Modular containment method and system for preventing façade detachment

Abstract

The invention relates to a modular containment system for structural elements of façades or walls and to a method for constructing the system. The system comprises elongate containment elements in a first direction, elongate containment elements in a second direction, braces for connecting the system to a support structure, and anchors on the structure for the braces. The structural elements may be provided with several anchors. The method comprises providing structural elements, elongate containment elements, connecting wire rope slings, connecting braces, structure anchors and spacers; arranging a course of structural elements with first elongate containment elements; arranging a second elongate containment element on the course; connecting connecting wire rope slings to elongate containment elements; applying a bonding mixture; arranging a new course with threading of first elongate containment elements; repeating the previous steps; fastening structure anchors and connecting connecting wire rope slings to these anchors by means of braces.

Description

[0001]

[0002] MODULAR CONTAINMENT METHOD AND SYSTEM AGAINST FACADE DETACHMENT

[0003] Technical sector

[0004] The present invention relates to the technical sector of construction. More specifically, it relates to a modular containment system and method applicable during the construction of facades, walls, partitions, etc.

[0005] Background of the invention

[0006] Many buildings use ceramic bricks or concrete blocks in the construction of their enclosures, partitions, walls, and walls. Focusing on exterior enclosures, many façade claddings also use stone, as well as exposed brick, honeycomb or perforated brick (load-bearing brick), solid brick, wood, metal, and, more recently, panels made from more modern materials are also being used. In all cases, they ultimately create the building envelope, giving it the properties necessary for its intended activities. Current trends toward energy-efficient buildings with near-zero consumption have made ventilated façades one of the most popular options. They are basically composed of an exterior layer, an air chamber, and an interior layer, which provide the building with excellent thermal properties.

[0007] Due to their exposure to the external environment, façades and their constituent elements are known to be subject to both natural and man-made attacks. This is the case with strong winds, explosions (whether accidental or intentional), or earthquakes. In all these situations, cladding, façades, partitions, and other elements, often made up of elements usually considered non-structural, are susceptible to detaching from the building and falling both inwards and outwards, causing serious economic damage and fatal consequences for people. Ventilated façades, in particular, are highly vulnerable to seismic activity and can cause serious damage in the event of an earthquake. For illustrative purposes, some of the consequences of the Northridge earthquake (Los Angeles, 1994) are described in the article by C. Peek-Asa, J.F. Kraus, L.B. Bourque, D. Vimalachandra, J. Yu, J.Abrams, Fatal and hospitalized injuries resulting from the 1994 Northridge earthquake (Int. J. Epidemiol. 27 (3) (1998) 459-465), where the importance of falling objects from buildings hitting people is already indicated; another example would be the 2011 Lorca earthquake in Spain (see, for example, Francisco J. Pallarás and Luis Pallarás, Experimental study on the response of seismically isolated masonry infilled steel frames during the initial stages of a seismic movement. Engineering Structures 129 (2016) 44-53, and Hermanns L, Fraile A, Alarcon E, Álvarez R, 2014, Performance of buildings with masonry infill walls during the 2011 Lorca Earthquake. Bull Earthq Eng 12(5): 1977-1997).

[0008] Indirectly, even if it does not cause direct personal injury, the fall of debris from walls and parts of the enclosure, parapets, chimneys, etc., to the exterior has catastrophic consequences, since it has been proven that this can render many of the access or evacuation routes from the disaster site unusable, and can considerably increase the time required by emergency services to access the site or for evacuation. See, in this regard, for example, Goretti A, Sarli V, (2006), Road network and damaged buildings in urban areas: short and long-term interaction. Bull Earthq Eng 4(2): 159- 175, or Xinzheng Lu, Zhebiao Yang, Cheavpor Chea and Hong Guan, Experimental study on earthquake-induced falling debris of exterior infill walls and its impact on pedestrian evacuation. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction 43 (2020) 101372.In relation to this, various studies are being carried out to determine, in the event of an earthquake, the surface area of ​​the transport network covered by debris, considering buildings with masonry envelopes (for example, Yun-Chi Yu and Paolo Gardoni, Predicting road blockage due to building damage following earthquakes. Reliability Engineering and System Safety, 219 (2022) 108220), and thus be able to carry out risk and resilience studies on the transport infrastructure.

[0009] However, the best course of action is to prevent this debris from falling into the street, and this is the solution focused on in this invention. Recognizing that masonry enclosure and partition walls are one of the main sources of debris generated after an earthquake, resulting in personal and economic damage, some solutions that address this problem from various perspectives are mentioned below. Reinforcing walls with polymers, such as FRP (Fiber Reinforced Polymer), to improve the walls' shear strength, GFRP (Glass), or CFRP (Carbon), aims to prevent wall disintegration and increase its strength. These systems, despite their effectiveness, require good adhesion to the partition, affect its aesthetics, and can be sensitive to fire or other external agents.For this reason, studies are beginning to be conducted that attempt to improve the performance of the mortar used in walls by adding TRM (Textile Reinforced Mortar), FRCM (Fiber Reinforced Cementitious Matrix), or polypropylene (PP). This overcomes some of the aforementioned drawbacks and also improves the strength properties of the partitions. Also used in seismic zones, and usually mandatory, are ties between the façade and the building structure, such as pillars and beams / floors, and / or between the exterior and interior layers. These provide the enclosure with a certain resistance to withstand actions perpendicular to its plane and try to prevent separation and collapse in the event of an earthquake.

[0010] However, considering seismic factors in the calculations of all these systems is complicated, and ensuring their proper performance is difficult both due to the inherent uncertainty and unpredictability of an earthquake and the complex seismic response of façades, which can cause cracks and fissures that render the aforementioned systems unusable. None of the above methods would prevent the possibility of parts of the wall detaching from the structure and collapsing, causing serious material and human damage. As already indicated, in the case of elements typically considered nonstructural, such as masonry wall enclosures or partitions, there are standard rules for the arrangement of so-called "seismic" anchors that allow for certain types of movements and seek to keep the façade attached to the structure in order to prevent the walls from detaching and collapsing in the event of an earthquake.However, there is no guarantee that any brick or part of the wall will break away from the structure and fall, as cracking in the partition walls can render the anchors unusable, and in many cases, adequate seismic calculations are not available.

[0011] To summarize, the aforementioned tie rods placed every few square meters of the partition wall, or attempts to enhance wall strength by improving the bonding mortar or using composite materials, are solutions that can improve seismic performance if properly considered in seismic calculations using complex models, but they are not capable of preventing collapse. Nor has a solution like the one proposed in this invention been found for facades made with panels of different materials; in certain cases, the connections between the panels and the structure or substructure attempt to be "flexible" to reduce seismic forces on the connection and prevent the connection from breaking and the panel from detaching; however, the connection to the entire structure is not guaranteed in the event of anchor failure.

[0012] Considering the above, a solution that favors anti-seismic behavior of structural assemblies would be advantageous by preventing their disintegration into individual construction elements, keeping them joined together (or groups of them joined together), and connecting everything to the building structure, thus preventing the collapse and damage caused by their detachment during an earthquake. The invention provides a system and method in this regard, which can also be applied to the case of extraordinary actions, such as earthquakes, strong winds, or explosions, which can cause the façade, enclosures, or partitions to fragment into groups of individual construction elements or the individual construction elements themselves. Individual construction elements (or groups or modules thereof) are contained, preventing their collapse.The system of the present invention can also be applied to a construction element or group of construction elements in advance, as a prefabrication, and can be subsequently installed on the site in a modular manner.

[0013] Explanation of the invention

[0014] For the aforementioned purposes, according to one aspect of the present invention, a modular containment system is provided for groups of façade construction elements. Here, "construction elements" are the component elements of a façade that constitute the basic indivisible unit upon which its construction or ornamentation is based. These elements are typically concrete or ceramic blocks, various types of bricks, panels, stone, etc. These elements are sold as indivisible upon shipment from the factory, although they may subsequently be segmented or cut on-site to meet the specific needs of each construction. The expression "set or group of construction elements," both in the description and in the claims, is intended to refer to one of the modules into which the corresponding façade is subdivided for the application of the present system and method.In most cases, the façade will be subdivided into several groups or sets of construction elements (i.e., several modules); in other cases, the façade (due to its small size or because the system is only intended to be applied to a portion of it) will contain only one module, group, or set of construction elements; in other alternative cases, the entire façade (for reasons similar to those above) will constitute a single individual module. The façade may be the façade wall itself or a cladding thereof, and it can also be applied to interior walls, partitions, or partitions.

[0015] The system comprises at least one first elongated retaining element arranged substantially in a first direction that traverses at least one construction element of the façade. This first retaining element or elements traverses the corresponding construction element or elements or may also traverse an anchor of the construction element. This first direction will normally be a substantially vertical direction, traversing (usually substantially perpendicularly) the courses of a wall. The system will also comprise at least one second elongated retaining element arranged substantially in a second direction transverse to the aforementioned first direction; "transversal" is used in the sense, according to the RAE, of "that is located or extends across from one side to the other," that is, without a specific requirement of perpendicularity, although this condition will constitute a preferred embodiment of the system.This second elongated containment element will preferably be connected to one or more of the first elongated elements, either directly or through intermediate connection means. The terms "first" and "second" elements are used solely for illustrative purposes, to better explain the invention and to differentiate them, but without any meaning of preference, order, or importance. The containment system may also comprise at least one stay (preferably several) for connecting the system to a support structure. These stays can be connected, at one end, to one of the aforementioned first and second elongated containment elements, but not to both simultaneously, and, at their other end, to structural anchors, which form part of the system and are fixed to the support structure.

[0016] According to a characteristic of the invention, the containment system may also have one or several connecting strobes firmly connected to the first or second elongated elements but not to both simultaneously, or to the anchors of the construction elements; in this way, the connection of the façade with the braces that are in turn connected to the structural anchors would be carried out by means of the strobes.

[0017] There may be one or more strobes per first elongate restraining member (or per second elongate restraining member), or there may be only one or more strobes on one or more of the first and second elongate members; strobes may also be connected to the anchorages of the building elements; any combination intended by the person responsible for designing and installing the system may be used according to the needs of each project. The system may also comprise at least one stay for each connecting strobe installed; several stays may be connected to a single strobe, and, as mentioned above, the stays may also be connected to the building element anchorages mentioned above (where the building element is provided with one) in addition to or as an alternative to the connection to the strobes.The other end of the braces will be connected to the respective structural anchors included in the system, and fixed, for example, to columns, floors or any other structural element of the building.

[0018] Another feature of the invention relates to the fact that at least one of the first and / or second elongated containment elements comprises rigid material and / or flexible material. Each of the first and second elongated containment elements may be solely rigid or solely flexible, or may comprise combined portions of rigid and flexible material, or sections of rigid material combined with alternating sections of flexible material.

[0019] According to one feature of the invention, the first and / or second elongated containment elements may comprise stops at one or both of their ends. These stops prevent the construction elements located at the ends of the elongated containment elements from falling and, therefore, also prevent, or at least slow, the fall of those construction elements located in the interior space delimited by the construction elements at the ends. The stops may be located at one or more of the elongated containment elements, depending on the design requirements.In this regard, according to another characteristic of the invention, the stops comprise or are bends or folds of the corresponding end of the first or second elongated containment element; that is, when the elongated containment element has sufficient rigidity, its own bent end can act as a stop; it is also envisaged that the stop can be a knot made in the elongated containment element itself (when this has sufficient flexibility), or a plate-type element (of any shape) or a bar or rod-type element fixed to the end of the elongated containment element.

[0020] According to a further feature of the invention, the first elongated containment elements pass through all the construction elements they encounter in said first direction. If said first direction is substantially vertical, one or more sections of the first elongated containment elements will then pass through a construction element (brick blocks, concrete, slabs, etc.) of each course of the wall, enclosure, partition, or façade.

[0021] According to another feature of the invention, at least one of the first and / or second elongated containment elements runs along a track of the construction elements. Typically, the second elongated containment elements will run along the track in a substantially horizontal direction.

[0022] According to a further feature of the invention, when the construction elements are cladding plates or similar elements, one of the first or second elongated containment elements may run through or sew the ring or rings (or other similar type of anchor with the same function) incorporated in said plates.

[0023] According to another characteristic of the invention, the first and second elongated containment elements may comprise steel bars and / or cables.

[0024] According to another feature of the invention, the straps can be of the eyelet-eyelet, hook-hook or hook-eye type. Furthermore, in any of these options, the elongated connecting portion may be rigid or flexible or may comprise a combination of materials of both types in different sections thereof.

[0025] According to an additional feature of the modular containment system of the invention, at least one of the first and / or second elongated containment elements (preferably, of the second elongated elements to the extent that they will normally be those located in a substantially horizontal orientation) comprises at least one eyelet or ring for the passage of an elongated containment element that runs in a different direction than that comprising the eyelet or ring.

[0026] Another feature of the invention relates to the inclusion of separators between groups of construction elements assembled as described in the preceding paragraphs. These groups of construction elements can be brought to the construction site already assembled (according to the specifications described above) and can then be assembled together with the aid of these separators.

[0027] According to another characteristic, the second elongated retaining elements can pass through at least part of the façade's structural elements or through anchoring elements arranged in those structural elements. These anchoring elements can be the same ones mentioned above for securing the tie rods.

[0028] In another aspect, the invention provides a method for constructing a modular containment system as set forth in the preceding paragraphs. The method comprises the steps of determining one or several construction elements to which the modular containment system is to be applied; determining first elongated containment elements, second elongated containment elements, connecting strobes, connecting stays, and structural anchors suitable for the set of construction elements determined in the preceding step; arranging a row of construction elements with respective first elongated containment elements passing through holes and / or anchors of each corresponding construction element (which may be one or several first elongated containment elements);optionally (if so required for design reasons, for example), arranging on the last laid course of construction elements at least one second elongated containment element, interconnected with at least one first elongated containment element either by means of a loop or knot, if the first and / or second elongated element is flexible, or by means of an eyelet or ring; optionally (if so required for design reasons, for example), connecting at least one connecting strop to a corresponding first or second elongated containment element; arranging a joining mixture on the course; arranging a new course of construction elements by threading the corresponding first or first elongated containment elements;from the optional stage of arranging one or more second elongated containment elements to this last stage of arranging a new course of construction elements, the following steps are repeated until the planned system, i.e. the group of construction elements planned, is completed; then, a step of fixing at least one structural anchor to the structure of the building; finally, a step of connecting the at least one connection strop to the corresponding structural anchor or anchors (from the previous stage) by means of respective tie rods. In relation to the method of the invention, it should be noted that, if no order is specified for the steps, these can be carried out in any desired order, it being evident that some of them imply a position in time that any reader will recognize (for example, the placement of the bonding mixture with respect to the arrangement of the successive course of construction elements).

[0029] According to a feature of the method of the invention, the order of the last two steps mentioned in the previous paragraph can be reversed.

[0030] According to another feature of the method of the invention, the steps of arranging at least one second elongated containment element and connecting at least one connecting strap can be carried out simultaneously, wherein the actions of interconnecting the second elongated containment element with a first elongated containment element can alternate with the actions of connecting the strap or straps with the corresponding elongated containment elements.

[0031] Finally, according to a further characteristic of the method of the invention, this comprises a stage in which separators are placed between two modules of construction elements or between a module of construction elements and a part of the façade, to maintain a separation between both modules or between module and façade with a view to not subjecting the joining mixture to compression; in this way, the modules or groups of construction elements can be assembled, according to the aforementioned stages, outside the façade, separately, in a suitable place for this purpose (they could even be brought prefabricated from distant locations) and, then, with the separators, said modules can be assembled together and with the existing part of the façade, if any, to complete the latter.

[0032] Brief description of the drawings To complement the description, a series of figures are attached that illustrate the system and method of the present invention. In the drawings:

[0033] Figure 1 shows a representation of the modular containment system of the present invention applied to a building, without the rest of the façade to facilitate its interpretation.

[0034] Figure 2 shows a side view of the same system as in Figure 1.

[0035] Figure 3 shows a detail in front and top perspective of a modular containment system of construction elements of the present invention.

[0036] Figure 4 shows the same detail as Figure 3 but with an elongated transverse containment element different from that of said figure.

[0037] Figure 5 shows an elongated retaining element, on the left, and said elongated retaining element installed in a column of construction elements, on the right.

[0038] Figure 6 shows two possible embodiments of the strobe used in the present invention.

[0039] Figure 7 shows a detail of several structural anchors fixed to the structure of a building in which the system of the present invention is to be installed.

[0040] Figure 8(a) shows two possible embodiments of an elongated containment element and Figure 8(b) shows how one of those embodiments is interconnected with other elongated containment elements oriented in a transverse direction.

[0041] Figure 9 shows three possible variants of the construction element in which the system and method of the present invention can be applied.

[0042] Figure 10 shows a representation of the modular installation of a group of prefabricated construction elements in which the system and method of the present invention have been applied and spaced from each other by separators.

[0043] Figure 11 shows a flow diagram of one of the embodiments of the method of the invention.

[0044] Detailed description of the invention

[0045] Embodiments of the invention illustrated in the figures listed above will now be described in detail.

[0046] Figure 1 shows a modular containment system against façade collapse according to the present invention. This figure shows the system applied to a group of construction elements (200) that will form part of a façade (300) which will constitute the enclosure of a building represented in the form of columns and floors. The rest of the façade (300) - which would surround the construction elements (200) represented - is not shown for reasons of clarity, and the building may, naturally, have more floors (floors) and columns than those shown.Likewise, as will be deduced from the following description, this system could be applied to a group of construction elements (200) (or even to a single construction element (200)) that forms part of any other structure raised with respect to the horizontal (walls, interior and exterior walls, partitions, partitions, etc.) and without the need for the same to have been erected vertically (roofs with a certain inclination, cornices, facades or parts of facades inclined, whether for functional or aesthetic reasons, etc.). Also - apart from the well-known concrete blocks, bricks, slabs, stones, coatings, etc. - it could be applied to individual construction elements (200) that, for various reasons, deserve special attention as to their fastening (the aforementioned cornices, ornaments in the form of statues or gargoyles and the like).

[0047] In Figure 1, the construction elements (200) can be seen, interconnected with each other (as will be seen later), and secured to the structure of the building by a combination of braces (150) and structural anchors (160). In Figure 2, a side view of the same arrangement can be seen.

[0048] The construction elements (200) are interconnected by means of first elongated containment elements (110) which are in turn intertwined with second elongated containment elements (120), as can be best seen, for example, in Figures 3 and 4. The first elongated containment elements (110) cross the construction elements (200) in one direction and the second elongated containment elements (110) cross the façade (300) in a second direction transverse to the first. In the most common situation for constructing a façade (300), the first elongated containment elements (110) will be arranged vertically and the second elongated elements (120) horizontally.Preferably, the first elongated elements (110) are substantially parallel to each other and the second elongated elements (120) can also be substantially parallel to each other; in addition, the first elongated elements (110) form substantially 90° with the second elongated elements (120) although other orientations are allowed depending on the particularities of the façade (300) or of the individual construction elements (200) whose fall is to be avoided.

[0049] The first (110) and second (120) elongated elements may be arranged, respectively, in first and second directions transverse to each other that are suitable to offer a desired resistance to the disintegration or detachment of individual construction elements (200) or groups of individual construction elements (200) depending on the stress distribution considered in each specific case. Transversal, as mentioned above, is used in the sense of “That is found or extends across from one side to the other” and, without necessarily being perpendicular, which will be specified, where appropriate, with said term.

[0050] In the figures, the second elongated containment elements (120) are shown extended along a line of the façade (300) but, in a particular embodiment, they could also pass through the construction elements (200) themselves, in the same way as the first elements (110). In the case of Figure 3, these elongated elements (120) have eyelets or rings (190) through which the first elongated elements (110) pass. Both the first elongated elements (110) and the second elongated elements (120) can be rigid or flexible, the only requirement being that they have sufficient resistance to contain the fall of the construction elements (200). An example of first (110) and second (120) rigid elongated containment elements is shown in Figure 3 and, in Figure 4, the first elements (110) are rigid while the second (120) are flexible.In the case of rigid second elongated elements (120), the arrangement of rings (190) for the passage of the first elements (110) is therefore suitable, while when the second elements (120) are flexible, the interconnection can be achieved by means of a linking as best seen in figure 4. The rings or eyelets (190) could also be included in the flexible elongated elements (120). Washers can also be arranged in the first elements in the position where the rings or eyelets (190) would go through which the second elongated elements would pass, thus not requiring the rings or eyelets.In relation to the containment or support of the façade (300) to prevent its fall or, more specifically, of each of the construction elements (200), it should be noted that the force necessary for said support will be distributed throughout the network of elongated containment elements (110, 120) interconnected with each other and (as seen in figures 1 and 2) through the tie rods (150) to the structure of the building by various structural anchors (160), which provides great reliability and redundant containment mechanisms to the system.

[0051] In Figure 5, on the left, a loose first elongated containment element (110) can be seen, and on the right, the same elongated element (110) inserted through two construction elements (200). In one of the preferred embodiments, the first elongated containment elements (110) (or at least one of them) pass through all the construction elements (200) that are in their path. Furthermore, in another of the preferred embodiments, both the first (110) and the second (120) elongated containment elements can have stops (170) to ensure better support of the construction elements (200). In Figure 5, the stop (170) is shown in the form of a bend formed, for example, by bending the end, in this case, of the first elongated containment element (110). This stop (170), or another type, could also be provided at the other end of the element (110).The stops (170) could also be, for example, balls or circles fixed at the ends of the elongated containment elements (110, 120) when these are flexible, or any other type of component that prevents the detachment of the construction elements (200) by the ends of the elements (110, 120).

[0052] In Figures 1 and 2 it can be seen how the part of the facade (300) consisting of the construction elements (200) was connected by means of tie rods (150) to the structure of the building. To facilitate this connection, strobes (140), Figure 6, are provided, which can be connected to either of the two elongated containment elements (110, 120) but not to both simultaneously; in one of the preferred embodiments, they are connected to the first elongated elements (110). These strobes (140) can have eyelets (180) (as in the example in the figures) or hooks at their ends and, on the one hand, as has been said, they are connected to one of the elongated elements (110, 120) but not to both simultaneously, while, at their other end, they are connected to the tie rods (150). Furthermore, said strobes (140) can be rigid or flexible as illustrated in Figure 6.Finally, the tie rods (150) will be connected to the structure of the building by means of structure anchors (160) that can be best seen in figure 7. The anchors (160) will be strategically placed to receive tie rods (150) located in nearby positions and in such a way that the weight of the facade (300) or the part of the facade (300) that is to be supported is distributed with a view to optimal containment. The tie rods (150), like the strobes (140) or the first (110) and second (120) elongated containment elements, may be made of a flexible or rigid material, or may comprise materials of both types combined, or may be constituted by sections of materials of both types combined.

[0053] Two examples of the second elongated retaining element (120) can be seen in Figure 8(a). The drawing on the left shows a rigid second elongated element (120) with corresponding eyelets or rings (190), while the drawing on the right illustrates a flexible second elongated element (120) with loops or ties useful for securing it to first elongated retaining elements (110), as can be seen in Figure 8(b). Figure 9 illustrates a construction element (200) that could form part of the façade (300) and to which the system and method of the invention could be applied.The two examples on the left show two cases in which the construction element (200) is provided with holes for the passage of either the first (110) or the second (120) elongated containment element (normally the first elongated element (110), in a vertical sense, as illustrated above), and, on the right, a construction element (200) is shown, in the form of a plate, to which an anchor (130) has been added, called a construction element to differentiate it from the structural anchor (160), and which can be used for the passage of the elongated elements (110, 120) without the need to make holes. These construction element anchors (130) could also be used for fixing the strobes (140) or even the braces (150).

[0054] In this way, an internal containment network is formed interconnected with each other and with the more resistant support structure (columns, floor, slab, foundation, site, etc.) of the building, so that a break or failure of one of the anchors (130, 160) or tie rods (150) connecting that network to said structure does not necessarily represent the fall of the individual element (200) or group of elements (200) linked to that anchor (130, 160) or tie rod (150) if the aforementioned interconnection does not expire first; the individual elements (200) or groups of elements (200) are supported by each other by a distribution of forces through the network formed by the elongated containment elements (110, 120) and are also supported by certain anchor points (160) to the base structure.Furthermore, the system of the present invention could be applied to only a part of a façade (300) in which it is expected that there may be a greater risk of construction elements (200) falling (due to there being a greater quantity of them, because they are of a different nature than the surrounding ones, because they are more external because they fulfill, for example, an ornamental function, etc.) with which the system becomes a kind of parachute only for that part, group or module of construction elements (200). In addition, that specific module whose detachment is intended to be prevented or stopped does not have to be connected to the foundations - not even to a floor or slab - of the building, wall or site to the extent that the anchors (160) can be fixed to any sufficiently firm support structure; it could be an area located in the middle of said façade (300) (for the reasons just explained).In an extreme case, the system could even be applied to a single architectural element or elements (ornamental or not), located at different points of a façade (300), and which require more specific containment than the rest of the wall.

[0055] Figure 10 illustrates the modularity and ease of assembly in prefabrication mode of the system of the present invention. In said figure, two groups or modules of construction elements (200) can be seen that would have been assembled in the factory, or in facilities separate from the work, using the aforementioned components: elongated containment elements (110, 120), connection strobes (140) and anchors (130) (when the latter are necessary). The two modules would be installed in their final assembly location using, for example, spacers (400) to avoid excessive compression of the bonding mixture (mortar, ...). On the other hand, in the chosen support areas, the structural anchors (160) will be installed for the final connection of the façade (300) by means of the tie rods (150). As can be easily understood, as many modules of construction elements (200) as desired can be assembled ex situ to complete a façade (300).

[0056] Figure 11 shows an exemplary flowchart for the modular containment method of the invention. The method applies any of the previously described variants of the system of the invention. In this Figure 11, a possible flowchart has been used to illustrate an example of a succession of steps in the method, but, as explained above, said steps can be carried out in another order depending on the needs or knowledge of the professionals in question. In step S100, the construction element (200) or set of construction elements (200) to which the system of the invention is to be applied is decided, according to the weight and material of said elements (200) and the various components available for that application.It will also be possible to take into account (in relation especially to the dimensions of the element modules (200)) whether a materialization of the system is desired on the same work or off it, in order to then bring various modules of construction elements (200) already assembled to the construction site and assemble them there, giving shape to the final facade (300). In step S105, the various components to be used in each module of construction elements (200) and their positions within the system are determined: first elongated containment elements (110), second elongated containment elements (120), connecting strobes (140), connecting stays (150), structural anchors (160) and spacers (400). The characteristics of these components will be calculated or determined by those skilled in the art in relation to the space and the positions available and the loads or weights expected for the system.

[0057] In step S110, a first row of construction elements (200) is arranged, and at this point, the elongated containment elements (110) provided can be arranged using holes in said construction elements (200) or anchors (130) thereof. In block 01, it is decided whether any of the second elongated containment elements (120) are to be placed; if so, the user proceeds to step S120, in which said second elongated element(s) (120) will be placed; if not, in 02 it is decided whether at least one connection strop (140) is to be installed on that row; if so, said placement is carried out in S130, and otherwise, the user proceeds to step S140. In S140, a bonding mix is ​​arranged for the next row of construction elements (200) and, in S150, the placement of these elements (200) is carried out.In decision block 03, it is decided whether to continue with the production of the construction element module (200) and, if so, it returns to block 01 to start the process corresponding to each course. Otherwise, it means that this element module (200) is considered finished and the fixing (S160) of the same is carried out by means of the structure anchors (160) and the strobes (140) and braces (150) in S170. As can be easily deduced and, as described above, some stages, such as S160, could be carried out in another order, for example at the beginning of the process if a position for the anchors (160) has already been determined, without affecting the essence of the method.

[0058] One of the objectives of the invention therefore includes keeping the individual elements (200) (or groups thereof) together - in the event of an earthquake, explosion, wind, strong vibrations, hail, etc. - and these, in turn, connected to resistant parts of the building or environment (primary or secondary). It would act as a containment system for the façade (300) or its parts (or the elements (200) where applicable) to prevent it from falling and the damage caused when parts of the enclosures and partitions become detached from the building or wall.Although the main description of the invention has been made for facades (300) of masonry formed by bricks or blocks (200), it is equally valid, with small variations, to allow the fixing of coverings formed by other materials and the anchoring of cladding and other facade elements to the main or secondary structure of the building or the surrounding environment, preventing them from falling in case of strong impacts or displacements. On the other hand, the interconnection of different components (elongated elements (110, 120), anchors (130, 160), tie rods (150), strobes (140), ...) in a network, by various fixing points and in different orientations in space, gives the system flexibility and freedom of movement and vibration in multiple directions, which makes it very resistant (resilient) to violent and / or repeated movements or shocks (earthquakes, explosions, strong winds, hail, hail, etc.) that could otherwise cause the collapse of these construction elements (200).

Claims

CLAIMS 1. Modular containment system for groups of construction elements (200) of facades (300), comprising: - at least one first elongated containment element (110) arranged substantially in a first direction passing through at least one construction element (200) of the façade (300) and / or a construction element anchor (130) connected to said at least one construction element (200), - at least one second elongated containment element (120) arranged substantially in a second direction transverse to the first direction and connected to at least one of the first elongated containment elements (110), - at least one tie rod (150) connected by one of its ends to only one of the two elongated containment elements (110, 120) and / or to an anchor (130) of a construction element included in a corresponding construction element (200), and - at least one structural anchor (160), firmly fixed to a support structure, to which one or more of the braces (150) are connected at the end opposite to that connected to the elongated containment element (110, 120) or to the corresponding construction element anchor (130).

2. Modular containment system according to the preceding claim, comprising at least one connection strop (140) firmly connected, at one end, to only one of the two first or second elongated containment elements (110, 120) or to a corresponding construction element anchor (130) and, at its other end, to a tie rod (150) that is connected to at least one structure anchor (160).

3. Modular containment system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the first (110) and / or the second (120) elongated containment elements comprises rigid material and / or flexible material.

4. Modular containment system according to any of the claims previous, in which at least one of the first (110) and / or the second (120) elongated containment elements comprises a stop (170) at at least one of its ends.

5. Modular containment system according to the preceding claim, wherein the stop (170) comprises at least one of: a bend in the corresponding end of the first or second elongated containment element (110 or 120), a knot made at the corresponding end of the first or second elongated containment element (110 or 120), a laminar or flat plate-type element fixed at the corresponding end of the first or second elongated containment element (110 or 120), an elongated bar or rod-type element fixed at the corresponding end of the first or second elongated containment element (110 or 120).

6. Modular containment system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the first elongated containment elements (110) passes through all the construction elements (200) with which it encounters in said first direction.

7. Modular containment system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the first (110) and / or the second (120) elongated containment elements runs along a track of the construction elements (200).

8. Modular containment system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the construction elements (200) is a lining plate comprising at least one anchoring element and at least one of the first (110) and / or the second (120) elongated containment elements runs so as to pass through or sew at least one of the anchoring elements of the lining plate or plates.

9. Modular containment system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the first (110) and / or second (120) elongated containment elements comprises a steel bar and / or cable.

10. Modular containment system according to any of claims 2 to 9, wherein the elongated portion of at least one of the connecting straps (140) comprises rigid material and / or flexible material.

11. Modular containment system according to any of claims 2 to 10, wherein at least one of the ends of at least one of the strops (140) comprises an eyelet (180) and / or a hook.

12. Modular containment system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the first (110) and / or second (120) elongated containment elements comprises at least one eyelet or ring (190) for the passage of an elongated containment element (120, 110) that runs in a different direction than that comprising the eyelet or ring (190).

13. Modular containment system according to any of the preceding claims, comprising separators (400) to maintain a constant distance between two groups of construction elements (200) assembled according to the modular containment system when said two groups are assembled together to form a façade (300) or part of a façade (300).

14. Modular containment system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the elongated containment elements (120) passes through at least one of the construction elements (200) or an anchoring device included in said construction elements (200).

15. Modular containment system according to the preceding claim, wherein the anchoring device comprises a construction element anchor (130).

16. Method of constructing a modular containment system of any of the preceding claims, comprising the following steps: - S100: determine the construction element (200) or set of construction elements (200) in which the modular containment system is to be applied; - S105: determine first elongated containment elements (110), second elongated containment elements (120), connection strobes (140), connection braces (150) and structure anchors (160) suitable for the set of construction elements (200) determined in S100 and their positions in the system; - S110: arrange a row of construction elements (200) with respective first elongated containment elements (110) that pass through holes and / or anchors (130) of each corresponding construction element (200); - S120: optionally, arranging on the placed course of construction elements (200) of step S110 at least one second elongated containment element (120), interconnected with at least one first elongated containment element (120) either by means of a loop or knot, if the first (110) and / or the second (120) elongated element is flexible, or by means of an eyelet or ring (190); - S130: optionally, connecting at least one connection strobe (140) to a corresponding first or second elongated containment element (110, 120); - S140: Place a bonding mixture on the course; - S150: arrange a new row of construction elements (200) by threading the first or first corresponding elongated containment elements (110); - repeat steps S120 to S150 until the set of construction elements (200) determined in S100 is completed; - S160: fix at least one structural anchor (160) to the building structure; - S170: connect at least one connection strobe (140) to the corresponding structure anchor or anchors (160) by means of respective tie rods (150).

17. Method of constructing a modular containment system according to the preceding claim, wherein step S 170 is performed before step S160.

18. Method of constructing a modular containment system according to any of claims 16 to 17, wherein steps S120 and S130 are carried out simultaneously.

19. Method of constructing a modular containment system according to any of claims 16 to 18, comprising placing separators (400) to separating a module or group of construction elements (200) assembled according to the modular containment system with respect to a contiguous module or group of construction elements (200).

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