Modular System for the Construction of Overhead Wire Support and/or Supporting Pile foundations

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to the modular building sector. Particularly, it consists in a new modular system for the construction of overhead wire support and/or supporting pile foundations.

BACKGROUND ART

The current system used for the construction of overhead wire support and/or supporting pile foundations consists in completely realizing the foundations on site, through different stages: hand or mechanical digging, positioning of the pouring pipe, hand concrete discharging, installation of the pile by a mechanical mean.

Such a system presents critical aspects: miscentring of the pouring pipe as to the foundation block; non-observance of the distance between the dig and the pouring pipe base leading to a lower depth of pile installation in the ground; difficult control over the quality of the concrete, usually prepared on site or bought in a warehouse and then taken to the construction site; possible movement of the pouring pipe due to concrete discharging; difficult squaring of the foundation block walls; possible emerging block surface defects due to the realization of inclines preventing rain from flowing.

Such issues, although in different sectors, are partially dealt with and solved in patent applications U.S. Pat. No. 6,178,714 and N° US2004000114.

Application U.S. Pat. No. 6,178,714 relates to a system for the construction of a removable modular structure consisting of an even concrete base, regularly spaced holes where to insert and lock vertical poles and/or columns; a series of standard size blocks, each provided with one or more fixing holes; a series of fixing columns and poles representing, once inserted, the locking element for the assembly of next blocks, thus creating a wall which doesn't require the use of concrete and easy to dismantle.

Application N° US2004000114 relates to a modular system for block construction consisting of a semi finished object provided with a series of passages. Semi finished objects can be made of plastic and filled with concrete or reinforcement steel bars in order to build beds, foundations, beams, walls and roofs.

However, neither the current building technique nor these two patent applications solve the above mentioned critical aspects.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

The present invention, consisting in a new modular system for the construction of overhead wire support and/or supporting pile foundations, aims at overcoming all the problems and disadvantages of the existing systems.

Particularly, this new system aims at making the process of foundation construction efficient and effective by making it less subject to those uncontrolled variations in the installation stages causing the above mentioned critical aspects.

The invention consists of three types (A, B, C) of prefabricated modules: they have different geometric features and can be composed following different patterns meeting all the foundation construction requirements according to the kind of pile needed and to the steel bars used to lock the finished block layers and restoring the monolithicity of the block. Here follow the building features of the above mentioned modules.

• • Type A module: prefabricated block used as a base to modules B and C, provided with four holes (one at each corner) for the installation of the finished block fixing bars restoring the monolithicity of the block itself, and with jack notches necessary for the movement of the module.
  • Type B module: prefabricated block used as a top layer to type A module. Type B modules are used in a high enough number to reach the depth of the foundation required depending on the pile to be installed. Type B module is provided with four holes (one at each corner) for the installation of the finished block fixing bars restoring the monolithicity of the block itself, jack notches necessary for the movement of the module, a central hole for installing the pile and ground cable grooves.
  • Type C module: prefabricated block used at the top of an emerging block. Type C module is provided with four holes (one at each corner) for the installation of the finished block fixing bars restoring the monolithicity of the block itself, jack notches necessary for the movement of the module, a central hole for installing the pile and a superficial incline allowing rain to flow.
  • Steel bars: round elements which are inserted in each of the module A, B and C corner holes. Each element is then fixed by filling the hollow space with high adherence expansive grout which is injected at a low pressure in order to allow the fixing of all block layers (“module solidarization”) and the restoration of the monolithicity of the block itself.

The main feature of the present invention is it's modularity which, by composing prefabricated elements, improves and simplifies foundation construction in comparison to the traditional on site technique. The present invention enables the construction of block foundations with a high technical-qualitative profile and solves all the issues and critical aspects resulting from the traditional technique.

ADVANTAGES OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

• • 1. Total modularity of the invention which, by using the right number of prefabricated modules, enables to reach the depth of the foundation required depending on the pile to be installed.
  • 2. High technical-qualitative profile of the foundation block.
  • 3. Easy installation allowing the pile centring and the creation of the right inclines for rain flowing.
  • 4. Control of the insertion depth of the supporting pile.
  • 5. Scientific control of the quality of the concrete used for module construction as directly produced in concrete production plants.
  • 6. No concrete seasoning issues. Concrete can be considered “mature” only 28 days after being discharged: therefore, all the stresses affecting the foundation block before these 28 days can lead to disaggregation of concrete components.
  • 7. No waiting time for concrete hardening.
  • 8. No inert material segregation.
  • 9. No problems due to the working site as the quality of a foundation block constructed in a rough site is the same as that of a foundation block constructed on a plane.
  • 10. Reduced building time.

The above mentioned advantages will be clearer in the description of the enclosed pictures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a 3D view of the module composition layout for the foundation construction: module A (acting as a base) (A), one or more module B layers (B), module C (C) and the bar (D) connecting the modules and restoring the monolithicity of the block.

FIG. 2 shows a 3D view and a longitudinal and cross section of type A module, featuring bar insertion holes (E) and module movement jacks (F).

FIG. 3 shows a 3D view and a longitudinal and cross section of type B module, featuring the same holes (E) and jacks (F) as in FIG. 2, a central hole (G) for the pile insertion and ground cable grooves (H).

FIG. 4 shows a 3D view and a longitudinal and cross section of type C module, featuring the same holes (E), jacks (F) and central hole (G) as in previous figures, and an inclined (L) surface (I) for rain flowing.

The invention is not limited to the description given but can be modified without lying outside the patent.

This invention has several advantages and enables the user to overcome a number of problems which could not be solved if using currently available systems.