IL99178A - Structure forming part of a building - Google Patents

Description

Structure forming part of a building INTER-POWER Constructors, Inc.

C: 84059/5 99178/2 The invention relates to a structure comprising at least one structural part having a plurality of structural elements which are connected together.

In prefabricated component construction, the problem arises that use of elastic supports or mountings for connecting structural elements in only one common plane excludes the structural elements from being clamped or fixed relative to each other. An object of the present invention is that of providing a connection in which, in one plane, it is possible to achieve an elastic clamping effect between the adjoining structural elements, wherein the arrangement can provide for the transmission of moments about two mutually perpendicular axes in the plane of the connection, transverse forces in the direction of said axes and normal forces perpendicularly to the plane of the connection. In the case of known, non-elastic clamping arrangements, high forcing stresses can occur due to deformation or distortion phenomena. A further object of the invention is that of proposing a connection in which such stresses are reduced so that the adjoining structural elements can be designedfor lower levels of forcing stresses.

To attain those objects, it is provided in accordance with the invention that the sides of the structural elements, which are towards each other in the connection, are held at a spacing at least in part by at least one damping element and that the connection is effected by at least one pin-like connecting element which passes through the structural elements, and that the at least one pin-like connecting element, according to plan, also carries forces on its axis and is supported against at least one of the sides of the structural elements, which sides are away from the damping element.

An advantageous configuration of the invention provides that the connection is prestressed in such a way that the at least one damping element is held under a compression stress and the at least one pinlike connecting element is held under a tensile stress. In an advantageous configuration of the invention the prestressing effect can be achieved by the interposition of a spring element, more specifically in such a way that, upon a further change in thickness which goes beyond the change in thickness of the damping element caused by the prestressing effect, the further change in thickness causing a reduction in the tensile stress in the connecting element, there is a compensating springing-out effect or springy expansion of the spring element.

As in that situation possible tilting or settlement of the supports, in the sense of a change in thickness of the damping element in dependence on loading, is also compensated by a springing-out effect or springy expansion of the spring elements, the elastic clamping action in respect of adjacent structural elements which is achieved with the present invention is maintained. At the same time, forcing stresses as a result of deformation phenomena in regard to the structural parts are reduced, in comparison with known flexurally stiff connections .

A further advantage of the invention is that, due to the effect of the damping and spring elements, there is a gain in regard to support structure ductility ( toughness ) , such that energy which is introduced into the support structure by pulse-wise loads applied to individual structural parts is partially or entirely compensated by elastoplastic deformation work and conversion into heat energy. In that way, a structure designed in accordance with the invention - even without additional stiffening structural parts - is to be considered as being particularly earthquake-proof.

In a desirable configuration of the invention, it is provided that the prestressing of the at least one spring element is such that, in the event of an additional compression stressing which goes beyond the compression stressing in the damping element which is caused by said prestressing, said additional compression stressing causing a reduction in the tensile stress in the connecting element as a result of the resilience or yielding nature of the damping element, there is a springing-out movement or springy expansion of the spring element which compensates for the additional deformation of the damping element, so that a tensile stress is always maintained therein.

In the case of a structure having a plurality of connections arranged one above the other, it is provided in accordance with the invention that the respective prestressing of the spring elements is generally different according to the different weight loading by traffic loads and structural parts disposed thereabove, more specifically in such a way that the prestressing of a spring element of a lower connection is greater than the prestressing of a spring element of a connection arranged thereabove. More particularly, when a building is erected, the damping elements are increasingly compressed with increasing load, for example when building further storeys. As a result, in principle the pin-like connecting elements become looser if that is not prevented by spring elements, as is provided in an embodiment of the invention. If, in the assembly operation, the prestressing of the corresponding spring element is selected from the outset to be higher by the amount by which the prestressing is reduced due to an increase in the weight loading, that ensures a permanent elastic clamping effect.

In a further configuration of the invention the at least one spring element may be for example in the form of a coil spring, a leaf spring or a plate or diaphragm spring. A particularly advantageous configuration of the spring element provides that it is in the form of a clamping or tightening disc. In that connection the spring element is to be of such a configuration that its spring force is matched to the tensile forces which occur in the pin-like connecting elements. In principle the spring element may be in the form of a separate component or it may also be integral with the adjoining structural element.

In accordance with a further feature of the invention the damping element may be such that it has at least almost constancy of volume, under compression loadings. The damping element may be for example an element with softer properties than the structural elements, for example an elastomer support or mounting. The elastomer support or mounting may be reinforced or laterally fixed by walls or fixedly connected to one of the structural parts, for example by being vulcanised thereto.

Even in the event of the structural elements being slightly twisted relative to each other, a force-locking connection is always maintained in that way, in the sense of an elastic clamping effect. Edge pressing phenomena which occur in that situation are avoided or minimised.

The invention is described in greater detail hereinafter by means of the embodiments illustrated by way of example in diagrammatic form in the drawings in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a basic unit of a structure having a bottom plate or panel, a top plate or panel and four supports or columns, Figure 2 is a diagrammatic sectional view of one of the connections in the structural element shown in Figure 1, on a larger scale than Figure 1, the connection being between a steel structural part and a concrete structural part, Figure 3 shows a further embodiment of the invention in the form of a connection between two steel structural parts, Figure 4 shows a further embodiment of the invention, and Figure 5 shows a further embodiment of the invention in which the damping element is held laterally.

In Figure 1, a lower plate or panel 1 and an upper plate or panel 2 are held at a spacing by supports or columns 3, 4, 5 and 6. The supports 3 to 6 are each fixed in the respective corners of the plates 1 and 2. The corner regions of the plates are each made of steel. The corner which is shown at bottom left in Figure 1 is shown in section in Figure 2 on an enlarged scale and is identified therein by reference numeral 7. The steel corner 7 has a horizontal region 8 and vertical regions 9 and 10. The support 4 is of reinforced concrete and has pinlike connecting elements 11 and 12 which are let into same. Provided in the structural part 8 are openings 13 and 14 through which pass downwardly projecting parts of the pin-like connecting elements 11 and 12. The pin-like connecting elements 11 and 12 are provided at least in their lower end regions with external screwthreads 15 and 16 on to which nuts 17 and 18 are screwed, with the interposition of spring elements which are in the form of clamping or tightening discs 19 and 20. Arranged between the mutually facing sides 21 and 22 of the support 4 and the steel corner 7 respectively is a damping element which is generally identified by reference numeral 23 and which, in the embodiment illustrated herein, is in the form of. an elastomer support or mounting 25 provided with a reinforcement 24. The plane" which is common to the two structural elements 4 and 7 which are to be connected is the plane which is disposed perpendicularly to the plane of the drawing along the side 21 or the side 22.

When the structural element is being erected, both the damping element 23 and also the spring elements 19 and 20 are put into a prestressed condition by. tightening the nuts 17 and 18. The magnitude of the prestressing effect is so selected that, when an additional compression stress is applied to the damping element and thereby there is a reduction in the tensile stress in the connecting elements 11 and 12, that reduction in tensile stress is at least partially compensated by springing-out or springy enlargement of the spring elements, whereby adequatebracing of the structural parts 4 and 1 relative to each other is maintained.

When a structure with a plurality of storeys is erected, the prestressing of the spring element of a lower connection is generally selected to be greater than the prestressing of a spring element of a connection disposed thereabove in order to provide that defined or desired clamping conditions are achieved, in spite of the different loadings on the connections due to traffic loads and structural parts disposed thereabove.

Figures 3 to 5 are diagrammatic views of further embodiments of the connection according to the invention. Figure 3 shows the connection of two steel structural elements 26 and 27. Once again, disposed between the mutually facing sides 28 and 29 is a damping element 23 which, as in the embodiment shown in Figure 2, comprises an elastomer support or mounting 25 which has a reinforcement 24. Pin-like connecting elements which are here in the form of screws 34, 35 with nuts 36 and 37 pass through openings 30, 31 and 32, 33 respectively. Spring elements in the form of clamping or tightening discs 19, 20 and 19a, 20a respectively are disposed both between the screw heads 38 and 39 and also the nuts 36 and 37, and the sides 40 and 41 of the structural elements, which face away from the damping element 23.

The further embodiment shown in Figure 4 only differs from the embodiment illustrated in Figure 3 in that, instead of the clamping or tightening discs used in the embodiment shown in Figure 3, the Figure 4 embodiment has coil springs 42 and 43. The other parts shown in Figure 4 are identified by the same reference numerals as the parts shown in Figure 3 and will therefore not be described separately again.

The further embodiment shown in Figure 5 only differs from the embodiment shown in Figure 4 by virtue of the different configuration of the mutually facing sides of the structural elements, more specifically the side 29a of the lower structural element which is here identified by reference numeral 27a has lateral projectingportions 44 and 45, and the damping element 48 which is here in the form of an elastomer without reinforcement bears against the inside wall surfaces 46 and 47 of the projections 44 and 45. The opposite side 28a of the upper structural element which is here identified by reference numeral 26a has recesses 49 and 50 into which the projecting portions 44 and 45 project.

Claims (13)

- 8 - 99178/2 CLAIMS:

1. A structure forming part of a building comprising at least one structural part having a plurality of structural elements which are connected together, characterized in that the sides of the structural elements, which are towards each other in the connection, are held at a spacing at least in part by at least one damping element and that the connection is effected by at least one pin-like connecting element which passes through the structural elements, and that the at least one pin-like connecting element is also planned to carry forces in the direction of its axis and is supported against at least one of the sides of the structural elements, which sides are away from the damping element.

2. A structure forming part of a building according to claim 1 characterized in that the connection is prestressed in such a way that the at least one damping element is held under a compression stress and the at least one pin-like connecting element is held under a tensile stress.

3. A structure forming part of a building according to claim 2 characterized in that the prestressing effect is achieved by the interposition of at least one spring element in such a way that, upon a further change in thickness which goes beyond the change in thickness of the damping element caused by the prestressing effect, which further change in thickness causes a reduction in the tensile stress in the connecting element, there is a compensating springing-out effect of the spring element.

4. A structure forming part of a building according to claim 2 or claim 3 characterized in that, when there are a plurality of connections arranged in superposed relationship, the respective prestressing effect is different according to the different weight loading by traffic loads and structural parts disposed thereabove, more specifically in such a way that the prestressing of a lower connection is greater than the prestressing of a connection arranged thereabove. - 9 - 99178/2

5. A structure forming part of a building according to claim 3 characterized in that the at least one spring element is in the form of a coil spring.

6. A structure forming part of a building according to claim 3 characterized in that the at least one spring element is in the form of a leaf spring.

7. A structure forming part of a building according to claim 3 characterized in that the at least one spring element is in the form of at least one plate spring.

8. A structure forming part of a building according to claim 7 characterized in that the plate spring is in the form of at least one clamping disc.

9. A structure forming part of a building according to one of claims 1 to 8 characterized in that the at least one clamping element presents almost constancy of volume, under a compression loading.

10. A structure forming part of a building according to claim 9 characterized in that the damping element is an elastomer support.

11. A structure forming part of a building according to claim 10 characterized in that the elastomer support is reinforced.

12. A structure forming part of a building according to claim 9 characterized in that the damping element is laterally fixed by walls.

13. A structure forming part of a building according to one of claims 1 to 12 characterized in that the damping element is fixedly connected to one of the components. For the Applicants, D PARTNERS DD/jg 84059/20.12.1994