EP2329080B1 - Construction member for building a retaining wall having a sound protection function - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a construction element, in particular concrete having a sound protection function.

The invention also relates to a retaining wall and sound protection made by means of building elements according to the invention.

This wall can be used to create a retaining wall, a property fence wall, to dress the facade of a building or to make a sound screen along a road.

Acoustic or acoustic protection screens known for efficient absorption are made of wood fiber panels with a high cost and a reduced service life.

Also known for this application, panels made of metal plates pierced with holes in which are housed insulating materials.

The service life of these materials exposed to the weather is also relatively low.

In addition, currently with the known devices, when there is need for a retaining wall and sound protection, it is necessary to use the materials necessary for the manufacture of the retaining wall and materials for protection sound. This multitude of materials increases the cost price and the time of construction in a very important way.

Retaining wall construction elements described in the patent are known EP - B1 - 0 680 537 on behalf of the present applicant. These elements do not have an effective sound protection function.

The object of the present invention is to overcome the disadvantages of currently known acoustic protections and to improve the acoustic performance of walls formed of building elements.

The invention thus aims at a construction element, in particular of concrete, comprising an upper face and a lower face intended to cooperate in superposition with at least one similar element of construction and comprising two opposite side walls interconnected at their ends by a wall link, of any shape, the outer surface is provided with projections.

The presence of the projections on the outside of the connecting walls significantly improves the acoustic performance of the building elements, especially in concrete.

In addition, the building element comprises between the side walls several inner walls delimiting spaces of different size and shape.

The inner walls greatly improve the noise-reducing efficiency of the building element by contributing in particular to the return of acoustic waves, especially when the spaces are filled with absorbing materials and or returning acoustic waves.

According to the invention, the building elements are intended to form a retaining wall by superposition on several levels of height.

In addition, the invention makes it possible to use a single type of material to manufacture a retaining wall having a very good phonic protection efficiency. The construction time is reduced and the cost of materials is also reduced.

The connecting walls of the building elements constitute the outer surface of the retaining wall.

According to a preferred embodiment, the construction elements are arranged so that a portion of their upper face is not covered by the building elements of the upper height level and creating, between the building elements, cavities.

Indeed, the projections result in directing the phonic waves to the cavities formed by the assembly of the building elements.

The cavities are preferably filled with filling materials having a good absorption efficiency of the phonic waves. Friable materials such as earth or sand may be used.

According to this embodiment, the phonic waves are trapped by the cavities.

The building elements according to the invention are advantageously assembled to form a retaining wall, dry, that is to say without the need for adding binders, increasing the ease of construction of the wall.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention which is not however limiting.

The present invention relates to a construction element for cooperating in superposition with at least one similar building element to form a retaining wall comprising an upper face, a lower face and two opposite side walls extending in a main direction forming the most length of said construction element and interconnected at least at one end by a connecting wall of any shape, characterized in that at least one connecting wall is provided on its outer surface with projections arranged to disperse the acoustic waves reaching the building element.

• les saillies s'étendent sensiblement dans le sens de la hauteur de la paroi de liaison,
• les saillies sont formées sur sensiblement toute la hauteur de la paroi de liaison,
• la paroi de liaison est de forme arrondie,
• les saillies sont de forme arrondie,
• l'élément comprend entre les parois latérales plusieurs parois intérieures délimitant des espaces de tailles et de formes différentes,
• l'élément comprend des crans situés sur la face inférieure et aptes à coopérer avec les espaces d'un élément de construction similaire situé en dessous dudit élément de construction et les espaces étant aptes à coopérer avec les crans d'un élément de construction similaire situé au-dessus dudit élément de construction,
• les parois intérieures délimitent avec les parois de liaison, un espace destiné à être rempli de matériaux de remplissage,
• l'élément comprend une zone de rupture destinée à faciliter la séparation de l'élément de construction dans sa longueur en deux modules sensiblement symétriques,
• les espaces forment des trous traversant de part en part l'élément de construction dans le sens de la hauteur.

According to preferred embodiments of the invention, the construction element is such that:

• the projections extend substantially in the direction of the height of the connecting wall,
• the projections are formed over substantially the entire height of the connecting wall,
• the connecting wall is of rounded shape,
• the projections are of rounded shape,
• the element comprises between the lateral walls a plurality of inner walls delimiting spaces of different sizes and shapes,
• the element comprises notches located on the underside and able to cooperate with the spaces of a similar building element situated below said building element and the spaces being able to cooperate with the notches of a similar building element situated above said construction element,
• the inner walls delimit with the connecting walls, a space intended to be filled with filling materials,
• the element comprises a rupture zone intended to facilitate the separation of the construction element in its length into two substantially symmetrical modules,
• the spaces form holes passing right through the building element in the direction of the height.

The present invention also relates to a wall comprising a plurality of building elements as previously described over several height levels.

• les éléments de construction sont superposés de sorte que les faces supérieures de chaque élément de construction soient au moins en partie non recouvertes par les éléments de construction du niveau de hauteur supérieur.
• l'élément comprend au moins une cavité entre les différents éléments de construction.
• les saillies sont agencées pour diriger au moins une partie des ondes acoustiques dans la cavité afin de piéger ces dernières.

According to preferred embodiments of the invention the wall is such that:

• the building elements are superimposed so that the upper faces of each building element are at least partly not covered by the building elements of the higher height level.
• the element comprises at least one cavity between the different construction elements.
• the projections are arranged to direct at least a portion of the acoustic waves into the cavity to trap them.

• Figure 1: vue de côté en perspective d'un élément de construction selon l'invention.
• Figure 2: vue de face en perspective d'une portion de l'élément de construction illustré en figure 1.
• Figure 3: vue du dessus d'une portion de l'élément de construction illustré en figure 1.
• Figure 4: vue du dessus d'un module de l'élément de construction illustré en figure 1
• Figure 5: vue en perspective d'un mode de réalisation d'un mur de soutènement selon l'invention.
• Figure 6: vue en perspective d'un second mode de réalisation d'un mur de soutènement selon l'invention.
• Figure 7: vue en perspective d'un mode de réalisation d'un mur de soutènement selon l'invention à partir de modules illustrés en figure 4.
• Figure 8: vue schématisée du dessus d'une paroi de liaison munie de saillies.
• Figure 9: schéma représentant la forme et la répartition des saillies.

The accompanying drawings are given by way of example and are not limiting of the invention. They represent only one embodiment of the invention and will make it easy to understand.

• Figure 1 : perspective side view of a building element according to the invention.
• Figure 2 : perspective front view of a portion of the building element illustrated in figure 1 .
• Figure 3 : top view of a portion of the building element shown in figure 1 .
• Figure 4 : top view of a module of the building element shown in figure 1
• Figure 5 : perspective view of an embodiment of a retaining wall according to the invention.
• Figure 6 : perspective view of a second embodiment of a retaining wall according to the invention.
• Figure 7 : perspective view of an embodiment of a retaining wall according to the invention from modules illustrated in FIG. figure 4 .
• Figure 8 : schematic view of the top of a connecting wall provided with projections.
• Figure 9 : diagram showing the shape and distribution of the projections.

Each building element 1 comprises two opposite side walls 2 extending in a main direction forming the greatest length of said building element. The side walls are interconnected at at least one of their ends by at least one connecting wall 3 of any shape.

Main direction means the direction perpendicular to the height of the side walls 2. The length of the side walls in the main direction is preferably the maximum dimension of the construction element.

The construction element 1 comprises an upper face 4 and a lower face 5 intended to cooperate in superposition with at least one respective substantially similar construction element 1.

Typically, the outer surface of the connecting walls 3 is provided with projections 6.

The presence of projections 6 at the connecting walls 3 improves the acoustic performance of the building element 1, by dispersing the acoustic waves arriving at the building element 1.

Advantageously, the projections 6 extend substantially in the direction of the height of the connecting wall 3. The projections 6 are preferably arranged over substantially the entire height of the connecting wall 3.

Advantageously, the connecting wall 3 is of rounded shape. Preferably, towards the outside of the construction element so as to be convex. According to variants, the connecting wall 3 may be of oval shape, of polygonal shape, in the form of an outwardly facing tip of the construction element 1 or others.

The projections 6 are preferably of rounded shape.

Other semicircular shapes, polygon or tip in particular, can also be used alone or in combination.

For example, as shown in figure 9 , a protrusion 6 of rounded shape has a width of two centimeters to two centimeters thick.

Advantageously, the distance between the base of two successive protrusions is six centimeters.

The connecting wall 3 is intended to be turned towards the outside of the construction formed by the construction element 1.

The protrusions 6 also have a reinforcing role for the connecting wall 3. Indeed, the connecting wall 3 preferably being of prominent shape, it is subjected to bad weather and shocks. The projections 6 reinforce the connecting wall 3 in particular by absorbing shocks and / or compressions.

The building element 1 is provided between the side walls 2 of several inner walls 7 delimiting spaces 8, 9 of different sizes and shapes. The inner walls 7 also have a reinforcing role of the construction element 1. Many configurations of the inner walls 7 can be envisaged.

The upper 4 and lower 5 faces of the construction element 1 are hollow so that the construction element1 has the shape of a bottomless tank. Indeed, the spaces 8, 9 form through holes through the building element 1 according to its height. The construction element 1 is advantageously made of concrete, allowing a very long life.

According to a preferred variant, to facilitate the assembly of the construction elements 1, the construction element 1 comprises notches on the lower face 5, in particular at the lower edges of the inner walls 7.

A construction element 1 is intended to cooperate with at least one similar building element 1 at the upper face of the latter by the notches which are able to cooperate with the spaces 8, 9 of the similar building element 1 directly below said construction element 1. Similarly, the spaces 8, 9 of a building element 1 are able to cooperate with the notches of a similar building element 1 located directly above said building element 1.

The plurality of spaces 8, 9 and notches allows various arrangements of the building elements (1) as presented to the figures 5 , 6 and 7 .

Other variants allowing rapid assembly of the construction elements 1 can be envisaged. In particular by providing cavities, distinct spaces 8, 9, formed at the upper edges of the inner walls 7 or side walls 2.

According to another variant, the construction elements 1 are assembled by a binder like cement.

The invention also relates to a retaining wall comprising a plurality of building elements 1 on several levels of height.

The connecting walls 3 constitute the outer surface of the retaining wall.

The retaining wall is of the type intended to be trimmed for example with vegetation.

The building elements 1 are preferably mounted dry by interlocking the elements in each other, and by superimposed on each other. The superposition of two contiguous elements has an offset in a horizontal plane so as to avoid any integral recovery of an element by an element disposed on the upper level of height.

Thus, the building elements 1 are arranged to form the retaining wall so that at least part of the upper face 4 of each building element 1 is not covered by a building element 1 of the higher height level. This arrangement allows the formation of cavities 12 leaving visible at least part of the space 9.

These cavities 12 are intended to promote the penetration and absorption in the cavities-forming spaces 9 of the acoustic waves returned by the projections 6 located on the connecting walls 3.

At least part of the waves arriving on the building elements 1, is deflected by the projections 6 so as to be directed towards the cavities 12. The waves penetrate into the retaining wall and are absorbed in the spaces 9 forming cavities 12.

It is advantageous to provide that the spaces 9 are lined with soil and vegetation so that the wave arriving at the level of the cavities 12 is dissipated particularly efficiently in the earth contained in the space 9.

Among various possibilities, the spaces 8 are in turn filled with gravel, sand or other friable materials.

Thus, the acoustic waves do not pass through the building element.

The upper and lower faces 4 and 5 of the building elements 1 being hollow, when the building elements 1 are superimposed, the spaces 8, 9 of a building element 1 communicate with the spaces 8, 9 of the building elements 1 of the levels upper and lower height. Thus, if acoustic waves enter a cavity 12 and emerge from the same cavity 12, they will be guided for the most part to another cavity of the higher or lower height level.

The network of cavities 12 formed by the cooperation of building elements 1 thus constitutes a particularly effective means for trapping and absorbing incident acoustic waves.

The soil and gravel placed in the spaces 8, 9 and allow to increase the maintenance of the structure of the retaining wall.

The building element 1 advantageously comprises in its median part at least one rupture zone 10. This rupture zone 10 makes it possible to separate the construction element 1 in its length into two symmetrical modules 11 represented in FIG. figure 4 .

The rupture zone 10 is formed of a slot disposed in the height of the side walls 2.

This rupture zone 10 allows the construction element 1 to be flexible.

The modules 11 are adapted to allow the realization of walls with cavities and all the properties described above about the walls formed by the building elements 1.

REFERENCES

1. 1. Building element
2. 2. Side wall
3. 3. Connecting wall
4. 4. Upper face
5. 5. Bottom face
6. 6. Saillie
7. 7. Inner walls
8. 8. Spaces
9. 9. Revegetation spaces
10. 10. Break zone
11. 11. Module
12. 12. Cavity

Claims (13)

1. A construction member (1) intended to engage when stacked with at least one similar construction member (1) to build a retaining wall, having an upper surface (4), a lower surface (5) and two opposite side walls (2) extending in a main direction forming the longer length of said construction member (1) and connected together at least one of their ends by a linking partition (3) having any shape, characterised in that
   at least one linking partition (3) is provided, on the outer surface thereof, with protrusions (6) so arranged as to scatter the acoustic waves reaching the construction member (1) and in that it comprises, between the side walls (2), a plurality of inner walls (7) delimiting spaces (8, 9) having different sizes and shapes.
2. A construction member (1) according to claim 1, wherein the protrusions (6) extend substantially in the height direction of the linking partition (3).
3. A construction member according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the protrusions (6) are provided on substantially the entire height of the linking partition (3).
4. A construction member (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the linking partition (3) has a rounded shape.
5. A construction member (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the protrusions (6) have a rounded shape.
6. A construction member (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising notches located on the lower surface (5) and adapted to cooperate with the spaces (8, 9) of a similar construction member (1) located under said construction member (1) and the spaces (8, 9) being able to cooperate with the notches of a similar construction member (1) located above said construction member (1).
7. A construction member (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the inner walls (7) define, with the linking partitions (3), a space (9) intended to be filled with filling materials.
8. A construction member (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a fracture zone (10) intended to facilitate the division of the construction member (1) along its length into two substantially symmetrical modules (11, 11).
9. A construction member (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the spaces (8, 9) form holes going right through the construction member (1) in the height direction.
10. A wall comprising a plurality of construction members (1) according to one of claims 1 to 9, on various height levels.
11. A wall according to claim 10, wherein the construction members (1) are so stacked that the upper surfaces (4) of each construction member (1) are at least partially not covered by the construction member (1) on the upper height level.
12. A wall according to claim 10 or 11, comprising at least one cavity (12) between the various construction members (1).
13. A wall according to claim 12, wherein the protrusions (6) are so arranged as to direct at least a portion of the acoustic waves into the cavity (12) in order to trap same.

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