WALL WITH GRAVITY SUPPORT STRUCTURE, BUILDING ELEMENT AND METHOD FOR CONSTRUCTION THEREOF

Abstract: The wall according to the present invention comprises a gravity support structure with a plurality of compartments or cells which are filled with bulk-material and surrounded or sub­ divided by flat and flexible envelope material, and on one front side or on both opposite front sides of this gravity support structure a fore-part, preferably in the form of a supporting grid structure, which is positively or frictionally connected with said gravity support structure. Such combined wall structure can be used for slope supporting as well as for noise absorbing or partition purposes, in the latter cases e.g. in the form of a stand-alone structure. An essential function of the fore-parts is the protection of the front portions of the envelope material holding the bulk material filling against violation and solar irra­ diation. The stability of the combined wall is greatly enhanced by anchoring the fore-parts to the gravity support structure be means of comparatively inexpensive tensile elements.

Description: The wall according to the present invention comprises a gravity support structure with a plurality of bulk material compartments surrounded at least partly by flexible sheet material, the wall being provided with at least one fore-part which comprises superimposed building elements and is positively or frictionally connected with said gravity support structure with regard to tensile forces. Such wall structure can be used for slope supporting as well as for noise absorbing purposes, in the latter case e.g. in the form of a stand-alone structure. An essential function of the fore-part is the protection of the front portions of said flexible sheet material holding the bulk material filling against violation and solar irradiation. the stability of the wall is greatly enhanced by anchoring the fore-part to the gravity support structure by means of comparatively inexpensive tensile elements. A wall structure of the aforesaid species is known from the DE-A-2 626 650. There are shown several variations of fore-part structures in combination with a gravity support structure comprising compartments filled with bulk material. The compartments are formed by envelopes of flexible sheet material. Against tensile forces acting on the fore-part in a sense to separate the fore-part from the gravity support structure, the fore-part variations shown are not inherently connected with the bulk material compartments of the gravity support structure, but merely by means of discrete anchoring rods inserted between adjacent compartments. Leaving aside the undesired expenses for the usually considerable number of such anchoring rods needed and for their installation between the bulk material compartments during the construction, a reliable and material-saving transmission of tensile forces from said rods into the flexible sheet material enveloping the bulk material of the said compartments is difficult and expensive to establish. As indicated in the drawings of said published specification also, usually sharp-edged coupling elements are needed at the anchoring elements for such force transmission, which elements tend to violate the flexible sheet material due to creating stress concentrations therein. Accordingly, the fore-part and gravity support construction in said known wall aims at covering the front of said enveloped compartments rather than at a substantial enhancement of structural stability by combination effects between fore-part and gravity support structure. It is a major object of the invention to create a wall construction of the kind referred to initially above, in which construction not only the front faces of the enveloped bulk material compartments are safely protected but, moreover, the stability of the wall construction is enhanced in a comparatively inexpensive manner by means of reliable and lasting connections between said compartments and the building elements of the fore-part. The solution to this object of invention is defined by the features according to the patent claim 1. The Invention now will be explained more in detail with reference to the examples schematically shown in the drwaings. Figures 1 to 3 illustrate various positive connections between fore-parts MVBc, MVBd and MVBe, which are space grid support structures comprising groove profile beams La, Lb and Lc respectively as superimposed building elements and a gravity support structure MTW arranged behind the fore-parts. To be pointed out for all these variations is the simplicity as well as efficiency of the tensile connection between fore-part and gravity support structure in all these variations. Therefore, these constructions - thus far deviating from the illustrations - are particularly suitable with regard to fore-parts without inherent stability in connection with a gravity support structure. Tensile anchoring is accomplished by means of envelopped bulk material cells SMZ, the pocket-like front portions thereof engaging excavations ANH of the fore-part. Behind such excavations i.e. adjacent to the gravity support structure, there are projections directed upwards and acting as abutments for tensile forces transferred by the bulk material cells. In the examples as shown the projections are formed by ribs or profile legs extending substantially in parallel to the plane of the wall, however, if desired they can be shaped as single elements - particularly in a serial arrangement - on the building elements of the fore-part. According to Fig. 1 an excavation ANH is formed between two longitudinal ribs or profile legs SV, the cross-section of which is directed upwards. The back one of these ribs or profile legs is acting as an abutment for tensile forces. The corresponding conditions apply to the variation according to Fig. 2, which has two longitudinal ribs SVa and SVb, the latter again acting as an abutment for tensile forces. It has an upper edge of reduced height so as not to squeeze off the bulk material cell housed in the excavation, but rather to offer a greater passage for connection thereof with the gravity support structure. This facilitates the desired filling equalization of the bulk material in the construction of the wall and, therefore, an easier and more precise filling up of the excavations, thus establishing a correct positive connection. In the variation according to Figures 3 and 4 being a vertical cross-section and a vertical longitudinal section respectively, the fore-part consists of trough-like, comparatively narrow building elements Lc with longitudinal back rib SVc and transversal walls Qc on both sides. Both Walls Qc have upper edges of equal height so as to offer a securely tilting-resistant for the superimposed building element Lc. Passages DL formed in said transversal walls Qc make sure that each bulk material cell SMZ can be arranged so as to extend over several building elements or the whole wall without excessive strain and stress arising in the envelope material due to multi-dimensional distortions. It has to be understood that the fore-part if desired can be constructed by using building elements of great surface dimensions, e.g. extending substantially over the height and/or over the width of the wall. Particularly building elements of unique structure, which also have to be taken in consideration, may be constructed with comparatively small wall-thickness. Fig. 5 illustrates as a further example a stand-alone wall, which can serve as a noise-absorbing or partition wall and which comprises a gravity support structure with a plurality of cells filled with bulk material and surrounded by flat and flexible envelope material. All this is in accordance with the preceding examples so that no detailed explanation is necessary thus far. Beyond the preceding examples, the wall is provided with two opposite front-sides formed by corresponding fore-parts FP1, FP2 and with a central gravity support structure CGS. The latter again comprises a plurality of compartments or cells which are filled with bulk material and surrounded or subdivided by flat and flexible envelope material FEM. The fore-parts are constructed similar to the one according to Fig.3, i.e. consisting of superimposed, trough-like building elements BET with a back rib BR extending in longitudinal direction of the wall For the purpose of explanation three different modes of anchoring the fore-parts have been shown in Fig.5: In the lowermost stage of the wall two building elements located in opposition to each other and on the same level are both anchored independently by means of anchoring sections ASE of the envelope material being part of the bulk material cells housed in excavations of the building elements BET. The anchoring sections ASE are extending into the bulk material of the gravity support structure so as to form a substantially frictional connection therewith. In the following upper stage of the wall two building elements located in opposition to each other and on the same level are shown anchored to each othery by means of common anchoring section ASC of the envelope material being part of both the bulk material cells housed in excavations of the corresponding building elements. Such inexpensive construction renders favourably enhanced compound stability. In the third stage of the wall a common anchoring mode similar as in the preceding stage has been shown, however, without making use of the envelope material of bulk material cells. Instead a common tensile anchoring element AET in the form of a rope or band is used, which surrounds the back ribs BR of both building elements and extends through the bulk material located between both fore-parts. It has to be pointed out that this mode of anchoring offers optimum stability due to the possibility of tensioning the common anchoring element or elements in the different stages of the wall precisely. Furthermore, optimum form stability is secured for the whole stand-alone wall.

Claims: A wall, particularly a slope-supporting wall or a stand-alone wall, comprising a gravity support structure (MTW) with a plurality of bulk material compartments (SMZ) surrounded at least partly by flexible sheet material (HM), the wall being provided with at least one fore-part (MVBc, MVBd, ....) which comprises superimposed building elements (La, Lb, Lc) and is positively or frictionally connected with said gravity support structure with regard to tensile forces, characterized in that said building elements have integral wall means (SV, SVb, SVc) extending substantially transverse to said tensile forces and in that at least part of each said compartment (SMZ) with its flexible sheet material is arranged to extend at least partially around the respective wall means so as to establish said positive or frictional connection. A wall according to Claim 1, characterized in that at the rear side of said fore-part (MVBb, MVBc, ....) there is formed at least one wall means (SV, SVb, SVc) formed as a projection directed upwards, and at elast one excavation (ANH) being located neighbouring said wall means and offset in relation thereto in a direction towards the front side of said fore-part, at least one of said bulk material compartments being formed within or extending into said excavation so as to form said positive or frictional connection. A wall according to Claim 2, characterized in that at least one portion of said flexible sheet material (HM) extends from at least one of said excavations over said at least one wall means (SV, SVb, SVc) into said gravity support structure (MTW). A wall according to anyone of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said fore-part (MVBa) is constructed and arranged so as to exert a tilting moment in a direction against said gravity support structure (MTW) and to be in a positive pressure connection therewith. A wall according to anyone of the preceding Claims, characterized in that said fore-part (MVBb, MVBc, ....) is formed as a supporting grid structure containing a bulk material filling and constructed so as to be tilt-resistant in itself. A wall according to Claim 5, characterized in that said fore-part (MVBb, MVBc) is connected with said gravity support structure (MTW) so as to balance a portion of the bulk material pressure thereof. A wall according to Claim 6, characterized in that a pressure transmitting space filled with a preferably densified bulk material filling is provided between the front side of said gravity support structure and said fore-part. A wall according to anyone of the preceding Claims, characterized in that said fore-part is connected with said gravity support structure by at least one flexible tensile anchoring element in the form of flexible sheet material (HM). A wall according to Claim 8, characterized in that said fore-part is arranged without substantial force transmission in relation to said gravity support structure. A wall according to Claim 9, characterized in that an intermediate space filled at least partially with an imcompact, substantially pressureless bulk material is provided between the front side of said gravity support structure and the rear side of said fore-part. A wall according to anyone of the preceding Claims, characterized in that the wall is constructed as a standalone wall with two opposite front-sides formed by corresponding fore-parts and with a central gravity support structure with a plurality of bulk material compartments (SMZ) surrounded at least partially by flexible sheet material. A wall according to Claim 11, characterized in that said oppositely located fore-parts are connected together by means of at least one flexible tensile anchoring element (AET, ASC). A wall according to Claim 12, characterized in that said at least one anchoring element (ASC) is in the form of flexible sheet material.

Inventors: JAECKLIN, FELIX PAUL, DR.
Applicants: GEOTECH-LIZENZ AG
Application year: 1986
Main classification: E02D29
IPC codes: E02D29