Connecting member and measurement system

Abstract

To provide a connection member and a measurement system which objectively monitor a generation state of stress of a building.SOLUTION: A connection member for connecting a solidified body and a structure member includes: a sensor part which can measure a physical change due to external force so as to detect information contributing to abnormality determination on the solidified body and / or the structure member; an embedded part which is provided at one end and which is embedded in the solidified body and / or the ground; and a fixing part which is provided at the other end extending outside the solidified body and which can fix the structure member.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for measuring information such as stress acting on each part of a building such as a building or a bridge, particularly the peripheral part of the foundation.

Background Art

[0002] Currently, there are various buildings related to social infrastructure such as school buildings, station buildings, airport terminals, hospitals, municipal offices, bridges, and tunnels. These buildings are assumed to be used over a long period of time, but aging is inevitable because they are exposed to external forces such as aging and impacts such as earthquakes. If aging is left unattended, there is also a risk of man-made disasters.

[0003] Therefore, in the future, it is important to maintain and strengthen social infrastructure including buildings to achieve disaster reduction and prevention (national resilience).

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, these days, with a huge number of buildings existing, it is practically difficult to prioritize the buildings to be maintained or to determine which parts of a single building should be intensively maintained.

[0005] By the way, even now, in order to maintain and manage bridges, bridge management cards are created, and the persons in charge of prefectures, municipalities, and towns are regularly inspecting the bridges. However, since the inspection is mainly a visual inspection by humans, individual differences are likely to occur and it lacks objectivity, so there has been a problem that it cannot be used for a radical maintenance judgment.

[0006] The present invention has been made by the intensive research of the inventor in view of the above problems, and aims to make it possible to objectively measure the condition of a building, leading to a judgment of the maintenance timing and a design of a better structure.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0007] The connecting member of the present invention is a connecting member that connects a solidified body and a structural member, has a sensor unit that can measure physical changes caused by external forces and detect information useful for abnormal determination of the solidified body and / or the structural member, and has one end as an embedding part embedded in the solidified body and / or the ground, and a fixing part that can fix the structural member to the other end side extending outside the solidified body.

[0008] Further, the connecting member of the present invention is characterized in that the sensor unit is provided in a surface layer region of a peripheral portion of a boundary between the solidified body and the outside of the solidified body.

[0009] Further, the connecting member of the present invention is characterized in that the sensor unit is provided in a region inside the solidified body of a peripheral portion of a boundary between the solidified body and the outside of the solidified body.

[0010] Further, the measurement system of the present invention includes the connecting member, and an information collection device that is connected to the sensor unit by wire or wirelessly, accumulates measurement information measured by the sensor unit, and makes an abnormal determination of the solidified body and / or the structural member based on the measurement information.

Advantages of the Invention

[0011] According to the present invention, stress, strain, displacement, etc. generated in a building can be objectively monitored.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0012]

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Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0013] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0014] In FIG. 1, a measurement system 1 for a building according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. This measurement system 1 includes a plurality of buildings 10 such as buildings and bridges, an anchor member (connecting member) 30 used as a member during construction of the building 10, and an information collection device 100 connected to the anchor member 30 by wire or wirelessly.

[0015] The anchor member 30 is a male threaded body, a female threaded body, or an anchor having a rod-shaped body such as a threaded portion or a reinforcing bar in part, and is preferably used for structural members erected in solidified bodies (crust-like plastic bodies) such as mortar, concrete foundations, precast concrete products, glass, and resin among the basic structural members of the building 10, or those directly buried in the ground.

[0016] Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, an anchor member 30 is employed for a joint portion (such as an anchor plate, end plate, etc.) 16 for standing a column 12, which is a vertical column steel material of a building 10, on a foundation 14. The anchor member 30 is embedded in the foundation 14. Of course, the embedding direction is not limited to the vertical direction and may be the horizontal direction or the inclined direction.

[0017] Note that the anchor member 30 may have a length reaching the ground supporting the foundation 14 and may be an anchor directly embedded in the lower ground through the foundation 14. That is, the anchor member 30 is a connecting member connecting a solidified body and a structural member and is used to join (fix) a structural material (frame material) of the building 10 to the foundation 14 side. In this way, since the anchor member 30 is involved in the joining of the foundation 14 and the structural material, it can indirectly receive the internal stress generated in the structural material.

[0018] FIG. 3 shows the basic structure of an anchor bolt 40 as the anchor member 30. The anchor bolt 40 has a fixing portion for fixing a structural member on the other end side extending outside the foundation 14 with one end embedded in the foundation 14 and / or the ground. Specifically, it has an embedded portion 42 embedded in the foundation 14 and / or the ground, and a shaft portion 44 (fixing portion) protruding above the foundation 14 (outside the foundation 14) and capable of fixing other members by screwing. The embedded portion 42 has a cylindrical shape and has a head portion 42a with a diameter-expanded shape at the end.

[0019] Note that the embedded portion 42 may be formed with an uneven shape on the outer peripheral surface in order to contribute to the tensile strength of the anchor bolt 40. For example, the uneven shape can be formed appropriately, such as by forming joints extending in the circumferential direction of deformed steel bars or screw joints of screw ribbed steel bars.

[0020] A cylindrical portion 44a and a threaded portion 44b are formed on the shaft portion 44, and the cylindrical portion 44a is disposed on the tip side. Note that the outer diameter of the major diameter or the effective diameter of the male thread of the threaded portion 44b is set to be approximately the same as the outer diameter of the embedded portion 42, but it is not particularly limited.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 4, the cylindrical portion 44a is configured by attaching a cap 46 to the end of the shaft portion 44. A mounting mechanism for detachably mounting the cap 46 to the shaft portion 44 is formed between the end of the shaft portion 44 and the cap 46. For example, the mounting mechanism includes a protruding locking piece 46a formed on the inner peripheral surface of the cap 46 and a locking groove 45 formed on the outer peripheral surface of the end of the shaft portion 44. Then, by fitting the locking piece 46a into the locking groove 45, the cap 46 is mounted on the shaft portion 44. Of course, a screw fitting structure or the like may also be used.

[0022] Also, an internal space 48 is formed in the cylindrical portion 44a defined by the end face of the shaft portion 44 and the inside of the cap 46, and terminals 54 and a circuit board 60, which will be described later, are arranged therein.

[0023] Further, the anchor bolt 40 includes an energization mechanism capable of detecting stresses such as bending stress, compressive stress, and tensile stress applied to the bolt itself. Specifically, it is composed of a sensor pattern and an energization path directly disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the anchor bolt 40 and a terminal directly formed on the end face of the shaft portion 44.

[0024] An example of forming the sensor pattern, the energization path, and the terminal will be described. For example, when the base material of the anchor bolt 40 has conductivity, an electrically insulating layer is formed on the surface of the anchor bolt 40, and a conductive portion forming the patterns of the sensor pattern, the energization path, and the terminal is formed on the electrically insulating layer with a material having good electrical conductivity such as a conductive material.

[0025] The electrically insulating layer can be formed, for example, by using laminated printing, pad printing, coating, plating, inkjet printing, sputtering, chemical vapor deposition (CVD method), physical vapor deposition (PVD method), etc. Or, for example, an insulating material is coated by sputtering with a predetermined mask arranged, or a silica material is applied and heat-treated, or a chemical conversion treatment is performed, or a layer of an organic insulating material such as a polyimide-based, epoxy-based, urethane-based, silicone-based, or fluorine-based material is formed. Other methods may also be used.

[0026] When the base material of the anchor bolt 40 has electrical conductivity, the surface of the base material may be oxidized to form an oxide film, which can also serve as an electrical insulation layer. When the base material is aluminum-based, an anodizing treatment may be used to provide an electrical insulation layer. Of course, the electrical insulation layer is not limited to those formed by these methods. When the base material of the anchor bolt 40 has electrical insulation properties, instead of forming an electrical insulation layer, a conductive part that forms the sensor pattern, current path, and terminal pattern may be directly formed on the base material.

[0027] The conductive part is directly formed on the electrical insulation layer or the electrically insulating base material by means such as laminated printing, pad printing, painting, plating, inkjet printing, sputtering, CVD method, PVD method, etc. using a conductive paste. Also, the shape of the wiring may be set by performing masking according to the shapes of the sensor pattern, current path, and terminal and then etching the conductive part. By directly forming the conductive part on the electrical insulation layer in this way, the conductive part is prevented from peeling off over a long period of time. Of course, a sensor pattern, current path, and terminal may be formed in series on the anchor bolt 40.

[0028] Next, an example of the anchor bolt 40 on which the sensor pattern 50, current path 52, and terminal 54 are arranged will be described with reference to FIG. 5. FIG. 5 shows a state in which the cap 46 is removed and the end face of the shaft portion 44 is exposed, and a part where the sensor pattern 50 is arranged is enlarged.

[0029] In FIG. 5, the sensor pattern 50 is arranged at a substantially central portion in the axial direction of the embedded portion 42, and the current path 52 connected to the sensor pattern 50 is extended to the end face of the shaft portion 44. Also, the terminal 54 is arranged on the end face of the shaft portion 44 so as to be connected to the current path 52.

[0030] The sensor pattern 50 is composed of a sensor structure portion in which a conductive material extends back and forth a plurality of times in the axial direction, and a lead portion extending from the sensor structure portion toward the shaft portion 44 side. Therefore, in the sensor pattern 50, electrical characteristics such as the resistance value change as the conductive material in the sensor structure portion deforms. By detecting this change in electrical characteristics, it can be used as various sensors for physical change detection.

[0031] Note that the physical changes detected by the change in electrical characteristics may be thermal / temperature changes, humidity changes, etc. For example, when measuring the environmental temperature from the change in the electrical resistance value of the sensor pattern 50, it means that the sensor pattern 50 is used as a component of a so-called resistance thermometer. Similarly, the humidity may be measured as a resistance change type electrical humidity sensor. Such a sensor pattern 50 is connectable to an energization path 52 formed on the shaft portion 44 side in an energizable manner.

[0032] In addition, on the outer peripheral surfaces of the embedded portion 42 and the shaft portion 44, a concave energization path arrangement portion 47 having a non-circular cross-section is formed. The energization path arrangement portion 47 has a flat bottom portion of its concave cross-section, and the sensor pattern 50 and the energization path 52 are directly formed on the bottom surface portion. Note that the energization path arrangement portion 47 can be appropriately set in terms of the extension direction, such as extending in a direction inclined with respect to the axial direction on the outer peripheral surface as long as it is continuous over at least the end surface of the shaft portion 44. Also, the depth, width, etc. of the energization path arrangement portion 47 can be appropriately set.

[0033] By providing such an energization path arrangement portion 47, it is possible to more easily form the conductive portions than forming the conductive portions of the sensor pattern 50 and the energization path 52 directly on the unevenness of the surface of the anchor bolt 40.

[0034] As described above, since the sensor pattern 50, the energization path 52, and the terminal 54 are formed on the outer surface of the anchor bolt 40 which is the object to be pattern-formed, a long member having a sensing function can be obtained without any problems even if the object is extremely long.

[0035] Since the above-described sensor pattern 50, current path 52, and terminal 54 are connected so as to be energizable, by connecting the terminal 54 to a circuit board (not shown), it becomes possible to obtain detection information based on a change in resistance value in the sensor pattern 50 by an arithmetic circuit or the like mounted on the circuit board. For such a circuit board, for example, an IC chip or the like can be used.

[0036] The circuit board is installed in contact with the terminal 54 within the cylindrical portion 44a, and the installation method can be set as appropriate. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the circuit board 60 can be pre-mounted on the cap 46 and provided so as to be connected to the terminal 54 when the cap 46 is attached to the shaft portion 44.

[0037] Here, referring to the block diagram of FIG. 6, the configuration of the circuit board 60 mounted on the cap 46 will be described. The circuit board 60 mounted on the cap 46 includes a terminal 60a that can be electrically connected to the terminal 54 and an antenna 61 for wireless communication. The circuit board 60 also has an arithmetic circuit 62, and a sensor processing unit 64, a transmission circuit 66, a reception circuit 68, a power supply unit 70, a memory 72, etc. are connected to the arithmetic circuit 62.

[0038] The sensor processing unit 64 includes a bridge circuit, an amplifier, an A / D converter, etc., and outputs detection information obtained by digitizing a detection signal that detects a change in the resistance value of the sensor pattern 50. The transmission circuit 66 transmits the detection information transmitted from the sensor processing unit 64 to the outside via the antenna 61.

[0039] The reception circuit 68 receives various signals from the outside via the antenna 61. The power supply unit 70 is connected to an external power supply, for example, and supplies power to each part of the circuit board 60. The memory 72 stores in advance an identifier (ID) assigned to each cap 46, an initial resistance value of the sensor pattern 50 when no axial force is applied to the anchor bolt 40, etc., and stores detection information and the like output from the sensor processing unit 64. Of course, the information stored in the memory 72 can be set as appropriate and is not particularly limited.

[0040] In addition, the method of supplying power to the power supply unit 70 from the outside may be to supply power from a built-in battery, storage battery, solar power generation element, etc., or may be a wired power transmission method via an electric wire or the like, or may be a method of wireless power transmission via the antenna 61. Regarding the method of wireless power transmission, any method such as the "electromagnetic induction method", "magnetic resonance method", "microwave method", etc. may be used, and it can be appropriately set according to the usage environment and the like.

[0041] Fig. 7(A) shows the hardware configuration of the information collection device 100. This information collection device 100 is a so-called server, and includes a CPU that serves as a central processing unit, a high-speed memory RAM for reading and writing temporary data, a read-only memory ROM used for storing the motherboard program, a writable hard disk HDD for storing data, an interface for performing external communication control, and an antenna for wireless communication with the anchor bolt 40. Note that this antenna is not limited to being disposed within the server that constitutes the hardware of the information collection device 100, and may be a relay antenna disposed near the anchor bolt 40 of each building 10.

[0042] Fig. 7(B) shows the program configuration of the information collection device 100. The information collection device 100 includes an information sorting unit, an information analysis unit, an alarm display unit, and a maintenance history holding unit. The information sorting unit accumulates various data such as resistance value data, acceleration data, temperature data, and displacement amount data collected from each anchor bolt 40 in time series, in association with the individual identification information of the anchor bolt 40 already described, as well as the name, address, installation location of the structure, installation direction, size of the screw portion 30, administrator (contact information), etc. of the building 10.

[0043] The information analysis department analyzes the various collected data and makes abnormality judgments. The abnormality judgment analyzes and determines, for example, whether abnormal values appear over time or whether the overall mechanical balance of the building 10 is disrupted based on the data collected from a plurality of screw parts 30. When the information analysis department determines that the analysis result includes abnormal data, the alarm display department performs a process of notifying the operator of a maintenance alarm by means of a screen, characters, sound, etc. The maintenance history holding department stores the maintenance history of the building 10.

[0044] According to the measurement system 1 of the building 10 described above, by using a plurality of anchor members 30 for joining the structures of the building 10, it becomes possible to detect stresses, strains, and / or displacements, etc. generated in the anchor members 30. Since this detection result is collected by being connected by wire or wirelessly by the information collection device 100, it can be utilized as objective data. Also, for example, data collection can be automated, and at the same time, it becomes possible to observe and collect almost in real time, and the amount of deformation and internal stress changes, etc. of the building 10 when an earthquake or the like occurs can be grasped. Based on this situation, it also becomes possible to judge the priority order of maintenance and important locations.

[0045] In addition, by directly forming the sensor pattern 50 in the embedding portion 42, it becomes possible to grasp what kind of stress acts on the anchor bolt in the portion embedded in the concrete foundation or the ground, and it becomes possible to judge the bearing capacity, strength, etc. of the foundation and ground of the building 10.

[0046] Note that although there are various fastening methods for this anchor portion 30, for the purpose of this measurement system 1, it is preferable that the anchor bolt 40 has a structure that will never loosen. To illustrate this structure, for example, in FIG. 8, two types of male screw threads are formed on the threaded portion 44b of the anchor bolt 40, and a first female screw body 80A that engages with one screw thread and a second female screw body 80B that engages with the other screw thread are screwed together, and at the same time, a mechanism for preventing relative rotation between the two is incorporated, so that an anchor bolt 40 that will never loosen can be constructed. Regarding this technology, refer to Japanese Patent No. 4663813 by the inventor of this application.

[0047] Also, for example, if the first female screw body 80A and the second female screw body 80B are a ratchet mechanism or the like with saw teeth arranged on the opposing seating surfaces, when a loosening torque acts on the first female screw body 80A, the saw teeth engage with each other to resist the torque, thereby preventing the second female screw body 80B and the second female screw body 80A from rotating relative to each other.

[0048] In the above embodiment, the case where the sensor pattern 50 is directly formed on the embedded portion 42 of the anchor bolt 40 is illustrated, but other structures can also be adopted. For example, the sensor pattern 50 may be formed on the threaded portion 44b of the anchor bolt 40, or the sensor pattern 50 may be formed on each of the embedded portion 42 and the threaded portion 44b. In that case, the energization path 52 and the terminal 54 for each sensor pattern 50 are provided. Of course, the number of sensor patterns 50 is not limited to one or two, and may be three or more. When arranging a plurality of sensor patterns 50, the sensor patterns 50 can be arranged at substantially equal intervals along the circumferential direction of the anchor bolt 40.

[0049] Also, the location where the sensor pattern 50 is disposed is not particularly limited. However, the stress applied to the anchor bolt 40 can be more easily detected at a location that protrudes particularly outside the foundation 14 rather than at a location buried in the foundation 14. Further, if the sensor pattern 50 is disposed around the boundary portion between the foundation 14 and the outside of the foundation 14 (referred to as the boundary peripheral portion), the load applied to the anchor bolt 40 buried in the foundation 14 can be grasped more accurately than simply disposing it at the substantially central portion of the embedded portion 12.

[0050] Therefore, as shown in Fig. 9(a), the sensor pattern 50 may be positioned in the surface layer region 90 of the boundary peripheral portion. Here, the boundary peripheral portion is not limited to the outside of the foundation 14 and is a concept that also includes the region inside the foundation 14. As shown in Fig. 9(b), the sensor pattern 50 may be positioned in the inner side region 92 inside the foundation 14 of the boundary peripheral portion, or as shown in Fig. 9(c), the sensor pattern 50 may be positioned so as to straddle the two regions of the surface layer region 90 and the inner side region 92.

[0051] Of course, two sets of the sensor pattern 50, the energization path 52, and the terminal 54 may be provided, with one set disposed at the boundary peripheral portion and the other set disposed at the axial center portion (or near the head portion 42a) of the embedded portion 42 or the like. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 10(a), a pair of energization path disposition portions 47 are provided so as to face each other across the axis of the anchor bolt 40, and the position of the sensor pattern 50 is made different between one energization path disposition portion 47 viewed from the arrow +X direction and the other energization path disposition portion 47 viewed from the arrow -X direction. That is, in the energization path disposition portion 47 viewed from the arrow +X direction, as shown in Fig. 10(b), the sensor pattern 50 is disposed in the surface layer region 90, and in the energization path disposition portion 47 viewed from the arrow -X direction, as shown in Fig. 10(c), the sensor pattern 50 is disposed near the axial center portion of the embedded portion 42 inside the foundation 14.

[0052] In this way, by changing the axial positions of the two sensor patterns 50 relative to each other, with one on the outside of the foundation 14 and the other on the inside of the foundation 14, it is possible to detect the stress and strain applied to the anchor bolt 40 and to detect the occurrence of abnormalities inside the foundation 14. Specifically, if there is no abnormality inside the foundation 14, only one of the sensor patterns 50 detects stress and strain. Also, when the other sensor pattern 50 detects stress and strain, it can be recognized that the embedded part 42 embedded inside the foundation 14 is expanding and contracting due to an external force, and it is possible to determine the occurrence of abnormalities such as the deviation between the foundation 14 and the anchor bolt 40, peeling, and breakage inside the foundation 14.

[0053] The embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the above-described embodiments, and it goes without saying that various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0054] 1... Measurement system, 10... Building, 12... Column (structure), 14... Foundation, 30... Anchor member, 40... Anchor bolt, 42... Embedded part, 44... Shaft part, 44a... Cylindrical part, 44b... Threaded part, 46... Cap, 50... Sensor pattern, 52... Conductive path, 54... Terminal, 60... Circuit board

Claims

1. A connecting member for connecting a solidified body and a structural member, which has a sensor unit capable of directly measuring a physical change caused by an external force applied to the connecting member and detecting information useful for determining an abnormality in the solidified body and / or the structural member, and has an embedding part with one end embedded in the solidified body and / or the ground, and a fixing part capable of fixing the structural member to the other end side extending outside the solidified body, wherein the sensor unit is directly formed on the embedding part and / or the fixing part, and the sensor unit is provided in a surface layer region of a peripheral part of a boundary between the solidified body and the outside of the solidified body, or in a region embedded in the solidified body of the surface layer region and the peripheral part of the boundary. The connecting member is characterized by this.

2. The connecting member according to claim 1, wherein the sensor unit is directly formed by laminated printing, pad printing, painting, plating, inkjet printing, sputtering, CVD method and / or PVD method.

3. The connecting member according to claim 1, wherein the sensor unit is located across a surface layer region of the peripheral part of the boundary and a region embedded in the solidified body of the peripheral part of the boundary.

4. A measuring system, comprising the connecting member according to any one of claims 1 to 3, and an information collection device that is connected to the sensor unit by wire or wirelessly, accumulates measurement information measured by the sensor unit, and makes a determination of an abnormality in the solidified body and / or the structural member based on the measurement information.

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