Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02786698 2012-07-10
Separating Element for Traffic Surfaces
The invention relates to a separating element for traffic surfaces that is
made
preferably of concrete and that on opposite end faces has at least one
connecting element at a
time with which it can be connected to a subsequent separating element (AT 405
851 B and
EP 1124014 A).
These separating elements are conventionally coupled to one another by
suitable
connecting elements in order to form a continuously closed guide wall. These
elements that
are connected to one another in the end region or on the end faces are
generally mounted
freely on the foundation. The so-called retaining system acquires its
serviceability by the
resulting tension member action of this chain that is formed from the
separating elements and
is able to repel colliding vehicles.
Before the connecting apparatus consisting of the connecting elements that
have been
joined to one another is loaded in tension by a colliding vehicle and the
retaining system
builds up its tension member action, upon impact first a transverse force
arises that is higher,
the heavier and faster the colliding vehicle. The force is directly fed mainly
into that
separating element in which the initial contact between the vehicle and the
retaining system
occurs. This separating element is first displaced by the transverse force,
the bordering
separating elements being displaced at the same time in a correspondingly
vigorous impact.
This displacement, due to the positive locking of the connecting apparatus,
feeds a
corresponding transverse force into the connecting apparatus and into the
region of the
concrete element in which the connecting elements are incorporated. This
transverse force
loads the connecting apparatus in a form for which it can only be to some
extent
dimensioned with difficulty. Furthermore, this briefly occurring transverse
force can lead to
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damage in that region of the concrete element in which the connecting
apparatus is
incorporated.
Therefore, the object of the invention is to devise a separating element of
the initially
named type that improves the transmission of the transverse forces from one
separating
element to a bordering separating element.
This object is achieved with a separating element of the initially-named type
in that
on one end face, there is at least one projection, and on the other end face,
there is at least
one depression, a projection engaging a depression of a subsequent separating
element in
order to transfer the forces acting in the plane of the end face from one
separating element to
a subsequent separating element.
The at least one projection that engages one depression of a subsequent
separating
element makes it possible to better control the force acting on the connecting
apparatus and
the transfer of the transverse forces that occur between the elements and to
route the
transverse forces out of the generally more sensitive connecting apparatus to
other sites in the
end face, for example into the base region of the separating elements, where
the elements are
generally made more solid.
Another advantage of the at least one projection that engages one depression
of a
subsequent separating element is the effect that the separating elements in
the case of
collision in the junction region cannot be displaced relative to one another.
Depending on at
what height the connecting apparatus is provided, due to impact in the base
region, an offset
often occurs between the separating elements since the forces of friction on
the mounting
surfaces act against the transverse force. This offset or this twisting in the
junction region can
lead to the corners of the separating elements in the junction region no
longer pressing
against one another during the buckling that is caused by the impact and thus
no longer
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stiffening the system. The positive connection of the separating elements
according to the
invention keeps the end faces in their position to one another so that during
buckling/displacement of the chain and of the individual elements, the corners
continue to
strike/press against one another and thus stiffen the system. In this way, the
displacement in
a case of impact is reduced.
The projection and the depression preferably consist of metal, preferably of
steel, and
are located on a rigid compression plate on the end faces of the separating
element and are
attached there. The compression plate is connected to the concrete element
such that the
transverse and compressive forces that occur can be transmitted between the
elements and
can be routed into the bordering element.
A symmetrical version makes it possible for the individual elements to be
removed
from the closed chain and re-inserted anywhere. This version also allows the
elements to be
able to be mounted from any side.
It is preferred in the invention if compression plates are attached in the
region of
lateral outer edges of the end faces. These can be the compression plates on
which the
projection and/or the depression are located, but also compression plates
independent
thereof.
Separating elements of guide walls are somewhat displaced first of all in a
collision,
as a result of which energy from a collision of a motor vehicle is reduced. If
the collision is
so strong that this small displacement of the separating elements is not
sufficient to reduce
the energy of the impact, the separating elements that are held together in
their middle region
by the connecting elements strike one another in the region of their lateral
outer edges, as a
result of which the originally articulated connection between two separating
elements
becomes a largely rigid connection. Since separating elements for traffic
surfaces are
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generally made of concrete and the latter breaks relatively easily especially
in the edge
region, the compressive force between two separating elements is distributed
by the rigid
compression plates onto a relatively large surface region that can be chosen
by the size of the
compression plates especially toward the interior of the separating elements,
as a result of
which the concrete, among others, due to the reinforcement that is present if
necessary, is
able to absorb much higher compressive forces without breaking. In this way,
the separating
elements, especially in a collision of heavy vehicles or of vehicles with high
speed, are able
to absorb these forces in the region of the outer edges or corners without
their being
destroyed to such an extent that they can no longer accommodate loads that
occur.
Instead of separate compression plates on one end face of the separating
element,
especially in the region of the lateral outer edges, in the invention it can
also be provided that
there is a compression plate that passes from one lateral outer edge to the
other lateral outer
edge. The advantage of this embodiment lies not only in that a very large
surface on which
the forces are distributed is created by the compression plate that passes
from one edge to the
other, but also in that the compression plate acts as a type of
tension/compression member
that extends from one edge to another.
Even if it were possible for the compression plate(s) to extend over a large
part of the
height of the end faces or over the entire end face, it is generally preferred
if the compression
plate(s) is/are located on one lower edge of the end faces since in this
region, the outer edges
generally lie farthest apart or break most easily.
A still more stable embodiment of the invention arises by the compression
plate(s)
with clips and/or plates extending around the lateral outer edges except for
the longitudinal
sides of the separating element.
The invention is used preferably in a separating element that is characterized
in that it
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has lower side surfaces that are arranged at a right angle to a bottom surface
and oblique
surfaces that adjoin over the side surfaces and that are tilted at an angle of
less than 90 ,
preferably at an angle of between 450 and 75 , to the bottom surface and in
that the
compression plate(s) extend around the lateral outer edges except for the side
surfaces and
oblique surfaces. In this way, the entire edge region of the separating
elements that is
especially subject to fracture is protected.
In addition, in a preferred further development of the invention to protect
the
separating elements, it can be provided that the compression plate(s)
extend(s) around one
lower edge of the end face except for a bottom surface.
One especially preferred embodiment of the invention is characterized in that
at least
one end face, preferably both end faces, have a middle region and side
regions, in that the
middle region is located at a right angle to a vertical longitudinal middle
plane of the
separating element, in that compression surfaces on compression plates on the
side regions
are arranged at an angle of less than 90 to the vertical longitudinal middle
plane, and in that
the compression plates are located at least on the lower edge of the side
regions. Depending
on the angle of the side regions, guide walls with curve radii of different
sizes can be built by
this embodiment of the separating elements.
In one further development of the invention, the separating elements according
to the
invention can be made such that one connecting element of one separating
element with one
connecting element of a subsequent separating element defines a pivot and that
the pivot is
located in one plane of the compression surfaces of the compression elements.
In one alternative embodiment that is preferred in the invention, a separating
element
according to the invention can also be characterized in that one connecting
element of one
separating element with one connecting element of a subsequent separating
element defines a
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pivot and that one plane of the compression surface of the compression element
lies on the
side of the pivot facing away from the respective separating element. In this
way, the
compression surfaces of adjacent separating elements during a displacement do
not
immediately strike one another flat on the side regions, but first in a
transition region that lies
further to the inside between the middle region and the side region. When the
force that
further displaces the elements and "buckles" them in their connecting region
relative to one
another continues further, subsequently the coupling that consists of the
connecting elements
that have been joined to one another is stretched, and in addition, the edge
region between
the middle region and the side region in which the separating elements strike
one another is
deformed, as a result of which further energy is reduced. Only afterwards do
the separating
elements on the compression surfaces collide flatly as far as the corner
region and can
accommodate even stronger forces due to the larger compression surface.
Briefly-occurring
peak forces/peak energies are better accommodated/reduced by this embodiment.
This function can also be achieved or reinforced in that on the side of a
compression
plate that is located on one side region, which side is adjacent to the middle
region, there is a
compression element that projects above the surface of the compression plate.
In order to be able to adjust the size of the gap between the side regions, in
the
invention an optionally wedge-shaped spacer element can be attached to at
least one
compression plate.
The separating element according to the invention can be characterized in that
the
compression plate(s) on the side that points toward the interior of the
separating element
has/have connecting elements. These connecting elements, for example setbolts,
clamps or
the like, can be concreted into a separating element that conventionally
consists of concrete
and in this way can ensure a very strong connection between compression
plate(s) and
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concrete bodies of the separating element and very good delivery of forces
into it.
Other features and advantages of the connecting apparatus according to the
invention
and of the separating elements according to the invention will become apparent
from the
following description of preferred embodiments of the invention.
Here:
Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of a separating element according to the
invention
in an oblique view,
Figure 2 shows a top view of the connecting region between two separating
elements according to Figure 1 in the stretched state,
Figure 3 shows a top view of the connecting region between two separating
elements
according to Figure 1 in the buckled state,
Figure 4 shows a second embodiment of a separating element according to the
invention in an oblique view,
Figure 5 shows a third embodiment of a separating element according to the
invention,
Figure 6 shows a top view of the connecting region between two separating
elements according to Figure 5 in the stretched state,
Figure 7 shows a top view of the connecting region between two separating
elements according to Figure 5 in the buckled state,
Figure 8 shows a fourth embodiment of a separating element according to the
invention,
Figure 9 shows a fifth embodiment of a separating element according to the
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invention,
Figure 10 shows a sixth embodiment of a separating element according to the
invention,
Figure 11 shows a seventh embodiment of a separating element according to the
invention,
Figure 12 shows an eighth embodiment of a separating element according to the
invention, and
Figure 13 shows a ninth embodiment of a separating element according to the
invention with a seventh embodiment of compression plates.
Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of a separating element 1 according to the
invention. This separating element 1 consists in the conventional manner of an
essentially
trapezoidal upper part 2 and a wider, likewise essentially trapezoidal lower
part 3, and a
middle part that is narrower than the upper part 2 and the lower part 3. This
yields a roughly
I-shaped profile that has high stiffness at reduced weight compared to a
roughly trapezoidal
profile. Moreover, reflectors 35 or the like that are protected by the
projecting upper part 2
and lower part 3 against damage can be attached to the middle part.
The separating element 1 according to the invention has two opposite end faces
4 to
which connecting elements 5, 6 are attached preferably in the region of the
upper part 2, and
with which one separating element 1 can be connected to further separating
elements 1 to
form separating walls, guide walls or other retaining systems on roads or
other locations, as
is shown in, for example, Figures 2 and 3. In this respect, the separating
element 1 is made as
inherently known from the prior art and can also be made like the known
separating elements
largely without limitations.
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The end face 4 of the separating element 1 has an upper section 4a, a lower
section
4b, and a middle section 4c, the middle section 4c being tilted obliquely from
the upper
section 4a down and to the outside. In this way, the upper section 4a lies in
one plane behind
the lower section 4b, as a result of which the upper sections 4a of adjoining
separating
elements are always spaced apart from one another even if the lower sections
4b lie against
one another.
On the lower section 4b, there is a compression plate 40 made of steel with a
projection 41 that is wedge-shaped in this embodiment and a wedge-shaped
depression 42,
which each can engage as is shown in Figures 2 and 3 on one depression 42 and
one
projection respectively of an opposite compression plate 40 of a subsequent
separating
element when they are connected to one another using the connecting elements
5, 6. This
yields a positive connection between the compression plates 40, which prevents
transverse
displacement of the separating elements 1 on the compression plates 40, as a
result of which
transverse forces can be better transferred from one separating element 1 to a
subsequent
separating element 1 and the loading of the connecting elements 5, 6 by
transverse forces is
reduced.
Because the lower section 4b is offset forward relative to the upper section
4a,
separating elements 1 can be easily connected to one another or separated from
one another
by one separating element 1 or the other being raised or lowered, and at the
same time the
connecting elements 5, 6 can be joined to one another/separated from one
another, and one
projection 41 on one separating element 1 can be inserted into/withdrawn from
one
depression 42 on the subsequent separating element 1.
On the side of the compression plate 40 facing the interior of the separating
element
1, connecting elements 12 are attached that in this embodiment are made as
setbolts that with
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their end opposite the head are welded to the compression plates 40. The
setbolts 12 are cast
into the body of the separating element in the production of the separating
element I and thus
constitute a strong connection between the compression plates 40 and the body,
generally the
concrete body, of the separating element 1.
The compression plate 40 extends in the form of clips 14 around edges 9 to
over the
side surfaces 15 that adjoin the edges 9. The setbolts 12 are also located on
the clips 14 in
order to create a strong connection of the clips 14 to the concrete body.
Figure 2 shows that in the illustrated embodiment, the sections 4b of the end
faces 4
of adjoining separating elements 1 when the connecting elements 5, 6 are
joined to one
another (shown only symbolically in Figures 2 and 3) are spaced apart from one
another.
Accordingly, the projections 41 do not completely engage the depressions 42,
but the
surfaces of the projections 41 and depressions 42 have a distance from one
another that
corresponds to the distance of the end faces 4. This distance in the
illustrated embodiment is
chosen such that the tips of the projections 41 engage only a small piece in
the depressions
42.
When a separating element 1 is displaced due to the impact of a motor vehicle,
the
separating element 1 as shown in Figure 3 can twist around the connecting
region of the
connecting elements 5, 6, as a result of which a projection 41 more deeply
engages the
assigned or opposite depression 42. In this way, a stable positive connection
is created
between the bordering separating elements 1 that is able to accommodate
transverse forces
that are acting at a right angle to the longitudinal extension of the
separating elements 1 or in
the plane of the end faces 4 so that the connecting elements 5, 6 that would
otherwise have to
accommodate these transverse forces are relieved of these transverse forces.
In this way, the
connecting elements 5, 6 can be optimized to the tensile forces that are
acting in the
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longitudinal direction of the separating elements.
Figure 4 shows one embodiment of a separating element 1 that consists, as is
inherently known, of an essentially trapezoidal upper part 2 and a wider,
likewise essentially
trapezoidal lower part 3. In this embodiment, the projections 43 and
depressions 44 are made
semicircular. It goes without saying that also other shapes of projections and
depressions can
be used, such as roughly trapezoidal geometries, it also being possible for
the projections and
depressions to combine different shapes or geometries or proportions.
The projections and depressions in all described embodiments can be provided
only
on the compression plates; the compression plates can therefore rest largely
flat on the
underlying concrete. The projections or depressions can also, however, as well
as shown in
the drawings, be present on the concrete body and can be covered and protected
by the
compression plates.
The end face 4 of the separating element 1 of Figure 5 has a middle region 7
and two
side regions 8. The middle region 7 and the two side regions 8 in this
illustrated embodiment
lie in one plane, the middle region having roughly the width of the upper part
2 and the side
regions 8 occupying the area by which the lower part 3 projects laterally over
the upper part
2.
On the side regions 8, on the end face 4, compression plates 11 made of metal,
preferably stainless steel, are attached and in the illustrated embodiment
extend from the
middle region 7 to lateral outer edges 9 of the end face 4. The compression
plates 11 can be
seated either on side regions that are flush with the middle region 7 and
consequently project
with the plate thickness over the middle region 7 or can be inserted into
depressions whose
depth corresponds roughly to the plate thickness so that the free compression
surface 10 of
the compression plates 11 is flush with the surface of the middle region 7.
One projection 41
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is attached to one compression plate 11, and one depression 42 is made on the
other
compression plate 11. On the opposing end face 4, corresponding compression
plates 11 that
are likewise not shown with one projection 41 and one depression 42 each are
attached so
that adjoining separating elements 1 can be connected to one another
analogously to the
manner as shown in Figures 2 and 3.
The connection between two separating elements 1 is shown once in the
stretched
state (Figure 6) and once in the buckled state (Figure 7) in Figures 6 and 7,
similarly to as
shown in Figures 2 and 3. The middle region 7 is aligned at a right angle to a
vertical
longitudinal middle plane; conversely, the side regions 8 are located at an
angle a of less
than 90 to the vertical longitudinal middle plane. For two separating
elements 1 that are
aligned flush with one another, there are thus V-shaped openings between the
side regions 8
that are opposite to one another. In this embodiment, the compression surfaces
10 of the
compression plates 11 are located on the side regions 8 at an angle a of less
than 90 to the
longitudinal axis of the separating element 1, the planes of the compression
surfaces 10
passing roughly through the pivot between the connecting elements 5, 6. In
this way, the
compression elements 11 with their projections 41 and depressions 42 adjoin
one another
flatly when the separating elements 1 are twisted against one another to the
degree as shown
in Figure 7.
When the separating elements 1 are pivoted as shown in Figure 7, the
compression
plates 11 with their compression surfaces 10 adjoin one another flatly so that
for a
continuously acting force F, for example in the direction shown in Figures 3
or 7, the
compressive forces acting between the two separating elements 1 in the region
of the
compression plates 11 are delivered over a large area into the concrete body
of the separating
elements 1 so that premature breaking-off of an affected corner region of the
separating
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elements 1 can be prevented.
In the embodiment of the separating element 1 according to the invention that
is
shown in Figure 8, the basic shape corresponds to that of Figure 5. Instead of
two separate
compression plates, however, in this case there is a single compression plate
13 [with] one
projection 41 and one depression 42, which extends from one edge 9 of one side
region 8 to
the other edge 9 of the other side region 8. The compression plate 13 consists
preferably of a
one-piece steel plate that is again connected on the side regions 8 via
setbolts 12 to the
concrete body.
The embodiment of Figure 9 is very similar to the embodiment of Figure 8, the
compression plate 13 extending in the form of clips 14 around the edges 9 to
over the side
surfaces 15 that adjoin the edges 9. There are also setbolts 12 on the clips
14 in order to
create a strong connection of the clips 14 to the concrete body.
The embodiment of Figure 10 represents a further development of the embodiment
of
Figure 3 in which the compression plate 13 in the form of plates 17 extends in
addition
around extensions 9' of the outer edges 9 in the region of side oblique
surfaces 16 of the
lower part 3. The oblique surfaces 16 are as is known tilted at an angle of
less than 90 ,
preferably at an angle of between 45 and 75 , to the bottom surface of the
separating
element 1. The above-described setbolts 12 are also attached to the plates 17.
In the embodiment as shown in Figure 11, a bottom plate 18, which also like
the one
already described is connected securely with setbolts 12 to the concrete body
of the
separating element 1, is attached to the compression plate 13 in addition to
the clips 14 and
the plates 17 on the bottom surface of the separating element 1.
Figure 12 shows one embodiment of the invention that is not dissimilar to the
one of
Figure 11, but with the difference that similarly to the embodiment according
to Figure 5, it
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has separate compression plates 11 that like the embodiment according to
Figure 5 have a
projection 41 and a depression 42, side clips 14, side plates 17 and bottom
plates 18 that are
each securely connected by setbolts 12 to the concrete body.
It goes without saying that in all illustrated and described embodiments of
separating
elements 1, on two opposite end faces 4 there can be the same or similar
compression plates
11, 13 even if this was not described in detail above. Moreover, the
separating elements 1
need not have a symmetrical cross-section, but can also be asymmetrical.
Figure 13 shows one embodiment of a separating element 20 according to the
invention that has a simple trapezoidal shape as a cross-sectional shape. The
separating
element 20 like the separating element 1 on two opposite end faces 4 in the
lower third has a
trapezoidal compression plate 21 on which a projection 41 and a depression 42
are located
and that extends over the entire width of the end face 4 from one outer edge 9
to the other
edge 9. The two compression plates 21 are connected to one another via side
plates 23. Both
the compression plates 21 and also the side plates 23 have connecting elements
in the form
of setbolts 12, with which they are securely connected to the concrete body.
In all described embodiments, the compression plates, to the extent that they
are
located on the end faces 4, and also the sections that are angled to the side
surfaces and to the
bottom surface are bent either from one-piece plates that are welded to one
another if
necessary on the borders or edges, or they consist of individual plates that
are welded to one
another.
The basic shapes of the separating elements 1, 20 of the individual
illustrated and
described embodiments as well as the shapes and the manner of attachment of
the
compression plates 11, 13, 21 of the individual illustrated and described
embodiments can be
interchanged among one another as desired.
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The previously illustrated and described embodiments of the separating
elements I
allow a limited pivoting capacity of the separating elements to one another,
among others to
be able to form curve radii. The degree of freedom of motion that thus allows
a certain
buckling angle until the compression plates adjoin another in the case of a
vehicle impact has
a corresponding effect on the displacement of the overall system (=element
chain). This can
become a problem in systems that are designed to allow only a small
displacement in an
impact of a vehicle, based on the case of application.
In order to be able to solve this problem, the compression plates 11, 13, 21,
40 in one
embodiment of the invention can be made such that in the base position of the
separating
elements 1, 20 (=straight mounting), they fill a possible gap between the
separating elements
1, 20 on one or both sides. If, for example, in one curve region, a buckling
is necessary,
spacer elements 34 that are arranged to be dismountable and that are attached
to the
compression plate 21 or integrated in it can be removed in order to thus form
a gap that
enables a certain buckling angle. One embodiment for such a spacer element 34
is shown in
Figure 13. Here, in addition, in the gap that is opened by buckling, therefore
opposite that
side where the filling element is being removed, a spacer element 34 can be
attached that fills
the resulting gap in order to again enable immediate transfer of compressive
forces. The
basic idea of these filling elements that can be attached in different
embodiments, for
example point-symmetrically to the compression plates 11, 13, 21, 40, are part
of them or
assume the function of the compression plates 11, 13, 21, 40, is different
than in the known
versions not a damping action, but in contrast a rigid action that transfers
the compressive
forces that arise by the buckling to the bordering separating element 1, 20 in
the case of a
vehicle impact. Thus, the overall system that consists of a series of
separating elements 1, 20
becomes stiffer and opposes displacement in the case of a vehicle impact.
CA 02786698 2012-07-10
In all of the above-described embodiments, one projection 41 and one
depression 42
each are attached to each end face 4. It goes without saying that only one
projection 41 or one
depression 42 or more than one projection 41 or more than one depression 42
can be located
on each end face 4. Moreover, the projections 41 and depressions 42 need not
be attached to
compression plates 11, 13, 21, 40, but can also be attached without
compression plates 11,
13, 21, 40 or next to compression plates 11, 13, 21, 40.
16
