[0001] The present patent application relates to a new kind of self-supporting lattice to
be used in the realization of buildings by adopting mixed steel-concrete reticular
systems. They are generally structures made up of pre-fabricated metal reticular beams
which are assembled in a concrete casting realized in the building yard. The placement
of such structures comprises first the positioning of the pre-fabricated reticular
beam and in the following the realization of the concrete casting. Therefore, two
phases of the useful life of such structures, commonly called phase 1 and phase 2,
can be distinguished.
[0002] The phase 1 is the phase in which the resistance is provided totally by the steel
lattice, which being self-supporting, has to resist to the floor and completing fluid
concrete weight, to the weight of the additional reinforcement prearranged before
the casting at the points stressed by negative moments and to accidental loads possible
during the phase 1. The steel lattice, being subjected to each above described action,
has to remain in an acceptable deformation field, which is expected and calculated
in the project phase. In phase 2, instead, the resistance is provided by the structure
formed by the steel lattice and by the concrete of the additional casting, which at
the end of the curing, has developed the mechanical properties expected in the project
phase. Since the additional casting of concrete is made on the entire deck, it is
able to make the entire structure integral, thus providing a continuous beam assembly.
[0003] During phase 1, according to constructive systems known at the state of the art and
commonly used in the building field, the prefabricated steel lattices coming from
the workshops are rested, by means of suitable cranes, on the heads of pillars, thus
realizing structures, statically schematizable as beams simply rested on the ends.
During phase 2, consequently to the concrete curing, the reference static model for
calculating stresses and deformations becomes that of a fixed beam, the resistant
structure is made up of the pre-stressed steel lattice and the concrete, with acting
loads typical of the working phase.
[0004] A reticular beam known at the state of the art, which is rested between two pillars
is shown in figure 1.
[0005] The embodiments of the metal lattices known at the state of the art are limited since
they impose an over-dimensioning of the metal reinforcements with respect to the loads
which they have to support actually in phase 2. In fact in the phase 1, in which the
structural model is that of a beam, which is simply rested on the ends, the sole steel
lattice has to resist to all the loads acting thereon, and so to its own weight, to
the floor and concrete casting weight and to the accidental loads. This feature is
called "metal lattice self-supporting during the phase 1".
[0006] In such constraint and load conditions, which generally can be assimilated to an
uniformly distributed load, a possible crisis of the lattice arrives owing to the
instability of the compressed rods in the points of the beam where the cutting has
higher values.
[0007] Since the core reinforcements, for construction easiness, are provided with the same
diameter along the entire development of the beam, it is assumed that the reinforcement
diameter of the entire reticular lattice is dimensioned on the basis of the maximum
acting stress, thus resulting in a substantial over-dimensioning in the less stressed
areas. In working conditions, in fact, the acting load is uniformly distributed, and
the core reinforcements in the middle of the lattice have the same diameter of those
in the end sections, even if they are subjected to very low stresses. It is therefore
clear that they are over-dimensioned. Moreover, in phase 2, to the cutting resistance
capacity of the sole reinforcement is summed the contribution of the concrete which
gives a significant contribution in the whole resistant mechanism.
[0008] Aim of the present invention is therefore to provide a self-supporting steel lattice
able to overcome the limits linked to the embodiments known at the state of the art
and to allow a low over-dimensioning of the reinforcements of the same lattice at
equal acting load conditions. The basic idea of the present invention is in fact that
a different topologic arrangement of the lattice allows to exploit at best the features
of the different materials, which have to resist to in the different phases of the
useful life of the structure, thus avoiding the over-dimensioning of the steel structures
in the less stressed areas. These and other advantages will be highlighted in the
description of the invention, which refers to the appended drawings.
[0009] Figures 1 and 2 show a lattice according to an embodiment known at the state of the
art.
[0010] Figures 3 and 4 show a preferred embodiment of the metal lattice according to the
present invention.
[0011] Figure 5, finally, shows a second embodiment of the metal lattice according to the
present invention.
[0012] As it is shown in figures 1 and 2, the metal lattices known at the state of the art
are realized by joining a plate in the lower portion (11) and a series of upper longitudinal
reinforcements (12),
[0013] joined by a series of couples of angular shaped reinforcing rods (13, 14) so arranged
to form a shape similar to a rectangular based pyramid, with the base resting on the
lower plate (11) and the vertex at the upper longitudinal reinforcements (12), to
which the angles of the reinforcing rods (13, 14) are welded. Along the whole length
of the lattice (1), a series of pyramids is set side by side, whose angles are formed
by couples of angular shaped reinforcing rods (13, 14).
[0014] As is is shown in figure 3, the self-supporting metal lattice object of the present
invention has a modular structure similar to the one of the lattice known at the state
of the art: there are provided a lower flat element (21), one or more upper longitudinal
reinforcements (22) and a series of angular reinforcing rods (23, 24), arranged similarly
to the lattices known at the state of the art. It is clear that what follows with
reference to the innovations provided to the lattice according to the present invention
can be applied to similar lattices, even if they are not identical to what described.
Minor variations of the structure of the lattice according to what is known at the
state of the art are comprised in the aims of the present invention.
[0015] The lattice object of the present invention comprises in fact, in addition to what
yet described, additional reinforcements (25, 26, 27, 28) in the terminal portions
of the same lattice, which coincide with the resting areas during the structure mounting.
[0016] According to a preferred embodiment there can be provided a couple of reinforcing
rods (25, 26, 27, 28) at each one of the two ends of the lattice (2). Each reinforcing
rod (25, 26, 27, 28) can be constrained with an end at the terminal portions (211)
of the lower reinforcing element (21) and with the other end constrained to the longitudinal
reinforcement (22) and to the reinforcing rods (23, 24) at the second or third couple
of reinforcing rods starting from the end. In practice, the additional reinforcements
(25, 26) are constrained at the vertex of the second or third pyramid formed by the
reinforcing rods.
[0017] Alternatively, the reinforcements can be constrained to the terminal elements (40)
indicated in figure 4, preferably "L" shaped, used to rest the beam on the pillar,
or at the base of one between the first two pyramids formed by the reinforcing rods
starting form the end.
[0018] Another feature of the preferred embodiment of the lattice according to the present
invention, well visible in figure 5, is that it comprises another additional reinforcement
(29), arranged in transversal direction to the axis of the lattice (2) at the crossing
between the reinforcing rods of the lattice (23, 24) and the additional reinforcements
of the lattice (25, 26). This additional reinforcement functions as stiffening element
since it provides a constraint to the additional reinforcements (25, 26), thus reducing
the inflection free length and so increasing the compression critical load value.
[0019] A series of experimental tests, carried out both on the metal lattices known at the
state of the art and on metal lattices object of the present invention has shown that
the lattices according to the present invention realized with cutting reinforcements
ϕ 12 and provided with additional reinforcements according to what described at the
constraints have performances in phase 1, which in terms of resistance and deformability,
can be compared to those of the metal lattices known at the state of the art, realized
with reinforcements ϕ 14 constant along the entire beam development. What described
is only a preferred embodiment of the self-supporting lattice according to the present
invention as defined by the following claims.
1. Metal structure for mixed steel-concrete reticular systems comprising:
- upper longitudinal reinforcements (22) and lower steel or concrete resistant elements
(21) constrained by means of reinforcements (23, 24) to form a beam (2), said reinforcements
(23, 24) being arranged in modular manner along the whole length of said beam (2),
characterized in that
said beam (2) further comprises additional reinforcements (25, 26) with respect to
the modular arrangement of the reinforcements of the beam (2) arranged at the ends
of the beam (2).
2. Metal structure for mixed steel-concrete reticular systems according to claim 1, characterized in that said reinforcements (23, 24) comprise angular shaped rods constrained to said upper
longitudinal reinforcements (22) and to said lower resistant elements (21) so that
they form the angles of a series of rectangular based pyramids, with the base arranged
on said lower longitudinal reinforcements (21) and the vertex arranged on said upper
longitudinal reinforcements (22).
3. Metal structure for mixed steel-concrete reticular systems according to claim 2, characterized in that said additional reinforcements (25, 26) with respect to the modular arrangement of
the reinforcements of the beam (2) comprise a couple of rods (25, 26, 27, 28) for
each end of the beam.
4. Metal structure for mixed steel-concrete reticular systems according to claim 3, characterized in that said rods (25, 26, 27, 28) are constrained to said lower steel or concrete resistant
elements (21) and to said upper longitudinal reinforcements (22).
5. Metal structure for mixed steel-concrete reticular systems according to claim 4, characterized in that the constraint of said rods (25, 26, 27, 28) to the lower longitudinal reinforcements
(21) occurs at the terminal portion of the said lower resistant elements (21) and
the constraint of said rods (25, 26, 27, 28) to the upper longitudinal reinforcements
(22) occurs at the constraint of the upper longitudinal reinforcements (21) of a module
other than the first one starting from the end of the beam (2) of said reinforcements
(23, 24) arranged in modular manner.
6. Metal structure for mixed steel-concrete reticular systems according to claim 4, characterized in that the constraint of said rods (25, 26, 27, 28) to said lower steel or concrete resistant
elements (21) occurs at the terminal resting element (40) or at the base of one of
the first two pyramids formed by the reinforcing rods starting from the end of the
beam, and the constraint of said rods (25,26,27,28) to the upper longitudinal reinforcements
(22) occurs at the constraint to the upper longitudinal reinforcements (21) of a module
other than the first starting from the end of the beam (2) of said reinforcements
(23, 24) arranged in modular manner.
7. Metal structure for mixed steel-concrete reticular systems according to claim 5 or
6, characterized in that the constraint of said rods (25,26,27,28) to the upper longitudinal reinforcements
(22) occurs at the constraint of the upper longitudinal reinforcements (21) of the
second module of said reinforcements (23, 24).
8. Metal structure for mixed steel-concrete reticular systems according to any one of
the preceding claims, further comprising an additional reinforcing rod (29), arranged
orthogonally to the axis of the beam (2), which constrains said reinforcing rods (25,26,27,28)
to the first module of said reinforcements (23, 24).
9. Metal structure for mixed steel-concrete reticular systems according to any one of
the preceding claims, characterized in that the structure is realized in carpentry steel or in concrete steel and all the constraints
between the reinforcements are realized by welding.
10. Mixed steel-concrete reticular systems comprising a metal structure according to any
one of the preceding claims.
Amended claims in accordance with Rule 137(2) EPC.
1. Metal structure for mixed steel-concrete reticular systems comprising:
- upper longitudinal reinforcements (22) and lower steel or concrete resistant elements
(21) constrained by means of reinforcements (23, 24) to form a beam (2), said reinforcements
(23, 24) being arranged in modular manner along the whole length of said beam (2)
and comprising angular shaped rods constrained to said upper longitudinal reinforcements
(22) and to said lower resistant elements (21) so that they form the angles of a series
of rectangular based pyramids, with the base arranged on said lower longitudinal reinforcements
(21) and the vertex arranged on said upper longitudinal reinforcements (22), said
beam (2) further comprising additional reinforcements (25, 26) with respect to the
modular arrangement of the reinforcements of the beam (2) arranged at the ends of
the beam (2), said additional reinforcements comprising a couple of rods (25, 26,
27, 28) for each end of the beam constrained to said lower steel or concrete resistant
elements (21) and to said upper longitudinal reinforcements (22) characterized in that
the constraint of said rods (25, 26, 27, 28) to the lower resistant elements (21)
occurs
- at the terminal portion of said lower resistant elements (21)
- or at a terminal resting element (40) situated at the end of said beam
- or at the base of one of the first pyramids said base being formed by the reinforcing
rods starting from the end of the beam
and the constraint of said rods (25, 26, 27, 28) to the upper longitudinal reinforcements
(22) occurs at the constraint of the upper longitudinal reinforcements (21) of a module
other than the first one starting from the end of the beam (2) of said reinforcements
(23, 24) arranged in modular manner.
2. Metal structure for mixed steel-concrete reticular systems according to claim 1,
characterized in that the constraint of said rods (25,26,27,28) to the upper longitudinal reinforcements
(22) occurs at the constraint of the upper longitudinal reinforcements (21) of the
second module of said reinforcements (23, 24).
3. Metal structure for mixed steel-concrete reticular systems according to any one of
the preceding claims, further comprising an additional reinforcing rod (29), arranged
orthogonally to the axis of the beam (2), which constrains said reinforcing rods (25,26,27,28)
to the first module of said reinforcements (23, 24).
4. Metal structure for mixed steel-concrete reticular systems according to any one of
the preceding claims, characterized in that the structure is realized in carpentry steel or in concrete steel and all the constraints
between the reinforcements are realized by welding.
5. Mixed steel-concrete reticular systems comprising a metal structure according to
any one of the preceding claims.