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(11) | EP 1 172 484 A2 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Barrier element with noise wall |
(57) The present invention relates to a system for separating a roadway from another terrain
area, comprising:
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[0001] The present invention relates to a system for separating a roadway from another terrain area.
[0002] As vehicle barrier along roadways are known steel barrier elements in the form of crash barriers. These crash barriers are intended to bring a vehicle to a halt in the case of a crash. For the absorption of noise produced by vehicles travelling over the roadway noise screens are known which are placed behind such crash barriers. Such a system of crash barrier and noise screens is costly since the crash barrier and noise screen are arranged separately in the terrain adjacently of the roadway and a separate foundation is moreover necessary for the noise screen. This makes construction of the system time-consuming and expensive. A further drawback is that once the system has been arranged it is not displaceable, or only with difficulty. This limits the flexibility with which the roadway can be used, for instance when lanes are added or the route thereof is changed.
[0003] From the French patent application 2 704 880 is known a poured-in-place, permanent vehicle barrier provided with a noise screen. The vehicle barrier is herein placed on a separate concrete foundation. The manufacture and assembly of this vehicle barrier requires a considerable effort. The know vehicle barrier is practically non-displaceable and therefore intended for permanent use and unsuitable for separating two adjacent roadways relative to each other in a flexible manner.
[0004] Further known from the Netherlands patent NL-C-193170 and the European patent application EU 0 715 026 A1 of applicant is a prefabricated concrete vehicle barrier with a high impact absorption and a minimal displacement in the case of collision. The barrier elements of this vehicle barrier are mutually connected by connecting means which are suitable for absorbing kinetic energy. For this purpose the connecting means comprise a deforming component which is less rigid than the rest of the vehicle barrier, and the connecting means are placed under bias. This vehicle barrier has properties such that it complies with the recent stringent European requirements at H2 level and the growing practice wherein such barrier elements (vehicle barriers) are placed for a long time and/or permanently on or along roads. These barrier elements can moreover be assembled easily and quickly.
[0005] It is an object of the present invention to provide a system for separating a roadway from another terrain area, wherein the above stated drawbacks are obviated.
[0006] According to the invention there is provided a system for separating the roadway from another terrain area, comprising:
- a displaceable barrier element for bringing to a halt vehicles coming from the roadway, comprising a substantially elongate body part of prefabricated concrete, the underside of which is practically flat for the purpose of placing thereof on the terrain, and connecting means arranged on the ends of the body part for connecting together successive barrier elements,
- a noise wall placed on the barrier element and manufactured from sound-absorbing material, preferably wood fibre concrete, for intercepting and absorbing sound incident from the direction of the roadway.
[0007] The system according to the invention not only shields the other terrain area from vehicles but also from the noise coming from the vehicles.
[0008] The system according to the invention is arranged without a foundation along or on the road. The system can moreover be used in permanent situations as well as in temporary situations. The system is furthermore easily displaceable and thereby provides flexible options for separating off the roadway.
[0009] According to a preferred embodiment the noise wall of the barrier element of the system comprises a support frame which can be mounted on the body part and which has standing baffle plates arranged thereon. The support frame, which is preferably manufactured from steel profile parts, herein functions as template for the baffle plates and as reinforcement to increase the strength of the construction.
[0010] The connection of the support frame to the barrier element is embodied such that in the case of a collision the support frame and the noise wall mounted thereon can come away from the barrier element. In order to prevent the baffle plate or baffle plates of the noise wall falling onto the colliding vehicle at the location where the collision has occurred, a further preferred embodiment of the system comprises one or more longitudinal elements arranged along or through a number of baffle plates for holding the baffle plates together in the case of a collision. These longitudinal elements are preferably guided through corresponding recesses in the mutually adjacent baffle plates of the noise wall or through guide elements, such as guiding eyes, arranged on the front or rear of the baffle plates. The longitudinal elements are herein formed by for instance cables which can be trained through the guide members or through the recesses. The longitudinal elements are arranged such that in the case of a collision the baffle plates of the noise wall which come loose from the barrier elements are held together by baffle plates of the noise wall which are still coupled to the barrier elements. The longitudinal elements are herein manufactured from stretchable material. The longitudinal elements can also consist of relatively inelastic material, for instance steel, wherein in the mounted situation the longitudinal elements are fastened to a first plate and a last plate and are freely guidable along the baffle plate(s) therebetween. For a satisfactory result the distance between the first and last plate must be sufficiently large, preferably more than 50 m.
[0011] According to a further preferred embodiment the support frame comprises:
- lying first support parts which are fixable to the upper side of the body part for accommodating one or more baffle plates;
- standing second support parts for supporting a baffle plate arranged on the first support parts;
- standing third support parts for mutually connecting the baffle plates. An easily assembled respectively disassembled construction is hereby obtained which moreover has the required rigidity.
[0012] According to a preferred embodiment a number of light-reflecting or light-emitting elements are positioned against the standing sides of the body part in order to increase traffic safety.
[0013] According to a further preferred embodiment the angle between a baffle plate and the transverse direction of the roadway is about 85°, which further improves the effect of the noise wall.
[0014] According to a further preferred embodiment the body part and the noise wall are substantially aligned on the side visible from the roadway. The system hereby has a flat front side, which increases the safety for a vehicle crashing against the barrier element.
[0015] Further advantages, features and details will become apparent in the light of the following description of the preferred embodiments thereof. Reference is made in the description to the figures, in which:
- figure 1 shows a view in perspective of a vehicle barrier;
- figure 2 shows a partly broken-away view in perspective of a vehicle barrier with barrier elements according to an embodiment of the invention;
- figure 3 shows a view in perspective of another preferred embodiment of the invention.
[0016] A vehicle barrier 1 comprises lying elements 2, 2' for placing on the ground which comprise a broad base 3 and an upper part 4 which takes a narrowed form. In order to provide passage to for instance electrical cables the upper part 4 is provided with openings, for instance in order to place a lamp post or the like between lying elements 2, 2' in a more (semi-)permanent situation. The lying elements are provided with recesses 5 of T-shaped cross-section in which coupling elements 15 can be arranged. In the shown preferred embodiment the lying elements are further provided with recesses 6 for assembly and drainage.
[0017] For a further description of the applied vehicle barrier reference is made to the Netherlands patent NL-C-193170 and the European patent application EU 0 715 026 (in particular to columns 2 and 3 of the publication EP 0 715 026 A1), which documents can be deemed as interpolated herein.
[0018] In the described embodiment a capacity to bring a vehicle to a halt can be realized at a level at least equivalent to the H2 level (test criterion in accordance with the European standard PrEN 1317-1&2).
[0019] Figure 2 shows a preferred embodiment of the system according to the invention. Barrier elements or lying elements 2, 2' have an upper surface provided with a steel frame constructed from a number of beams 7, uprights 8 for mutual fixing of baffle plates 10 placed on beams 7 and support elements 9 against which uprights 8 are fixed. Support elements 9 can be fixed on top of the upper surface of barrier element 2, for instance by being screwed fixedly thereto, and serve as fastening support for uprights 8 between which the absorbing baffle plates 10 are arranged.
[0020] Plates 10 are chamfered slightly on their upper end so that connecting elements 12, which in the shown embodiment are triangular, can be arranged between the plates. These connecting elements 12 provide a further strengthening of the connection between plates 10.
[0021] Frame 7,8,9,12 not only has the function of accommodating the sound-absorbing plates, but during use of the system also forms a reinforcement therefor and provides the required stability. Application of the above outlined frame moreover makes the system suitable for a large number of different materials, such as for instance wood fibre concrete. It has been found that plates of wood fibre concrete have advantageous properties in respect of structural strength, weight and sound-absorbing capacity, and are therefore preferably applied in the described system.
[0022] The figures show that the system is of modular construction and can be readily added to. As requirements change, the length of the vehicle barrier can be adapted simply by connecting together or disconnecting barrier elements 40, and the length of the noise wall can be modified by simply increasing or decreasing the number of sound-absorbing plates arranged on the barrier elements.
[0023] The vehicle barrier with noise wall can stand independently up to a height of about 4 m on a hardened surface, i.e. no separate foundation is required. At a height of more than 4 m additional measures, for instance in the form of driven piles, may be necessary depending on the ground conditions.
[0024] Figure 3 shows a second preferred embodiment of the invention, wherein elements 13 are placed on the front side of barrier element 2 in order to enhance traffic safety. These elements can consist of reflectors, traffic lights, information boards, flashing lights and the like.
[0025] The figure shows that the front surface of a barrier element 2 is placed in one line with the front surface of the sound-absorbing plates 10, so that a flat surface is realized on the visible side of the system. Thus is prevented that protruding parts could damage a vehicle and harm the passengers thereof. Accumulation of dirt is moreover prevented and the system is easier to clean.
[0026] As shown in the figures, the barrier elements or lying elements 2 comprise a broad base 3 and an upper part 4 which takes a narrowed form. Since the sound-absorbing plates are substantially aligned with barrier elements 2, the sound-absorbing plates likewise have an inclining orientation relative to the roadway. Tests have shown that at an angle of about 15° between the perpendicular to the roadway and the length direction of the sound-absorbing plates, i.e. at an angle of about 85° between the transverse direction of the road and the direction of the sound-absorbing plates, an optimal sound-insulating effect of the system can be achieved.
[0027] The figures show that four plates 10 are provided per barrier element 2, wherein the first surface of the first plate and the last surface of the fourth plate correspond respectively to the first surface and last surface of barrier element 2. However, it is also possible to stagger the plates 10 relative to the barrier elements 2, i.e. a plate is placed partly on a first and partly on a second barrier element arranged adjacently thereof.
[0028] In a further preferred embodiment elongate solar cell elements 14 of a width of about 20 cm are arranged on the upper surface of plates 10. With these elements is generated electrical energy with which the above mentioned elements 13 can for instance be provided with energy via electrical circuits (not shown).
[0029] In further preferred embodiments the barrier elements, or at least the noise walls, are manufactured from transparent material and/or the barrier elements are disposed horizontally.
[0030] Figure 3 further shows that the baffle plates are provided on their front side with guiding eyes 16 along which a cable 18 can be trained. A rod with threaded ends can also be fed through the eyes instead of a cable. Cable 18 is fastened to a first plate 10i and a last plate 10iv using elements 17. The cable has the function of holding together the baffle plates 10 should one or more of these baffle plates 2 become detached from the associated barrier elements 2 as a result of a collision. One or more of the baffle plates is thus prevented from falling onto the vehicle and injuring the passengers in the case of a collision.
[0031] As an alternative to the guiding eyes 16, at least one continuous recess can be arranged in the barrier elements through which the cables, or alternatively the rods with threaded ends, can be arranged.
1. System for separating a roadway from another terrain area, comprising:
- at least one displaceable barrier element for bringing to a halt vehicles coming from the roadway, comprising a substantially elongate body part of prefabricated concrete, the underside of which is practically flat for the purpose of direct placing thereof on the terrain, and connecting means arranged on the ends of the body part for connecting together successive barrier elements, characterized by
- a noise wall placed on the barrier element and manufactured from sound-absorbing material, preferably wood fibre concrete, for intercepting and absorbing sound incident from the direction of the roadway.
2. System as claimed in claim 1, wherein the noise wall comprises a support frame which
can be mounted on the body part and which has standing baffle plates arranged thereon.
3. System as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the support frame comprises:
- lying first support parts which are fixable to the upper side of the body part for accommodating one or more baffle plates;
- standing second support parts for supporting a baffle plate arranged on the first support parts;
- standing third support parts for mutually connecting the baffle plates.
4. System as claimed in claim 3, wherein profile parts are manufactured from steel.
5. System as claimed in claim 3 or 4, wherein profile parts of two successive body parts
are fixed to each other.
6. System as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the connecting means comprise
a deforming component which is less rigid than the body part, wherein the connecting
means are placed under bias in the connected situation.
7. System as claimed in claim 6, wherein the body part has an at least partly inclining
end surface on its outer end.
8. System as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, comprising one or more longitudinal
elements arranged along or through a number of baffle plates for holding the baffle
plates together in the case of a collision.
9. System as claimed in claim 8, wherein the longitudinal elements comprise one or more
cables which can be trained through corresponding recesses in the baffle plates.
10. System as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein a number of light-reflecting
elements are positioned against the standing side of the body part.
11. System as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein light-emitting elements
are positioned against the standing side of the body part.
12. System as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the angle between a baffle
plate and the transverse direction of the roadway amounts to about 85°.
13. System as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the body part and the noise
wall are substantially aligned on the side visible from the roadway.
14. System as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein one or more baffle plates
are at least partially provided on the upper surface thereof with solar cell elements
for generating electrical energy.
15. Method for applying a system as claimed in any of the foregoing claims.