A pendulum-type device for driving a profile, the device comprising at least one geolocation beacon enabling the measurement of the profile's penetration.

Abstract

Pendulum device for driving a profile, the device comprising at least one geolocation beacon enabling measurement of the profile's penetration. The invention relates to a pendulum device (100, 100') for driving a profile (3) into the ground, the device comprising a driving tool (10) connected to a main body of the device by at least one retaining cable (2). The driving tool is intended to be mounted on the profile so as to drive the profile into the ground. The device comprises at least one first geolocation beacon (20) arranged so as to be fixed to the profile or to maintain a fixed average position relative to the profile during the profile's penetration, the first geolocation beacon being, in particular, arranged on the tool or intended to be arranged on the profile. Figure for the abstract: Fig. 2

Description

Title of the invention: Pendulum device for driving a profile, the device comprising at least one geolocation beacon allowing the measurement of the profile's penetration technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of civil engineering, more particularly the insertion of profiles into the ground by driving with a driving tool or by vibratory driving with a vibrator.

[0002] The invention relates more specifically to a pendulum device for driving a profile and to a kit comprising such a device and a profile.

[0003] The invention also relates to a method of driving a profile implementing such a pendulum driving device and allowing the measurement of the driving and / or the inclination of the profile. Previous technique

[0004] Driving a profile into the ground can in particular be achieved by hammering, i.e. by applying blows to the profile, or by vibratory driving, i.e. by applying vibrations to the profile by means of a vibrator.

[0005] The operations of driving and vibratory driving profiles can be carried out in two ways. In the first alternative, the vibratory driving or driving tool can be fixed to a mast attached to a carrier machine, which is, for example, a mobile lattice boom crane. In the second alternative, the tool can be mounted in a pendulum fashion, that is to say, suspended from one or more retaining cables of the carrier machine, which may, in particular, be a mobile lattice boom crane or a cable excavator.

[0006] When using a mast, the mast acts as a guide along which the hammer or vibratory hammer slides with the profile, thus orienting the profile during driving. The mast is usually equipped with sensors to measure certain parameters necessary for the operation to proceed correctly, such as the inclination and depth of the profile, the energy input, the applied force, the number of blows in the case of hammering, the vibration frequencies, etc. Throughout the driving operation, the profile is guided by the mast, and its position relative to the carrier is known.

[0007] During the driving operation, the mast, and therefore the carrying equipment, must be stationary relative to the location where the profile is driven. Furthermore, the distance between the equipment and the ground location of the profile cannot exceed a certain limit related to the geometry of the equipment. This can make execution difficult or even impossible. of certain tasks, particularly for non-terrestrial work such as maritime or river works.

[0008] The pendulum mounting of the driving or vibratory driving tool allows for driving operations to be carried out with less constraint on the distance between the machine and the profile location. The pendulum mounting also eliminates the need for a rigid connection between the machine and the profile: the connection between the carrier machine and the driving tool is achieved by one or more flexible retaining cables forming a retention system. The retention system is tensioned at the beginning of operations, particularly when the driving tool is positioned on the profile, to ensure the verticality and / or orientation of the profile. The retention system can be released once the tool is in place on the profile.

[0009] During driving, the driving tool, which is therefore not attached to the carrier machine, is generally controlled and supplied by flexible conduits from a hydraulic or compressed air power plant positioned near the carrier machine, for example on land or on a floating pontoon in the case of non-land work.

[0010] Various driving tool technologies are known.

[0011] The absence of a guide mast makes the measurement of certain data difficult or even impossible.

[0012] Indeed, while some sensors can be placed on the carrier machine or the power unit, certain measurements must be taken on the profile and / or the driving tool, where very high mechanical stresses are present. The relevant parameters may include, in particular, the profile's inclination, its exact location, the continuous driving depth, and, in the case of vibratory driving, the vibratory driving frequency, the vibration amplitude, the profile driving time, and, in the case of hammering, the number of blows or the energy delivered per blow. For example, to date, inclination and driving depth measurements are typically taken by an operator using hand tools such as spirit levels or theodolites.

[0013] Figure [1] illustrates a pendulum device for driving 1 of a profile 3 according to the prior art.

[0014] The device 1 comprises a main body, not shown, configured to be able to support a driving tool 10 by means of a retaining cable 2. The main body may in particular be a lattice boom crane or a cable excavator.

[0015] The pendulum driving device 1 is shown in [Fig. 1] in a working configuration. In this configuration, the profile 3 is guided by a guide zone 5 of a driving guide 4. As illustrated, the profile 3 may include a marking, including for example horizontal lines at regular intervals, to facilitate monitoring of the penetration by an operator.

[0016] The profile 3 is embedded in a soil 7. A body of water 6 may be present above the soil 7 in the case of non-terrestrial works.

[0017] In working configuration, the driving tool 10 is mounted on an upper end of the profile 3. It may or may not be fixed to the profile 3.

[0018] In the example shown, the driving tool 10 is a vibratory driving tool, or vibrator, and allows the profile to be driven by vibratory driving. The vibrator is fixed rigidly to the profile in order to efficiently transmit the vibrations. The driving tool 10 can also be a hammering tool, comprising a fixed part disposed on an upper end of the profile 3, the fixed part being, in particular, a helmet mounted on the upper end, and a striking mass, movable relative to the fixed part and configured to hammer the upper end of the profile 3. The fixed part of the hammering tool is not necessarily fixed rigidly to the profile and can simply be arranged on an upper end of the latter, without being fixed to it.

[0019] With such a pendulum driving device 1, monitoring the driving of the profile, in particular its inclination and driving height, is carried out manually by a human operator. This complicates monitoring the driving during the operation.

[0020] Application JP 2003 119784 A discloses a profile driving system in which a driving hammer is guided by a mast.

[0021] US patent 10,458,091 B2 describes a system for measuring one or more parameters of a large profile during its indentation.

[0022] There is therefore a need to improve the monitoring and control of profile driving operations, in particular by facilitating the measurement of relevant parameters.

[0023] The invention aims to meet at least part of this need. Summary of the invention

[0024] To this end, the invention relates, according to a first aspect, to a pendulum device for driving a profile into the ground, the device comprising a driving tool connected to a main body of the device by at least one retaining cable, the driving tool being intended to be mounted on the profile so as to drive the profile into the ground, the device comprising at least one first geolocation beacon arranged so as to be fixed to the profile or to maintain a fixed average position relative to the profile during the driving of the profile, the first geolocation beacon being in particular positioned on the driving tool or intended to be positioned on the profile.

[0025] Thus, according to the invention, one or more geolocation beacons are arranged so as to be fixed to the profile or to maintain a fixed position relative to the profile during the penetration of the profile. Since the position of the geolocation beacons relative to the profile is known, it is possible to measure the exact position of the latter by measuring the position of the geolocation beacons. The geolocation beacon(s) are therefore arranged so as to allow the measurement of the penetration of the profile.

[0026] Advantageously, the use of geolocation beacons to measure the profile's positioning overcomes the drawbacks of prior art pendulum driving devices: indeed, it allows for precise measurement (with typical accuracy on the order of centimeters, but potentially more precise), automatic measurement (i.e., without operator intervention), independent of the position of the device's main body, in real time and continuously. In particular, the invention eliminates the need for operator intervention, which requires momentarily stopping the driving process to allow for measurements and which can entail risks of measurement errors or safety hazards for the operators.

[0027] Thanks to the invention, the driving operations can be monitored in real time and the driving tool can be used optimally.

[0028] The term "pendulum driving device" refers to a driving device in which the driving tool is connected to the main body of the device by one or more retaining cables. The retaining cable is flexible. It is under tension when the driving tool is suspended. When the driving tool is fixed to the profile, the retaining cable may not be under tension.

[0029] In the context of the invention, a geolocation beacon may, in particular, be a satellite geolocation antenna or beacon (GNSS beacon), using one or more satellite networks, for example, the GPS satellite network. A geolocation beacon is typically connected to a receiver that allows the beacon to be located from the data collected by the beacon. Several geolocation beacons may be connected to a single receiver or to a plurality of receivers.

[0030] By "a marker arranged so as to be fixed to a profile," it is understood that the marker is attached to the profile, either by direct contact or via another element such as the driving tool, so that the position of the marker varies with the position of the profile. The connection between the marker and the profile may be rigid, in which case the position of the marker is fixed relative to the profile. The position of the marker may also not be strictly fixed relative to the profile: this is, for example, the case when the marker is arranged on the suspension bracket of a vibratory driving tool, the The profile is connected to the vibrating housing of the vibratory driving tool. The connection between the suspension bracket and the vibrating housing may not be completely rigid in order to limit the transmission of vibrations from the vibrating housing to the suspension bracket. However, the variation in the position of the marker relative to the profile remains small (typically less than 5 cm in any direction) and is negligible on average.

[0031] By "a beacon arranged so as to maintain a fixed average position relative to the profile during the driving of the profile," it is understood that the average position of the beacon remains constant relative to the profile during the driving of the latter. The exact position of the beacon may vary slightly over time, for example due to vibrations or elasticity of the connection between the beacon and the element supporting it. These variations remain small, typically less than 5 cm, and are zero on average, so that the average position of the beacon remains constant relative to the profile. This is particularly the case when the geolocation beacon is arranged on a part of a driving tool that is positioned on the profile during driving without being attached to the profile: although the driving tool is not permanently fixed to the profile, its position relative to the profile remains constant during the driving process.

[0032] According to one variant, the driving tool is a vibrator configured to drive the profile by vibratory driving.

[0033] The term "vibratory driving" is understood in its usual technical sense, namely the use of vibrations by a vibratory driving tool, or vibrator, to drive an element into the ground. A vibrator may, in particular, comprise a suspension bracket and a vibrating housing, these two elements being connected in such a way as to dampen the transmission of vibrations from the vibrating housing to the suspension bracket. This connection may be achieved using vibration isolators such as elastomeric isolators or spring boxes.

[0034] Thus, the driving tool may include in particular a suspension bracket connected to the retaining cable and a vibrating housing configured to generate vibrations, the geolocation beacon preferably being located on the suspension bracket.

[0035] According to another variant, the driving tool is a hammering tool configured to drive the profile by hammering.

[0036] The term "driving" is understood in its usual technical sense, namely the use of a solid element to strike the upper end of an element in order to drive the latter into the ground. The driving tool may comprise a part that is arranged on the upper end of the profile, optionally by being fixedly attached to the profile, and a movable part, generally sliding, or hammer, that can be lifted and brought down on the upper end of the profile.

[0037] According to an advantageous feature, the device is configured to drive in a profile whose diameter is less than 2 m, 1.5 m or 1 m, in particular greater than 10 cm or 50 cm and / or less than 90 cm or 50 cm.

[0038] Thus, the device is dimensioned so as to drive in profiles of medium diameter, generally between 500 and 1500 mm. Such profiles are suitable, for example, for the construction of closed quay walls, deep foundations for open quay decks or dolphins for berthing and mooring berths.

[0039] According to a particular embodiment, the device further comprises a second geolocation beacon arranged so as to be fixed to the profile or to maintain a fixed average position relative to the profile during the penetration of the profile. The device may, in particular, comprise a third geolocation beacon arranged so as to be fixed to the profile or to maintain a fixed average position relative to the profile during the penetration of the profile.

[0040] The use of a single geolocation beacon makes it possible to measure the vertical penetration of the profile, but may not allow the tracking of the inclination or rotation of the profile.

[0041] Although a driving guide can be used to maintain the profile's inclination during the driving process, maintaining the profile's inclination correctly may be compromised. For example, the driving guide may not be sufficiently rigid or may deform, resulting in poor guidance. It is also possible that the driving guide may not be able to guide the profile over a sufficient length.

[0042] The inclination of the profile can be measured by an operator, using manual measuring devices such as spirit levels or other sighting equipment, with or without the intervention of a surveyor. However, this presents all the disadvantages associated with human intervention.

[0043] The use of two geolocation beacons, or preferably three or more, advantageously allows continuous and precise tracking not only of the penetration of the profile but also of its inclination along any axis.

[0044] According to an advantageous feature, the device further comprises at least one accelerometer disposed on the driving tool.

[0045] When the driving tool is a vibratory driving tool, the accelerometer can in particular be placed on the vibratory housing of the vibratory driving tool.

[0046] In the case of vibratory driving, the accelerometer measures the frequency and amplitude of the vibrations produced by the vibratory driving tool. In the case of hammering, it measures the characteristics of the blows, in particular the number of blows and their energy.

[0047] Advantageously, the accelerometer allows the inclination of the profile to be measured along two horizontal axes by measuring the projection of the acceleration of gravity on the three axes.

[0048] The combined use of one or more geolocation beacons and an accelerometer advantageously allows for the precise measurement of all the characteristics of a penetration process. From these characteristics, it is notably possible to calculate the bearing capacity of the profiles inserted into the ground.

[0049] The invention also relates to a kit comprising a pendulum driving device as described above and a profile. The first geolocation beacon, the second geolocation beacon and / or the third geolocation beacon are preferably arranged on the driving tool or on the profile.

[0050] The invention further relates to a method of driving a profile into the ground using a pendulum driving device as described above to drive the profile, the method comprising measuring the penetration of the profile by locating at least the first geolocation beacon.

[0051] The invention further relates to a method for driving a plurality of profiles, comprising driving each of the plurality of profiles according to the method described above. The plurality of profiles are, for example, driven in such a way as to be aligned in a row.

[0052] The invention further relates to a method of driving a profile into the ground using a pendulum driving device as described above, the method comprising measuring the inclination of the profile by locating at least the first and second geolocation beacons.

[0053] The invention further relates to a method of driving a profile into the ground using a pendulum driving device as described above, the method comprising measuring the inclination of the profile by measuring the projection of the acceleration of gravity using the accelerometer and / or the method comprising measuring the vibrations of the driving tool using the accelerometer.

[0054] The invention also relates, according to a second aspect, to a device for driving a profile into the ground, the device comprising a driving tool connected to a main body of the device, the driving tool being intended to be mounted on the profile so as to drive the profile into the ground, the device comprising at least one accelerometer disposed on the driving tool.

[0055] The driving device may in particular be a pendulum driving device, the driving tool being connected to the main body by at least one retaining cable.

[0056] The driving tool can be a vibrator configured to drive the profile by vibratory driving or a hammering tool configured to drive the profile by hammering.

[0057] The device can be configured to drive a profile whose diameter is less than 1.5 m or 1 m, in particular greater than 10 cm or 50 cm and / or less than 90 cm or 50 cm.

[0058] The invention also relates to a kit comprising a pendulum driving device as described above and a profile.

[0059] The invention further relates to a method of driving a profile into the ground using a driving device as described above to drive the profile, the method comprising measuring the inclination of the profile by measuring the acceleration of gravity using the accelerometer and / or the method comprising measuring the vibrations of the driving tool using the accelerometer.

[0060] The invention further relates to a method for driving a plurality of profiles, comprising driving each of the plurality of profiles according to the method described above. The plurality of profiles are, for example, driven in such a way as to be aligned in a row. Brief description of the drawings

[0061] [Fig-1] Fig. 1 represents a pendulum-type indentation device according to art prior.

[0062] [Fig.2] Fig.2 is a detail view of a first embodiment of a pendulum driving device according to the invention comprising a vibrator.

[0063] [Fig.3] Fig.3 is a side view of the device shown in Fig.2.

[0064] [Fig.4] Fig.4 is a detail view of a second embodiment of a pendulum driving device according to the invention comprising a vibrator.

[0065] [Fig.5] Fig.5 is a side view of the device shown in Fig.4. Detailed description

[0066] Throughout this application, the terms "horizontal" and "vertical" are to be understood by reference to the orientation of a pendulum driving device in its working configuration. For example, when the driving tool is suspended by the device's tensioned retaining cable, the retaining cable extends along a vertical axis, denoted Z. X and Y are two horizontal axes perpendicular to each other, as shown in [Fig. 2].

[0067] Fig. 1 has already been described in the preamble and will not be commented on hereafter.

[0068] The same numerical references have been retained in the following to designate identical or similar elements.

[0069] Figures 2 and 3 illustrate a first embodiment of a pendulum driving device 100 according to the invention.

[0070] The main body of the pendulum driving device 100 can be identical to that of the pendulum driving device 1 according to the prior art.

[0071] The pendulum driving device 100 comprises one or more retaining cables 2 connected to a driving tool 10. The driving tool 10 is a vibrator in the illustrated example.

[0072] The retaining cable 2 is tensioned at the beginning of the driving operation, particularly when the driving tool 10 is placed on the profile 3, in order to ensure the verticality and / or orientation of the profile. The retaining cable can be slackened when the profile is sufficiently driven into the ground.

[0073] The vibrator 10 includes a suspension bracket 11 to which the retaining cable 2 is attached. The vibrator 10 further includes a vibrating housing 12 connected to the suspension bracket 11 via vibration isolators 13, in particular made of elastomer, which are configured to attenuate the vibrations transmitted from the vibrating housing 12 to the suspension bracket 11. Other embodiments of vibrators can also be implemented within the scope of the invention.

[0074] The vibrating housing 12 has two clamps 14 configured to rigidly hold the profile 3 while transmitting the vibrations generated by the rotation of the masses 15, which are rotated at a frequency co during the driving process. These vibrations enable the vibratory driving of the profile 3.

[0075] The power supply of the vibrator 10 and the transmission of control or data signals is ensured by one or more cables passing through a flexible conduit 16 which connects the vibrator 10 to a power supply and / or control station.

[0076] The vibrator 10 also includes two geolocation beacons 20. In the illustrated example, the geolocation beacons 20 are arranged on the suspension bracket 11: this advantageously limits disturbances due to vibrations of the vibrating housing 12. The geolocation beacons 20 can however be arranged on the vibrating housing 12 or directly on the profile 3.

[0077] One or more power and data transmission cables 21 are connected to the geolocation beacons 20 to power them and enable the transmission of signals to and from the beacons, in particular to and from a geolocation receiver configured to determine the position of the beacons from the data collected by them. The cables 21 advantageously pass through a flexible conduit 16.

[0078] In a particularly advantageous embodiment that improves measurement accuracy, the position of each of the geolocation beacons 20 is determined differentially with respect to a reference geolocation station whose position is fixed. Alternatively, a network of permanent ground stations can be used. from a GNSS network, such as the Orphéon network, to provide corrections to the measurements of the geolocation beacons.

[0079] Figures 4 and 5 show a second embodiment of a pendulum driving device 100' according to the invention.

[0080] This pendulum driving device 100' differs from the device 100 shown in figures 2 and 3 in that it includes an accelerometer 30 arranged on the vibrating housing 12 of the vibrator 10.

[0081] The accelerometer 30 is configured to measure the vibrations of the vibrator, in particular to determine the frequency and amplitude of the vibrations. It can also measure the acceleration due to gravity and, from these measurements, it is possible to measure the inclination of the profile along the horizontal X and Y axes.

[0082] Other variations and improvements may be envisaged without departing from the scope of the invention. The penetration device may, for example, comprise a single geolocation beacon or more than two beacons, in combination or not with an accelerometer or with a plurality of accelerometers.

[0083] When implemented to drive a plurality of profiles, the invention also makes it possible to improve the reliability of estimates obtained from geotechnical models. While vibratory driving can be a particularly effective method for driving profiles into certain types of soil, there are currently no reliable correlations between driving times by vibratory driving and intrinsic soil parameters or the bearing capacities of profiles in soils.

[0084] However, the continuous recording of vibratory driving parameters, made possible by the invention, allows the creation of a database on the basis of which improved geotechnical models can be built.

[0085] In particular, continuous recording of parameters for profiles whose driving by vibratory driving is followed by a hammering operation is particularly advantageous for the improvement of geotechnical models.

Claims

Demands

1. Pendulum device (100, 100') for driving a profile (3) into the ground, the device comprising a driving tool (10) connected to a main body of the device by at least one retaining cable (2), the driving tool (10) being intended to be mounted on the profile (3) so as to drive the profile into the ground, the device (100, 100') comprising at least one first geolocation beacon (20) arranged so as to be attached to the profile (3) or to maintain a fixed average position relative to the profile (3) during the driving of the profile, the first geolocation beacon (20) being in particular arranged on the driving tool or intended to be arranged on the profile.

2. Device according to claim 1, the driving tool (10) being a vibrator configured to drive the profile by vibro-driving.

3. Device according to claim 1, the driving tool (10) being a hammering tool configured to drive the profile by hammering.

4. Device according to any one of the preceding claims configured to drive in a profile whose diameter is less than 1 m.

5. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a second geolocation beacon arranged so as to be attached to the profile (3) or to maintain a fixed average position relative to the profile (3) during the driving of the profile, the device comprising in particular a third geolocation beacon arranged so as to be attached to the profile (3) or to maintain a fixed average position relative to the profile during the driving of the profile (3).

6. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising at least one accelerometer (30) disposed on the driving tool (10).

7. Kit comprising a device (100, 100') according to one of the preceding claims and a profile (3), the first geolocation beacon (20) being disposed on the driving tool or on the profile.

8. A method for driving a profile (3) into the ground employing a pendulum-driven driving device (100, 100') according to any one of the preceding claims for driving the profile, the method including the measurement of the profile's indentation by locating at least the first geolocation beacon (20).

9. Method for driving in a plurality of profiles (3), comprising driving in each of the plurality of profiles according to the method of claim 8.

10. Method of driving a profile (3) into soil employing a pendulum driving device according to claim 5, the method comprising measuring the inclination of the profile by locating at least the first and second geolocation beacons.

11. Method of driving a profile (3) into soil employing a pendulum driving device according to claim 6, the method comprising measuring the inclination of the profile by measuring the projection of the acceleration of gravity by means of the accelerometer (30) and / or the method comprising measuring the vibrations of the driving tool by means of the accelerometer (30).

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