EP4056778B1

EP4056778B1 - Connection arrangement

Info

Publication number: EP4056778B1
Application number: EP22158157.2A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Esko Mäkinen
Original assignee: Anstar Oy
Current assignee: Anstar Oy
Priority date: 2021-03-11
Filing date: 2022-02-23
Publication date: 2024-04-03
Anticipated expiration: 2042-02-23
Also published as: FI130114B; FI20215264A1; EP4056778A1

Description

This invention relates to a connection arrangement for connecting a vertical element, such as a column or a wall element, and a horizontal element, such as a beam, to each other according to claim 1. The invention also relates to a connection comprising a vertical element, such as a column or a wall element, and a beam.
The beam-column connections of concrete-structured frames have been made already for decades by a special hidden bracket technique. By means of the hidden bracket, the connection can be hidden inside the beam and the column, and thus will not hinder the use of the building. Hidden brackets have established themselves as part of the concrete structure element system. The hidden brackets were initially developed for concrete elements only, but their use has also spread to the connections of composite column-composite beam frames, and also to the so-called mixed frame connections in which the material of the beam and the column varies according to building. The significant product development of brackets took place in the 1990s and in the beginning of 2000s, after which they have not much been improved, although frame construction has advanced.
The first hidden bracket achieving a wide market position was based on patent FI83358 which has been utilized in hidden bracket applications of concrete structures. Another hidden bracket which has achieved commercial success was described in patent EP1334244 . A bracket described in patent FI89193 is based on a completely different configuration in which a tongue part of the bracket is inserted from the beam into the column in the installation situation. This bracket did not solve the problems caused by torsional moment of the beam either, and torsional moment was not allowed for the practical application of the bracket. A bracket described in patent FI72369 only transfers the vertical load of the beam, not the torsional moment. There are also other patents relating to hidden brackets, but they have had little success in commercial applications.
As a structure, the hidden bracket is very challenging, because it must transfer very high loads from the beam to the column in a very small space. The bracket connection transfers a vertical load of the beam to the column. This load acts in the different construction stages at different magnitudes. The load acts in general in the downward direction but in the installation situation it may momentarily be also directed upwards. The bracket connection is also subject to a horizontal load in the longitudinal direction of the beam, which horizontal load may act in opposite directions. Additionally, a torsional moment tending to rotate the beam acts on the bracket connection. The bending moment of the end of the beam is not in general transferred by hidden brackets, as it constitutes a very challenging structure for which a well-functioning application has not yet been developed.
In the hidden bracket structure there are in general three parts by means of which the connection between the beam and the column is formed. The concrete column in general comprises a column part cast to the column, which column part transfers and fixes the forces from the beam to the column. A beam part is cast to the beam, which beam part transfers the loads of the beam to a tongue part of the column part. The tongue part forms the most challenging structure of the connection, because it is subject to the highest loads and it is required to have many functional properties especially in the installation stage of the connection.
There are different load situations acting on the connection during construction and use, such as installation, use, accident and fire situations. The requirements posed by different situations differ from each other and the requirements must be met in all situations. Especially the beam installation situation is very challenging for the structure of the hidden bracket, because in the installation situation, all concrete pouring for the structures has not yet been performed and functioning of the connection therefore differs significantly from the other design situations.
After the beginning of 2000s, the frame systems of buildings have developed considerably and the trend is more and more towards the use of so-called mixed frames. This sets new requirements for the bracket structure, as the bracket must be suitable for frame structures in the connections of which the material of the beam and the column may change even within the building and even at different ends of the same beam. The hidden bracket system must therefore adapt to the requirements of the building frame. Therefore, it has become a general requirement that the beam part of the bracket connection must fit a concrete, composite and steel column without the structure of the beam part being changed. This requirement is not met by the current commercial bracket systems, as they are frame material specific. In the known configurations, the connections must be designed according to the material of the beam or the column and the material of the frame structure cannot be changed without changing the connection structure of the beam or the column. In one embodiment of this invention, a connection arrangement is presented, by means of which connection arrangement either a concrete beam or a composite beam can be connected to a concrete column using the same connection arrangement.
Below, the functional properties required of the bracket structure due to the loads coming from the beam will be examined. The vertical load of the beam is transferred from an end plate of the beam part to the tongue part of the column part, which tongue part is a metallic projection arranged to the surface of the column, generally a rectangular-shaped plate, over which the end plate of the beam part is supported. This structure functions in general quite well and transfers the vertical loads reliably to the column. In the known bracket applications the beam part is always installed by lowering from above onto the tongue part. The beam part is generally not fastened in any way to the tongue part, but the weight of the beam and the projection parts of the tongue part hold the beam part in its place. In new frame structures the continuity of the beams forms a situation where, in the installation situation, the end of the beam is also subject to lifting forces. The lifting force has been removed by installation support. In one embodiment of this invention, locking of the bracket by wedging also for the force lifting the end of the beam is introduced.
The transfer of torsional moment of the beam to the column is the most challenging property of the hidden bracket connection. In the installation situation of the bracket connection there must be an installation clearance between the beam part and the tongue part. The installation clearance is required because the abutment surfaces of the beam part must fit the tongue part as the beam part is installed from above onto the support surfaces of the tongue part. The beams, the columns and the bracket parts generally have small manufacturing variations, whereby the parts are not fully in the designed dimensions. Therefore, between the abutment surfaces of the connection, there must be an installation clearance which compensates for these variations and allows the connection to be installed.
However, the torsional moment of the beam is transferred by these very same connection parts, requiring that the connection parts are in contact with each other. If there is some clearance in the connection, it may still transfer the torsional moment, but the clearance causes at the same time rotation in the beam, which is often not allowable or desirable. The requirements are thus mutually exclusive, because transfer of the torsional moment requires contact between the connection parts, while installation of the connection requires a clearance between the same parts. In one embodiment of this invention, a solution is presented, by which solution the clearance for the abutment parts of the connection and the transfer of the torsional moment are solved in such a way that there is a sufficient installation clearance in the connection in the installation situation, but at the end of installation the connection parts come into contact against each other as needed for transferring the torsional moment, such that no more than a small clearance is provided between them. Thereby no harmful rotation is caused in the connection in the end situation, and it is also locked for the torsional moment.
The transfer of all of these three forces has not been solved in the known brackets in the same connection. If torsional moment is not allowed for the bracket connection during installation of the beam, or the bracket connection rotates too much due to the torsional moment because of the clearance of the connection, the beams must be installed by using temporary installation support. The installation support is an expensive operation which slows down the construction and thus causes additional costs. Constructors want to remove this additional cost. In one embodiment of this invention, a bracket structure is formed, by which bracket structure the beam-column connection may be made with a hidden bracket which does not need installation support removing the torsional moment and at the same time it transfers the torsional moment without harmful rotation of the beam.
Below, the ways in which the transfer of torsion in the connection has been solved in the known brackets will be examined. Patent FI83358 discloses a rectangular-shaped tongue part, wherein between the tongue part and a slot of the end plate of the beam part there are vertical abutment surfaces, according to the patent transferring the torsional moment. This is true, but only theoretically, if the abutment surfaces of the beam part and the support surfaces of the tongue part are in tight contact with each other. However, the installation tolerance problem has not been solved in the patent, i.e. how the abutment surfaces of the slot of the beam part and the tongue part can be installed tightly against each other, when there is manufacturing variation in the structures.
In a commercial bracket application of patent F183358, there was a clearance between the vertical, torsion-transferring abutment surfaces of the tongue part and the end plate of the beam part. The harmful rotation effect caused by the clearance in the beam was removed by installation support and wedging of the connection. The wedging method between the vertical abutment surfaces of the tongue and beam part did not work reliably, however, because vertical surfaces cannot be wedged with a tapering wedge tightly and non-rotationally in a reliable way. The torsion-transfer capability described in the patent could thus not be solved in the practical application without supporting the beam for torsion in the installation situation. In the final use situation, the vertical abutment surfaces of the connection were able to receive the torsional moment, because rotation of the beam was not critical anymore after casting the concrete. Because of the shortcomings of the patent, the torsional moment could not be transferred reliably in the most critical installation situation without installation support of the beam. The practical application of patent FI83358 did therefore not reliably solve the problem of torsion/rotation of the bracket.
Patent EP 1334244 discloses a rectangular-shaped tongue part (like patent FI83358 ), but this bracket has not been designed for transferring torsional moment. The commercial applications of the patent and its bracket do not allow torsional moment for the bracket, and no abutment surfaces receiving the torsional moment have been formed in it due to large clearances of the connection surfaces of the bracket. The commercial application of the patent uses installation support that removes the torsional moment.
EP 1405957 A1 discloses a connection arrangement for connecting a column and a beam to each other comprising all the features of the preamble of claim 1. The arrangement comprises a beam part fastenable to an end of the beam and comprising an end plate having a downwardly open slot, at the bottom of which there is an abutment surface. The column part of the arrangement comprises a tongue part having a support surface, against which the abutment surface of the slot is arranged to be supported in order to receive a vertical load.
The object of this invention is to provide an improved connection arrangement for connecting a vertical element, such as a column or a wall element, and a horizontal element, such as a beam, to each other.
The object according to the invention is achieved by the connection arrangement according to claim 1, the connection arrangement comprising a beam part fastenable to an end of the beam, which beam part comprises an end plate in which there is a downwardly open slot, at the bottom of which there is an abutment surface, and a column part fastenable to the vertical element, which column part comprises a tongue part having a support surface against which the abutment surface of the slot is arranged to be supported in order to receive a vertical load. On opposite sides of the tongue part there are upper support surfaces, and in an upper part of the slot, on opposite sides, there are upper abutment surfaces, one of which is arranged to be supported against the upper support surface of the tongue part when the beam part has been installed onto the column part and a torsional moment acts on the beam part. On opposite sides of the tongue part there are lower support surfaces, and a housing is fastened to a back surface of the end plate on either side of the slot, inside which housing the lower support surfaces of the tongue part are arranged when the beam part has been installed onto the column part. An inner side surface of the housing is arranged to be supported to the lower support surface of the tongue part when a torsional moment acts on the beam part. On the side of the tongue part there is an inclined side support surface which is inside the housing when the beam part has been installed onto the column part. Additionally, the connection arrangement comprises a wedge which is arranged against the inclined side support surface and the inner surface of the housing in order to support the tongue part to the inner side surface of the housing.
The tongue part comprises a body plate and an end support plate which is fastened from its front surface to an end of the body plate and which extends higher than the support surface. The side surfaces of the end support plate form the lower support surfaces. The tongue part further comprises a wedging plate, a front surface of which is fastened to a back surface of the end support plate and on opposite sides of which there are inclined side support surfaces, and a protective plate, a front surface of which is fastened to a back surface of the wedging plate and which is wider than the wedging plate. The end support plate, wedging plate and protective plate are inside the housing.
The invention provides significant advantages. In the connection arrangement according to the invention, there are normal installation clearances required during installation. At the end of installation the connection arrangement can be locked by the connection surfaces transferring the torsional moment without harmful rotation occurring in the beam.
The installation tolerances and clearance of the connection in the installation situation, i.e. in a situation where the connection arrangement has not been locked immovable, are achieved such that the shape of the tongue part of the column part and the shape of the slot of the beam part form the clearance of the connection which is required at the beginning of installation as the beam part is installed from above onto the column part. The width of the lower part of the slot of the beam part is greater than the width of the upper part of the tongue part, whereby the tongue part has space in the horizontal direction inside the slot at the beginning of installation. When the beam part has been lowered onto the tongue part, the clearances of the connection are removed due to the shape of the tongue part and the shape of the slot of the beam part, and at the end of installation the support surfaces of the tongue part and the abutment surfaces of the slot come against each other or to a distance of the installation clearance from each other, thus allowing the transfer of torsional moment and preventing rotation of the beam part about the longitudinal axis of the beam.
The tongue part comprises a support surface onto which the beam part is supported. The support surface receives the vertical load of the beam. In the end plate of the beam part there is a slot, the width of which increases in the downward direction. This design forms a spacious structure in the beginning of installation when the beam part is lowered in the downward direction onto the tongue part. The torsional moment transferring support surfaces of the tongue part and the torsional abutment surfaces of the slot of the beam part are not supported to each other until the beam part has been lowered onto the tongue part. This way, additional installation play does not need to be formed in the connection, but the installation play is provided by the downwardly widening structural shape of the slot of the beam part.
The transfer of torsional moment requires that the connection has two vertical abutment surfaces located in the horizontal direction on opposite sides of the connection. In addition, the surfaces must be located at a different height in the vertical direction. It is always more advantageous for the transfer of torsional moment the more there is height difference between the abutment surfaces in the vertical direction. In the upper part of the tongue part there is a vertical upper support surface for transferring the torsional moment. Likewise in the lower part of the tongue part there is a vertical lower support surface for transferring the torsional moment. For structural symmetry, there are two of such surfaces located symmetrically in the upper part and in the lower part on both sides of the tongue part, of which surfaces only those located on opposite sides of the tongue part transfer the torsional moment at the same time. In one embodiment of the invention, the horizontal distance between the upper abutment surfaces of the upper part of the slot is smaller than the horizontal distance between the lower abutment surfaces of the lower part of the slot. With this design a necessary installation clearance is obtained for the connection.
In one embodiment of the invention, all connection parts of the beam part are connected together by means of the same housing structure. The housing of the beam part may be manufactured from a steel plate bent into a U-shape, which steel plate has been manufactured for example by rolling, whereby the manufacturing tolerances are very small. A U-shaped housing is also from the manufacturing point of view the most economical solution, the like of which there is none in the prior art.
The invention will now be described in more detail by way of examples with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

Fig. 1 illustrates a connection arrangement according to one embodiment of the invention as a side view cut from a plane of a side surface of a tongue part,
Fig. 2 illustrates a beam part of the connection arrangement of Fig. 1 as seen from the direction of the beam and cut at the housing,
Fig. 3 illustrates a tongue part of the connection arrangement of Fig. 1 as a side view,
Fig. 4 illustrates the tongue part of Fig. 3 as seen from a right-side end of the tongue part,
Fig. 5 illustrates a beam part and a tongue part of the connection arrangement of Fig. 1 as seen from the direction of the beam and cut at a protective plate of the tongue part,
Fig. 6 illustrates structures of a hidden bracket of Fig. 1 after assembly as seen from above and cut at an upper surface of the tongue part, and
Fig. 7 illustrates a tongue part and a wedge according to one embodiment of the invention as seen from the direction of the beam, which tongue part and wedge may be used in the connection arrangement according to Fig. 1-6.

Fig. 1-6 illustrate a connection arrangement according to one embodiment of the invention for connecting a vertical element, such as a column 2 or a wall element, and a beam 3 to each other. The connection arrangement is a so-called hidden bracket in which the connection is disposed inside the beam 3 and the vertical element. The beam 3 may be a concrete beam or a composite beam. The composite beam comprises an enclosure-like space defined by steel plates, which space is filled with concrete. The vertical element is concrete, for example a concrete column.
The connection arrangement comprises a column part to be fastened to the vertical element, such as to a concrete column 30, and a beam part to be fastened to an end of the beam, such as a concrete beam 31. The column part comprises a tongue part 40 which is removable from the column part. The column part without the tongue part 40 and the beam part are installed in a casting mould before concrete casting. After the concrete has hardened, the tongue part 40 is installed to the column part, over which tongue part the beam part will be lowered.
The column part comprises a column housing 33 which comprises a front wall 37 in which there is a vertical slot. The vertical slot is downwardly closed. Additionally, the column housing 33 comprises two side walls arranged to a distance from each other, which side walls are fastened to the front wall 37, and a base 39 connecting the side walls. The vertical slot is between the side walls. The column housing 33 also comprises a back wall connecting the side walls and a roof part 70. The column housing 33 is manufactured from a steel plate. Additionally, the column part comprises ties 32, 35, 36 for fastening the column part to the concrete column 30 or to another vertical element. The ties also transfer a load from the tongue part 40 to the vertical element. The ties are manufactured from rebar and/or from a steel plate. The front wall 37 is on the surface of the vertical element and the rest of the column housing is inside the vertical element when the column part has been installed to the vertical element.
The beam part comprises an end plate 41 in which there is a downwardly open slot 48. At the bottom or end of the slot 48 there is an abutment surface 58. The tongue part 40 of the column part comprises a support surface 62 against which the abutment surface 58 of the slot is supported in order to receive a vertical load when the beam part has been lowered onto the column part. Additionally, the opposite sides of the slot 48 form upper abutment surfaces 54. The upper abutment surfaces 54 are in an upper part of the slot 48. The opposite upper abutment surfaces 54 may be parallel, for example vertical. In a lower part of the slot 48 the opposite sides of the slot form lower abutment surfaces 55. The lower abutment surfaces 55 are inclined in such a way that the distance between the lower abutment surfaces 55 and thus the width of the slot 48 increases in the downward direction. The opposite upper abutment surfaces 54 are symmetrical with respect to the vertical central axis of the slot 48. The opposite lower abutment surfaces 55 are symmetrical with respect to the vertical central axis of the slot 48. The width of the slot 48 is greater at a lower point of the lower abutment surfaces 55 than at the upper abutment surfaces 54. The width of the slot 48 is 10-50 mm greater, typically 20-40 mm greater at a lower point of the lower abutment surfaces 55 than at the upper abutment surfaces 54.
The beam part comprises a housing 50 fastened to a back surface of the end plate 41, i.e. to the surface of the end plate 41 to be arranged towards an end of the beam. The housing 50 is fastened on both sides of the slot 48. The housing 50 comprises two side walls and a back wall, which are formed for example from a steel profile bent to a U-shape. The open side of the housing 50 faces the back surface of the end plate 41. The ends of the side walls of the housing 50 are fastened to the end plate 41 on opposite sides of the slot 48. Thus, the slot 48 is located between the ends of the side walls of the housing 50. The housing 50 is downwardly open. The housing 50 protects the parts of the connection inside the housing from concrete during casting.
The housing 50 comprises an upper plate 43 fastened to the back surface of the end plate 41 over the housing 50. The upper plate 43 has an opening 51 for a wedge 64 by which the housing 50 and the tongue part 40 are wedged or supported against each other into a non-rotational and torsional moment receiving structure. The beam part may comprise ties 44, 46, for example rebars, for fastening the beam part to the concrete of the beam 31. The ties 44, 46 are fastened to the housing 50. The beam part transfers the load from the beam 31 via the end plate 41 to the tongue part 40 of the column part.
Fig. 3 and 4 illustrate the tongue part 40 of the column part, which tongue part comprises a support surface 62 against which the abutment surface 58 of the slot 48 is arranged to be supported when the beam part has been lowered onto the column part. Additionally, on opposite sides of the tongue part 40 there are upper support surfaces 66, against one of which one of the upper abutment surfaces 54 of the slot 48 is supported when the beam part has been lowered onto the column part and a torsional moment tending to cause rotation about the longitudinal axis of the beam 31 acts on the beam part. The upper support surfaces 66 may be vertical. A torsional moment tending to cause rotation about the longitudinal axis of the beam 31 may act on the beam part in a situation, for example installation situation, where the tongue part 40 is not supported by the wedge 64 to an inner side surface 68 of the housing 50. The longitudinal axis of the beam 31 is parallel to the normal of the back surface of the end plate 41. If the torsional moment acts in the opposite direction, the opposite upper abutment surface 54 of the slot 48 is supported against the upper support surface 66 located on an opposite side of the tongue part 40.
On opposite sides of the tongue part 40 there are lower support surfaces 67, which are arranged inside the housing 50 when the beam part has been lowered onto the column part. The lower support surfaces 67 may be vertical. The inner side surface 68 of the housing 50 is supported against one of the lower support surfaces 67 when the beam part has been lowered onto the column part and a torsional moment tending to cause rotation about the longitudinal axis of the beam 31 acts on the beam part, for example in the installation situation or in another situation where the tongue part 40 is not supported by the wedge 64 to the inner side surface 68 of the housing 50. The lower support surfaces 67 are located in the vertical direction at a distance from the upper support surfaces 66, i.e. the lower support surfaces 67 are at a different height than the upper support surfaces 66. If the torsional moment acts in the opposite direction, the inner side surface 68 on an opposite side of the housing 50 is supported against the lower support surface 67 on the opposite side of the tongue part 40. The inner side surface 68 of the housing which is supported onto the lower support surface 67 may be vertical.
The tongue part 40 comprises a body plate 69 which may be made of a steel plate cut to shape. The tongue part 40 comprises a support plate 56 fastened to the body plate 69. An upper surface of the support plate 56 forms the support surface 62. The support plate 56 may be rectangular-shaped and/or thicker than the body plate 69. The opposite sides of the support plate 56 form the upper support surfaces 66.
Additionally, the tongue part 40 may comprise an end support plate 57 which is fastened from its front surface to an end of the body plate 69 and/or the support plate 56. The width of the end support plate 57 is greater than the thickness of the body plate 69 and the support plate 56. The end support plate 57 extends higher than the support surface 62. Thus, the end support plate 57 prevents the end plate 41 of the beam part from falling from the tongue part 40 when the beam part moves in the longitudinal direction of the beam. The end support plate 57 may be rectangular or slightly shaped from its upper part. In a lower part of the tongue part 57, on opposite sides, there are lower support surfaces 67, against one of which the inner side surface 68 of the housing 50 is supported when the beam part has been installed in its place onto the column part and a torsional moment tending to cause rotation about the longitudinal axis of the beam 31 acts on the beam part. The side surfaces of the end support plate 57 form the lower support surfaces 67. The lower support surfaces 67 may be vertical or inclined in such a way that the lower support surfaces 67 are symmetrical with respect to the vertical central axis of the end support plate 57. The upper support surfaces 66 of the tongue part 40 are located higher than the lower support surfaces 67 of the end plate 57.
The width of the slot 48 of the end plate 41 at a lower point of the lower abutment surfaces 55 is greater, for example 10-50 mm greater, typically 20-40 mm greater, than the width of the tongue part 40 at the upper support surfaces 66. Thus, the slot 48 is more easily lowerable over the tongue part 40 in the beginning of installation.
The tongue part 40 may comprise a wedging plate 59. A front surface of the wedging plate 59 is fastened to a back surface of the end support plate 57. On opposite sides of the wedging plate 59 there are inclined side support surfaces 61. The inclined side support surfaces 61 may extend along the full length of the sides of the wedging plate 59. The wedging plate 59 narrows in the upward direction. The wedging plate 59 is narrower than the end support plate 57. Additionally, the tongue part 40 may comprise a protective plate 65, a front surface of which is fastened to a back surface of the wedging plate 59, for example to an upper and a lower part of the wedging plate 59. The protective plate 65 may be rectangular-shaped. The protective plate 65 is wider than the wedging plate 59. The protective plate 65 is narrower than the end support plate 57. The protective plate 65 forms a guiding space for the wedge 64.
The tongue part 40, for example the body plate 69, comprises a shoulder 64 for holding the tongue part 40 in its place in the column housing of the column part. A horizontal plate is fastened to the roof part 70 of the column housing, to which horizontal plate the shoulder 71 is supported and prevents the tongue part 40 from rising up from the column part when lifting forces act on the beam part. The tongue part 40 is removable from the column housing when the beam part has been removed from the column part.
Fig. 2 illustrates the beam part as seen from the end of the beam 31 and cut at the housing 50. The opposite sides of an upper part of the slot 48 of the end plate 41 form the upper abutment surfaces 54. The opposite upper abutment surfaces 54 may be parallel, for example vertical. The shape of the upper abutment surfaces 54 corresponds to the shape of the upper support surfaces 66 of the tongue part 40. When the beam part has been installed onto the column part there is, between both upper abutment surfaces 54 and upper support surfaces 66, an installation clearance typically between 2-4 mm. Thus, a combined installation clearance between both upper support surfaces 66 and upper abutment surfaces 54 is typically 4-8 mm. Additionally, between both lower support surfaces 67 of the tongue part and the inner side surface 68 of the housing there is an installation clearance typically between 2-4 mm. Thus, a combined installation clearance between both lower support surfaces 67 and inner side surfaces 68 is typically 4-8 mm.
In a lower part of the slot 48 the opposite sides of the slot form the lower abutment surfaces 55. The lower abutment surfaces 55 are inclined in such a way that the distance between the lower abutment surfaces 55 and thus the width of the slot 48 increases in the downward direction. The opposite upper abutment surfaces 54 are symmetrical with respect to the vertical central axis of the slot 48. The opposite lower abutment surfaces 55 are symmetrical with respect to the vertical central axis of the slot 48.
In Figs. 1, 5 and 6 the beam part has been installed onto the column part. Thus, the upper abutment surface 58 of the slot 48 is disposed against the support surface 62 of the tongue part 56. The end support plate 57, the wedging plate 59 and the protective plate 65 of the tongue part 40 are inside the housing 50. Between both inclined support surfaces 61 of the wedging plate 59 and the inner side surface 68 of the housing there is a wedging hole which narrows in the downward direction. The connection arrangement comprises a wedge 64 for supporting the tongue part 40 to the inner side surface 68 of the housing 50. The wedge 64 is arranged in the wedging hole against the inclined side support surface 61 and the inner side surface 68 of the housing 50. The lower support surface 67 located on an opposite side of the tongue part 40 relative to the wedge 64 is arranged against the inner side surface 68 of the housing 50. Thus, the tongue part 57 is supported by the wedge 64 to the inner side surfaces 68 of the housing 50. In one embodiment of the invention the connection arrangement comprises only one wedge 64 which is arranged on only one side of the tongue part 40. Thus, the wedge 64 is arranged against one inclined side support surface 61 of the wedging plate 59 and the inner side surface 68 of the housing 50.
The connection arrangement may comprise another wedge 64 arranged in a wedging hole against the other inclined side support surface 61 and the inner side surface 68 of the housing in order to change the rotation of the beam part and/or to support the tongue part 40 to the inner side surfaces 68 of the housing 50. Thus, on both sides of the tongue part 40 there is a wedge 64 by which the tongue part 40 is supported to the opposite inner side surfaces 68 of the housing.
When a torsional moment tending to cause rotation about the longitudinal axis of the beam acts on the beam part for example in the installation situation, the upper abutment surface 54 of the slot 48 is supported against the upper support surface 66 of the tongue part 40. In addition, the inner side surface 68 of the housing 50 is supported against the lower support surface 67 of the tongue part 40. The lower support surface 67 against which the inner side surface 68 of the housing 50 is supported, and the upper support surface 66 against which the upper abutment surface 54 of the end plate 41 is supported, are on opposite sides of the tongue part 40. If the torsional moment tending to rotate the beam part acts in the opposite direction, the inner side surface 68 is supported against the other lower support surface 67 and the other upper abutment surface 54 is supported against the other upper support surface 66. The other lower support surface 67 and the other upper support surface 66 are thus on opposite sides of the tongue part 40. The installation situation means a situation in which the tongue part 40 is not supported by means of the wedge 64 to the inner side surface 68 of the housing. The longitudinal axis of the beam 31 is parallel to the normal of the back surface of the end plate 41.
The concrete material of the beam 30 forms a problem relative to the torsional strength of the connection arrangement, because all lower horizontal forces on the abutment surfaces of the slot 48 caused by the torsional moment cannot be transferred by the end plate 41 of the beam part, as the concrete of the beam 30 cannot receive very high forces at this point. Therefore, the structural parts transferring the torsional moment in a lower part of the connection have been moved in the beam part to the inside of the concrete beam 31. The transfer of torsional moment from the beam part to the column part is divided into two parts: torsional moment of the installation situation and torsional moment of the final use situation. In the final situation, i.e. when the connection arrangement is supported by the wedge 64, the connection must also be non-rotational for torsional forces.
In the embodiment according to Figs. 1-6 the parts of the connection transferring the torsional moment are situated in two locations. The upper abutment surface 54 of the slot 48 is supported to the upper support surface 66 of the tongue part 40 in order to receive the upper horizontal force of torsional moment of the beam part. This works in all situations for the upper horizontal forces of torsional moment. In the installation situation, the inner side surface 68 of the housing 50 is supported to the lower abutment surface 67 of the end plate 57. Thus the beam part is first able to rotate as allowed by the installation clearance between the inner side surface 68 and the lower abutment surface 67, after which the inner side surface 68 is supported to the lower abutment surface 67. The lower abutment surface 67 also receives the lower horizontal force of the torsion. In the final situation a wedge 64 is installed against the inclined side surface 61 of the wedging plate 59 of the tongue part, which wedge is also supported to the inner side surface 68 of the housing 50. The wedge 64 locks the connection arrangement into a non-rotational and/or torsional moment receiving structure.
Fig. 7 illustrates a tongue part 40 and a wedge 64 according to one embodiment of the invention, which tongue part and wedge may be used in the connection arrangement according to Figs. 1-6. The structure of the tongue part 40 of Fig. 7 differs from the tongue part of the embodiment of Figs. 1-6 in that on the side of the tongue part 40 there is an inclined side support surface 61 above which there is an upper surface 63 which may be vertical. The side support surface 61 diverges from a lower part of the upper surface 63. The wedge 64 comprises a first side 72 which is arranged against the inner side surface 68 of the housing 50. In addition, the wedge 64 comprises a second side 73 which has a first surface 73.1 which is arranged towards the upper surface 63. Between the first surface 73.1. and the upper surface 63 there is a clearance or a gap. Thus, the first surface 73.1. and the upper surface 63 are not supported to each other. The clearance between the first surface 73.1 and the upper surface 63 is greater than the installation clearance between the upper abutment surface 54 of the slot 48 and the upper support surface 66 of the tongue part 40. The first surface 73.1. and the upper surface 63 may be parallel, for example vertical. Additionally, the second side 73 comprises a second surface 73.2 which is inclined and arranged against the inclined side support surface 61. Only the second side 73.2 of the wedge 64 is supported against the tongue part 40. The second surface 73.2 inclines towards the first side 72 in such a way that the width of the wedge 64 decreases in the downward direction. The first side 72 and the second side 73 are located on opposite sides of the wedge 64.
On both sides of the tongue part 40 there may be an inclined side support surface 61, and on both sides of the tongue part 40 above the inclined side support surface 61 there may be a vertical upper surface 63. The horizontal distance between the side support surfaces 61 increases in the downward direction. Because the upper support surface 66 of the tongue part 40 is higher than the inclined side support surface 61, the beam part is able to rotate during installation of the wedge 64 and wedging can thus be completed quickly and easily.
In the embodiment of Fig. 7 the tongue part 40 may comprise a wedging plate 59, in a lower part of which, on opposite sides, there are inclined side support surfaces 61. The horizontal distance between the side support surfaces 61 increases in the downward direction. In an upper part of the wedging plate 59, on opposite sides, there are upper surfaces 63 which may be vertical. The upper surfaces 63 are located above the side support surfaces 61. The side support surfaces 61 diverge from lower parts of the upper surfaces 63. In other parts the structure of the tongue part 40 of Fig. 7 may correspond to the tongue part 40 of the embodiment according to Figs. 1-6.
In the embodiment of Fig. 7, the first side 72 of the wedge 64 is arranged against the inner side surface 68 of the housing 50. The first surface 73.1. of the second side 73 of the wedge 64 is arranged towards the upper surface 63 of the wedging plate 59. Between the first surface 73.1. and the upper surface 63 there is a clearance. Further, the second surface 73.2 of the second side 73 is arranged against the inclined side support surface 61 of the wedging plate 59. The connection arrangement according to the embodiment may comprise only one wedge 64 which is arranged on one side of the tongue part 40, or two wedges 64 which are arranged on opposite sides of the tongue part 40. The end support plate 57, the wedging plate 59 and the protective plate 65 of the tongue part 40 are arranged inside the housing 50. By means of the wedging plate 59 and the wedge 64 according to Fig. 7 the tongue part 40 may be wedged quickly and tightly to the inner side surfaces 68 of the housing 50.
It is obvious to a person skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to these solutions only. The invention and its embodiments may thus vary within the scope of the claims.

Claims

A connection arrangement for connecting a vertical element, such as a column (30) or a wall element, and a beam (31) to each other, the connection arrangement comprising:
- a beam part fastenable to an end of the beam (31), which beam part comprises an end plate (41) in which there is a downwardly open slot (48), at the bottom of which there is an abutment surface (58), and

- a column part fastenable to the vertical element, which column part comprises a tongue part (40) having a support surface (62) against which the abutment surface (58) of the slot (48) is arranged to be supported in order to receive a vertical load,

- on opposite sides of the tongue part (40) there are upper support surfaces (66), and in an upper part of the slot (48), on opposite sides, there are upper abutment surfaces (54), one of which is arranged to be supported against one of the upper support surfaces (66) of the tongue part (40) when the beam part has been installed onto the column part and a torsional moment tending to cause rotation about the longitudinal axis of the beam acts on the beam part,

- on opposite sides of the tongue part (40) there are lower support surfaces (67), and a housing (50) is fastened to a back surface of the end plate (41) on either side of the slot (48), inside which housing the lower support surfaces (67) of the tongue part are arranged when the beam part has been installed onto the column part,

- an inner side surface (68) of the housing (50) is arranged to be supported to the lower support surface (67) of the tongue part (40) when a torsional moment tending to cause rotation about the longitudinal axis of the beam acts on the beam part, characterized in that

- on the side of the tongue part (40) there is an inclined side support surface (61), which is inside the housing (50) when the beam part has been installed onto the column part,

- the connection arrangement comprises a wedge (64) which is arrangeable against the inclined side support surface (61) and the inner surface (68) of the housing (50) in order to support the tongue part (40) to the inner side surface (68) of the housing (50), and

- the tongue part (40) comprises a body plate (69) and an end support plate (57) which is fastened from its front surface to an end of the body plate (69) and which extends higher than the support surface (62), the side surfaces of which end support plate (57) form the lower support surfaces (67), a wedging plate (59), a front surface of which is fastened to a back surface of the end support plate (57) and on opposite sides of which there are said inclined side support surfaces (61), and a protective plate (65), a front surface of which is fastened to a back surface of the wedging plate (59) and which is wider than the wedging plate (59), and which end support plate (57), wedging plate (59) and protective plate (65) are inside the housing (50).
The connection arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that in a lower part of the slot (48) there are, on opposite sides, lower abutment surfaces (55), the horizontal distance between which lower abutment surfaces (55) is greater than the horizontal distance between the upper abutment surfaces (54).
The connection arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the upper support surface (66) and the lower support surface (67) against which the upper abutment surface (54) and the inner side surface (68) of the housing are arranged to be supported when a torsional moment acts on the beam part are located on opposite sides of the tongue part (40).
The connection arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that on the other side of the tongue part (40) there is another inclined side support surface (61), and the connection arrangement comprises another wedge (64) which is arrangeable against the other inclined side support surface (61) and the inner side surface (68) of the housing in order to change the rotation of the beam part and/or to support the tongue part (40) to the opposite inner side surfaces (68) of the housing (50).
The connection arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the horizontal distance between the inclined side support surfaces (61) of the tongue part (40) increases in the downward direction.
The connection arrangement according to any one of preceding claims, characterized in that the column part comprises a column housing (33) comprising a front wall (37) in which there is a vertical slot through which the tongue part (40) is arranged into the column housing.
The connection arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that between the upper abutment surfaces (54) of the slot and the upper support surfaces (66) of the tongue part there is an installation clearance and/or between the lower support surfaces (67) of the tongue part and the inner side surfaces (68) of the housing there is an installation clearance.
The connection arrangement according to claim 7, characterized in that the installation clearance between the upper support surface (66) and the upper abutment surface (54) and/or between the lower support surface (67) and the inner side surface (68) is 2-4 mm.
The connection arrangement according to claim 2, characterized in that the width of the slot (48) at a lower point of the lower abutment surfaces (55) is greater, typically 10-50 mm greater, than the width of the tongue part (40) at the support surface (62) and/or at the upper support surfaces (66).
The connection arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that on the side of the tongue part (40) above the inclined side support surface (61) there is an upper surface (63), and the wedge (64) comprises a first side (72) which is arranged against the inner side surface (68) of the housing (50), and a second side (73) having a first surface (73.1) which is arranged towards the upper surface (63), and a second surface (73.2) which is inclined and arranged against the inclined side support surface (61).
The connection arrangement according to claim 10, characterized in that on both sides of the tongue part (40) there is an inclined side support surface (61), and on both sides of the tongue part (40) above the inclined side support surface (61) there is a vertical upper surface (63).
The connection arrangement according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that between the first surface (73.1) and the upper surface (63) there is a clearance or a gap.
A connection comprising a vertical element (2), such as a column or a wall element, and a beam (3), characterized in that the beam (3) is connected to the vertical element (2) with a connection arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims 1-12, a column part thereof being fastened to the vertical element (2), and a beam part thereof being fastened to an end of the beam (3), and the beam part is installed onto the column part in such a way that an abutment surface (58) of a slot (48) of the beam part is supported onto a support surface (62) of a tongue part (40) of the column part, and a wedge (64) is arranged against an inclined side support surface (61) of the tongue part and an inner surface (68) of a housing (50).