EP2971367B1 - Structure for protecting sea and/or river construction work, and protective block used - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a protective structure shell of maritime and / or river structures against waves and currents comprising a plurality of artificial blocks.

Among all the different parts of a protective structure of maritime and / or river structures, the carapace represents the key element for the stability of the structure, and constitutes the main protection element of the structure vis-à- vis-à-vis the aggression of swells. The carapace consists of either natural riprap or artificial blocks, usually concrete.

The development of powerful artificial blocks has been the subject of many works. It was mainly to propose optimized forms leading to a high robustness, as well as a high hydraulic stability thus allowing low consumption of concrete, and thus substantial savings. However, it is generally recognized that robustness plays to the detriment of stability, and vice versa.

Stability depends on the ability of the blocks, not only to cling to the underlying slopes of the works to protect, but also and especially to assemble them through their particular shape by constituting a protective shell that leaves spaces empty enough to absorb the hydraulic energy to which the work is subjected.

Robustness represents the ability of the shape of the blocks to good mechanical resistance to shocks, stresses and erosion. This form also depends on the interlocking properties of the blocks between them and the vacuum index of the carapace. This index must be high enough on the one hand to disperse the wave energy and on the other hand to reduce the action of underpressure.

In particular, with the time and effort due to the swell or the current, the carapace can pack, while the blocks can be caused to oscillate between two positions, which accelerates the degradation of the carapace.

The blocks having a slender shape provide individual stability of the elements and resistance to high crossings. However, such blocks have a low structural resistance that can lead to rapid degradation of the shell.

Blocks having a slender shape, that is to say more massive, with protuberances intended to increase the imbrication of adjacent elements, generally have high hydraulic performance. However, to ensure the stability of the structure, the laying of such blocks must respect, in most cases, binding rules of arrangement, which makes the realization of the carapace long and delicate. It results, in particular, from this difficulty, a relative variability of the performance of these blocks.

It is also known to use blocks having a square-shaped core, with pointed protuberances at each corner, and a protuberance on each face of the square. However, these protuberances represent fragile parts that may be damaged, in particular because they constitute points of contact or support between adjacent blocks.

The document WO 2007/011208 describes a protective shell of the wave protection structure. The carapace includes wave protection elements comprising a square base body of which two nose and several protuberances extend. The growths extend in the same plane, the noses extending in the direction perpendicular to this plane and in the opposite direction with respect to each other.

An object of the invention is to improve the performance of a protective structure, especially in terms of dissipation of the wave energy, thanks to blocks having a high structural strength and which can be arranged in an easy arrangement. achieve and having a homogeneous porosity.

For this purpose, according to a first aspect, it is proposed a protective structure shell of maritime structures and / or fluvial comprising a plurality of protective blocks. Each protection block comprises a central core having an upper portion and a lower portion. The central core is surrounded, in its lower part, by a circular protuberance comprising lateral faces and adapted to come, by at least one of the lateral faces, in abutment with at least one of the lateral faces of a circular protuberance of an adjacent block.

The presence of the circular protuberance allows easy arrangement of the blocks together, in particular by introducing a minimum distance between the central cores of two adjacent blocks, and makes it possible to easily achieve a partial tiling of the underlying surface of the slope. allowing both to protect it and to promote the flow of water above. In addition, the upper part of the central core absorbs some of the wave energy by promoting the dispersion of water when the swell strikes the block. The upper part of the central core thus plays the role of dissipation element and all the upper parts of the different blocks gives the shell a rough envelope to limit the amplitude of the movements of the swell on the shell, thanks in particular to spaces created around the upper parts of the nuclei by the circular protuberances. With a row or random laying plan, it is easy to obtain a uniform distribution of the blocks, the upper parts of the blocks, and a homogeneous porosity of the shell. In addition, the shape of the circular protuberances allows arrangements having openings regularly disposed between adjacent blocks, which promotes transverse flows conducive to the stability of the blocks.

Preferably, the circular protuberance is adapted to allow partial tiling of a surface with adjacent protective blocks in contact with each other by at least one of the adjacent surfaces of the circular protuberance. The partial paving can vary between 60% and 90% of the surface on which the blocks are laid, preferably between 70% and 85%.

The central core may comprise a lower base and an upper base, preferably flat, the lower base and the upper base being square or octagonal and connected by side faces. The circular protuberance may be arranged around the lower part of the lateral faces of the core, from the lower base of the central core.

Preferably, the core is a square or octagonal right prism.

The circular protrusion may include an octagonal lateral contour. The circular protuberance may comprise a square lateral contour having a notch on at least one side, the notch being adapted to cooperate with a vertex of the square lateral contour of a protuberance of an adjacent block. Thus, in the case of an octagonal lateral contour, the adjacent blocks are in contact with each other by at least one of the lateral faces of the protuberance. In the case of a square lateral contour, the adjacent blocks are in contact via the vertices of the contour and the notches of the sides of the contour. In both cases, the contact surfaces allow a better stability of the blocks together, and the geometry of the circular protrusion allows easy positioning of the blocks together.

The octagonal lateral contour may correspond to a square lateral contour in which the vertices are chamfered. In this case, the lateral contour is not a regular octagon: one lateral face on two has a smaller surface area.

According to the invention, the circular protuberance forms, with the lower base of the core, a lower surface of the planar block. Said lower surface of the block is that on which the block rests on the underlying slope.

Preferably, the circular protuberance also comprises a circular inclined surface, for example between 0 ° and 70 °, preferably between 5 ° and 65 °, connecting the upper end of the lateral contour of the circular protuberance to the lateral faces of the core. Such inclined surface makes it easier to manufacture the block, in particular by molding, and also makes it possible to obtain a more robust block.

The perimeter of the lateral contour of the circular protrusion may decrease near the lower surface of the block 1.

The height of the circular protuberance can represent between 25 and 85%, preferably between 40 and 70% of the total height of the block. The width, in particular the minimum width, of the upper part of the central core may represent between 40 and 95%, preferably between 50 and 75% of the total width of the block 1.

The circular protrusion may have vertical grooves on its side faces.

The protection block may comprise at least one vertical through recess. It may also include at least one horizontal recess passing through. Such recesses facilitate the circulation of water within the shell, especially its flow towards the sea or the ocean.

Preferably, the blocks form a partial tiling covering between 60% and 90%, preferably between 70% and 85%, of the surface on which the blocks are laid.

• la figure 1 est une vue en trois dimensions d'un bloc utilisé dans un premier mode de réalisation de l'invention ;
• la figure 2 est une vue de haut d'une carapace formée par des blocs selon le premier mode de réalisation ;
• la figure 3 est une vue en trois dimensions d'un bloc utilisé dans un deuxième mode de réalisation de l'invention ;
• la figure 4 est une vue en trois dimensions d'un bloc utilisé dans un troisième mode de réalisation de l'invention ; et
• la figure 5 est une vue en trois dimensions d'un bloc utilisé dans un quatrième mode de réalisation de l'invention.

The invention will be better understood from the study of four particular embodiments, taken as non-limiting examples and illustrated by the appended drawings, in which:

• the figure 1 is a three-dimensional view of a block used in a first embodiment of the invention;
• the figure 2 is a top view of a shell formed by blocks according to the first embodiment;
• the figure 3 is a three-dimensional view of a block used in a second embodiment of the invention;
• the figure 4 is a three-dimensional view of a block used in a third embodiment of the invention; and
• the figure 5 is a three-dimensional view of a block used in a fourth embodiment of the invention.

On the figure 1 , there is shown a block 1 according to a first embodiment. In this embodiment, block 1, for example concrete, comprises a central core 2 with a lower portion 3 and an upper portion 4, and a circular protuberance 5 disposed around the lower portion 3 of the central core 2.

The central core 2 has a lower base 6 (shown in dotted lines), an upper base 7 and side faces 8.

More specifically, the core 2 has two square bases 6, 7, forming the two main surfaces, preferably flat, which are connected by four lateral faces 8. The lateral faces 8 are free on their upper part and covered by the circular protrusion 5 in their lower part.

In the present case, it is considered that the square bases, that is to say the bases 6 and 7, are identical and parallel. It is further considered that the side faces 8 are perpendicular to said bases 6, 7. Thus, the central core 2 of the block 1 is a straight prism with a square base.

The circular protuberance 5 has an octagonal lateral contour. In particular, the circular protuberance 5 comprises eight lateral faces 9. The octagonal contour of the circular protuberance 5 may be regular, that is to say have eight equal lateral faces 9, or irregular as illustrated in FIG. figure 1 in the latter case, the side faces 9 of the octagonal contour are identical in pairs. More particularly, the successive lateral faces of the circular protuberance 5 may have areas successively equal to two different values. Such an octagonal contour can in particular be obtained by chamfering the vertices of a square initial contour: the lateral faces issuing from the sides of the square have the same area which is greater than that of the lateral faces formed by the chamfers. The lateral faces of the circular protuberance 5 then have surfaces equal in pairs.

The circular protuberance 5 may also comprise a circular surface 10 connecting the lateral faces 9 of the circular protuberance 5 to the lateral faces 8 of the upper part 4 of the central core 2. The circular surface 10 may thus comprise several faces 11 having angles with the horizontal between 0 ° (in this case, the circular surface 10 corresponds to a shoulder) and 70 °, for example between 5 ° and 65 °.

On the figure 1 the circular surface 10 comprises eight faces 11, each face 11 connecting a lateral face 9 of the circular protuberance 5 to the upper part 4 of the central core 2.

The lower part of the circular protuberance 5 forms with the lower base 6 of the central core 2 a lower surface 12, preferably flat, of the block 1

Advantageously, the lateral faces 9 of the circular protuberance 5 may be perpendicular to the bases 6, 7 of the central core 2. Alternatively, the lateral faces 9 of the circular protuberance 5 may have, close to the lower surface 12 of the block 1, a tilt inward of the block, to facilitate the circulation of water between the blocks. In other words, the perimeter of the lateral contour of the circular protuberance 5 can decrease near the lower surface 12 of the block 1.

The height of the circular protuberance 5 represents 65% of the total height of the block 1, of which 50% for the lateral faces 9. The width, in particular the minimum width, of the upper part 4 of the central core 2 represents 60% of the total width of the block 1. Each chamfer forming a side face 9, corresponds to the withdrawal of 20% of the total width of the block 1.

The figure 2 represents a shell 13 of a protective structure. The carapace 13 comprises several blocks 1 (thirteen of which are represented on the figure 2 ). The blocks 1 are arranged in abutment against each other. In particular, the lateral faces 9 of the circular protuberance 5 corresponding to chamfers are disposed in abutment against the side faces 9 of the adjacent blocks. It is thus possible to easily arrange the different blocks 1 of the shell, so as to obtain the desired spacing between the different blocks.

The figure 3 represents a second embodiment of a protection block 1. On the figure 3 , the references identical to those of the first embodiment designate the same elements.

On the figure 3 , the circular surface 10 comprises only four faces 11, the lateral faces 9 of the circular protuberance 5 formed by chamfers having a height greater than that of the other lateral faces.

The figure 4 represents a third embodiment of a protection block 1. On the figure 4 , the references identical to those of the first embodiment designate the same elements.

On the figure 4 the central core 2 comprises a lower base and an upper base 7 regular octagonal. The upper part 4 of the central core 2 thus comprises eight identical lateral faces 8. Furthermore, the circular protuberance 5 also has a regular octagonal lateral contour, so that the upper part 4 is a homothety of the circular protuberance 5. The inclined surface 10 also comprises eight identical faces 11.

According to this third embodiment, the adjacent blocks 1 abut on the lateral faces 9. The eight lateral faces 9 of the circular protuberance 5 being identical, the blocks can be arranged more easily, with less orientation constraints.

The figure 5 represents a fourth embodiment of a protection block 1. On the figure 5 , the references identical to those of the first embodiment designate the same elements.

On the figure 5 block 1 has a circular protuberance 5 with a square lateral contour. The circular protuberance 5 thus has four identical lateral faces 9, and the vertices of the lateral faces are not chamfered. However, in order to facilitate the arrangement of the blocks together, the circular protuberance 5 comprises notches 14. The notches 14 are present in the middle of the side faces 9. The notches 14 cooperate with the vertices of the circular protuberance of the adjacent blocks and to provide openings between the circular protuberances of adjacent blocks. In the case represented on the figure 5 the notches 14 show a fraction of the lower part of the central core 2.

For each embodiment described above, the perimeter of the lateral contour of the circular protuberance 5 may decrease near the lower surface 12 of the block 1.

The circular protrusion may have vertical grooves on its side faces. Furthermore, the protective block 1 may also comprise at least one vertical through recess and / or at least one horizontal recess through, to facilitate the flow of water into the shell.

The protective structure comprising such a shell may also comprise, in a conventional manner, a filter layer, underlying the shell, and a core supporting the filter layer and the shell and giving the assembly its overall shape. .

Claims (8)

1. Armor layer of a protective structure for sea and/or river construction work comprising several protective blocks (1), each block having a central core (2) with an upper portion (4) and a lower portion (3), the lower portion (3) of the central core (2) being surrounded by a circular protuberance (5) with lateral faces (9) and the central core (2), via at least one of the lateral faces (9), being able to butt against at least one of the lateral faces of a circular protuberance of an adjacent block, in which the circular protuberance (5) of each block forms, with the lower base (6) of the core, a lower surface (12) of the block (1), said lower surface (12) being flat.
2. Armor layer according to Claim 1, in which the circular protuberance (5) of each block can provide partial paving of a surface with adjacent protective blocks (1) in contact with one another via at least one of the adjacent faces of the circular protuberance (5) .
3. Armor layer according to Claim 1 or 2, in which the central core (2) of each block has a lower base (6) and an upper base (7), that are preferably flat, the lower base (6) and the upper base (7) being square or octagonal and joined by the lateral faces (8), and in which the circular protuberance (5) is arranged about the lower portion of the lateral faces (8) of the central core (2), from the lower base (6) of the central core (2) .
4. Armor layer according to one of Claims 1 to 3, in which the central core (2) of each block is a square- or octagonal-based right prism.
5. Armor layer according to one of Claims 1 to 4, in which the circular protuberance (5) of each block includes an octagonal lateral contour or a square lateral contour having a notch (14) on at least one of the sides of same, the notch (14) being able to cooperate with a vertex of the square lateral contour of a circular protuberance of an adjacent block.
6. Armor layer according to Claim 5, in which the octagonal lateral contour of the circular protuberance of each block corresponds to a square lateral contour in which the vertexes are chamfered.
7. Armor layer according to one of Claims 1 to 6, in which the circular protuberance (5) of each block also has an inclined circular surface (10) joining the upper extremity of the lateral contour of the circular protuberance (5) to the lateral faces (8) of the central core (2).
8. Armor layer according to one of the preceding claims, in which the blocks (1) form partial paving covering between 60% and 90% of the surface on which the blocks are laid.

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