ES2459591B1 - Tongue and groove mounting - Google Patents

Abstract

Tongue and groove fixing assembly comprising a tongue and groove fixing device with active internal reinforcement and a tongue and groove fixing device with passive internal reinforcement, so that said reinforcement includes, each, an embedded portion and a protruding portion. Said active internal reinforcement includes clamping means that are disposed in said protruding portion, and said passive internal reinforcement includes hardened material that is disposed surrounding said protruding portion. Said second section has a working face that includes at least one hole in correspondence with the distal end of a projecting portion of an active internal reinforcement, said opening having a depth such that at least the respective active reinforcement conduit reaches in correspondence with said distal end of said protruding portion of said active internal reinforcement and dimensions such that the respective tightening means can be housed inside said hole.

Description

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DESCRIPTION

Mounted tongue and groove mounting Field of the invention

The present invention relates to an internally assembled tongue and groove mounting for a wet horizontal joint between two prefabricated cylindrical sections of concrete for a wind turbine tower, or between a prefabricated cylindrical section of concrete and a concrete foundation for a tower of wind turbine (although hereinafter reference will be made only to the possibility of the horizontal wet joint between two sections for the sake of clarity, without any limitation on the scope of the invention).

Therefore, the main sector of application of the invention is the construction sector, especially in concrete, within the renewable or green energy generation industry, specifically wind energy.

Background of the invention

It is known to build wind turbine towers based on cylindrical sections that coaxially join one above the other, creating horizontal joints between successive sections. Said cylinders can in turn be previously formed by curved elements or segments that join side by side, creating vertical joints, until a section is closed.

Said horizontal joints are usually wet joints, that is, they usually comprise material that is applied in a fluid or plastic form in the ring (or space in the form of a circular crown that is between the two opposite edges of successive sections) and is allowed to harden until solidarity each other substantially tightly the corresponding successive sections.

However, due to the strong demands imposed by the enormous dimensions and the high weights of the sections to be joined, said wet horizontal joints are often complemented with internally assembled tongue and groove fasteners, that is, fastening devices with armor arranged essentially inside of said sections and shared between two successive sections so that it is embedded in the concrete of one of said successive sections and housed in a conduit of the other of said successive sections and anchored thereto to secure both sections with each other. Said internal reinforcement can be passive reinforcement, which simply stretches and anchors to improve to a certain extent the behavior of the joint when said joint is subjected to traction but which lengthens the duration of the construction process because it requires a minimum time of setting of the mass anchoring a wet horizontal joint before forming the next wet horizontal joint, or active reinforcement, which is anchored and tensioned to greatly improve the behavior of the joint when said joint is subjected to traction but requires additional installation operations .

In any case, the dovela or the section that has the reinforcement partially embedded in the (with a portion projecting from it) is called the male or male segment, and the dovela or the section that has a space to accommodate in the said portion that it is projected from the male segment or the male section, it is called the female segment or the female section. On the other hand, a mixed segment or section is called a segment or a section that has both reinforcements partially embedded in it and conduits to receive reinforcements partially embedded in another segment or another section.

By way of example, document ES 1060629 U discloses pods 4 previously joined to the concrete of a lower section, pods 4 that receive inside bars 5 partially embedded in the concrete of an upper section so that they have a projected portion out of said upper section, said pods being filled with mortar 4. In this way, the bars 5 (reinforcement) are adhered by means of the mortar to the pods 4 joined to the concrete. In this case it is a passive, non-tensioned armor, usually in the form of a corrugated bar, which acts once the mortar has hardened.

Alternatively, also by way of example, EP 2253782 A1 discloses a connection system between two adjacent prefabricated sections 2, one of said sections 2 being provided internally with a prestressed cable 4 (reinforcement) partially embedded in the concrete with a portion 4a of cable that projects out of it and is housed in a conduit 24 provided in the other of said sections 2, which has a face that includes a thickening 21 that conducts said conduit 24 to an outlet through which said portion 4a emerges and it is anchored by a stop 22. In this case it is an active reinforcement, which after its placement is tensioned to compress the concrete, which can be in the form of a bar (or bolt) or cable.

There is, however, the need to have a wet horizontal joint that, on the one hand, has internal reinforcements to improve the behavior of the joint when it is subjected to traction and, on the other hand, involves the least possible number of additional operations and lengthens as little as possible the duration of the construction process.

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Exhibition of the invention

The object of the invention is therefore to provide an internally assembled tongue and groove mounting for a wet horizontal joint between two prefabricated cylindrical sections of concrete for a wind turbine tower, which involves the least possible number of additional operations and lengthens at least possible the duration of the construction process said tower.

Specifically, the invention relates to an internally assembled tongue and groove mounting for a wet horizontal joint formed between two prefabricated concrete cylindrical sections for a wind turbine tower, comprising at least one tongue and groove fixing device with active internal reinforcement and the less a tongue and groove fixing device with passive internal reinforcement, so that said active internal reinforcement and said passive internal reinforcement each include a portion (hereinafter referred to as "embedded portion") which is embedded in a first section of said prefabricated cylindrical sections and a portion (hereinafter referred to as "outgoing portion") that leaves from said first section and is housed in a conduit in a second section of said prefabricated cylindrical sections, wherein said active internal reinforcement includes tightening means which are arranged in said protruding portion of said active internal armor and against a s a support surface of one of said prefabricated cylindrical sections such that said active internal reinforcement is anchored to said support surface and tensioned by said tightening means, and wherein said passive internal reinforcement includes hardened material that is arranged surrounding at least partially said protruding portion of said passive internal reinforcement and adhered to the inside of the passive reinforcement conduit in which said protruding portion of said passive internal reinforcement is arranged.

Of course, at least one of said first and second sections may be formed by segments.

Said tightening means may comprise a nut screwed into a threaded end of said active internal reinforcement and which is pressed, optionally with the interposition of an anchor plate and / or a hardenable leveling and / or support material, against said surface of support for.

Preferably, in said horizontal wet joint a partial prestressing level is used, that is, said active internal armature is tensioned so as to exert a force that precompresses said wet horizontal joint to prevent decompression of said wet horizontal joint for lower applied loads at a predetermined loading threshold which is in turn lower than the maximum design load. From said load threshold, that is, for applied loads greater than said load threshold and up to said maximum operating load, the decompression of the joint can occur and said passive internal armature begins to collaborate resisting the tractions to which the board can be subjected. This makes it possible to adapt the prestressing of the joint resulting from the tensioning of the active reinforcement or reinforcements for usual or fatigue loads, and to have the passive reinforcement (s) for the extreme or breaking loads, taking advantage of and combining the characteristics and advantages of each type of armor

In the case that said first section and said second section comprise segments, it is preferred that said internally assembled tongue and groove mounting according to the invention comprises a number of fixed internally reinforced tongue and groove fixing devices that are at the same time multiple of the number of segments in the first section, multiple of the number of segments in the second section and divisor of the total number of tongue and groove fixing devices (that is, including both tongue and groove fixing devices with active reinforcement and tongue and groove fixing devices with passive reinforcement) . This provides a uniform distribution of the tongue and groove fixing devices with active internal reinforcement and an identical distribution of the tongue and groove fixing devices in each segment that makes up each of said first and second sections.

In the case of a tongue and groove fixing device with active internal reinforcement of the tongue and groove fixing assembly according to the invention, if said clamping means comprise anchor plate and said second section is arranged on top of said first section, then said anchor plate it may comprise one or more holes that can act as purge tubes for the air outlet during the introduction of hardenable material into said active reinforcement conduit (or in a sheath disposed inside said active reinforcement conduit).

In the case of a tongue and groove fixing device with active internal reinforcement of the tongue and groove fixing assembly according to the invention, preferably said second section has a working face that includes a hole corresponding to the distal end of said protruding portion of said reinforcement internally active, said hole having a depth such that at least said active reinforcement duct reaches in correspondence with said distal end of said protruding portion of said active internal reinforcement and dimensions such as to allow said clamping means to be accommodated inside said hole , as well as to enable both the application of said tightening means to said distal end of said protruding portion of said active internal reinforcement and the anchoring and tensioning of said active internal reinforcement by means of said tightening means. In this case, said support surface is located in the inner wall of said hole. Due to the prefabricated character of said cylindrical sections, the geometry of said hole has to be such that a

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proper demolding angle. Furthermore, if said clamping means comprise anchor plate, said support surface of said hole is preferably formed with a suitable flatness, to enable direct support of the anchor plate on said support surface without the need for intermediate parts or products such as leveling and support mortars and, consequently, enable the at least partial immediate tightening of the tightening means during the installation process, although of course, hardenable support materials can be used additionally or alternatively for said support face.

In the case of a tongue and groove fixing device with passive internal reinforcement of the tongue and groove fixing assembly according to the invention, said passive reinforcement duct may include a sheath, possibly corrugated, which receives said protruding portion of said passive internal reinforcement inside. and that is filled with hardenable material (mortar, resin or similar). Furthermore, in case said second section is arranged on top of said first section, said passive armature conduit can include a sheath, possibly corrugated, which receives inside said said outgoing portion of said passive internal armor, and said second section may have a working face that includes a hole in correspondence with the distal end of said protruding portion of said passive internal reinforcement, said opening having a depth such that at least said passive armature conduit of passive reinforcement corresponds to said distal end of said outgoing portion of said passive internal reinforcement and said sheath having an extension extending along said hole until at least reaching the entrance of said hole. Said sheath can then be filled later with a hardenable material (mortar, resin or the like) through said filler hole and said extension, which provides for fixing said passive internal reinforcement in the sheath and anchoring by adhesion of said reinforcement passive internal Even the ring formed between said prefabricated cylindrical sections can be filled with a hardenable material (mortar, resin or the like) through said filling hole and said extension.

Preferably, said hole is not opened by the wall as opposed to the work wall, and said work wall is preferably the wall facing the interior space framed by said second section.

The combination of active internal armature and hole provides, during installation, convenient access to the active armor through the hole made. This allows the immediate and simple anchoring of the active reinforcement through said tightening means, to minimize its influence on the installation process times of the corresponding tower. In addition, the hole can finally be filled with hardenable material (grout or similar material) to leave all active internal reinforcement embedded with the clamping means, and thus provide reliable, permanent and basically maintenance-free protection of all parts, especially before the corrosion of the metallic pieces that are usually used in the means of tightening of the active reinforcements. In such a case, said hole is filled with said hardenable material preferably until a surface of hardenable material is achieved level with the surrounding surface of the prefabricated section in order to eliminate as much as possible any structural discontinuity. Even if a sheath is provided in said active reinforcement conduit for said protruding portion of said active reinforcement, said sheath can then be filled with a hardenable material (mortar, resin or the like).

The combination of active / passive internal reinforcement and orifice can also facilitate that the vertical development of said active / passive internal reinforcement (and thereby the vertical development of the associated conduit) is not parallel to the generatrix of said prefabricated cylindrical sections. It is known that the cylindrical sections for the construction of wind turbine towers may be tapered in an upward direction, to provide an essentially conical tower. In such case, said prefabricated cylindrical sections will be generated by a generatrix inclined towards the axis of revolution in the upward direction and, to favor the insertion of said protruding portion of said active / passive internal reinforcement in said corresponding duct during an operation of vertical descent of one of said prefabricated cylindrical sections on another, said active / passive internal reinforcement may be not parallel to the generatrix, preferably being parallel to the axis of vertical revolution. The combination of active / passive internal armature and hole can also facilitate that said active / passive internal armature is arranged substantially centered on the thickness of said prefabricated cylindrical sections.

Anyway, depending on the characteristics of each case the duct will have a specific geometry. For example, in the case of a tongue and groove fixing assembly according to the invention with an active reinforcement in the form of a cable, then the conduit can have a curved vertical development.

With a tongue and groove fixing assembly according to the invention, which has tongue and groove fixing devices with passive reinforcement and tongue and groove fixing devices with active reinforcement, an optimal balance between structural efficiency and installation and fixing speed can be achieved. If only tongue and groove fixing devices with passive reinforcement are used, the installation can be very fast by mounting successive sections without waiting for the hardenable material to harden. But then the safety during installation is relatively lower, as is the structural efficiency in the final situation. If only tongue and groove fixing devices with active reinforcement are used, the installation can be relatively safer, at least partially anchoring the reinforcements as the sections are mounted, and the structural efficiency in the final situation will be high once all means are definitively tightened. tightening, but the installation speed is relatively lower and the space needed to house the active frame is relatively higher. Combining

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tongue and groove fixing devices with passive reinforcement and with active reinforcement in the same wet horizontal joint, immediately after the placement of a tower section over another, the placement of the corresponding clamping means for anchoring in the corresponding holes provides immediate and with a minimum tighten a provisional fastening of the sections, which ensures the joint until the filling process with hardenable material is completed. Once said hardenable material reaches its resistance, the tensioning of the active reinforcements can be carried out. This is important in providing a fast and efficient method to provisionally secure the joint, thereby allowing the successive installation of several sections with a high level of safety, being able to leave the work of filling hardenable material for a later stage, and thus avoiding slowing down. the installation work of sections that may involve high cost lifting means.

It is known that in the rings of wet horizontal joints between prefabricated sections made of concrete for the construction of wind turbine towers, sealing profiles can be arranged to contain the hardenable material intended to seal the joint. These sealing profiles are usually two basically circumferential profiles, arranged concentrically on the upper edge of the lower section of the joint, one of which is arranged in the vicinity of the inner face of the sections of the joint and the other of which is arranged in the vicinity of the outer wall of the sections of the joint.

The tongue and groove fixing assembly according to the invention may include a translucent sealing profile that allows visual control of the advance of the hardenable material during the filling process of the joint, favoring the control and monitoring of the filling operation. Alternatively, the tongue and groove mounting assembly according to the invention may include a thixotropic (very viscous) hardenable material that does not require sealing profiles.

Either with a sealing profile of one type or another, or without a sealing profile, the tongue and groove fixing assembly according to the invention can include means for sectoring the ring, that is, means forming along the perfometer of the ring compartments separated from each other and that frame one or more tongue and groove fixing devices of the tongue and groove fixing assembly according to the invention, to enable separate phases of filling the ring and thus allow greater control of the filling operation. Said sectorizing means can be profiles analogous to said sealing profiles, simply arranged in radial direction instead of circumferential direction.

The invention also relates to a method of installing a tongue and groove mounting assembly as described above, which includes the steps of:

a) provide a first prefabricated concrete cylindrical section for a wind turbine tower and a second prefabricated cylindrical concrete section for a wind turbine tower,

b) placing said first and second cylindrical sections in a coaxial mutual relationship, so that said protruding portions of said internal reinforcements and said corresponding conduits are facing and aligned with each other,

c) approximate said first and second cylindrical sections together so that said protruding portions of said internal reinforcements are housed in said corresponding ducts, until said first and second cylindrical sections are contiguous with each other,

d) applying said tightening means to the active reinforcement (s) of said tongue and groove fixing assembly,

e) applying hardenable material to the passive reinforcement (s) of said tongue and groove fixing assembly,

f) tensioning the active reinforcement (s) of said tongue and groove fixing assembly by tightening said tightening means;

wherein, in step f, the active reinforcement (s) of said tongue and groove fixing assembly are tensioned by tightening said clamping means in such a way that said horizontal wet joint is subjected to a partial prestressing level, this that is, the active reinforcement (s) of said tongue and groove fixing assembly are tensioned so as to exert a force that precompresses said horizontal wet joint so as to prevent decompression of said horizontal wet joint for applied loads lower than a predetermined load threshold which is a in turn lower than the maximum operating load and, from said loading threshold, that is to say, for applied loads higher than said loading threshold and up to said maximum operating load, the passive reinforcement (s) of said tongue and groove mounting assembly they begin to collaborate in the resistant function supporting the tractions to which the joint could be subjected.

Said installation procedure of a tongue and groove fixing assembly according to the invention also includes applying hardenable material to the ring formed between said first and second cylindrical sections, preferably in step d).

In addition, in said installation procedure of a tongue and groove mounting assembly according to the

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In invention, in step c), a protective cap is optionally used for the distal end of at least one reinforcement, with a cone-shaped shape which also allows said protective cap to act as a guide organ and as a separator organ between reinforcement and conduit of said female parts, preferably in the form of a sheath.

It should be noted that, throughout this document, the term "distal" is intended to indicate a relatively remote position with respect to the point at which the embedded portion and the protruding portion of the corresponding armor coincide, and the term " proximal ”is intended to indicate a relatively close position with respect to the point where the embedded portion and the protruding portion of the corresponding reinforcement coincide.

Brief description of the drawings

These and other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of an embodiment of the invention, given only by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows an elevation view of a wind turbine tower that includes a wet horizontal joint provided with a tongue and groove mounting assembly according to the invention;

Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view according to line A of Figure 1 at the level of said wet horizontal joint provided with a tongue and groove mounting assembly according to the invention;

Figure 3 shows a longitudinal section according to line II of Figure 2 illustrating a tongue and groove fixing device with passive internal reinforcement and a longitudinal section according to line II-II of Figure 2 illustrating a tongue and groove fixing device with internal reinforcement active;

Figure 4 shows a longitudinal section I'-I 'of a tongue and groove fixing device with passive internal reinforcement alternative to the tongue and groove fixing device with passive internal reinforcement of Figure 3, section II, and a longitudinal section II'-II' of a tongue and groove fixing device with active internal reinforcement alternative to the tongue and groove fixing device with active internal reinforcement of Figure 3, section II-II;

Figure 5 shows a longitudinal section of an assembly of tongue and groove fixing device with passive internal reinforcement and tongue and groove fixing device with active internal reinforcement alternative to the tongue and groove fixing devices of Figure 3; Y

Figure 6 shows a longitudinal section of an additional set of tongue and groove fixing device with passive internal reinforcement and tongue and groove fixing device with active internal reinforcement alternative to the tongue and groove fixing devices of Figure 3.

Description of an embodiment of the invention

In the figures, the same or similar parts are indicated by the same reference number.

Figure 1 shows a wind turbine tower 1 that has four cylindrical sections 2, 2 ’, 2’ ’, 2’ ’successive precast concrete. Between each pair of successive sections a respective wet horizontal joint 3, 3 ', 3' 'is formed which comprises a respective tongue and groove mounting assembly according to the invention, that is, said tower includes three wet horizontal joints 3, 3', 3 '' and three tongue and groove fixing assemblies according to the invention (said tongue and groove fixing assemblies in accordance with the invention are not visible in Figure 1).

Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view of said tower 1 at the level of the lower wet horizontal joint 3 between a lower section 2 and an upper section 2 ', as to illustrate the respective tongue and groove mounting assembly according to the invention and the lower section 2. Said tongue and groove mounting assembly according to the invention of said lower horizontal wet joint 3 comprises, in this specific example, thirty-six tongue and groove fixing devices with passive internal reinforcement 7 (of which only one is referenced in the figure 2 for the sake of clarity) and twelve tongue and groove fixing devices with active internal reinforcement 8 (of which only one is referenced in figure 2 for the sake of clarity). Said lower section 2 is formed by four segments 5, whereby the number of devices with active armature 8 is at the same time multiple of the number of segments 5 in the lower section 2 and divisor of the total number of devices. The number of devices with active armor 8 is also multiple of the number of segments 6 in the upper section 2 ’, the upper section 2’ being formed by 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 or 12 segments 6.

Figure 3 shows a longitudinal section of tower 1 illustrating said device with passive reinforcement 7 (section I-I) and a longitudinal section of tower 1 illustrating said device with active frame 8 (section II-II).

Specifically, Figure 3, section I-I, shows a device with passive reinforcement 7, for fixing a prefabricated concrete base 5 low for the construction of wind turbine towers and an upper segment 6

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Precast concrete base for the construction of wind turbine towers.

Said passive reinforcement 7, in the form of a corrugated bar, is partially embedded in said lower key 5 so that said passive reinforcement 7 has a lower portion truly embedded in said lower key 5 and an upper portion projecting from said lower key 5 Said upper portion of said passive armature 7 is housed in a passive armature conduit 10 practiced in said upper bevel 6. A face of said upper bevel 6 includes a hole 11 in correspondence with the distal end of said upper portion of said passive armature 7, said hole 11 having a curved development until said passive armature conduit 10 is reached in correspondence with said distal end of said upper portion of said passive armature 7. Said hole 11 allows to introduce a mortar-shaped filler material 12, which fills said hole 11, said passive armature conduit 10 and the ring 17 formed between said lower segments 5 and s upper 6, said passive reinforcement 7 being anchored to said upper key 6.

Figure 3, section II-II, shows a device with active reinforcement 8, for fixing said lower key 5 and said upper key 6.

Said active reinforcement 8, in the form of a rod or bolt of threaded ends, is partially embedded in said lower end 5 so that said active reinforcement 8 has a lower portion truly embedded in said lower end 5 and an upper portion projecting from said lower keyway 5. Said upper portion of said active reinforcement 8 is housed in a conduit 9 of active reinforcement made in said upper segment 6. A face of said upper segment 6 includes a hole 11 corresponding to the threaded distal end of said portion upper of said active reinforcement 8, said hole 11 having a depth such that said active reinforcement conduit 9 corresponds to said threaded distal end of said upper portion of said active reinforcement 8. Said opening 11 gives access to means 14, 16 tightening, applied to said threaded distal end of said upper portion of said active reinforcement 8 against a support face 15 of said hole 11. Said tightening means comprise a nut 14 and a plate 16, said nut 14 being screwed on said threaded distal end of said upper portion of said active reinforcement 8 and said plate 16 being interposed between said nut 14 and said face 15 of support, said plate 16 also having purge conduits 19 which bring said active reinforcement conduit 9 and said hole 11 into fluid communication.

Said device with active reinforcement 8 further comprises anchoring means 4, fixedly applied to the threaded distal end of said lower portion of said active reinforcement 8 and a sheath 13 arranged around said lower portion of said active reinforcement 8, so that said active reinforcement 8 can be lengthened or shrunk within said sheath 13 and within said active reinforcement conduit 9 by actuating said nut 14, for tensioning said active reinforcement 8.

Said hole 11 also allows a mortar-shaped filling material 12 to be introduced, which fills said hole 11, said active reinforcement conduit 9 and the ring 17 formed between said lower 5 and upper 6 segments.

As can be seen in Figure 3, both in section I-I and section II-II, the lower wet horizontal joint 3 includes two sealing profiles 20 delimiting said ring 17, containing said mortar 12.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the following parameters can be used specifically:

• 4 segments in the lower section 2

• 4 segments in the upper section 2 '

• 12 positions of active armor 8

• 36 positions of passive armor 7

• Diameter of the bottom joint 3: 7 m

• The joint is sized to be able to withstand a maximum design time of not more than 60000 KNm with sufficient safety level:

• The level of partial prestressing of the joint, together with the proper weight of tower 1 and the wind turbine at the top, provides a compressive force in the joint that allows it to not be decompressed for moments below 25,000 KNm.

• Thus, it is intended to ensure that, for usual or fatigue loads, the joint remains compressed at all times. Under unusual or extreme high loads, the joint can be subjected to traction intended to be supported by passive reinforcement 7.

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Figure 4 shows a longitudinal section I'-I 'of a tongue and groove fixing device with passive internal reinforcement 7 alternative to the device of Figure 3, section II, and a longitudinal section II'-II' of a tongue and groove fixing device with active internal armor 8 alternative to the device of figure 3, section II-II.

Specifically, Figure 4, section I'-I ', shows a device with passive armature 7, for fixing a prefabricated concrete base 5 base for the construction of wind turbine towers and a prefabricated concrete base 6 upper segment for the construction of wind turbine towers.

Said passive armature 7, in the form of a corrugated bar, is partially embedded in said upper key 6 such that said passive armor 7 has an upper portion truly embedded in said upper key 6 and a lower portion projecting from said upper key 6 Said lower portion of said passive armature 7 is housed in a passive armature conduit 10 practiced in said lower groove 5. The upper edge of said lower groove 5 includes a hole 11 corresponding to the proximal end of said lower portion of said armor passive 7, said hole 11 having an inclined development until said passive armature conduit 10 is reached laterally in correspondence with said proximal end of said lower portion of said passive reinforcement 7. Said hole 11 facilitates the introduction of a mortar-shaped filler material 12, which fills said hole 11, said passive armature conduit 10 and the ring 17 formed or between said lower and upper 6 segments 6, said passive reinforcement 7 being anchored to said lower segment 5. The distal end of said passive reinforcement conduit 10 has a purge conduit 19 which communicates said passive reinforcement conduit 10 and the environment. The purpose of said purge conduit 19 at the base of said passive reinforcement conduit 10 is to enable the total emptying of said passive reinforcement conduit 10 before filling with mortar. It will be plugged in general before filling with said mortar 12.

Figure 4, section II'-II ', shows a device with active armor 8, for fixing said lower key 5 and said upper key 6.

Said active armature 8, in the form of a prestressing cable, is partially embedded in said upper key 6 such that said active armature 8 has an upper portion truly embedded in said upper segment 6 and a lower portion projecting from said upper segment 6. Said lower portion of said active armor 8 is housed in a conduit 9 of active armor made in said lower keyway 5. A face of said lower keyway 5 includes a hole 11 in correspondence with the distal end of said lower portion of said armature activates 8, said hole 11 having a depth such that said active reinforcement conduit 9 reaches in correspondence with said distal end of said lower portion of said active reinforcement 8. Said opening 11 gives access to a clamping means, applied to said distal end of said lower portion of said active reinforcement 8 against a bearing face of said hole 11. Said tightening means s on analogs to the clamping means 14, 16 of the device of figure 3, section II-II, and consist of an anchor plate and a kite with cradle for cable anchoring.

Said hole 11 also allows a mortar-shaped filling material 12 to be introduced by injection, which fills said hole 11. Optionally, the active reinforcement conduit 9 and the ring 17 formed between said lower segments can also be filled with mortar from said hole 11 5 and higher 6. Likewise, said mortar 12 can be introduced by the ring 17 itself.

As can be seen in Figure 4, both in the I'-I 'section and in the II'-II' section, the wet horizontal joint shown can have a radially inclined development and includes a sealing profile 20 delimiting said ring 17 near the end of said development located at a lower level, as to contain said mortar 12.

Figure 5 shows a longitudinal section of a set of tongue and groove fixing device with passive internal reinforcement and tongue and groove fixing device with active internal reinforcement alternative to the tongue and groove fixing devices of Figure 3.

Specifically, Figure 5 shows a device with two passive reinforcements 7, 7 'and an active reinforcement 8, for fixing a prefabricated concrete base 5 low for the construction of wind turbine towers and a prefabricated concrete 6 upper base for the construction of wind turbine towers.

One of said fork-shaped passive reinforcements 7 is partially embedded in said lower keyway 5 such that said passive reinforcement 7 has a lower portion truly embedded in said lower portion 5 and an upper portion projecting from said lower segment. 5. Said upper portion of said passive reinforcement 7 is housed in a conduit which in this case is in the form of recessing 10 practiced in said upper segment 6. Another of said passive reinforcements 7 ', in the form of a fork, is partially embedded in said upper bend 6 such that said passive reinforcement 7 'has an upper portion truly embedded in said upper bend 6 and a lower portion projecting from said upper bend 6. Said lower portion of said passive reinforcement 7' is housed in a conduit that in this case it is in the form of a hollow out 10 'practiced in said lower segment 5. Said passive reinforcements 7, 7' are juxtaposed laterally and said recesses 10, 10 'are located symmetrically with respect to the plane of the horizontal wet joint represented.

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A mortar-shaped filler material 12 fills said recesses 10, 10 ', said passive reinforcements 7, 7' being anchored to both lower and upper 6 segments 6. Said passive reinforcements 7, 7 'further include four rods 23 placed horizontally against the bosom of said passive reinforcements 7, 7 ', to improve the anchoring of said passive reinforcements 7, 7' to the mortar 12.

Said active armature 8, in the form of a prestressing cable, is partially embedded in said upper key 6 such that said active armature 8 has an upper portion truly embedded in said upper segment 6 and a lower portion projecting from said upper segment 6. Said lower portion of said active armor 8 is housed in a conduit 9 of active armor made in said lower key 5, corresponding to said recess 10 '. One face of said lower bevel 5 includes a hole 11 in correspondence with the threaded distal end of said lower portion of said active reinforcement 8, said opening 11 having a depth such that said active reinforcement conduit 9 corresponds to said distal end of said lower portion of said active reinforcement 8. Said hole 11 gives access to clamping means, applied to said threaded distal end of said lower portion of said active reinforcement 8 against a bearing face of said hole 11. Said tightening means are analogous to the anchoring means 14, 16 of the device of Figure 3, section II-II, and consist of an anchor plate and a kite with cradle for cable anchoring.

Since said active reinforcement conduit 9 is practiced in said lower end 5 in correspondence with said recess 10 ', said mortar 12 also fills said active reinforcement conduit 9. It should be appreciated that said active reinforcement 8 is sheathed in such a way that it has no adhesion with mortar 12 and can be tested after the setting of said mortar 12.

The horizontal wet joint shown also includes a sealing profile 20 that delimits said ring 17 by the radial end of said ring 17 opposite to said recesses 10, 10 '.

Figure 6 shows a longitudinal section of an additional set of tongue and groove fixing device with passive internal reinforcement and tongue and groove fixing device with active internal reinforcement alternative to the tongue and groove fixing devices of Figure 3.

Specifically, Figure 6 shows a device with two passive reinforcements 7, 7 'and an active reinforcement 8, for fixing a prefabricated concrete base 5 base for the construction of wind turbine towers and a prefabricated concrete base 6 upper segment for the construction of wind turbine towers.

One of said fork-shaped passive reinforcements 7 is partially embedded in said lower keyway 5 such that said passive reinforcement 7 has a lower portion truly embedded in said lower portion 5 and an upper portion projecting from said lower segment. 5. Said upper portion of said passive reinforcement 7 is housed in a conduit 10 of passive reinforcement made in said upper keyway 6. Another of said passive reinforcement 7 ', in the form of a fork, is partially embedded in said upper segment 6 in such a way that said passive reinforcement 7 'has an upper portion truly embedded in said upper segment 6 and a lower portion that projects from said upper segment 6. Said lower portion of said passive reinforcement 7' is housed in a conduit 10 'of passive reinforcement practiced in said lower bevel 5. Said passive reinforcements 7, 7 'are juxtaposed laterally and said ducts 10, 10' are located symmetrically with respect to the plane of the horizontal wet joint represented.

Said active reinforcement 8, in the form of a rod or bolt of threaded ends, is partially embedded in said lower end 5 so that said active reinforcement 8 has a lower portion truly embedded in said lower end 5 and an upper portion projecting from said lower bevel 5. Said upper portion of said active reinforcement 8 is housed in an active reinforcement conduit 9 practiced in said upper bevel 6 in correspondence with said conduits 10, 10 '. A face of said upper end 6 includes a hole 11 in correspondence with the threaded distal end of said upper portion of said active reinforcement 8, said opening 11 having a depth such that said active reinforcement conduit 9 corresponds to said threaded distal end of said upper portion of said active reinforcement 8. Said hole 11 gives access to clamping means 14, 16, applied to said threaded distal end of said upper portion of said active reinforcement 8 against a bearing face 15 of said hole 11. Said clamping means are analogous to the clamping means 14, 16 of the device of Figure 3, section II-II, and consist of an anchor plate and a keg with cradle for cable anchoring.

Said device with active reinforcement 8 further comprises anchoring means 4, fixedly applied to the threaded distal end of said lower portion of said active reinforcement 8 and a sheath 13 arranged around said lower portion of said active reinforcement 8, so that said active reinforcement 8 can be lengthened or shrunk within said sheath 13 and within said active reinforcement conduit 9 by actuating said nut 14, for tensioning said active reinforcement 8.

Said hole 11 also allows a mortar-shaped filling material 12 to be introduced, which, since said active reinforcement conduit 9 is made in said upper bevel 6 in correspondence with said conduits

10, 10 ', said hole 11, said active reinforcement conduit 9, said conduits 10, 10' and the ring 17 formed between said lower segments 5 and upper 6, said active frame 8 being anchored to said upper segment 6 also by said mortar 12 and said passive reinforcements 7, 7 'being anchored to both lower and upper 6 segments 6. It should be appreciated that said active reinforcement 8 is sheathed in such a way that it does not have adhesion with the mortar 12 and can be tested after setting of said mortar 12.

As can be seen in Figure 6, the wet horizontal joint shown includes two sealing profiles 20 delimiting said ring 17, containing said mortar 12.

Naturally, while maintaining the principle of the invention, embodiments and construction details may vary widely from those described and illustrated purely by way of non-limiting example, without thereby departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Specifically, by way of illustration and not limitation, 15 devices with active reinforcement and devices with passive reinforcement of any type can be used in the same wet horizontal joint, combining them with each other, whether of the same type or of a different type.

Claims (8)

5 10 fifteen twenty 25 30 35 40 Four. Five fifty ES 2 459 591 A2 1. - Internally assembled tongue and groove mounting for a wet horizontal joint (3) formed between two cylindrical sections (2, 2 ') precast concrete for a wind turbine tower (1), comprising at least one tongue and groove device fixation with active internal reinforcement (8) and at least one tongue and groove fixing device with passive internal reinforcement (7), so that said active internal reinforcement (8) and said passive internal reinforcement (7) each include an embedded portion which is embedded in a first section (2; 2 ') of said cylindrical sections and an outgoing portion that leaves from said first section (2; 2') and is housed in a conduit (9; 10) in a second section (2 '; 2) of said cylindrical sections, wherein said active internal reinforcement (8) includes clamping means (14, 16) which are arranged in said protruding portion of said active internal reinforcement (8) and against a surface (15) supporting one (2; 2 ') of said cylindrical sections in such a way that said active internal reinforcement (8) is anchored to said support surface (15) and tensioned by said means (14, 16) of tightening, and wherein said passive internal reinforcement (7) includes hardened material (12) which is arranged at least partially surrounding said protruding portion of said passive internal reinforcement (7) and adhered to the inside of the passive reinforcement conduit (10) in which said protruding portion of said passive internal reinforcement (7) is disposed; characterized in that said second section (2; 2 ') has a working face that includes at least one hole (11) in correspondence with the distal end of a protruding portion of an active internal reinforcement (8), said hole having (11) a depth such that it at least reaches the respective conduit (9) of active reinforcement in correspondence with said distal end of said protruding portion of said active internal reinforcement (8) and dimensions such as to accommodate inside said opening (11) the respective means (14, 16) of tightening. 2. - tongue and groove fixing assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the respective support surface (15) is located in the inner wall of said hole (11). 3. - tongue and groove fixing assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said passive armature conduit (10) includes a sheath (13) that receives in its interior said protruding portion of said passive internal reinforcement (7) and that it is filled with hardenable material (12), and because said second section (2; 2 ') is arranged on top of said first section (2'; 2), and because said second section (2; 2 ') has a wall of work that includes at least one hole (11) in correspondence with the distal end of a protruding portion of a passive internal reinforcement (7), said hole (11) having a depth such that it at least reaches the respective armature conduit (10) passive in correspondence with said distal end of said protruding portion of said passive internal armature (7) and said sheath (13) having an extension extending along said hole (11) until at least reaching the entrance of said hole ( eleven). 4. - tongue and groove fixing assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said hole (11) is not opened by the wall as opposed to the work wall. 5. - tongue and groove mounting according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said working face is the facing facing the interior space framed by said second section (2; 2 '). 6. - Mounting tongue and groove fixing according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said tightening means comprise a nut (14) which is screwed into a threaded end of said active internal reinforcement (8) and which is pressed against said bearing surface (15). 7. - tongue and groove fixing assembly according to claim 6, characterized in that said nut (14) is pressed against said support surface (15) with the interposition of an anchor plate (16) and / or a hardenable material (12 ). 8. - tongue and groove fixing assembly according to claim 6, characterized in that said nut (14) is pressed against said support surface (15) with the interposition of an anchor plate (16), because said second section (2; 2 ') is arranged on top of said first section (2'; 2), and because said anchor plate (16) comprises at least one bore (19) that acts as a purge tube for the air outlet.