WO2012142981A1

WO2012142981A1 - Reinforced ditch or influent stream

Info

Publication number: WO2012142981A1
Application number: PCT/CZ2011/000077
Authority: WO
Inventors: Petr NOVOTNÝ
Original assignee: Novotny Petr
Priority date: 2011-04-22
Filing date: 2011-08-18
Publication date: 2012-10-26
Also published as: DE212011100207U1; CZ2013811A3; SK7021Y1; CZ22267U1; SK50432013U1

Abstract

Reinforced ditch or influent stream consists of a system of prefabricated concrete or reinforced concrete shaped pieces (1). The shaped pieces (1) have two shoulders (2) with V-shape arrangement, whereas the shoulders (2) form sidewalls of the ditch or water stream.

Description

Reinforced ditch or influent stream

Field of the invention

The invention relates to construction industry, more particularly to reinforced ditches or influent streams, for example road ditches, catchwaters etc., which drain irregular volumes of water depending on rainfalls or spring waters.

Background of the invention

The road ditches or catchwaters, e.g. between lands, fields etc. avoid formation of swamps and they drain torrential waters or spring water from thawing of snow to a larger streams. Irregular filling with water and especially its steep fallouts cause excessive burden of the stream and it results in scouring, contamination and damage. Therefore, water may not continuously escape and flows out of the stream and thus, surrounding soil is waterlogged or local floods occur. In case of road ditches there is danger of undermining of the road surface with subsequent serious damage, which poses serious safety hazards and traffic jams.

To avoid these situations, there are attempts to reinforce the road ditch streams, catchwaters and other influent streams. Bottom of the ditch is usually covered with flat stones in concrete. Also, sides of the ditches are reinforced with assembled stones where concrete pouring is not absolutely necessary. Disadvantage of this solution lies in labour and time demands. For areas with impaired vehicle access, both stones to be assembled in the ditch and a truck with pouring concrete are difficult to transport. The concrete pouring is also difficult and thus limited in areas with steep slope.

Another solution is presented by gutter shaped pieces used for installation in the ditch or catchwater bottom and water may escape quickly without impurities trapped by grass growing on the ditch bottom and therefore, no stream is clogged and water spilled over the stream vicinity. Disadvantage of this solution is that the gutter shaped pieces may not be secondarily anchored to the stream bottom and therefore, strong water flow on the places with steep slope undermines and takes them down. Therefore, the streams must be continuously maintained which produces additional costs.

In areas where steep slopes are present the ditches or influent streams are reinforced in cascades by assembled geo-grids filled with gravel or soil. Grass may grow through the grids that reinforces the gravel or soil to a certain extent. Despite that, the gravel and soil are undermined from the geo-grids and the stream reinforced in this way will degrade.

The disadvantages of the existing solution include particularly the fact they do not sufficiently respect the properties of natural environment where they are deployed and therefore, they are prone to damage, which results in increased maintenance costs and the maintenance is rather difficult particularly in spring because soil is soaked after thawing of snow and the maintenance material can be transported on place with difficulties only.

Summary of the invention

The task is performed by construction of reinforced ditch or influent stream according to this invention. According to this invention, the shaped pieces are fitted with two shoulders arranged in "V" shape, whereas the shoulders form sidewalls of the ditch or influent stream. No special arrangement is required for shape of the ditch or influent stream. The shaped piece closely touches the ditch or influent stream walls thanks to its "V" shape.

In an advantageous embodiment, the "V" peak is created by the shoulders, formed by a foot with foundation point for installation on the ditch or influent stream bottom. The foot is submerged in the concrete bed created on the ditch or influent stream bottom, which anchors the shaped piece and prevents it from movement on the ditch bottom. The shaped pieces are arranged in cascade in the ditch or influent stream depending on the ditch or influent stream slope. In this embodiment, the shaped pieces are leaning one on the another and therefore, they provide double anchoring both in the concrete bed and resting against each other, which is highly favourable in steep slope terrain. In case of heavy rains, large volumes of water are flowing in the ditch and these volumes could damage the ditches or influent streams if the bottom is paved in a different way.

It is advantageous for steep slopes when the shaped pieces are mutually connected with anchors passing through assembly and connection holes through the shaped form shoulders. Favourably, the anchor consists of either a steel wire or a rope with the anchoring end anchored to the concrete bed of the shaped piece installed above. The anchor passing through the assembly and connection hole in the upper part of the shoulder also passes through the assembly and connection hole located in the lower part of the shoulder of the shaped piece installed above. The anchoring end is terminated behind the shaped piece installed above and joins two shaped pieces together. However, the anchor can be prolonged so that the anchoring end passes the shaped piece and remains anchored in the concrete bed of another shaped piece installed above. The system of shaped pieces located in the ditch or the influent stream is thus reinforced several times and secured against damage due to weather conditions, particularly flowing water and alternating positive and negative temperatures.

In an advantageous embodiment, the ditch or influent stream is terminated by a gully the last shaped piece is adjacent to. The gully forms a fixed support of the shaped pieces system forming bottom of the ditch or influent stream and prevents in movement of the shaped pieces effectively in the slope angle as well as due to rainfall flows or water from thawing snow in spring.

It is advantageous if the shoulders of at least one shaped piece in the upper part are fitted with opposite fixing for installation of an overcrossing. If needed, the crossing over the ditch or the influent stream can be created easily by placing a panel length of which equals to the shaped piece shoulder span. The walking panel is secured by recesses in the upper parts of the shoulders against movement and the favourable embodiment is when the guiding recesses form opposite semi-grooves for prismatic guidance, which is easy and simple solution for production of the shaped piece as well as the walking panel. The prismatic footing impedes spontaneous lifting of the overcrossing in case of strong waters as well as stealing the same.

It is also advantageous when a draining hole is produced in at least one of the shoulders of one shaped piece. Water from the ditch or influent stream slopes may soak to the system of shaped pieces and drain to the gully or influent stream. Draining holes avoid soaking of the ditch of influent stream slopes under the system of shaped pieces, which could potentially result in their damage, e.g. extraction of the concrete bed and disintegration of the shaping pieces fitting into each other. In one favourable embodiment the draining holes are produced in adjacent shaped pieces on opposite side of the ditch or influent stream. Additional holes could make the shaped piece more brittle and prone to damage.

Furthermore it is advantageous when the foot of at least one shaped piece is installed in the concrete bed. This solution can be applied particularly in heavily soaked terrain where the ditch or influent stream bottom may not be dried and sufficient hardening of concrete bed or access of machineries would not be possible.

The benefits of the reinforced ditch or influent stream are that the system is formed by prefabricated shaped pieces, which rest against each other and they produce a fixed anchoring. In this way, the shaped pieces are not eroded from their beds and therefore, maintenance of these embodiments is easier and cheaper.

Brief description of the drawings

The invention will be described in detail by means of drawings, whereas figure 1 shows side view of horizontally arranged shaped pieces terminated in the draining ditch, figure 2 shows side view of the shaped pieces arranged in cascade terminated in the draining ditch, figure 3 shows perspective view on the stair arrangement of the shaped pieces, figure 4 shows side view of the shaped pieces arranged in mild sloped terrain with termination in the gully, figure 5 shows side view of the shaped pieces arranged in cascade with termination in the gully, figure 6 shows perspective view on cascade arrangement of shaped pieces with termination in the gully, figure 7 shows side view of cascade arrangement of the shaped pieces in steep slope with anchors, figure 8 shows cross section of the cascade arrangement of the shaped pieces with anchors, figure 9 shows perspective view on the shaped pieces with overcrossing, figure 10 shows side view of the shaped pieces with overcrossing and figure 11 shows cross section of the shaped piece with the overcrossing and shoulders in the concrete bed.

Detailed description of the preferred embodiments

It is assumed that specific examples of the embodiment described and depicted hereinafter are indicative only and not as a limitation of examples of the invention to the cases depicted herein. The experts in the art will find or be able to derive either lower or larger number of equivalents to the specific embodiments described herein from routine experimenting. These equivalents will be also covered by the extent of the following claims.

Simple concrete bed 9 made of plain concrete is constructed on the bottom of subsoil drain. Complete prefabricated shaped pieces 1 in V-shape can be installed directly on the bed 9. The shaped pieces 1 consist of the shoulders 2 and foot 3. The prefab shaped pieces 1 are made of concrete or reinforced concrete. In the upper parts of the shoulders 2 there are two guiding recesses 4 against each other that form semi- grooves of approximate L-shape form. There are draining holes 7 in the shoulders 2 and they drain water from the ditch sides to the 1 shaped piece and avoid erosion of the ditch or influent stream. At least one draining hole 7 is created in each shaped piece 1 There may be several draining holes, e.g. one in each shoulder 2. Location of the draining holes 7 in the shaped pieces 1 installed in the ditch is diagonal. The draining holes 7 are created horizontally towards the ditch slope. Furthermore, the shoulders 2 are fitted with assembly and mounting holes λ± for mutual resting of the shaped pieces 1 The mounting holes Λ± are used for anchors 12 made from steel rods or ropes, the ends of which are shaped to hooks. The anchors 12 can be used for reinforcement of the ditch or inflow stream with steep slope. In this case, pressure of the shaped piece 1 installed above to the shaped piece 1 below cannot be used and therefore, they are mutually reinforced by anchors 2 connecting the shaped pieces 1 to each other.

In the first preferred embodiment of the invention shown on figure 1 , the ditch reinforced with the shaped pieces 1 terminates in other ditch 8. In this example, the concrete bed 9 is used only for the last shaped piece 1 terminated in the draining ditch 8.

Figures 2 and 3 show the second example of the embodiment where the shaped pieces 1 are cascaded and terminated in the draining ditch 8. Each shaped piece 1 is located in the concrete bed 9. The concrete bed 9 of the last two shaped pieces 1 terminating in the draining ditch 8 is the deepest because it anchors the whole system of the shaped pieces 1 cascading down.

The third example of the embodiment is shown on figures 4 to 6. Bottom of the ditch is filled with concrete bed 9 and the basic shaped piece 1 is rested against mountain gully 10. The other shaped pieces 1 are assembled one after another and therefore, each following shaped piece 1 placed higher than the previous one thanks to the ditch slope, rests against the rear side of the prior shaped piece 1 with its front piece. In this way, the shaped pieces 1 rest against each other, which avoids their demolition and tearing down in case of heavy waters.

Figures 7 and 8 depict anchoring of the shaped pieces 1 with steep slope. The shaped pieces Λ are installed in cascade in the concrete bed 9. There are the anchors 12 installed through the assembly and mounting holes 11 The anchor 12, which goes through the assembly and mounting hole Ij. located in the lower section of the shoulders 2 of the shaped piece placed below 1, has its anchoring end 15 in the concrete bed 9 of the shaped piece placed above. The anchor 12 coming through the assembly and mounting hole 11. located in the upper part of the shoulders 2 of the shaped piece 1 installed below, has its anchoring end 15 in the assembly hole 1J. arranged in the lower part of the shoulder 2 of the shaped piece installed above. In ditches with steep slope the system of shaped pieces 1 has better reinforcement against erosion.

The concrete bed 9 may not be created on the ditch bottom only. It can be also applied on sides of the ditch. This embodiment is suitable particularly in cases where the ditch bottom is continuously under water or the subsoil is not stable and reinforcement or pumping of standing water out would be labour and time demanding. This embodiment is shown on figure 11. The foot 3 of the shaped piece 1 does not touch the ditch bottom in this case. The shaped piece 1 is anchored on the ditch sides by the shoulders 2. The shaped pieces 1 can be fitted with recesses 4 on the shoulder edges 2 for installation of the overcrossing 5. The recesses 4 have shape of an open semi-groove of L-shape leaned to vertical axis of the shaped piece 1 and therefore, the prismatic guidance is created and the overcrossing 5 is installed in these recesses 4. The recess 4 for installation of the overcrossing 5 may be also created as recess in the upper edge of the shoulders 2 and the overcrossing 5 may be created as flat or slightly arched plate fitted in the recess and anchored with the overlap 13 exceeding the shoulder 2 edge as shown on figure 10.

Industrial applicability

The reinforced ditch or influent stream according to this embodiment can be used in mountain areas and elsewhere with the draining ditches and influent streams or temporary influent streams with steeper slope with danger of erosion of the existing reinforcement systems. The second use of the embodiment is intended for places with mild steep of the draining ditches where light longitudinal slope and vegetation in the ditches prevent from effective water removal.

Claims

1. Reinforced ditch or influent stream, consisting of a system of prefabricated concrete or reinforced concrete shaped pieces, characterized by that the shaped pieces (1 ) have two shoulders (2) with V-shape arrangement, whereas the shoulders (2) form sidewalls of the ditch or water stream.

2. The reinforced ditch or influent stream according to claim 1, characterized by that the "V" peak created by the shoulders (2) consists of the foot (3) with the foundation area for installation on bottom (14) of the ditch or influent stream.

3. The reinforced ditch or influent stream according to claim 1 and 2, characterized by that the shaped pieces (1) are arranged in cascade in the ditch or influent stream in the slope corresponding to the ditch or influent stream slope.

4. The reinforced ditch or influent stream according to at least one of the claims 1 to 3, characterized by that the shaped pieces (1) are joined together with the anchors (12) coming through mounting and assembly holes (11) through the shoulders (2) of the shaped pieces (1).

5. The reinforced ditch or influent stream according to claim 1 to 3, characterized by that it is terminated by a gully (10) which the last shaped piece (1) adheres to.

6. The reinforced ditch or influent stream according to at least one of the claims 1 to

5 characterized by that the shoulders (2) of at least one shaped piece (1) are fitted with opposite recesses (4) for installation of an overcrossing (5).

7. The reinforced ditch or influent stream according to at least one of the claims 1 to

6 characterized by that the guiding recess (4) is created as open L-shaped semi-groove.

8. The reinforced ditch or influent stream according to at least one of the claims 1 to 7 characterized by that at least one draining hole (7) is created in at least one shoulder (2) of at least one shaped piece (1 ).

9. The reinforced ditch or influent stream according to claim 8 characterized by that the draining holes (7) are created in adjacent shaped pieces (1 ), always on the opposite side of the ditch or influent stream.

10. The reinforced ditch or influent stream according to at least one of the claims 1 to

9 characterized by that the foot (3) of at least one shaped piece (1 ) is located in the concrete bed (9).

1 1.The reinforced ditch or influent stream according to at least one of the claims 1 to

10 characterized by that the shoulders (2) of at least one shaped piece (1 ) are located in the concrete bed (9).