FR2812893A1 - SIDING WALL OF A REINFORCED SUPPORT STRUCTURE AND REINFORCEMENT BLOCK FOR THE SAME - Google Patents

Abstract

The wall comprises a plurality of blocks (1) each comprising at least one recess (14) and a tongue (15) for connecting to other blocks and means (12) for attaching a frame (100). At least part of the blocks of the wall are blocks (1) for attaching the frame (100) comprising a groove (9) for receiving the frame (100) providing a foot (12) for attaching the frame. 'frame (100). The recess (14) and the tongue (15) of the blocks (1) are arranged so that the forces exerted on a fastening block (1A) by the frame (100) and by at least one adjacent block (1B, 1C) connected to said attachment block (1A) are exerted respectively in opposite directions exclusively on the foot of the attachment block (1A). In each attachment block, the tongue (15) extends the attachment foot (12). That protrudes out of the outer edge of the groove (9) and comprises a plane (16), projecting out of the outer edge of the groove (9), for receiving an adjacent block.

Description

A reinforced retaining structure, here we are mainly referring to a

  embankment support, as found in the field of masonry and the construction of roads, wharves, buildings and other achievements of the building sector and public works, includes a facing wall and, between the wall and a massif located at the rear, a specific embankment, generally made of granular material, reinforced by reinforcements, extending in a plurality of superimposed horizontal planes and meandering between a deflection bar, located near the massif, and the wall of facing which

frames are attached.

  Some facing walls are formed of blocks, connected together. There are mainly two types of block connection system

between them.

  s5 In the first type system, the blocks are interconnected by vertical through rods, of length equal to a few block heights. The frames are attached to the rods and pinched between the blocks. The blocks providing through holes for receiving the rods, means

  stopping rods are provided to prevent their escape.

  In the system of the second type, taught by the document WO 98 06907, each block comprises a connecting tongue, projecting from one of the faces of the block, for example outside the upper face, and a connecting groove, formed in the underside of the block. The blocks are connected vertically, two by two, by fitting the tongue of the lower block into the groove of complementary shape of the upper block. Some blocks have two grooves. By superposition of a row of tongue and groove blocks and of a row of groove and tongue blocks, at least one horizontal cavity is formed for receiving an attachment rod to which are

  attached frames, taken between the two rows of blocks.

  The system of the first type is economically uncompetitive, given the high cost of the numerous vertical connecting and fastening rods. The second type system is less expensive. However, the implementation

  Place of tie rods and reinforcement is relatively complex.

  The present invention proposes to overcome these drawbacks.

  To this end, the invention relates to a facing wall of a reinforced retaining structure, comprising a plurality of blocks comprising -2 each at least one recess and a tongue for connection to other blocks and attachment means for an armature, wall characterized in that it comprises armature attachment blocks comprising a receiving groove

  of the frame, providing a foot for attaching the frame.

  The foot acts as a support for attaching the frame. The frame is thus attached to the facing wall without any additional attachment accessories. Furthermore, the tie blocks of the present invention are simple to manufacture. Thanks to this, the manufacturing cost of the wall is

0 greatly reduced.

  Advantageously, the recess and the tongue of the blocks are arranged so that the forces exerted on a fastening block by the frame and by at least one adjacent block connected to said fastening block are exerted respectively in

  s 5 opposite directions exclusively on the base of the attachment block.

  The frame, attached to the attachment foot, exerts an action on it

  traction while the block or blocks adjacent to the attachment block push it

  ci in opposite direction, due to the pushing force of the specific embankment. Thanks to the invention, the pulling action of the frame on the foot of a fastening block is compensated by the pushing action of the adjacent block (s), which preserves

the attachment foot.

  The invention also relates to a block for attaching an armature to the above facing wall, comprising at least one recess and a connecting tongue between blocks and a groove for receiving the armature.

  providing a foot for attaching the frame.

  Advantageously, the tongue extends the foot of said block.

  The tongue extending only on the foot of the attachment block, the pushing action of the block (s), connected to the tongue of the attachment block, does not

is exercised only on the foot of attachment.

  Advantageously again, the attachment foot protrudes out of the edge

outer throat.

  In this case and preferably, the attachment foot comprises a plane, in

  protrusion outside the outer edge of the groove, for receiving an adjacent block.

  Thus, the pushing action exerted by the adjacent block (s), connected to the tongue of the attachment block, on the foot thereof, is all the more important as the entire load of these adjacent blocks is exercised on the attachment foot. Thanks to this, the pushing action of the adjacent blocks fully compensates for the pulling action of the frame on the attachment foot, which provides effective protection of the attachment foot against possible damage. In a particular embodiment, the groove extends for

receive a reinforcing strip.

  io In a particular embodiment, the bottom of the throat of

  each attachment block has the shape of a curved surface.

  In this case and preferably, the bottom of the middle area of the throat

  is tilted on the bottom of its entry areas.

  More preferably, the bottom of the inlet areas of the groove is

  parallel to the receiving plane of the attachment foot.

  The inclination of the bottom of the groove makes it possible to twist the reinforcement strip, without any additional accessories, so that it comes out

of the attachment block horizontally.

  The recess can be a horizontal recess, advantageously extending over the entire length of the block in order to facilitate manufacture.

of this last one.

  As a variant, two vertical recesses can be provided.

  The invention will be better understood using the following description

  of different embodiments of the facing wall and the attachment block of the invention, with reference to the attached drawing in which: - Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a block of a facing wall, according to a first embodiment of the invention; - Figure 2 shows a side view of the block of Figure 1, on which is shown, in transparency, the bottom of a groove; - Figure 3 shows a front view of three blocks, similar to that of Figure 1, connected so as to form a straight facing wall; - Figure 4 shows a top view, in transparency, of the three blocks of Figure 3; - Figure 5 shows a side view of two connected blocks of the facing wall of Figure 3; FIG. 6 represents a side view of two blocks, according to the first embodiment of the invention, connected so as to form an inclined facing wall; - Figure 7 shows a perspective view of a block of a facing wall, according to a second embodiment of the invention; - Figure 8 shows a front view of three blocks, similar to that of Figure 7, connected so as to form a straight facing wall; - Figure 9 shows a top view of the three blocks of Figure 8; - Figure 10 shows a perspective view of a block of a facing wall, according to a third embodiment of the invention, and - Figure 1 1 shows a schematic view of a work of

embankment support.

  The retaining structure reinforced here with embankment, represented in FIG. 11, comprises a facing wall 30 and, between the wall 30 and a solid block 31 situated at the rear (that is to say the embankment proper) , a specific embankment 32, of granular material, reinforced by reinforcements 100, extending in a plurality of superimposed horizontal planes and meandering between a rear deflection bar 33, located near the block 31, and the wall of

  facing 30 to which the frames 100 are attached.

  The facing wall 30, partially shown in FIGS. 3 to, comprises a plurality of facing blocks, each comprising a tongue and a recess for connection to other blocks, connected to each other here by introduction of their tongue into the recesses of two adjacent blocks. Certain facing blocks are blocks for attaching a strip

  of reinforcement 100, such as that shown in FIG. 1.

  With reference to FIG. 1, the attachment block 1 comprises - a main front face 2, - two front facets 3, extending laterally the front face 2, on either side thereof, and forming an interior angle about 150 with the front face 2, - two lateral contact faces 4, perpendicular to the front face 2 and respectively connected to the two front facets 3, - a rear face 6, parallel to the front face 2, two other lateral faces 5, respectively connecting the two lateral contact faces 4 and the rear face 6 and forming an internal angle of approximately 170 with the lateral faces 4, - an upper face 7 and a lower face 8, perpendicular to the

  front 2, side 4, 5 and rear 6 and front facets 3.

  -5- From the outset, it will be noted that the "length" designates the dimension parallel to the front 2, rear 6, lower 7 and upper 8 faces, while the "width"

  designates the dimension perpendicular to the front 2 and rear 6 faces.

  The upper face 7 of the attachment block 1 provides a groove 9 for receiving an armature strip 100, of generally semi-circular shape and with two inlet openings 10, 1 1 in the rear face 6. The height throat 9, in the two inlet zones 10, 11, is here substantially equal to

  îo two thirds of the total height of block 1.

  The groove 9, which extends to receive a reinforcing strip 100, as has just been explained, thus spares a central attachment foot 12, generally having the shape of a truncated cylinder in the plane of the face is rear 6. This foot 12 acts as a support for winding an armature strip 100 and makes it possible to attach the armature strip 100 to the block 1 without additional accessories. The foot 12 comprises a flat upper surface 16, parallel to the outer edge of the groove 9, and therefore to the upper faces 7 and

  lower 8, forming a receiving plane of two adjacent blocks, located at

  above the block 1. This receiving plane 16 projects slightly out of the outer edge of the groove 9. In other words, the receiving plane 16 extends slightly above the plane of the upper face 7, in which extends it

outer edge of the throat 9.

  At the front of the receiving plane 16, the attachment foot 12 is extended by a connecting tongue 15, projecting out of the receiving plane 16. On

  underline here that the tongue 15 extends only on the attachment foot 12.

  The upper surface of the tongue 15, parallel to the receiving plane 16, is connected to the latter by a perpendicular abutment surface 17. The rear longitudinal wall of the recess of each of the two upper adjacent blocks, connected to block 1, are intended to abut against the abutment surface 17 either directly or with the interposition of a spacer, like this

will be explained later.

  The lower face 8 of the attachment block 1 provides a horizontal lower recess, in this case a groove 14 for connecting and receiving a tongue. By "horizontal" recess is meant to mean that it is a

  recess in a horizontal face, namely the underside 8.

  This groove 14 extends over the entire length of the block 1, along a longitudinal axis and has a plane of symmetry 20. In Figure 2, there is shown the plane of symmetry 20 of the groove 14, which contains the '6- longitudinal axis of the groove 14 and is parallel to the front 2 and rear 6 of the

block 1.

  The width of the tongue 15, that is to say the maximum dimension of the tongue in a plane perpendicular to the front 2 and rear 6 faces, is less than that of the groove 14. In addition, the tongue 15 is offset laterally with respect to the plane of symmetry 20 of the groove 14. In other words, the median plane 21 of the tongue 15, in the width direction (as shown in FIG. 2), is offset laterally, here towards the rear, 0o with respect to the plane of symmetry 20 of the groove 14. The "median plane" of the tongue 15, in the width direction, designates the longitudinal plane, parallel to the abutment surface 17, cutting the cross section ( perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the groove 14) of greater width of the tongue 15 the

along a center line.

  The bottom 13 of the groove 9 has the shape of a curved surface. As can be seen in FIG. 2, the bottom 13 of the central region of the groove 9 is inclined on the bottom 13 of its inlet regions 10, 1 1, which is parallel to the lower face 8. When the face lower 8 of the block 1 extends horizontally, the bottom 13 of the inlet zones 10, 1 1 of the groove 9 also extends horizontally and the bottom 13 of its middle zone is slightly inclined relative to the vertical. Thanks to this, the attachment block 1 is arranged to twist the reinforcing strip 100, without any additional accessories, so that

  that it leaves horizontally from the attachment block 1 through the openings 10, 11.

  In addition, the attachment block 1 provides two vertical gripping openings 25, 26, here through, arranged symmetrically substantially on either side of the groove 9, slightly forward. These openings 25, 26 are intended to facilitate the handling of the block 1, in particular using a

nail puller.

  Ordinary facing blocks, that is to say without means of fastening a reinforcing strip, are generally identical to fastening block 1 described above, except that they do not include groove for receiving a reinforcing strip 9, and consequently for a projecting plane 16 for receiving

from another block.

  The manufacture of the facing wall will now be described.

  To manufacture the facing wall 30, a plurality of rows of facing blocks are superimposed, by staggered arrangement of the respective blocks of two successive superimposed rows. The blocks of the same row are in contact with each other by their lateral contact faces 4. The wall 30 comprises rows of fastening blocks, separated by rows of

ordinary blocks.

  As the facing wall 30 is constructed, the space between the facing wall 30 and the block 31, located at the rear, is filled with the fill 32 of granular material and strips are installed. of reinforcement 100, by making them wind between the rear deflection bar 33 and the facing wall 30, in a plurality of superimposed horizontal planes, io as shown in FIG. 11. Each reinforcement strip 100 is attached to blocks attachment 1 of the same row of blocks of the wall 30, by winding the strip 100 around the attachment foot 12 of each block 1. Thanks to the curved shape of the bottom 13 of the groove 9 of the blocks 1, the strip 100 is in contact over its entire width with the bottom 13 of the central region of the groove 9 and leaves

  i5 this horizontally, through the rear openings 10, 11.

  In Figure 3, there is shown a lower block "intermediate" 1A, connected, or connected, to two adjacent upper blocks 1B, 1C. By the term "intermediate" is meant to mean that it is a block of a row of blocks, located between two end blocks of this row. The neighboring blocks of block 1 A, of the same row, are not shown for the sake of clarity. FIG. 4 shows a top view of the blocks in FIG. 3. The lower block 1A, with its tongue 15A, as well as the respective grooves 14B,

  14C of the two upper blocks 3B, 3C are drawn in dotted lines.

  The block 1A is here a block for attaching a reinforcing strip 100 and the other two blocks 1B and 1C are ordinary facing blocks. In FIG. 4, a reinforcement strip 100 is shown, attached to the attachment foot,

not shown, of block 1A.

  The upper blocks 1B, 1C are connected to the lower block 1A by introducing the tongue 15A of the lower block 1A into the respective grooves 14B and 14C of the upper blocks 1B, 1C. In addition, the upper blocks 1B, 1C are only supported on the receiving plane of the foot

of attachment of the lower block IA.

  The reinforcing strip 100 exerts on the attachment foot of the lower block IA a rearwardly directed tensile force, as indicated by the arrow 18A. Conversely, due to the forward thrust exerted by the granular fill 32 against the facing wall 30, the upper blocks IB and 1C exert on the attachment foot of the lower block 1A a thrust force towards the 'front, represented by the arrows 18B and 18C, opposite the tensile force of -8 - the reinforcing strip 100. Because the tongue 15A extends the attachment foot of the lower block IA and is introduced into the respective grooves 14B, 14C of the two upper blocks 1B, 1C, the forces, exerted by the reinforcing strip 100 and by the upper blocks 1 B, 1C, are exerted in opposite directions exclusively on the base of the lower block 1 A. In addition, the upper blocks IB, 1C being supported only on the receiving plane of the attachment foot of this lower block IA, the entire load of

  upper blocks lB, 1C is exerted on the attachment foot of the lower block lA.

  Thanks to this, the thrust force transmitted by the upper blocks 1B, 1C to the attachment foot of the lower block 1 A, is particularly important. Indeed, the pushing of the foot of attachment of the lower block lA by the upper blocks 1B, 1C takes place without loss of force by friction between the respective lower faces of the two upper blocks lB, 1C and the upper face of the block ls lower I A. The facing wall 30, partially shown in Figures 3 and 4, is straight. In other words, the front faces 3A, 3B, 3C of the facing blocks 1A, 1B, 1C extend substantially in the same vertical plane. In Figure 5, there is shown a side view of the lower block 1A and the block

  upper 1C of the wall of FIGS. 3 and 4.

  Under the forward thrust force exerted by the embankment 32 on the upper block 1C, represented by the arrow 19, the rear longitudinal wall of the groove 14C of the upper block 1C abuts against the rear abutment surface 17A of the tab 15A. The lateral offset of the tongue 15A relative to the axial plane 20A of the groove 14A is such that, in this relative position of the lower block 1A and the upper block 1C, the respective axial planes 20A, 20C of the two grooves 14A, 14C merge and especially the respective front faces 3A, 3C of the two blocks 1A, 1C extend substantially

in the same vertical plane.

  In FIG. 6, a lower block 1A and an upper block 1C have been shown, bearing for the sake of clarity the same references as the blocks of FIG. 5, of a facing wall inclined at an angle tl, here substantially equal to 6 with respect to the vertical. The inclination of the wall at an angle Xmax relative to the vertical means that the plane 22 defined by the upper edges of the respective front faces 3A, 3C of the two blocks 1A, 1C is

  inclined at an angle cma ,, with respect to the vertical.

  To tilt the wall, a spacer 23 is interposed during its construction between the rear abutment surface 17A of the tongue 15A of the lower block 1A and the rear wall of the groove 14C of the upper block 1C. The width of the spacer 23 is here substantially equal to the difference between the respective widths of the groove 14C and the tongue 15A. In this relative position of the two blocks 1A, 1C, the rear wall of the groove 15C is in abutment against the abutment surface 17A of the tongue 15A by means of the spacer 22 and its front wall is substantially in contact with the 'front of the tongue 15A. In addition, the respective axial planes 20A,

  C of the two grooves 14A, 14C are offset laterally.

  We could also tilt the wall at an angle ca, less than the angle

  maximum inclination amax, using a narrower spacer.

  A second embodiment, shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, differs from the first embodiment which has just been described only in what will now be explained. For the sake of clarity, the elements

  correspondents of the two embodiments have the same references.

  The attachment block 1, shown in FIG. 7, comprises two lateral vertical faces 4, directly connecting the front facets 3 and the rear face 6 and each providing a vertical lateral recess 14, 14 ′ for connecting and receiving a tongue. The recesses 14, 14 ′ are here grooves extending over the entire height of the attachment block 1, generally having a shape complementary to that of a connecting half-tongue, in cross section (perpendicular to the longitudinal axis groove 14, 14 '), but of width slightly greater than that of a tongue in order to be able to manufacture inclined facing walls using spacers, as

previously described.

  In FIGS. 8 and 9, an intermediate lower attachment block 1A has been shown, connected to two adjacent upper attachment blocks IB, 1C. The upper blocks lB, 1C are connected to the lower block IA by introducing the tongue 15A of the lower block lA into two grooves

  side 14B, 14'C, respectively belonging to blocks lB, 1C.

  A third embodiment, shown in FIG. 10, differs from the first embodiment which has just been described only in what will now be explained. For the sake of clarity, the elements

  correspondents of the two embodiments have the same references.

  The attachment block 1, shown in Figure 10, includes a groove

  24 for receiving a rebar 101, formed in the tongue 15.

  This groove 24 extends along an axis perpendicular to the rear face 6, in the middle of the tongue 15, over the entire width of the latter. The groove 24 could also be deeper and extend through the receiving surface 16 of the attachment foot 12, in order to provide better lateral support.

of the rebar 101.

  The reinforcing bar 101, rigid, has a free end head 102, generally bent, intended to be introduced into the receiving groove 9 and to hang on the side wall of the attachment foot 12. In the figure 10, there is shown in dotted lines the head portion 102 of the rebar 101, after

io attachment to the attachment foot 12.

  Note that, in the particular example of the description, the block

  attachment 1 shown in Figure 10 is a "mixed" block allowing

  to attach both a rebar 100 and a rebar 101.

  As a variant, the groove 9 could be arranged to receive only the head 102

of a rebar 101.

  One could also manufacture fastening blocks comprising a fastening foot providing a groove for receiving a rebar, a groove for receiving the head of the bar and lateral connection recesses

and receiving a tab.

  Instead of a horizontal lower recess for receiving a tongue, two recesses could be made in the lower face

  horizontal, close to the lateral edges of the underside.

  As a variant, the horizontal recess or recesses could be formed in the upper face of the attachment block, the tongue then protruding out of

from the underside of the block.

  Similarly, the lateral recesses, formed in vertical faces of the attachment block, may not extend over the entire height of the attachment block.

  In the above description, the blocks are staggered.

  They could also be arranged one on top of the other in columns.

  The facing wall may include only fastening blocks.

  Of course, the shape of the facing blocks is not limited to

previously described forms.

-11-

Claims (18)

claims   1- facing wall of a reinforced retaining structure, comprising a plurality of blocks (1) each comprising at least one recess (14) and a tongue (15) for connection to other blocks and means (12) d attachment of a frame (100; 101), wall characterized in that it comprises blocks (1) of frame attachment (100; 101) comprising a groove (9) for receiving the frame ( 100; 101) providing a foot (12) for attaching the armature (100; 101).   2- wall according to claim 1, wherein the recess (14) and the tongue (15) of the blocks (1) are arranged so that the forces exerted on a fastening block (1A) by the frame (100; 101) and by at least one adjacent block (1B, 1C) connected to said attachment block (1A) are exerted respectively   opposite directions exclusively on the base of the attachment block (1A).   3- wall according to one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the   width of the tongues (15) is less than that of the recesses (14).   4- wall according to claim 3, wherein a spacer (23) is interposed between the tongue (15A) of each block (1A), introduced into the recess (14C) of another adjacent block (1C), and l one of the walls   longitudinal of said recess (14C).   5- wall according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the groove   (9) extends to receive a reinforcing strip (100).   6- wall according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the   tongue (15) has a groove (24) for receiving a rebar (101), the groove (9) being arranged to receive a head (102) of the bar of reinforcement (101).   7- Attachment block of a frame for the facing wall of claim 1, comprising at least one recess (14) and a tongue (15) connecting between blocks and a groove (9) for receiving the frame (100; 101)   providing a foot (12) for attaching the frame (100; 101).   8- Block according to claim 7, wherein the tongue (15)   extends the foot (12) of said block (1).   9- Block according to one of claims 7 and 8, wherein the foot   attachment (12) protrudes from the outer edge of the groove (9). - 12 -   - Block according to claim 9, wherein the attachment foot (12) comprises a plane (16) projecting from the outer edge of the groove (9), reception of an adjacent block.   1 1- Block according to one of claims 7 to 10, wherein the groove   (9) extends to receive a reinforcing strip (100).   12- Block according to claim 11, wherein the bottom (13) of the   o groove (9) has the shape of a curved surface.   13- Block according to claim 12, wherein the bottom (13) of the central region of the groove (9) is inclined on the bottom (13) of its entry zones (10, 11).   14. Block according to claim 13, in which the bottom (13) of the entry zones (10, 11) of the groove (9) is parallel to the plane (16) for receiving the foot. attachment (12).   15- Block according to one of claims 7 to 14, wherein the   tongue (15) provides a groove (24) for receiving a rebar (101), the groove (9) being arranged to receive a head (102) of the bar of reinforcement (101).   16- Block according to one of claims 7 to 15, wherein the width   of the tongue (15) is less than that of the recess (14).   17- Block according to claim 16, wherein, the recess (15) extending through a plane of symmetry (20), the tongue (15) is offset   laterally with respect to the plane of symmetry (20) of the recess (14).   18- Block according to one of claims 7 to 17, wherein   the recess (14) is a horizontal recess.   19- Block according to claim 18, wherein the recess   horizontal (14) is a groove extending over the entire length of the block (1).   - Block according to one of claims 7 to 17, in which it is   provided two vertical recesses (14, 14 ').   21- Block according to one of claims 7 to 20, in which it is   provided at least one gripping opening of the block.