Methods to prevent climbing plants from ascending

Abstract

This invention provides a method for preventing climbing plants from ascending sound barriers, preventing them from overcoming the barriers and encroaching on the main railway line as they grow. This method can be implemented efficiently and at low cost without requiring heavy human labor. [Solution] A sound-insulating wall 1 is formed by fixing the sound-insulating wall 1 to the support columns 2. The sound-insulating wall 1 is formed by inserting the edges of the sound-insulating wall 3 into grooves 2A formed between a pair of flanges of the H-shaped steel that make up each support column 2 and stacking multiple sound-insulating panels 3 between each support column 2. The gaps G that are created when the edges of the sound-insulating panels 3 are inserted into the grooves 2A of the H-shaped steel that make up the support columns 2 of the sound-insulating wall 1 are installed and fixed, and the gaps G are sealed with a joint material, which is a sealing means, so that the vines of climbing plants do not enter the gaps G and the gaps G do not become starting points for the vines to climb along the support columns 2 as they grow.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for preventing the climbing of vine plants in a wall-like structure (hereinafter referred to as a "sound insulation wall") typified by a sound insulation wall installed along the side of a highway or the like in order to reduce the noise emitted by a running vehicle. In the method, vine plants growing in the soil part of the installation foundation of the sound insulation wall grow and climb along the sound insulation wall, and the tip of the vine plant does not droop and invade the vehicle running on the road so as not to have an adverse effect on the vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] The road structure is roughly classified into three types: earth structures (embankments, cuttings, etc.), bridges, and tunnels. Among these, except for the paved surface of roads mainly composed of earth structures, "soil" is the basis, and plants will invade and thrive over time. In particular, when a sound insulation wall is installed on the "soil" and vine plants are growing, it is observed that the vine plants climb along the sound insulation wall, and as a result, they climb over the sound insulation wall and the tip of the vine plant hangs down on the main line side.

[0003] That is, the sound insulation wall installed on a road with an earth structure uses H-shaped steel as a support column, and a sound insulation board is inserted between the H-shaped steels to form a wall-like structure. Vine plants growing near the installation foundation of the H-shaped steel installed in the soil use the gap between the groove part of the H-shaped steel and the sound insulation board as a foothold and grow and climb along the support column. Once they reach the upper part of the sound insulation wall, they use this reaching part as a foothold and grow to cover the entire H-shaped steel, and the tip of the vine droops and invades the main line side.

[0004] Because climbing plants lack a trunk to support themselves against gravity, they grow rapidly. If left unchecked, as mentioned above, climbing plants that have proliferated on soil structures can encroach on the main road, hanging down from their tops and posing a risk of contact with passing vehicles, potentially causing accidents. In other words, when climbing plants hang down over the sound barriers of highways, they can easily come into contact with the tops of tall vehicles such as trucks. On highways where many vehicles travel at high speeds, there were concerns that this could lead to unexpected and unforeseen accidents.

[0005] Therefore, while efforts have traditionally been made to remove climbing plants, manual removal of vines entangled in sound barriers using powered lawnmowers, primarily on slopes, involves the use of high-speed rotating disc cutters, making it a dangerous task with a high risk of accidents. Furthermore, on expressways, removing climbing plants that hang down onto the main road requires restricting access to the main road and using aerial work platforms, resulting in traffic congestion and accident risks, thus hindering safe and smooth logistics. Thus, even after spending time and effort to remove climbing plants, their rapid growth necessitates repeated removal during their growth season, leading to increased operational costs. Moreover, even when using herbicides to kill climbing plants, continuous application is required, which can be problematic from the perspective of worker health, roadside conditions, and environmental conservation, especially when the target area is adjacent to farmland or residential areas.

[0006] Therefore, a weed-control fence has been proposed that prevents climbing plants from encroaching onto adjacent land by crossing the fence, thus eliminating the need for manual removal of climbing plants (Patent Document 1). In addition, a guard fence has been proposed that, in the case of encroachment onto the road side, is constructed by attaching a net to an existing protective fence (Patent Document 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2012-102494 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2017-206904 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] However, in the inventions described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 mentioned above, while horizontal solutions are possible for access prevention fences and protective fences, for vertical objects in the height direction, such as H-shaped steel beams used in sound barriers installed on highways, the installation area becomes large, leading to cost issues and potentially hindering the inspection of the sound barriers.

[0009] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a method for preventing climbing plants from climbing sound barriers, primarily targeting sound barriers, as they grow, and overcoming the barrier to invade the main railway line. Furthermore, it aims to provide a method for preventing climbing plants from climbing sound barriers that does not require heavy human labor and can be implemented efficiently and at low cost. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] To solve the above problems, the present invention is configured as follows. That is, the method for preventing climbing plants from climbing according to claim 1 is a soundproof wall comprising a plurality of H-shaped steel posts erected at predetermined intervals along the side edge of a road, soundproofing panels whose edges are inserted into grooves formed between a pair of flanges of the H-shaped steel posts and which are stacked and supported between the posts, and fasteners for fixing the soundproofing panels to the posts, wherein the gaps created when the edges of the soundproofing panels are inserted into the grooves of the H-shaped steel posts that are the posts of the soundproof wall and are stacked and installed in order are sealed by sealing means so that climbing plants cannot enter the gaps and the gaps do not become starting points for climbing along the posts as the vines grow.

[0011] The method for preventing climbing plants according to claim 2 is characterized in that the sealing means is a joint material that is inserted into the gap to seal the gap, and the gap is sealed by the joint material.

[0012] The method for preventing climbing plants according to claim 3 is characterized in that the sealing means is of a size that can cover a portion of the earth structure where the H-shaped steel pillars are installed, including a wall surface centered on the H-shaped steel pillars that is at least 1 to 2 m high, and is a covering material that can cover the entire portion so as to be able to seal the gap between the H-shaped steel pillars and the sound insulation board, and the gap is sealed by the covering material.

[0013] The method for preventing climbing plants according to claim 4 is characterized in that the joint material or covering material used in the sealing means is subjected to a chemical control measure such as a herbicide or other plant repellent. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the climbing prevention method for climbing plants of the present invention, taking into full consideration the characteristics of climbing plants, such as using the gap between the groove of the H-shaped steel support and the sound barrier panel as a foothold to climb the support, a countermeasure is taken in which such gap is sealed with a sealing means. As a result, the vines are unable to enter the gap and cannot use it as a starting point to climb along the support as the vines grow, thus preventing the vines of climbing plants from overcoming the sound barrier and invading the main line.

[0015] Furthermore, as a sealing method, jointing material commonly used to fill gaps can be used. Even if the condition of the gaps changes depending on the erection of the H-shaped steel columns and the installation of the sound insulation panels between the columns, the gaps can be easily filled and sealed. This allows the sealing work to be carried out efficiently and quickly, resulting in an economic advantage.

[0016] Furthermore, as a sealing means, at the installation base part of the earth structure part where the H-shaped steel serving as a support column is erected, although it varies depending on the installation situation and the like, it is possible to use a covering material that can cover at least a part including a wall surface centered on the H-shaped steel with a height of 1 to 2 m or more and can cover the gap between the support column and the sound insulation board at the installation base part. Therefore, the construction itself can be carried out economically.

[0017] By applying chemical control means such as a plant repellent like a herbicide to the joint material and the covering material used for the above-mentioned sealing, the effect of preventing intrusion into the gap of the vine can be further enhanced.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0018] [Figure 1] It is a partial external view that simply shows the state where the sound insulation wall to be the object of the present invention is installed beside the road. [Figure 2] It is a cross-sectional view showing the cross-section of a standard type of sound insulation board that is usually used. [Figure 3] It is a plan view for schematically explaining the state where the sound insulation board is installed on the H-shaped steel serving as a support column. [Figure 4] It is a partial external view for explaining the state before and after applying a putty agent to all parts of the interface where the support column filled and sealed with the joint material and the sound insulation board abut. [Figure 5] It is a partial external view for explaining the state where the gap between the support column and the sound insulation board at the installation base part which is an embodiment of the present invention is covered with a covering material.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0019] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a partial external view that simply shows the installation state of the sound insulation wall 1 installed along the road of the earth structure 4. This sound insulation wall 1 uses a so-called H-shaped steel as the support column 2, a plurality of these support columns 2 are erected at a predetermined interval, and the sound insulation boards 3 whose edges are inserted and supported in the groove formed between a pair of flanges of each H-shaped steel are laminated in several layers and attached by a fixture not shown in the figure.

[0020] When miscellaneous plants grow naturally in the area of the earth structure 4 at the installation base of the sound insulation wall 1, especially when vine plants 8 grow wild, conventionally, as the vine plants 8 grow, they get entangled with the support column 2 and climb along the support column 2 to climb the sound insulation wall 1. Starting from this support column 2, the vine plants thrive and cross over the top of the sound insulation wall 1 and invade the main line side.

[0021] As shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 2, the generally used standard type of sound insulation board 3 has an outer frame formed by an exterior metal plate 3A such as an aluminum plate. The surface facing the road side is formed by an exterior metal plate 3B with slits or holes. Inside this exterior metal plate 3B, a sound-absorbing material 3C such as rock wool or glass wool is installed, and an air layer 3D is formed on the unpaved surface side. FIG. 3 is a plan view for schematically explaining the state where the sound insulation wall 1 is installed on the H-shaped steel that serves as a support column. As shown in the figure, between the support columns 2 of the plurality of erected H-shaped steels, both ends of the sound insulation board 3 are inserted and arranged in the respective groove portions २A and fixed.

[0022] Since the sound insulation board and the like are fixed in a state of being pushed into the sound absorption side in this way, vine plants growing on the earth structure have entered the gap G between the groove portion 2A of the H-shaped steel and the sound insulation board 3 and grown while getting entangled, serving as a starting point for climbing.

[0023] In the vine plant climbing prevention method which is an embodiment of the present invention, in the installation method when installing the sound insulation wall 1, as described above, a gap G occurs between the groove portion 2A of the H-shaped steel which is the support column 2 and the sound insulation board 3. By embedding such a gap G with a generally used joint material, the invasion of the vines serving as the above-mentioned climbing starting point is prevented. According to the applicant's findings, the gap generated between the support column 2 and the sound insulation board 3 of a general sound insulation wall 1 is about 7 cm. As a joint material for filling this gap, synthetic resin olefin-based elastomers having chemical resistance, weather resistance, load resistance, flexibility, smoothness, heat insulation, etc. can be used.

[0024] Flexible plastic materials can be used to fill these gaps, and by sealing the gaps G using appropriate jointing material depending on the actual condition of the gaps G, climbing of climbing plants 8 on the soundproof wall 1 is prevented. Figure 4(a) shows the appearance of the soundproof wall 1 after the gaps G have been filled with such jointing material. As shown in Figure 4(b), if putty 9 is applied to all parts of the interface where the support posts 2 and soundproof panels 3, which have been filled and sealed with the above-mentioned jointing material, come into contact, the sealing of the gaps G can be made even more reliable. Furthermore, by adding or applying plant repellents and killers containing herbicides to these jointing materials and putty, an even greater climbing prevention effect can be expected.

[0025] Furthermore, as an example of another method for preventing climbing plants from ascending, as shown in Figure 5, at the installation foundation site of the soil structure 4 where the support post 2 is erected, a covering material 5 of a size that can cover the area including the wall surface centered on the H-shaped steel, which is at least 1 to 2 m high, is installed, although this varies depending on the installation conditions, etc. This covers the entire area of ​​the support post 2 and the sound insulation panel 3, including the gap G that occurs between the groove 2A of the H-shaped steel (support post 2) and the sound insulation panel 3, thereby ensuring that the gap G is sealed.

[0026] As the covering material 5, a sheet-like synthetic resin sheet measuring 1.5m in width and 1.2m in height is used to cover the above-mentioned areas. The material of the synthetic resin sheet is not limited, but for example, one made of polyester with a polyvinyl chloride coating on the surface is used. The width and height can also be changed according to the density of the climbing plants. The edges of the synthetic resin sheet are fixed to the support posts 2 and sound insulation boards 3 with adhesive tape 6 so that they are tightly attached, and in particular, at the stepped portion 3E of the sound insulation board 3, the adhesive tape 6 is pressed into the stepped portion 3E to ensure that no gaps occur at this portion and that the sheet is completely fixed. In addition, sandbags 7 are piled on the soil structure 4 at the lower end of the synthetic resin sheet, and in some cases the synthetic resin sheet may peel off at the lower end due to the collapse of the soil structure embankment 4 due to rain, etc.

[0027] In addition to the type shown in Figure 5, the covering material 5 can also be a semi-circular covering material with a height of 1.2m and a diameter of 20cm or more, which covers the area from the base of the support column 2 to the sound-insulating walls 3 on both sides of the support column 2. This can be installed in combination with the synthetic resin sheet mentioned above, further enhancing the covering function and ensuring a secure seal over the gaps G. Furthermore, similarly to the above, adding or applying a plant repellent / dead agent containing herbicide components to the covering material 5 can be expected to provide an even greater climbing prevention effect.

[0028] As described above, the climbing prevention method for climbing plants according to the embodiment of the present invention takes into full consideration the characteristics of climbing plants, which use the gap G between the groove of the H-shaped steel support 2 of the sound barrier 1 and the sound barrier panel 3 as a starting point for climbing, and climb along the support 2 using this part as a foothold. By taking countermeasures to seal the gap G, the vines will not be able to enter the gap G, and as they grow, they will not be able to climb along the support 2 at all, thus preventing the vines from overcoming the sound barrier 1 and invading the road surface.

[0029] The climbing prevention method for vines according to the present invention can be easily implemented both during the construction of new sound barriers and on existing sound barriers. Furthermore, since it is implemented after thoroughly analyzing and considering the fundamental characteristics of vines, it eliminates the need for periodic vine removal work as in the past, and a preventative effect can be expected. In addition, since the human labor required for implementation can be carried out more efficiently than in conventional methods, if the above preventative effect is achieved, it will lead to an overall improvement in safety, as well as an improvement in the efficiency and economics of the maintenance work of the sound barriers themselves. Moreover, even when implementing the present invention, the sealed state by the sealing means described above can be easily released, so there are no problems when inspecting and maintaining the sound barriers. [Industrial applicability]

[0030] Although this invention primarily targets sound barriers installed on roads on earth structures, it can also be applied to sound barriers along railway lines and can be easily implemented as a countermeasure when similar problems arise. Considering the rapid growth and widespread areas of vine plants due to global warming, as well as the total amount of work required to remove vines from sound barriers installed in Japan, it can be expected that the economic effects brought about by implementing this invention will be extremely large. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0031] 1. Sound barrier 2 Pillars (H-shaped steel) 3. Soundproofing panels 3A Exterior metal plate 3B Slit-opening exterior metal plate 3C Sound absorbing material 3D air layer 3E Step part 4. Embankment 5 Covering material 6. Adhesive tape 7 Sandbags 8. Climbing plants 9 Putty G Gap

Claims

1. A method for preventing climbing plants from climbing a sound barrier comprising a plurality of H-shaped steel posts erected at predetermined intervals along the edge of a road, sound-insulating panels whose edges are inserted into grooves formed between a pair of flanges of the H-shaped steel posts and which are stacked and supported between the posts, and fasteners for fixing the sound-insulating panels to the posts, characterized in that climbing plants are prevented from entering the gaps that occur when the edges of the sound-insulating panels are inserted into the grooves of the H-shaped steel posts that are the posts of the sound barrier and are stacked and fixed in order, and the gaps are sealed with sealing means so that the gaps do not become starting points for the climbing plants to ascend along the posts as they grow.

2. The method for preventing climbing plants from climbing according to claim 1, characterized in that the sealing means is a joint material that is installed in the gap to seal the gap, and the gap is sealed by the joint material.

3. The method for preventing climbing plants from climbing according to claim 1, characterized in that the sealing means is a covering material that is large enough to cover a portion of the installation foundation of an earth structure on which an H-shaped steel column is erected, including the H-shaped steel column and a wall surface centered on the H-shaped steel column that is at least 1 to 2 m high, and that can cover the entire portion including the stepped portion of the sound insulation panel that communicates with the gap between the column and the sound insulation panel at the installation foundation, and the gap is indirectly sealed by the covering material.

4. The method for preventing climbing plants from climbing according to claims 2 to 3, characterized in that the joint material or covering material used in the sealing means is treated with a chemical control measure such as a herbicide or other plant repellent.

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