Shoring Interface Module With Granular Chamber
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing shoring devices for retaining walls in excavations face issues with imperfect force distribution, leading to stress concentrations and high energy consumption due to the need for strong actuators to maintain compressive stress, which can result in undesirable deformation and increased energy use.
Innovation Solution
An interface module for shoring devices that includes a chamber filled with granular material, allowing for rotational mobility and improved force distribution, reducing stress concentrations and energy consumption by using a mechanical play that compensates for misalignments and allows air circulation while preventing granular material escape.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If strong actuators are used to maintain compressive stress on the shoring device, then the shoring device can hold position between walls, but energy consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The granular material in the chamber automatically maintains compressive stress on the shoring device through its own weight and internal friction, eliminating the need for continuous actuator operation. The system serves itself by using the granular material's inherent properties to sustain the required force, thereby dramatically reducing energy consumption while maintaining reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The actuator operates periodically to refill granular material into the chamber rather than continuously maintaining compressive stress. This periodic refilling action allows the system to achieve and maintain the required holding force through intermittent energy input, significantly reducing overall energy consumption compared to continuous actuator operation
2Stress or pressure
If the interface module is rigidly fixed to ensure force transmission, then compressive stress is maintained, but stress concentrations and wall deformation occur
Solution Approach 1:
The chamber is filled with granular material that provides a porous, distributed contact interface between the interface module and the shoring device. This granular medium distributes compressive forces across multiple contact points rather than concentrating them at rigid interfaces, preventing stress concentrations and wall deformation while maintaining effective force transmission
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the physical state of the force transmission medium from solid (rigid connection) to granular material. This parameter change allows the material to deform and distribute stresses dynamically, converting concentrated point loads into distributed area loads, thereby preventing stress concentrations and unwanted wall deformation
3Manufacturing precision
If precise positioning of the interface module is required to ensure proper force distribution, then alignment accuracy improves, but installation complexity and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The guide means are designed with mechanical play (clearance) that allows the interface module to self-align during installation. This deliberate design parameter change from tight tolerance to intentional clearance enables automatic alignment through gravitational settling and force distribution, eliminating the need for precise manual positioning while ensuring proper force distribution
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The interface module effectively distributes compressive forces, reducing stress concentrations and energy consumption by utilizing a granular material to maintain compressive stress without actuator effort, thereby improving the stability and efficiency of shoring devices.
Implementation Method 1
a chamber (310) suitable for receiving a bracing element adapted to distribute forces within the chamber tending to attract the first and second assemblies one against the other
Implementation Method 2
The sliding guide is carried out with a mechanical play allowing an angular movement of the second plate with respect to the first plate, so as to compensate for the misalignments of the shoring device with the interface module
Implementation Method 3
The mechanical clearance is large enough to allow the circulation of air between the interior and the exterior of the chamber, but sufficiently narrow to prevent the escape of granular material towards the exterior of the chamber
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5a~5c
AI summary
The interface module (10) of a shoring device (20) comprises: - a first assembly (100) intended to be fixed to a retaining wall, - a second assembly (200) cooperating with the first assembly (100) so as to define a chamber, said second assembly (200) being intended to be fixed to one end of a shoring device (20), - at least one actuator (400) adapted to generate a thrust force capable of moving the first and second assemblies (100, 200) apart so as to subject the shoring device (20) to compression, said chamber being designed to receive a granular material (300) adapted to distribute forces tending to attract the first and second assemblies (100, 200) against each other, said forces resulting from the release of the compressive stress on the shoring device (20) when the actuator (400) no longer generates thrust force.