the safety of the installation, and the esthetics (the bolts are no longer visible on the back of the screen).

Timing bolts are however preferably provided for allow perfect alignment on the front and rear sides, even if narrow gorges; these bolts are shorter and not very visible; when the panels are inserted in the H the bolts are screwed to the maximum, only their heads sticking out so that they cannot twist.

• soit par chevauchement des panneaux sur les poteaux au moyen d'encoches profondes sur toute la hauteur des panneaux, comme sur la figure 1;
• soit par pose d'un cache spécifique de largeur adaptée à la largeur des poteaux HEA utilisés (comme figure 3).

The reduction of the width of the front sole according to the invention consists in reducing on the front face the width 51 of the sole marked 11 in FIG. 5. If for aesthetic reasons, it is desired to conceal the posts on one side of a acoustic screen, there are two possibilities:

• either by overlapping the panels on the posts by means of deep notches over the entire height of the panels, as in FIG. 1;
• either by fitting a specific cover of width adapted to the width of the HEA posts used (as in Figure 3).

In both cases, the invention offers advantages: the notches with realize in the panel to conceal the front sole are less deep, the panel ends are less fragile, which reduces the risk of crack identified 6 in Figure 2; we can avoid the installation of said cover, which is long to realize and requires the use of nacelles for the working at height, hence a significant saving.

The widening of the width 54 of the rear sole (marked 14 on Figures 5 and 7) increases the resistance of the profile to bending lateral.

Increasing the distance 50 between the front sole marked 11 in Figures 5 and 7 and the rear sole of the post marked 14 allows obtain, with a lower steel weight, the same resistance as a HEA or a standard trade profile.

Buttresses marked 16 in FIG. 7 placed in a plane perpendicular to the post axis increase resistance to spill; reducing the weight of the posts results in savings sensitive.

Gradually increasing the distance 50 between the front sole marked 11 and the rear flange of the post marked 14 as one moves closer to the ground, as shown in Figure 7 in particular, allows a better resistance and better aesthetics; the post is thus endowed an inertia and / or an increasing section from top to bottom, which gives an improved aesthetic form, adapted mechanical resistance at the expense to bear, a reduced mass and cost.

Progressive increase in width 54 of the rear sole marked 14 as you get closer to the ground, as shown on the Figure 7, also allows better resistance and better aesthetic.

Thus, according to a characteristic of the invention, the metal pole specially designed to serve as a support for 2 panels entering the construction of an acoustically insulating wall is provided, in the lower part less, an increasing inertia (and / or cross section and / or width) of front to back, which gives it an improved aesthetic form, a mechanical resistance adapted to the load to be supported, mass and cost diminished.

• une âme 13a, 13b centrale plane de longueur 50 décroissante de bas en haut, qui s'étend dans un plan vertical médian ayant pour trace, dans le plan horizontal de la figure 5, l'axe 52 ;
• une semelle avant 11 (ou première lame) plane, s'étendant perpendiculairement à l'extrémité avant de l'âme 13a, 13b, de largeur 51 constante, de l'ordre de 100 à 150 mm ;
• une semelle arrière 14 (ou quatrième lame) plane, s'étendant perpendiculairement à l'extrémité arrière de l'âme 13a, 13b, de largeur 54 décroissante de bas en haut ;
• une aile intermédiaire 12 (ou deuxième lame) s'étendant perpendiculairement à l'âme 13a, 13b, et parallèlement à la semelle avant 11 pour délimiter avec celle-ci sur chaque face latérale une gorge 15 de largeur 55 constante, de l'ordre de 50 mm à 100 mm.

The post illustrated in FIGS. 4, 5 and 7 has, at the bottom, at least its half-length (about two thirds of its height);

• a central central web 13a, 13b of length 50 decreasing from bottom to top, which extends in a vertical median plane having as trace, in the horizontal plane of FIG. 5, the axis 52;
• a flat front sole 11 (or first blade), extending perpendicular to the front end of the core 13a, 13b, of constant width 51, of the order of 100 to 150 mm;
• a flat rear sole 14 (or fourth blade), extending perpendicular to the rear end of the core 13a, 13b, of width 54 decreasing from bottom to top;
• an intermediate wing 12 (or second blade) extending perpendicular to the core 13a, 13b, and parallel to the front sole 11 to define therewith on each lateral face a groove 15 of constant width 55, of the order from 50 mm to 100 mm.

In the lower part of the post in FIGS. 5 and 7, the core comprises a front part 13a, forming said third blade, which delimits the two grooves 15 with the blades 11, 12, the assembly forming an H; the part 13b forming the fifth blade, extends in the extension of the part 13a, and forms with the rear sole 14 a T; the "foot" 13b ₁ of the "leg" 13b of the T is welded, over the entire length of the T-reinforcement, on the median line of the external face of the blade 12; the T-profile whose leg 13b is of variable (linearly) length is obtained by cutting a standard I-profile.

In the embodiments of FIGS. 10 to 15, the structure of reinforcement of the H-profile receiving the panels, forms with it a hollow beam with closed profile; according to Figures 10 to 14, this structure - which extends about two-thirds of the height of the H profile - has a profile transverse in the shape of a flared U (figure 13) or on the contrary "pinched" (figure 12): this structure comprises the rear sole 14 (fourth blade) and two fifth blades 30 and 31 which each connect one end of the blade 14 to one end of the blade 12; the blade 14 is reinforced by a bar 32 extending along it, inside (figure 13) or outside (figure 12) of this reinforcing structure. This U-shaped structure can be obtained by folded and welded on a standard H profile (figure 12) or reconstituted (Figure 13 where the blade 12 is wider than the blade 11).

In FIG. 15, the blades 11 to 14 are obtained by folding and the blade 14 is domed; in FIG. 16, the structure for holding the panels in the grooves 15 is made up of two U-shaped section profiles comprising each said blades 11, 12 and 13a; these profiles are joined by a blade additional 13c, and are in contact along a generator along which they are connected to the T profile 13b, 14.

The invention also provides a wall bordering a road or a railway track for the acoustic protection of the neighborhood, which comprises (Figures 8, 9) a plurality of vertical panels 2 stacked, which are held by a plurality of posts 1 according to the invention, extending vertically and between two adjacent stacks of panels; each post has a groove on each side face in which is engaged the edge 21 (and / or edge) lateral and vertical of the panels.

Said panels are preferably made of concrete 2a (figure 2), and / or terracotta, and / or metal, and / or aluminum, and / or plastic and / or recycled rubber, and / or tires and / or topsoil comprising at least on a face 2b an acoustic absorbent material 2c in masonry and / or rock wool, and / or wood, and / or wood chips amalgamated with concrete (concrete-wood type or similar), and / or lava concrete, and / or glass, and / or polycarbonate, and / or shavings of recovered electrical wires.

Said panels are preferably of the following dimensions: Length 3 m to 6 m Height 1 m to 2 m Weight 100 to 800 kg / m ² in particular 400 kg / m ² .

• on dispose les poteaux selon l'invention en alignement espacés, chaque poteau étant fixé par sa semelle de base 20 sur du béton, et/ou longrine béton ou acier,
• on insère les bords 21 du panneau, par mouvement de descente vertical dans les gorges 15 latérales de poteaux adjacents, par le haut, en posant successivement le panneau du bas, puis les panneaux supérieurs.

According to another aspect, the invention proposes a method of constructing such a wall in which posts are used according to the invention, and in which:

• the posts according to the invention are arranged in spaced alignment, each post being fixed by its base plate 20 on concrete, and / or concrete or steel sill,
• the edges 21 of the panel are inserted, by vertical downward movement in the lateral grooves 15 of adjacent posts, from the top, by successively placing the bottom panel, then the upper panels.

The process makes it possible to avoid making men work at height, avoid the use of carrycots and thus contribute to savings substantial equipment and manpower.

Claims (11)

Metal post (1) intended to serve as a support for panels (2) for the realization of a wall by receiving the lateral edge of two adjacent panels, characterized in that its section decreases from the base of post to at least half its length. Post (1) according to claim 1, which has a section straight H-shaped or double U-shaped beam delimiting on each lateral face a longitudinal groove (15) intended to receive the lateral edge of a panel, and which comprises an inclined longitudinal blade (14) which extends from the base of the post to at least half its length. The post of claim 2, wherein the angle of inclination (53) of the inclined blade (14) is situated in a range from 0.5 to 10 degrees, and whose height is between 3 and 12 meters. Pole according to claim 3 which comprises a blade (13b, 30, 31) longitudinal plane connecting the inclined blade (14) to the H-beam or in U. A post according to claim 4 which has two blades (30, 31) longitudinal planes forming with the inclined blade (14) a structure U-shaped reinforcement. Pole according to any one of claims 1 to 5, the cross section has an upper surface at the back of the surface of the front part intended to receive the panels. Pole according to any one of claims 1 to 6, of which at least a part is made of thin sheet metal, with a thickness ranging from 4 to 10 mm, of a steel whose breaking strength is at least equal to 235 MPa. Post according to any one of claims 1 to 7, which comprises at least in the lower part and over at least its half-length: a central plane core (13a, 13b) of length (50) decreasing from bottom to top; a flat front sole (11), extending perpendicular to the front end of the core (13a, 13b), of constant width; a flat rear sole (14), extending perpendicular to the rear end of the core (13a, 13b), of width (54) decreasing from bottom to top, and whose section is greater than that of the front sole (11); an intermediate wing (12) extending perpendicular to the core (13a, 13b) and parallel to the front sole (11) to define therewith on each side face a groove (15) of constant width (55). Wall characterized in that it comprises: a plurality of vertical panels (2); a plurality of posts (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, extending vertically and between two adjacent stacks of panels, each post receiving the vertical lateral edge of two adjacent panels. The wall of claim 9, wherein each post comprises on each side face a groove (15) in which is engaged the lateral and vertical edge (and / or edge) of the panels, in which said panels panels (2) comprise at least on one side an absorbent material acoustic, in which the width (55) of the grooves (15) is greater than 5 to 25 mm to the thickness (56) of the panel (2a) which they receive, and comprising adjustable members (3, 4) for wedging the panel (2) in the groove (15). A method of constructing a wall according to any one of claims 9 or 10, in which: the posts (1) are arranged in spaced alignment, each post being fixed on concrete, and / or concrete or steel sill, and the edges of the panel (2) are inserted, by vertical downward movement in the lateral grooves of adjacent posts, from the top, successively placing the bottom panel and then the top panels.

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