Protective mesh, especially for rockfall protection or to stabilise a layer of soil

Abstract

A protective mesh, especially for rockfall protection or to stabilise a layer of soil, is braided out of helically curved wires ( 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 ). Rhomboidal meshes ( 17 ) are formed and in each case two adjacent helical wires ( 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 ) are flexibly held together. The protective mesh ( 10 ) has a thickness which amounts to a multiple of the thickness of the wire. In at least some of the braided pairs of wires ( 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 ), an essentially straight longitudinal reinforcement element ( 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 ) is guided through the coupling area (A) of the two helical wires, causing the rhomboidal meshes ( 17 ) to be divided into triangular meshes ( 17 a, 17 b ). In these crucial areas of force transmission of the protective mesh, there are now three instead of two wires meeting, as the result of which the force absorption capacity of the protective mesh is substantially increased.

1 . Protective mesh, in particular for rockfall protection structures or to stabilise a layer of earth, which is braided out of helically curved wires ( 11 ,  12 ,  13 ,  14 ,  15 ,  16 ) or helically-curved wire elements (wire strands, wire cables or wire bundles) consisting of several wires, such that rhomboidal meshes ( 17 ) are formed and in each case two adjacent helical wires ( 11 ,  12 ,  13 ,  14 ,  15 ,  16 ) or wire elements are flexibly held together, and the protective mesh has a thickness which amounts to a multiple of the thickness of the wire or wire element, characterised in that in at least some of the pairs of wires or wire elements ( 11 ,  12 ,  13 ,  14 ,  15 ,  16 ) an essentially straight longitudinal reinforcement element ( 31 ,  32 ,  33 ,  34 ,  35 ) is guided through the coupling area (A) of the two helical wires or wire elements, i.e. through the intersecting curves thereof, causing the rhomboidal meshes ( 17 ) to be divided into triangular meshes ( 17   a,    17   b ) and with which the two wires or wire elements are in flexible connection.  
   
   
       2 . Protective mesh according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the reinforcement element ( 31 ,  32 ,  33 ,  34 ,  35 ) is designed as a single wire, as two or more wires, a wire strand, a wire cable or a wire bundle.  
   
   
       3 . Protective mesh according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the reinforcement element ( 31 ,  32 ,  33 ,  34 ,  35 ) is designed as a rod or a tube with a round cross-section.  
   
   
       4 . Protective mesh according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the reinforcement element ( 31 ,  32 ,  33 ,  34 ,  35 ) is designed as a rod with a semi-circular cross-section and with a recess to hold cables or other elements.  
   
   
       5 . Protective mesh according to  claim 1 , characterised in that both the wires ( 11 ,  12 ,  13 ,  14 ,  15 ,  16 ) or wire elements and/or the reinforcement elements ( 31 ,  32 ,  33 ,  34 ,  35 ) are made from steel and are corrosion-protected.  
   
   
       6 . Protective mesh according to  claim 5 , characterised in that the wires ( 11 ,  12 ,  13 ,  14 ,  15 ,  16 ) or wire elements and/or the reinforcement element ( 31 ,  32 ,  33 ,  34 ,  35 ) consists at least in part of high-tensile steel.  
   
   
       7 . Protective mesh according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the wires ( 11 ,  12 ,  13 ,  14 ,  15 ,  16 ) or wire elements consist at least in part of a high-tensile steel and the reinforcement elements ( 31 ,  32 ,  33 ,  34 ,  35 ) consist of a steel with a lower tensile strength.  
   
   
       8 . Protective mesh according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the reinforcement elements ( 31 ,  32 ,  33 ,  34 ,  35 ) are disposed at regular or irregular distances from each other and are assigned to each of the wire or wire element pairs held flexibly together or to every second or every third wire or wire element pair.  
   
   
       9 . Protective mesh according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the wires ( 11 ,  12 ,  13 ,  14 ,  15 ,  16 ) or wire elements are curved over or fitted with loops ( 11   a,    12   a,    13   a,    14   a,    15   a,    16   a ) or knots at their ends, while the helical wires or wire elements which are braided together are flexibly connected to each other via these end elements.  
   
   
       10 . Protective mesh according to  claim 9 , characterised in that the reinforcement elements ( 31 ,  32 ,  33 ,  34 ,  35 ) are curved over or fitted with a loop ( 31   a,    32   a,    33   a,    34   a,    35   a ) or a knot at least at one end, while these end elements are flexibly connected with corresponding selvedge loops, or corresponding wire or wire elements are flexibly connected to the end elements ( 11   a,    12   a;    13   a,    14   a;    15   a,    16   a)  which are flexibly connected in pairs.  
   
   
       11 . Protective net according to  claim 1 , characterised in that a slope stabiliser ( 40 ) has the wire mesh ( 10 ), fixing elements ( 20 ) which can be sunk into the ground, with claw plates or similar pressing the mesh onto the soil surface and, at least on the upper side, has a cable ( 21 ) holding and stretching the wire mesh ( 10 ).