Device for limiting stresses in particular for buried tubular structures

Claim 1

A device for limiting stresses exerted by the ground on the wall of a buried structure, which structure comprises at least two elements which form at least a part of the wall of the structure, the structure defining a longitudinal axis and said device being adapted to extend in a direction parallel to said axis when it is mounted between the two elements of the structure which are neighbouring elements along the periphery of the structure, said stress limiting device comprising at least one longitudinal slidable plate having a first edge portion and a second edge portion opposed to the first edge portion, the first edge portion being adapted to be connected to one of said structure elements, at least two longitudinal guide elements adapted to be connected to the other element of said structure elements and applied respectively by one of their faces against at least the second edge portion of the slidable plate, apertures in the slidable plate and the guide elements and a plurality of fixing means extending through the apertures in the slidable plate and in said guide elements for clamping said second edge portion of the slidable plate between said guide elements, at least one of the guide elements constituting a fishplate, at least the apertures in said second edge portion of the slidable plate being disposed in a plurality of spaced-apart longitudinally extending rows so that zones located between the apertures of the same row of two adjacent rows form zones capable of yielding by deformation and/or fracture under the fixing means by a sliding of said slidable plate between said guide elements under the effect of forces which may be exerted on the device by said structure elements.

Claim 2

A device for limiting stresses exerted by the ground on the wall of a buried structure, which structure comprises at least two elements which form at least a part of the wall of the structure, the structure defining a longitudinal axis and said device being adapted to extend in a direction parallel to said axis when it is mounted between the two elements of the structure which are neighbouring elements along the periphery of the structure, said stress limiting device comprising at least one longitudinal slidable plate having a first edge portion and a second edge portion opposed to the first edge portion, the first edge portion being adapted to be connected to one of said structure elements, at least two longitudinal guide elements adapted to be connected to the other element of said structure elements and applied respectively by one of their faces against at least the second edge portion of the slidable plate, apertures in the slidable plate and the guide elements and a plurality of fixing means extending through the apertures in the slidable plate and in said guide elements for clamping said second edge portion of the slidable plate between said guide elements, at least one of the guide elements constituting a fishplate, at least the apertures in said second edge portion of the slidable plate being disposed in a plurality of spaced-apart longitudinally extending rows so that zones located between the apertures of the same row of two adjacent rows form zones capable of yielding by deformation and/or fracture under the fixing means by a sliding of said slidable plate between said guide elements under the effect of forces which may be exerted on the device by said structure elements.

Claim 8

A device as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 4, the device being curved in accordance with a curvature which corresponds to the direction of application of said forces.

Claim 10

A device as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 4, wherein an outer row of apertures formed in at least one of the edge portions of said slidable plate has apertures which are alternately of oblong and circular shape, the apertures of all the other rows being circular, said connecting means being initially mounted in the apertures of said outer row so that, upon application of the stresses, the connecting means extending through the oblong apertures undergo a sliding without tearing the slidable plate, whereas the connecting means associated with the circular apertures of the outer row tear the zones of material to which they are immediately adjacent.

Claim 13

A device as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 4, wherein at least one edge portion of the slidable plate comprises two groups of rows of apertures, the outer row comprising oblong apertures whereas all the other rows comprise circular apertures, each group of rows of apertures being associated with a series of connecting means so that, under the effect of said forces, the connecting means associated with the first group of rows undergo first a sliding without tearing the slidable plate, whereas the connecting means associated with the second group of rows first tear the zones of material which are immediately adjacent to the apertures of the first row of said second group.

Claim 14

A device as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 4, wherein the apertures in the slidable plate have an oblong shape whose longitudinal dimension extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of application of the forces.

Claim 15

A device as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 4, wherein the respective dimensions of the apertures varies from one row to another in a direction which is perpendicular to the direction of application of said forces.