EP3250760B1 - Pondage device - Google Patents

Description

GENERAL TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention lies in the field of hydraulic restraints.

It relates more specifically to a water retaining device comprising a dam, a downstream comfort that bears against the downstream wall of the dam through a support device for controlling the forces exerted by the downstream wall of the dam on said comfort.

The unsatisfactory behavior of some dams, as well as the evolution of regulatory requirements, particularly in terms of protection against floods or earthquakes, may require increasing the resistance of these dams to extreme stress, or even advantageously increasing their duration. life.

One solution is to achieve structural reinforcement of these dams, to give them sufficient safety margins to withstand these extreme demands.

These reinforcements can for example be made using a downstream structure, called "downstream comfort", on which the existing dam comes to support. In this case, the knowledge and the control of the efforts transmitted between the dam and the comfort are fundamental. The technology implemented to achieve the interface between the two structures is therefore a key element, which has consequences in particular on the dam retention dimension (water height) during the construction of the comfort, on the final mechanical behavior of together and on his supervision.

STATE OF THE ART

The solutions implemented up to now consist in blocking the movements between the dam and the downstream comfort structure, using rigid or flexible links.

Where it is undesirable to link the dam and its reinforcement rigidly (typically between an arch dam and a weight-like reinforcement), another existing solution, implemented at the Kölnbrein dam in Austria, consists of to put the two structures in contact via elastic supports, for example neoprene, arranged at specific points to postpone efforts as desired. As a guide, these supports can have dimensions of about 1 square meter.

• la détermination du positionnement des appuis est complexe et délicate, elle nécessite des modélisations numériques poussées, dont la précision peut s'avérer insuffisante ;
• les efforts transférés par le barrage au confortement dépendent de ses déplacements horizontaux. Ces derniers étant faibles en pied, peu d'efforts peuvent être transférés en pied, qui est la zone soumise à la plus forte pression hydrostatique de la part de la retenue ;
• il peut être nécessaire de repositionner les appuis au cours du temps en cas d'évolution irréversible du comportement du barrage et/ou de sa fondation ;
• la mise en appui initiale du barrage sur le confortement, de même que toute modification du calage, nécessite de décharger préalablement le barrage par vidange de la retenue d'eau ;
• ce type d'appui nécessite une surveillance lourde et coûteuse et enfin, ne peut pas être mis en oeuvre sous l'eau.

However, this technique poses the following problems:

• the determination of the positioning of the supports is complex and delicate, it requires advanced numerical modeling, whose precision may be insufficient;
• the efforts transferred by the dam to the comfort depend on its horizontal displacements. The latter being weak in foot, little effort can be transferred to the foot, which is the area subjected to the strongest hydrostatic pressure from the reservoir;
• it may be necessary to reposition support over time in case of irreversible changes in the behavior of the dam and / or its foundation;
• the initial support of the dam on the comfort, as well as any modification of the wedging, requires prior discharge of the dam by draining the water reservoir;
• this type of support requires heavy and expensive monitoring and finally, can not be implemented under water.

The document DE-C-969 242 , respectively the document FR-A-1,063,324 discloses the features of the preamble of claim 1.

PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION

The invention therefore aims to solve the aforementioned drawbacks of the state of the art and to propose a technical solution that allows to control either autonomously or in a controlled manner, the forces exerted by the downstream wall of a dam hydraulic restraint on its downstream comfort, and in a simple way to model and monitor.

The invention also aims to provide a solution that can be implemented under water and is therefore applicable to dams with a downstream water level (such as the dam Vouglans, located on the river of the Ain in France).

An additional objective of the invention is to propose interface means which are less expensive than the devices known from the state of the art.

The invention is defined in claim 1. For this purpose, the invention relates to a water retaining device comprising a dam and a comfort, disposed downstream of said dam, said "downstream comfort".

According to the invention, this device comprises at least one flexible jack inserted between the downstream facing of said dam and the upstream facing said comfort, this flexible jack comprises a chamber inside which is stored water, this chamber being delimited at least in part by a deformable membrane, this chamber being maintained under pressure by pressurizing means.

Thanks to these characteristics of the invention, it is possible by regulating the pressure inside the chamber, to control the forces exerted by the downstream wall of the dam on said comfort.

• ladite chambre est délimitée d'une part par une partie du parement aval dudit barrage et par une partie du parement amont dudit confortement aval et d'autre part par ladite membrane élastiquement déformable qui s'étend entre lesdits parements aval et amont et qui est fixée à ceux-ci par des moyens de fixation qui assurent l'étanchéité à l'eau,
• ledit vérin souple comprend une membrane déformable qui délimite la totalité de ladite chambre, ce vérin souple étant disposé de sorte que l'une des faces, dite "amont", soit au contact du parement aval dudit barrage et qu'une autre de ses faces, dite "aval", soit au contact du parement amont dudit confortement aval,
• au moins l'une des deux faces opposées dudit vérin souple est au contact d'une partie en saillie dudit parement aval dudit barrage et/ou d'une partie en saillie dudit parement amont dudit confortement aval, telle qu'une poutre d'appui,
• ladite membrane comprend d'une part une partie centrale comprenant ses faces amont et aval et les zones de la membrane qui les relient et d'autre part des extrémités haute et basse, ladite partie centrale est réalisée dans un premier matériau et les extrémités haute et basse sont réalisées dans un matériau distinct dudit premier matériau,
• ladite membrane est réalisée au moins en partie dans un matériau élastiquement déformable, tel qu'un élastomère, un métal élastiquement déformable ou un composite constitué d'un support textile recouvert d'élastomère et/ou recouvert d'une matière plastique,
• les moyens de mise en pression de la chambre dudit vérin souple comprennent au moins un conduit qui traverse ledit barrage et qui débouche à son extrémité , dite "amont" sur le parement amont du barrage et qui, à son autre extrémité , dite "aval", est en communication de fluide avec l'intérieur de la chambre d'au moins un vérin souple , de façon à assurer la mise sous pression de celui-ci, de sorte que la pression hydrostatique en un point situé à une altitude donnée à l'intérieur dudit vérin souple est identique à la pression hydrostatique exercée sur le parement amont dudit barrage en un point situé à la même altitude ;
• les moyens de mise en pression de la chambre dudit vérin souple comprennent un réservoir additionnel d'eau, en communication de fluide avec ledit vérin souple ;
• les moyens de mise en pression de la chambre dudit vérin souple comprennent une pompe de mise sous pression de l'eau contenue dans ledit vérin souple ;

According to other advantageous and nonlimiting features of the invention, taken alone or in combination:

• said chamber is delimited on the one hand by a portion of the downstream face of said dam and by a portion of the upstream face of said downstream comfort and secondly by said elastically deformable membrane which extends between said downstream and upstream faces and which is fixed to these by fastening means which ensure watertightness,
• said flexible jack comprises a deformable membrane which delimits the whole of said chamber, this flexible jack being arranged so that one of the faces, called "upstream", is in contact with the downstream facing of said dam and that another of its faces , said "downstream", or in contact with the upstream face of said downstream comfort,
• at least one of the two opposite faces of said flexible jack is in contact with a projecting portion of said downstream face of said dam and / or of a projecting portion of said upstream face of said downstream comfort, such as a support beam ,
• said membrane comprises on the one hand a central part comprising its upstream and downstream faces and the areas of the membrane which connect them and, on the other hand, the upper and lower ends, said central part is made of a first material and the upper ends and are made of a material distinct from said first material,
• said membrane is made at least partly in an elastically deformable material, such as an elastomer, a metal elastically deformable or a composite consisting of a textile support covered with elastomer and / or covered with a plastic material,
• the pressurizing means of the chamber of said flexible cylinder comprise at least one duct which passes through said dam and which opens at its end, called "upstream" on the upstream face of the dam and which, at its other end, said "downstream" , is in fluid communication with the interior of the chamber of at least one flexible jack, so as to ensure the pressurization thereof, so that the hydrostatic pressure at a point at a given altitude to said flexible cylinder is identical to the hydrostatic pressure exerted on the upstream face of said dam at a point situated at the same altitude;
• the means for pressurizing the chamber of said flexible cylinder comprise an additional reservoir of water, in fluid communication with said flexible jack;
• the means for pressurizing the chamber of said flexible jack include a pump for pressurizing the water contained in said flexible jack;

• un conduit qui traverse ledit barrage et qui débouche à son extrémité, dite "amont" sur le parement amont du barrage et qui, à son autre extrémité, dite "aval", est en communication de fluide avec l'intérieur de la chambre dudit vérin souple,
• un réservoir additionnel d'eau, en communication de fluide avec ledit vérin souple,
• une pompe de mise sous pression de l'eau contenue dans ledit vérin souple,

et ledit dispositif de retenue comprend une vanne à plusieurs voies dont les différentes entrées sont raccordées auxdits moyens de mise sous pression respectifs et dont la sortie est raccordée à l'intérieur de la chambre dudit vérin souple de façon à mettre en pression ledit vérin souple sélectivement avec l'un ou l'autre desdits moyens de mise sous pression.Advantageously, the means for pressurizing the chamber of said flexible jack comprise at least two means chosen from:

• a duct that passes through said dam and that opens at its end, called "upstream" on the upstream face of the dam and which, at its other end, called "downstream", is in fluid communication with the interior of the chamber of said cylinder flexible,
• an additional reservoir of water, in fluid communication with said flexible jack,
• a pump for pressurizing the water contained in said flexible jack,

and said retainer comprises a multi-way valve whose various inlets are connected to said respective pressurizing means and whose outlet is connected to the interior of the chamber of said flexible jack so as to pressurize said flexible jack selectively. with one or the other of said means for pressurizing.

• le dispositif de retenue comprend un dispositif de pilotage asservi à un capteur de mesure de la pression en amont du barrage, ce dispositif de pilotage régulant le fonctionnement du ou des moyens de mise en pression de la chambre du vérin souple et de la vanne à plusieurs voies ;
• ledit vérin souple est muni d'un dispositif de purge d'air ;
• ledit vérin souple est muni d'un dispositif de vidange de l'eau qu'il contient ;
• ledit vérin souple est un coussin comprenant une membrane qui délimite ladite chambre à l'intérieure de laquelle est stockée l'eau ;
• le dispositif de retenue d'eau comprend au moins un vérin souple, disposé verticalement, de préférence sur toute la hauteur du confortement aval ;
• le dispositif de retenue d'eau comprend au moins un vérin souple, disposé horizontalement, de préférence sur toute la largeur du confortement aval ;
• le dispositif de retenue d'eau comprend plusieurs vérins souples disposés espacés les uns des autres, selon plusieurs rangées horizontales et/ou plusieurs rangées verticales.

According to still other non-limiting features of the invention:

• the retaining device comprises a control device controlled by a sensor for measuring the pressure upstream of the dam, this device for control controlling the operation of the means for pressurizing the chamber of the flexible jack and the multi-way valve;
• said flexible cylinder is provided with an air purging device;
• said flexible jack is provided with a device for emptying the water contained therein;
• said flexible jack is a cushion comprising a membrane which delimits said chamber inside which water is stored;
• the water retaining device comprises at least one flexible jack, arranged vertically, preferably over the entire height of the downstream comfort;
• the water retaining device comprises at least one flexible jack, arranged horizontally, preferably over the entire width of the downstream comfort;
• the water retaining device comprises a plurality of flexible cylinders arranged spaced from each other, in several horizontal rows and / or several vertical rows.

The invention also relates to a water retaining device comprising a dam and a comfort, disposed downstream of said dam, said "downstream comfort".

According to the invention, this device comprises at least one flexible jack inserted between said dam and said comfort, this flexible jack comprises a membrane which delimits a chamber inside which is stored water, this chamber being maintained under pressure by pressurizing means and said flexible jack is arranged so that one of its faces, called "upstream", is in contact with the downstream face of said dam and that another of its faces, called "downstream" or in contact with the upstream face of said downstream comfort.

PRESENTATION OF FIGURES

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the description which will now be made, with reference to the accompanying drawings, which represent, by way of indication but not limitation, a possible embodiment.

• la Figure 1 est une vue schématique en coupe verticale transversale d'un mode de réalisation d'un dispositif de retenue d'eau conforme à l'invention,
• la Figure 2 est une vue en perspective d'une portion de la retenue d'eau de la figure 1,
• la Figure 3 est une vue de détail et en perspective de la partie centrale de la figure 2,
• la Figure 4 est un schéma de principe représentant les différentes pressions qui s'exercent de part et d'autre du barrage, et
• la Figure 5 est un schéma représentant en coupe verticale transversale une partie du barrage et son confortement aval, ainsi qu'un vérin souple,
• la Figure 6 est un schéma représentant le barrage, le confortement, le vérin souple et différents moyens de mise sous pression de ce dernier,
• les Figures 7 et 8 sont des vues schématiques en perspective de différentes dispositions possibles des vérins souples contre la face aval du barrage,
• la figure 9 est un schéma représentant en coupe verticale transversale une partie du barrage et son confortement aval ainsi qu'une autre variante de réalisation du vérin souple.

On these drawings:

• the Figure 1 is a schematic view in vertical cross section of an embodiment of a water retaining device according to the invention,
• the Figure 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the water reservoir of the figure 1 ,
• the Figure 3 is a detailed and perspective view of the central part of the figure 2 ,
• the Figure 4 is a schematic diagram representing the different pressures that are exerted on both sides of the dam, and
• the Figure 5 is a diagram showing in vertical cross section a portion of the dam and its downstream comfort, and a flexible cylinder,
• the Figure 6 is a diagram showing the dam, the comfort, the flexible jack and various means for pressurizing the latter,
• the Figures 7 and 8 are schematic perspective views of different possible arrangements of the flexible cylinders against the downstream face of the dam,
• the figure 9 is a diagram showing in vertical cross section a portion of the dam and its downstream comfort and another embodiment of the flexible cylinder.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The water retaining device according to the invention will now be described with reference to the Figure 1 . On it, it can be seen that the water retaining device 1 comprises a dam 2 and a reinforcement 3.

Preferably, the dam 2 is an arch dam, made of concrete, that is to say an arcuate dam, whose concavity is turned downstream and which allows to postpone a portion of the forces due to the thrust water on the banks, rather than on the dam itself.

The dam 2 rests on the ground S and has an upstream facing 21, facing the water E retained by the dam 2, and a downstream facing 22, located opposite.

The reinforcement 3 is a reinforcing structure preferably in concrete, disposed on the downstream side of the dam, generally but not necessarily of less height than the dam 2 and which aims to unload the dam of a portion of the hydrostatic pressure to which it is subjected by the water reservoir E.

The reinforcement 3 also rests on the ground S and has an upstream facing 31 and a downstream facing opposite 32.

In the remainder of the description and the claims, the term "upstream facing" (respectively "downstream facing") designates all the faces facing upstream (respectively downstream) of the structure (dam or reinforcement). , that it is the main face of this work which can possibly be curved or a face of an element (beam, sill) protruding from this main face.

According to the invention, at least one flexible jack 4 is disposed between the downstream face 22 of the dam 2 and the upstream face 31 of the reinforcement 3, (see FIG. figure 3 ).

Preferably, the flexible jack, also called "airbag", comprises a deformable body consisting of a membrane 40. The membrane 40 defines a chamber 41 inside which can be introduced a liquid, for example water . The admission of liquid inside the chamber defined by the body of the flexible cylinder 4 allows to put it under pressure.

The flexible jack 4 is arranged so that one of its faces 401, called "upstream", is in contact with the downstream face 22 of said dam (2) and another of its faces 402, called "downstream", is in contact with the upstream facing 31 of said downstream comfort 3.

The deformable membrane 40 may be made of different materials able to deform elastically.

Advantageously, these materials have a thickness less than their other dimensions (length and width) and their bending stiffness is lower than their tensile rigidity.

By way of purely illustrative example, mention may be made of an elastomer material, such as rubber, a composite consisting of a textile support covered with elastomer and / or a plastic material or a metal sheet, for example a metal sheet. steel able to deform elastically. Preferably, such a sheet is able to withstand elastic deformation.

According to a first variant embodiment, the deformable membrane 40 is made entirely of a single material, such as one of those mentioned above.

According to a second variant, it is also possible to have a deformable membrane 40 composed of different materials. For example, it is possible to have the central part of the deformable membrane 40 (which corresponds substantially to that including its upstream face 401 and its downstream face 402), made of a first material, for example in the aforementioned metal sheet. and having the upper and lower ends of this membrane 40 made of a different material, for example in the aforementioned elastomer or composite.

In this case, a seal is provided between the parts made of different materials to connect them and ensure watertightness.

According to a third variant embodiment, it is also possible to have the central portion of the membrane 40 made of a rigid material, for example a metal material, and to have only the ends of the membrane 40 made of an elastically deformable material. Thus overall, the body of the flexible cylinder retains its deformable character that allows it to adapt to pressure variations.

Finally, it will be noted that the upstream face 401 and the downstream face 402 of the flexible jack 4 can also be fixed indissolubly respectively to the downstream face 22 of the dam 2 and to the upstream face 31 of the downstream reinforcement 3.

According to a fourth variant of embodiment represented on the figure 9 it is possible to have a flexible jack 4 whose chamber 41 is delimited on the one hand by a portion of the downstream face 22 of the dam 2 and by a portion of the upstream face 31 of the reinforcement 3 and on the other hand by a membrane deformable 40 made in one of the aforementioned materials. In this case, this membrane 40 has substantially the shape of a ribbon of material whose two ends are connected to form a ring.

In addition, the downstream annular edge of this ring is fixed over its entire circumference to the upstream face 31 by fixing means 44, while its upstream annular edge is also fixed over its entire circumference to the downstream face 22 by the fastening means 45.

These fastening means 44, 45 also provide watertightness.

A first embodiment of the invention will now be described in more detail in connection with the Figure 5 .

The membrane 40 is connected to a pipe 5 (or stitching) which passes through the thickness of the dam 2. This pipe 5 opens at its upstream end 51 on the upstream face 21 of the dam 2, while its opposite end 52, called "end downstream ", is in fluid communication with the interior of the chamber 41 of the flexible jack 4. Preferably, a valve 53 is interposed between the end 52 of the duct and the flexible jack 4.

This makes it possible to fill the flexible cylinder 4 with the water E of the water reservoir located upstream of the dam 2 and to put this cylinder 4 under pressure.

The principle of operation of the flexible jack will now be described in connection with the Figure 4 , which represents only dam 2.

On the left side of the Figure 4 the hydrostatic pressure exerted by the water E on the upstream facing 21 of the dam (arrows i) is shown.

où ρ représente la masse volumique du liquide, g représente l'accélération de la pesanteur z représente l'altitude d'un point donné et p₀ la pression à l'altitude z₀.At a given altitude z, the hydrostatic pressure p has the following formula: $$\mathrm{p}=\mathrm{\rho }.\mathrm{boy\; Wut}.\left({\mathrm{z}}_0-\mathrm{z}\right)+{\mathrm{<figure-callout\; id="0"\; label="p"\; filenames="imgf0001.png,imgf0006.png"\; state="\{\{state\}\}">p</figure-callout>}}_0$$

where ρ represents the density of the liquid, g represents the acceleration of the gravity z represents the altitude of a given point and p ₀ the pressure at the altitude z ₀ .

The value of the hydrostatic pressure is therefore directly related to the altitude at which one is under water, which explains why it is particularly strong at the base of the dam, where is the greatest height of water , (see arrows i the longest).

On the right side of the Figure 4 , that is to say downstream of the dam 2, there is shown the back pressure exerted on the downstream face 22 by each flexible cylinder 4 to the right thereof. This back pressure is thus represented by the arrows j.

Due to the communication of the flexible cylinder 4 with the water contained in the water reservoir, the counter-pressure exerted by each flexible cylinder 4 is equal to the hydrostatic pressure exerted on the upstream face 21 of the dam.

Note however that the flexible cylinders 4 are not disposed on the entire downstream face 22 of the dam but only on a portion of its surface. As a result, at a given altitude the average pressure (represented by the arrows k) exerted on the downstream face 22 of the dam is only a percentage of the pressure in the cylinders 4 (which is equal to the hydrostatic pressure generated by the water reservoir in this first mode of realization) and this average pressure is determined by the ratio: (total width of the flexible jacks 4 at a given altitude) / (width of the downstream facing 22 at the same altitude).

The number and the distribution of the flexible cylinders will be adapted according to the efforts that one wishes to transmit between the dam 2 and its comfort 3.

Moreover, it will be noted that in the example shown on the figure 5 , the downstream end 52 of the duct opens into the upper part of the chamber 41 delimited by the membrane 40.

However, this is not mandatory, the end 52 of the duct 5 can open into any part of the chamber 41 and this has no effect on the hydrostatic pressure prevailing at a given point in the chamber 41, since this This is related to the difference between the altitude of the surface of the water E in the reservoir and the altitude (depth) of this given point, as explained above.

It will be noted, however, that the altitude at which the upstream end 51 of the conduit 5 opens determines the level of water E below which the hydraulic coupling between the water reservoir E and the flexible cylinder 4 no longer exists. If it is desired to maintain this coupling, it will be necessary to adjust the altitude of the end 51 taking into account the minimum level of water E in the reservoir during operation.

The pressurization of the flexible jack 4 with the aid of the duct 5 makes it possible to have an autonomous device which supplies, on the downstream side of the dam 2, an isobaric back pressure at the hydrostatic pressure prevailing on the upstream side of the dam.

The flexible cylinders exert a back pressure on the downstream face, which therefore reduces the pressure generally received by the dam. As a result, the dam is relieved of a fraction of its load. These efforts are however fully reported by the flexible cylinders on the comfort 3.

Note that when there are several flexible cylinders 4, the chamber 41 of each of them can be connected to a conduit 5 passing through the dam 2 (there are therefore as many ducts 5 as flexible cylinders 4 (see figure 3 )) or these chambers 41 can be connected to a single conduit 5 which feeds them all in liquid, or several ducts 5 can each supply several cylinders.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the flexible cylinders 4 can be pressurized by a hydraulic stitching 61 connected to an additional reservoir 6 other than the restraint of the dam (see figure 6 ).

This additional water reservoir 6 makes it possible to maintain the flexible jack 4 at a given hydrostatic pressure, which may be identical, higher or lower, than that prevailing at a given altitude in the water reservoir E, depending on the altitude of this tank and its level of filling. On the figure 6 , the altitude of the surface of the water in the reservoir 6 is greater than that of the water reservoir E, which makes it possible to obtain a hydrostatic pressure in the cylinder 4 greater than that which could be obtained with the water reservoir via the pipe 5.

According to yet another embodiment of the invention, the flexible jack 4 can be pressurized with a pressurizing pump 7, via a pipe 71.

In all cases, the pressure p in the chamber 41 varies hydrostatically on the height of the cylinder according to the above formula p = ρ.g. (z ₀ -z) + p ₀

The mode of pressurization simply determines the altitude of the point of zero pressure of the hydrostatic pressure line acting on the height of the cylinder (altitude point z ₀ where p ₀ = 0). With an isobaric connection with the reservoir, the altitude z ₀ of the zero point of pressure corresponds to the level of the surface of the water reservoir E. With an auxiliary reservoir, the point of zero pressure corresponds to the level of the surface of the reservoir. 6. With a pump 7, a pressure p ₀ is imposed on the altitude of the pump z ₀ , then it varies linearly according to the same formula over the height of the flexible cylinder 4.

In the example shown on the figure 6 , the flexible jack 4 can be pressurized selectively either by the pipe 5, or by the additional water tank 6, or by the pump 7 and this, using a multi-way valve 8, here a four-way valve, connected to the cylinder by a pipe 44.

The reservoir 6 and the pump 7 can thus serve as backup means if the conduit 5 was closed for example.

The operation of the tank 6 and / or the pump 7 and the valve 8 can be achieved by a control device 9 (central unit) itself controlled by a sensor 90 for measuring the pressure upstream of the dam 2, (see figure 6 ).

According to another simplified embodiment, it is also possible to provide only one or two of the three aforementioned means for pressurizing 5, 6, 7 of the flexible jack 4. In the case where only the means 6 or 7, this allows to completely decorrelate the pressure in the flexible cylinder 4 of the hydrostatic pressure upstream of the dam.

Whatever the means of pressurizing 5, 6, 7 used, it will be advantageous to provide separate means for filling the flexible cylinder or cylinders 4 with water, so as to inflate the cylinders and give them their initial shape .

Also advantageous, and as schematized on the figure 5 , means 42 for evacuating the air (purging) and means 43 for emptying can be provided respectively at the top and bottom of the flexible jack 4. The emptying means 43 allow the cylinder 4 to be emptied either completely in the case of maintenance, or partially to regulate the pressure in the cylinder. They can also be actuated by the control device 9.

Different distributions of the flexible cylinders 4 between the dam 2 and its downstream comfort 3 are conceivable. Some purely illustrative but non-limiting examples are given below.

According to a first embodiment variant represented on the figure 5 and on the left half of the figure 7 , the flexible cylinders 4 are constituted by "strands" arranged vertically or substantially vertically, preferably but not necessarily over the entire height of the comfort 3 (the latter being visible only on the figure 5 ). The spacing between two cylinders may be different from one to the other, as well as their width and height.

It is also conceivable, as represented on the right half of the figure 5 , to have several successive flexible cylinders 4 along the same vertical line, for example to adapt to manufacturing constraints of the flexible cylinders, such as their maximum height.

The flexible cylinders 4 can also be arranged horizontally (see for example the right half of the figure 8 ). They can also be arranged according to several horizontal rows or several vertical columns (see for example the left half of the Figure 8 ). On this same left part of the Figure 8 it can be seen that these flexible cylinders 4 can be arranged for example in staggered rows in different rows.

Finally, it will be noted that the spacing between several successive flexible cylinders 4 of the same horizontal row is not necessarily constant.

In the figures and in the embodiments described above, the flexible cylinders 4 are positioned so that one of their face is in direct contact with the downstream face 22 of the dam 2 and that their opposite face is in contact with the upstream face. 31 of the buttress 3. However, it will be noted that at least one of the faces of the flexible jack could be arranged against a support beam, that is to say a concrete section integral with the dam 2 or the comfort 3 , or like any other rigid support device. Such beams 33 secured to the reinforcement 3 and such beams 23 integral with the dam 2 are visible on the figure 3 . In the case where the downstream face 22 of the dam is curved, such support beams can make it possible to flatten the bearing surface of the cylinders 4, and to make it vertical. In addition, for a given spacing between the downstream face 22 of the dam and the upstream face 31 of the reinforcement 3, the use of support beams also makes it possible to reduce the space to be filled by the flexible jacks 4, it is ie their thickness once filled. In the case of a vertical arrangement of the cylinders, this allows for example to provide sufficient space between the facing of the dam and comfort to access the foot of the dam (well), while limiting the thickness of the flexible cylinders 4. This is of particular interest for feasibility insofar as the tensile stresses prevailing in the diaphragm of the flexible cylinders are directly proportional to the thickness of the cylinders.

The invention has in particular the technical advantages mentioned below.

The modeling of the behavior of the dam coupled with that of its comfort is relatively simplified compared to systems of the state of the art, and in particular to the use of neoprene supports. Indeed with neoprene supports, the effort exerted by each support (typically several hundred) depends on its crushing (like a spring, F = kx). But its crushing will depend on the movement of the vault at the point of support, as well as that of the comfort (it is the differential movement that counts). A crush difference of a few mm can vary the effort transmitted to the comfort of several tens of percent: hence the high accuracy required in the modeling prior to the wedging of the supports, difficult to achieve. On the other hand with the soft cylinders, their effect on the dam does not depend on these displacements, since the jacks adapt themselves automatically while maintaining the constant effort (in all rigor the pressure, but the variation of width of support of the jacks associated with a variation of thickness is marginal on the range of displacements considered, centimetric).

The monitoring of the flexible cylinders is easy and they can be implemented under water, which makes them applicable to dams with a water level downstream.

The use of flexible cylinders allows for a self-adaptive device. The force transmitted between the dam 2 and the reinforcement 3 is constant and known and this, whatever their deformations and relative displacements, for example due to thermal expansion, creep or swelling. The walls of the flexible jack can move away or closer to follow the movements of the dam 2 and the comfort 3, without affecting the effort transferred to the comfort 3.

Finally, in the case where the flexible cylinders are connected directly to the restraint by a stitching system 5, through the dam 2, the system is autonomous and passive since the pressure in the cylinders 4 follows the changes in the hydrostatic load that s is applied upstream of the dam without it being necessary to regulate it by the use of a PLC, unlike the embodiment by pressurization by pump.

Finally, the solution of the invention also has the following economic and environmental advantages:
The total cost is reduced relative to the cost of the neoprene supports and their calibration and auscultation system.

Because of its self-adaptive nature, the flexible cylinders can be put in place whatever the state of stress of the dam (induced in particular by the level of filling of the tank E, but also by the thermal state of the dam 2) when the reinforcement is put into service 3. Thus, it is not necessary to empty the water reservoir of the dam 2 before it is placed against the reinforcement 3, as is the case in the existing solutions . The invention thus makes it possible to avoid significant operating losses and reduces the environmental impact associated with the emptying necessary with the solutions of the state of the art.

Claims (15)

1. A pondage device (1) comprising a dam (2) and an improvement (3), arranged downstream of said dam, called a "downstream improvement," characterized in that it comprises at least one flexible jack (4) interposed between a downstream facing (22) of said dam (2) and an upstream facing (31) of said improvement (3), in that this flexible jack (4) comprises a chamber (41) inside of which water is stored, this chamber (41) being delimited at least in part by a deformable membrane (40), this chamber (41) being kept under pressure by pressurization means (5, 6, 7).
2. The pondage device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said chamber (41) is delimited, on the one hand, by a portion of the downstream facing (22) of said dam (2) and by a portion of the upstream facing (31) of said downstream improvement (3) and, on the other hand, by said elastically deformable membrane (40) which extends between said downstream facing (22) and upstream facing (31) and which is attached thereto by attachment means (44, 45) which ensure watertightness.
3. The pondage device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said flexible jack (4) comprises a deformable membrane (40) which delimits the totality of said chamber (41), this flexible jack (4) being arranged so that one of the faces (401), called the "upstream" face, is in contact with the downstream facing (22) of said dam (2) and that another of its faces (402), called the "downstream" face, is in contact with the upstream facing (31) of said downstream improvement (3).
4. The pondage device (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that at least one of the two opposite faces (401, 402) of said flexible jack (4) is in contact with a projecting portion (23) of said downstream facing (22) of said dam (2) and/or with a projecting portion (33) of said upstream facing (31) of said downstream improvement (3), such as a support beam.
5. The pondage device (1) according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that said membrane (40) comprises, on the one hand, a central portion comprising its upstream (401) and downstream (402) faces and the zones of the membrane that connect them and, on the other hand, upper (403) and lower (404) ends,
   and in that said central portion is made of a first material and the upper (403) and lower (404) ends are made in a material distinct from the first material.
6. The pondage device (1) according to one of the foregoing claims, characterized in that said membrane (40) is made at least in part of an elastically deformable material, such as an elastomer, an elastically deformable metal or a composite consisting of a textile substrate covered with an elastomer and/or covered with a plastic.
7. The pondage device (1) according to one of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the pressurization means of the chamber (41) of said flexible jack (4) comprise at least one line (5) which passes through said dam (2) and which leads at its so-called "upstream" end (51) on the upstream facing (21) of the dam and which, at its other so-called "downstream" end (52), is in fluid communication with the interior of the chamber (41) of the flexible jack (4), so as to provide for the pressurization thereof, so that the hydrostatic pressure at a point located at a given altitude inside said flexible jack (4) is identical to the hydrostatic pressure exerted on the upstream facing (21) of said dam (2) at a given point at the same altitude.
8. The pondage device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the pressurization means of the chamber (41) of said flexible jack (4) comprise an additional water reservoir (6) in fluid communication with said flexible jack (4).
9. The pondage device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the pressurization means of the chamber (41) of said flexible jack (4) comprise a pump (7) for pressurizing the water contained in said flexible jack.
10. The pondage device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the pressurization means of the chamber (41) of said flexible jack (4) comprise at least two means selected from:

    - a line (5) which passes through said dam (2) and which leads at its so-called "upstream" end (51) on the upstream facing (21) of the dam and which, at its other so-called "downstream" end (52), is in fluid communication with the interior of the chamber (41) of said flexible jack (4),

    - an additional water reservoir (6), in fluid communication with said flexible jack (4),

    - a pump for pressurizing the water contained in said flexible jack,

    and in that said pondage device comprises a multi-port valve (8), the different inputs whereof are connected to said respective pressurization means and the output whereof is connected to the interior of the chamber (41) of said flexible jack (4) so as to selectively pressurize said flexible jack (4) with one or another of said pressurization means.
11. The pondage device (1) according to claim 10, characterized in that it includes a control device (9) slaved to a sensor (90) for measuring the pressure upstream of the dam (2), this control device (9) regulating the operation of the pressurization means (5, 6, 7) of the chamber (41) of the flexible jack (4) and of the multi-port valve (8).
12. The pondage device (1) according to one of the foregoing claims, characterized in that said flexible jack (4) is equipped with an air purging device (42).
13. The pondage device (1) according to one of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the flexible jack (4) is equipped with a device (43) for draining the water that it contains.
14. The pondage device (1) according to one of the foregoing claims, characterized in that it comprises at least one flexible jack (4) positioned vertically, preferably over the entire height of the downstream improvement (3) and/or at least one flexible jack (4) positioned horizontally, preferably over the entire width of the downstream improvement (3).
15. The pondage device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that it comprises several flexible jacks (4) positioned spaced away from each other, along several horizontal rows and/or several vertical rows.

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