Containment sheet and related containment structure comprising said containment sheet
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2023-04-12
- Publication Date
- 2026-03-31
AI Technical Summary
Existing containment structures, such as metal nets and concrete block nets, are expensive, heavy, logistically complicated, and prone to corrosion, making them inefficient and unreliable for long-term use in various engineering applications.
A lightweight, flexible containment sheet made of a composite material with polymer-coated reinforcing strips woven in a warp and weft pattern, allowing for mutual sliding between strips and enhanced punching resistance, is proposed. This sheet can be easily connected to form a modular structure and is resistant to corrosion.
The containment sheet provides a cost-effective, reliable, and long-lasting solution for containing masses and structures, offering high strength, flexibility, and resistance to dynamic and static loads, while preventing corrosion and being easy to transport and install.
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Abstract
Description
[Technical field]
[0001] The present invention relates to a containment sheet and a containment structure comprising said containment sheet.
[0002] In particular, the present invention relates to sheets and containment structures that can be used in the fields of construction engineering, civil engineering, environmental engineering, hydraulic engineering, geological engineering and mining engineering, and more generally in all those applications in which it is necessary to effectively contain masses (e.g. soil) or existing structures to avoid subsidence and overruns, or in those applications in which it is necessary to provide temporary or permanent safety structures against falling objects or people. [Background technology]
[0003] To deal with the problem of rock falls or for the containment of debris flows, landslides and avalanches, containment structures are installed, usually consisting of steel barriers in the form of a net featuring a more or less narrow mesh depending on the morphology of the surrounding soil. Thus, the free-falling stones or soil / snow flows will collide with the net, which has the function of providing a dynamic restraint to contain them and avoid scattering and damage to people or objects.
[0004] These containment nets provide crucial scaffolding both economically and structurally.
[0005] Another type of containment structure commonly used is that employed in the repair and restoration of existing buildings, where metal netting is wrapped around perimeter walls, columns or columns to reinforce the existing structure by providing static restraint.
[0006] Metal nets, in addition to being very expensive, heavy and logistically complicated to transport and install, are subject to corrosion phenomena and therefore prolonged exposure to atmospheric chemicals can adversely affect the durability and reliability of the system.
[0007] Another example of a containment structure commonly used in marine, coastal, river or lake environments is defined by a net of concrete blocks connected together by flexible cables, which are immersed and protect certain pipelines by containing or climbing over certain seabeds or cliffs, thus preventing their accidental fracturing. These systems are bulky, heavy, expensive, difficult to install and obviously subject to the aggressive phenomena of corrosion caused by the marine or brackish environment. Summary of the Invention
[0008] In this context, the technical problem underlying the present invention is to propose a containment sheet and a containment structure that overcomes one or more of the drawbacks of the prior art mentioned above and provides an economical, reliable and long-lasting solution.
[0009] In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide a containment sheet that is lightweight, efficient and high performance.
[0010] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a containment sheet that is modular and versatile in application.
[0011] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a containment structure that is structurally simple and easy to construct, transport and install.
[0012] The technical problem set out and the objectives identified are substantially achieved by a seat and containment structure comprising the technical features recited in one or more of the appended claims.
[0013] In particular, the present invention provides a containment sheet comprising a flexible fabric defined by a plurality of reinforcing strips that are advantageously woven together in a warp and weft pattern.
[0014] In other words, the reinforcing strips are simply interwoven perpendicular to one another and are not engaged by mechanical means or by welds or weld lines. Thus, a mutual sliding of different strengths is permitted between the reinforcing strips, i.e. depending on the so-called "gaps" or "open surfaces" of the fabric, depending on the spaces left between the weft strips and between the warp strips. This mutual sliding also promotes punching resistance and containment during the dynamic phase.
[0015] In particular, each reinforcing strip is a polymer coating surrounding a plurality of longitudinal channels extending parallel to the longitudinal direction of the reinforcing strip and aligned perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the reinforcing strip; a plurality of longitudinal reinforcing fibers disposed within the longitudinal channels.
[0016] In other words, each reinforcing strip has a sequence of adjacent longitudinal channels filled with longitudinal reinforcing fibers and embedded in a polymer matrix.
[0017] Advantageously, the presence of longitudinal reinforcing fibres imparts to the reinforcing strip the necessary strength properties for the static and / or dynamic containment functions it is to fulfil.
[0018] Thus, the reinforcing strips referred to in this specification are strip-shaped composite products (also called "straps" or "tapes" or "geostrips") typically obtained by co-extrusion of a coating film containing a core of fibers, i.e. yarns, filaments, threads or inserts having tensile strength properties, for various structural reinforcement or stabilization applications.
[0019] By using high strength threads, yarns and fibers, it is in fact possible to obtain reinforcing strips that provide the necessary support and strength against loads and that offer greater durability than conventional materials and construction methods such as steel and concrete.
[0020] Further, the containment structure comprises at least one connection portion connected to the flexible fabric, the connection portion being suitable for connecting the containment sheet to a further containment sheet to realise a larger modular containment structure, and / or for connecting the containment sheet to an external structure to effectively engage the external structure.
[0021] The subject of the containment sheet of the invention can therefore be designed to undergo high dynamic and static loads thanks to the presence of the flexible fabric. The composite material of the reinforcing strips (polymer matrix + longitudinal fibres) provides high strength and at the same time flexibility properties, ensuring effective resistance also to dynamic punching and impacts.
[0022] Containment sheets defined in this manner are effectively adapted for use in applications where high accidental and momentary dynamic stresses are anticipated, as well as for statically restraining existing structures.
[0023] The presence of a flexible fabric made of composite material with a polymer coating advantageously ensures excellent adaptability in the most diverse conditions of use and in particular prevents the occurrence of corrosion phenomena.
[0024] The containment sheet subject matter of the present invention is lightweight compared to known steel solutions, easy to transport (it can be shipped rolled up or in layers), simple to manufacture (e.g., by a co-extrusion process), versatile in application (it can also be used underwater), and easily customizable (both in size and strength properties) according to design needs.
[0025] By weaving reinforcing strips incorporating multiple longitudinal fibers with tensile strength properties, it is possible to achieve an efficient fabric that can contain / retain / restrain a mass in a stationary position (e.g. a building wall) or contain / retain a mass in motion that poses a hazard (e.g. a debris flow or stones falling freely from a cliff).
[0026] The invention also relates to a containment structure comprising at least two containment sheets according to the invention arranged side by side and connection means adapted to connect the at least two containment sheets at least at a connection portion.
[0027] In other words, the containment structure provides a modular system of containment sheets that can be easily joined together to define solutions of larger dimensions than a single containment sheet. The connections at the perimeter connections ensure rapid installation.
[0028] The dependent claims, which are incorporated herein by reference, correspond to various embodiments of the invention.
[0029] Further features and advantages of the present invention will appear more clearly from the indicative, and therefore non-limiting, description of preferred but not exclusive embodiments of the containment sheet and containment structure, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: [Brief description of the drawings]
[0030] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a flexible fabric of a containment sheet according to the present invention. [Figure 1A] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a possible embodiment of a containment structure according to the invention, comprising a sheet according to the invention and two layers bonded to a flexible fabric. [Figure 2-6] 1 shows diagrammatically several embodiments of a containment structure according to a first embodiment of a containment sheet according to the invention, illustrating different details of the connection between two or more containment sheets; [Figure 7-8] 2A-2C show diagrammatically two embodiments of a containment structure according to a second embodiment of a containment sheet according to the invention; [Figure 9-10]2 shows diagrammatically two examples of connecting adjacent reinforcing strips across each other by means of connecting elements which are at least partially insertable into the respective flexible fabric of the containment sheet according to the invention. [Figure 11] 1 illustrates diagrammatically an exemplary embodiment of a box-shaped containment structure according to the invention; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0031] With reference to the accompanying drawings, the containment sheet is generally designated 1 and the containment structure is generally designated 100.
[0032] The sheet 1 comprises a flexible fabric 2 defined by a plurality of reinforcing strips 3 woven together in a warp and weft pattern.
[0033] The term "strip" means a substantially flat, tape-like element having a length (measured along the longitudinal direction of development of the strip 3) greater than the width L of the strip 3 and a thickness S (measured perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of development and to the width L) much smaller than the width L of the strip 3.
[0034] The strip 3 has two opposite lateral edges 3a relative to the direction of longitudinal deployment and two opposite terminal ends 3b (the so-called "head" and "tail" ends of the strip). In other words, the length of the strip 3 can be measured between the opposite terminal ends 3b and the width L can be measured between the lateral edges 3a.
[0035] Preferably, the reinforcing strip 3 has a width L between 10 mm and 200 mm, more preferably equal to 50 mm, and a thickness S between 0.1 mm and 50 mm, more preferably equal to 2 mm.
[0036] Each strip 3 is a polymer coating 4 extending parallel to the longitudinal direction of the reinforcing strip 3 and surrounding a number of longitudinal channels 5 aligned perpendicularly to said longitudinal direction; a plurality of longitudinal reinforcing fibres 6 arranged within the longitudinal channels.
[0037] In other words, the longitudinal channels 5 are disposed adjacent and parallel in succession between opposite side edges 3 a in the strip 3 and extend the entire length of the strip 3 .
[0038] In particular, "plurality of longitudinal reinforcing fibers" 6 means yarns or filaments made from a plurality of fibers, threads, filaments or inserts having tensile strength properties and juxtaposed therebetween in the longitudinal direction to define a longitudinally extending reinforcing element.
[0039] Preferably, the plurality of longitudinal reinforcing fibers 6 are high strength yarns, preferably high strength synthetic yarns, for example polyester or aramid fibers, and the polymer coating 4 is preferably made of polyethylene.
[0040] It should therefore be noted that the term “longitudinal” is intended to indicate that the plurality of fibres 6 define yarns extending in a direction parallel to the longitudinal development direction X of the strip 3 .
[0041] Preferably, the longitudinal channels 5 have a width, measured perpendicular to the longitudinal development direction of the reinforcing strip 3 and parallel to the width L of the reinforcing strip 3, of between 0.5 mm and 200 mm.
[0042] Preferably, the longitudinal channels 5 have a thickness, measured perpendicular to the longitudinal development direction of the reinforcing strip 3 and parallel to the thickness S of the reinforcing strip 3, of between 0.1 mm and 50 mm.
[0043] Preferably, the distance between adjacent longitudinal channels 5 is less than the width of the longitudinal channels 5 .
[0044] Preferably, the reinforcing strip 3 has a tensile strength between 1 kN / m and 1000 kN / m, and more preferably equal to 50 kN / m.
[0045] The containment sheet 1 according to the invention further advantageously comprises at least one connection portion 7 connected to the flexible fabric 2 and suitable for connecting the containment sheet 1 to further containment sheets 1 and / or to an external structure E.
[0046] According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a containment structure 100 comprising at least two containment sheets 1 according to the present invention arranged side by side and connection means configured to connect the at least two containment sheets 1 at least at the connection portion 7.
[0047] According to a first embodiment shown in Figures 2-6, the connection portion 7 is preferably defined by a peripheral joining strip 8, preferably continuous, obtained by (e.g. ultrasonic) welding the opposing free ends 3b of the reinforcing strip 3.
[0048] In other words, as the fabric 2 is created by weaving the strips 3, the head ends of the strips 3 are welded together and the tail ends of the strips 3 are welded together to define peripheral selvedge cords (i.e., peripheral joining strips 8) at which it is possible to connect the sheet 1 to other sheets 1 or to secure the sheet 1 to an external structure E, such as an existing structure to be contained.
[0049] As shown in Figures 2-6, preferably the connecting portions 7 of the sheets 1 at least partially overlap each other at the overlapping portions, and the connecting means comprises engageable fasteners 101 on the containment sheets 1 for connecting them at such overlapping portions.
[0050] Some examples of fasteners 101 can be nails, screws, bolts, rivets, cables, strings, staples.
[0051] 2, preferably, the peripheral bonding strip 8 also has a number of connection holes 9 to facilitate connection with fasteners 101. For example, the connection holes 9 are reinforced to avoid tearing during use.
[0052] Preferably the diameter of the connection holes 9 is between 5mm and 20mm and preferably the connection holes 9 are arranged with a minimum spacing of 50mm, preferably 100mm.
[0053] In particular, FIG. 2 shows two sheets 1 overlapped at the edges of their respective peripheral joining strips 8 along which connecting holes 9 are arranged, into which strips 101 are alternately inserted to connect the two sheets 1.
[0054] As shown in FIG. 3, the sheet 1 may also preferably comprise at least one rigid joint bar 10 overlapping or superimposed on the peripheral joint strip 8 and engageable by a fastener 101 .
[0055] The containment structure 100 shown in Fig. 3 shows that the rigid joint bar 10 can be placed both above and below (dash) the overlapping area of the peripheral joint strips 8. For example, in this case the joint element 101 can be a nail, bolt or screw, which traverses both the rigid joint bar 10 and the two overlapping peripheral joint strips 8 and then preferably also fits into the external structure E (not shown embodiment).
[0056] Preferably, the rigid connecting bar 10 may be made of steel, wood, fiberglass or plastic material.
[0057] 4-6 show three schematic examples of connections at the overlap between two sheets 1.
[0058] In particular in Figure 4 the fasteners 101 are nails or screws which penetrate two peripheral joining strips 8 of each sheet 1 and are fixed to an external structure E made of wood which may also be made of another material and may for example be concrete plinths or iron columns.
[0059] In FIG. 5, the fasteners 101 are defined by staples (or staplings) which penetrate two peripheral joining strips 8 of each sheet 1 and are then fixed to an outer structure E made of wood.
[0060] In FIG. 6 the fastener 101 is defined by a bolt which joins two rigid bars 10 and two peripheral joining strips 8 by means of screws and nuts.
[0061] According to the second embodiment shown in Figures 7 and 8, the connection portion 7 is preferably defined by a free end 3b of the reinforcing strip 3, which is folded, preferably around a folding direction perpendicular to the longitudinal unfolding direction of the reinforcing strip 3, and fixed to the reinforcing strip 3 itself, preferably by thermal welding or ultrasonic welding, to form a connecting through cavity 11.
[0062] Preferably, therefore, the connection means of the containment structure 100 comprise a connection element 102 at least partially insertable into each connecting through-cavity 11 for connecting at least two containment receptacle sheets 1 together.
[0063] In other words, the connection through-cavities 11 are obtained by simply folding the ends 3b of the strips 3 and fixing them in a rear position to form a ring / loop / eyelet for inserting a connection element 102 such as a bar, rope, string, cable, etc.
[0064] An example of a sheet 1 according to the invention is shown in FIG. 7, in which the connection portion 7 is defined by four rows of connecting through-cavities 11, two of which have bars 102 inserted therein for connection to an external structure (not shown), while the remaining two rows of connecting through-cavities 11 can be connected to other sheets 1, as shown in FIG. 8.
[0065] The installation of the structure 100 is therefore very simple and quick; in fact it is sufficient, for example, to simply unfold the sheet 1 and insert its through-cavities into the bar 102 and connect it to an external structure, or to place the row of connecting through-cavities 11 next to the row of connecting cavities 11 of another sheet 1 and insert another bar 102.
[0066] In particular, the embodiment with the connection portions 7 defined by the connecting through cavities 11 makes it possible to realize a dynamic fabric 2, easily adapting to the stresses to which it may be subjected. Indeed, the weaving of the weft and warp threads in a spaced variable mesh allows a mutual sliding between adjacent strips, adapting to the structure to be contained (for example in restraint applications) or absorbing / mitigating impact stresses, momentary stresses (for example in rockfall applications).
[0067] Preferably, the distance between two successive weft reinforcement strips 3 or between two successive warp reinforcement strips 3 is between 0.1 mm and 200 mm, preferably equal to 5 mm.
[0068] In other words, the mesh gap (i.e. the distance between two warp and weft strips) is variable, since the weaving of the strips 3 is variable. Thus, the mesh of the fabric 2 can be made thicker or thinner, depending on the application and the required containment function.
[0069] Advantageously, the open surface (which indicates the percentage of the free area in the total surface of the canvas) can therefore be varied depending on the type of application required.
[0070] The sheet 1 according to the invention may further advantageously comprise at least one layer 2a at least partially bonded to a flexible fabric 2 such as a natural fibre geomat or geotextile, typically polyethylene.
[0071] Thus, advantageously, it is possible to superimpose several layers of at least the flexible fabric 2 .
[0072] Thus, by combining the fabric 2 with a layer 2a made of a specific material, it is possible to achieve very versatile containment solutions.
[0073] With particular reference to FIG. 1A, the sheet 1 may preferably further comprise a waterproof membrane 2 b interposed between the layer and the flexible fabric 2 .
[0074] It is therefore advantageously possible to endow the sheet 1 with application-specific waterproof properties.
[0075] With reference to FIGS. 9 and 10, the connecting means may further comprise a connecting element 102 at least partially insertable within each flexible textile 2 so as to straddle adjacent reinforcing strips 3 .
[0076] In other words, it is possible to connect two or more sheets 1 to each other, as shown in FIG. 9, simply by passing a bar 102 between the alternating spaces defined between successive adjacent strips of the fabric 2 and then connecting them to each other (e.g., by a string 103), or as shown in FIG. 10, simply by passing a string 104 between the alternating spaces defined between successive adjacent strips of the fabric 2.
[0077] Finally, as shown in Fig. 11, the containment structure 100 can be manufactured so as to define a three-dimensional box-shaped structure, i.e. so as to enclose / constrain an existing structure on several sides. For example, in Fig. 11, the containment sheets 1 are connected to each other at the corners of an ideal parallelepiped (connection means not shown).
[0078] Thus, the present invention provides a containment sheet 1 and containment structure 100 that is both highly functional and versatile in design and use.
[0079] The properties of the sheet 1 which is the subject of the present invention make it suitable for many special applications, in particular geological, structural, road, river, coastal type and erosion control.
[0080] Typical applications include, for example, wetlands or lake / marine areas, cliff or sea area stabilization, riverbank erosion control and protection systems, access roads and loading platforms, rock fall and avalanche containment barriers, protection and containment barriers for people and / or property.
[0081] Sheet 1 is prefabricated and can be easily transported to the installation site for rapid deployment.
[0082] The sheet 1 can be wound on a roller and then easily stored and moved. It can then be unwound using a winch or other mechanical means. For coastal or river applications, the roll can be carried on a barge and pulled by it at sea. Also, for applications to protect people and / or property from impacts by objects, stones or snow, the panel can be unwound by a top cable like a tent.
[0083] In the stabilization of cliffs or marine lake areas, or in the construction of bridge piers, the sheet 1 can be sized to ensure the mechanical strength required to resist the dynamic stresses, for example, when huge stones are launched into the sea. The task of laying the fill material (usually consisting of large size stones) actually consists in unloading it directly from trucks or piers onto the sandy-muddy seabed. The function of the sheet 1 in this application is therefore to protect the seabed and to contain the cliff and the transferred soil that has just been unloaded.
[0084] These are just a few examples of the diverse uses of the sheet 1 and containment structure 100 obtained with the subject matter of the sheet 1 of the present invention, thus achieving the proposed objectives and overcoming the drawbacks cited in the known art.
Claims
1. A containment sheet (1) comprising a flexible fabric (2) defined by a plurality of reinforcing strips (3) woven together in a pattern of warp and weft threads, Each reinforcing strip (3) - A polymer coating film (4) surrounding a plurality of longitudinal channels (5) that extend parallel to the longitudinal unfolding direction of the reinforcing strip (3) and are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal unfolding direction, - comprising a plurality of longitudinal reinforcing fibers (6) arranged within the plurality of longitudinal channels, The containment sheet (1) further comprises at least a connecting portion (7) that is connected to the flexible fabric (2) and is suitable for connecting the containment sheet (1) to a further containment sheet (1) and / or an external structure (E), The aforementioned connection portion (7) is - Defined by a peripheral joining strip (8) obtained by welding the free end (3b) of the reinforcing strip (3), - Containment sheet (1) defined by the free end (3b) of the reinforcing strip (3) which is folded and fixed to the reinforcing strip (3) itself in order to form a connecting through cavity (11).
2. The containment sheet (1) according to claim 1, wherein the peripheral bonding strip (8) has a plurality of connection holes (9).
3. The containment sheet (1) according to claim 1, comprising at least one rigid bar (10) that overlaps with or is superimposed on the peripheral bonding strip (8) and is engageable by a fastener (101).
4. The containment sheet (1) according to claim 1, wherein the free end (3b) of the reinforcing strip (3) is fixed to the reinforcing strip (3) itself by welding.
5. The containment sheet (1) according to claim 1, wherein the distance between two consecutive weft reinforcing strips (3) or between two consecutive warp reinforcing strips (3) is between 0.1 mm and 200 mm, preferably equal to 5 mm.
6. The containment sheet (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the plurality of longitudinal reinforcing fibers (6) are strong yarns, preferably strong synthetic yarns, such as polyester fibers or aramid fibers, and the polymer coating film (4) is preferably made of polyethylene.
7. The containment sheet (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising a layer (2a) at least partially bonded to the flexible fabric (2).
8. The containment sheet (1) according to claim 7, comprising a waterproof membrane (2b) interposed between the layer (2a) and the flexible fabric (2).
9. The reinforcing strip (3) has a tensile strength between 1 kN / m and 1000 kN / m, preferably equal to 50 kN / m, according to any one of claims 1 to 5, the containment sheet (1).
10. The reinforcing strip (3) has a width (L) measured between side edges (3a) facing the longitudinal unfolding direction, which is between 10 mm and 200 mm, preferably 50 mm, and the reinforcing strip (3) has a thickness (S) measured perpendicular to the width, which is between 0.1 mm and 50 mm, more preferably equal to 2 mm, the containment sheet (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5.
11. Containment structure (100), - At least two containment sheets (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5 arranged side by side, - A containment structure (100) comprising: connecting means configured to connect at least two containment sheets (1) at at least the connecting portion (6).
12. The containment structure (100) according to claim 11, wherein the connecting portion (7) is defined by a peripheral joining strip (8) obtained by welding the free end (3b) of the reinforcing strip (3), the connecting portion (7) at least partially overlaps with one another in overlapping regions, and the connecting means comprises engaging fasteners (100) for connecting the at least two containment sheets (1) in such overlapping regions.
13. The containment structure (100) according to claim 11, wherein the connecting portion (7) is defined by the free end (3b) of the reinforcing strip (3) which is folded and fixed to the reinforcing strip (3) itself, preferably by welding, in order to form a connecting through cavity (11), and the connecting means comprises a connecting element (102) which is at least partially insertable into each connecting through cavity (11) for connecting the at least two containment sheets (1).
14. The containment structure (100) according to claim 11, further comprising a connecting element (102) that can be at least partially inserted into each flexible fabric (2) so as to straddle adjacent reinforcing strips (3).