System for positioning cladding panels, reinforced soil structure comprising said system and associated positioning method

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for positioning cladding panels, a reinforced soil structure comprising said device and an associated positioning method. The system comprises at least first and second cladding panels and at least one separator interposed between said cladding panels. The separator has elastic properties configured to maintain a relative reference position (Pr) between the first and second cladding panels. The separator is capable of being deformed under the effect of a stress applied to the separator by the first and second cladding panels, causing the second and first cladding panels to move closer together when the stress is greater than a predefined threshold.

1 . A system for positioning cladding panels, comprising:
 at least a first cladding panel and a second cladding panel;   at least one separator interposed between the first cladding panel and the second cladding panel,   wherein the separator has resilient properties which are configured to maintain a relative reference position (Pr) between the first and second cladding panels, the separator being able to undergo progressive resilient deformation under the effect of a stress exerted on the separator by the first and second cladding panels, thus giving rise to moving closer together of the first cladding panel and the second cladding panel when the stress is greater than a predefined threshold.   
     
     
         2 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first and second cladding panels are lattices. 
     
     
         3 . The system as claimed in  claim 2 , additionally comprising:
 at least one connection element connecting the first cladding panel to the second cladding panel, the connection element being configured to exert a pre-stressing force compressing the separator and maintaining the relative reference position (Pr) between the first and second cladding panels, for as long as the stress is lower than the predefined threshold.   
     
     
         4 . The system as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the connection element can be selected from amongst: a metal wire, a looped hooked connector, a connector in the form of a “U”. 
     
     
         5 . The system as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the separator is in the form of a spring. 
     
     
         6 . The system as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the spring can be able to be compressed until it reaches a thickness equal to the thickness of a turn of the spring. 
     
     
         7 . The system as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the spring is selected from amongst: a conical spring and a bi-conical spring. 
     
     
         8 . The system as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the spring is in the form of a strip, a first end of which is connected to the first cladding panel, and a second end of which is connected to the second cladding panel, the strip having a curvature which is a variable under the effect of the stress. 
     
     
         9 . The system as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the second cladding panel has a bar forming a recess in the form of an “L”, the variable curvature of the strip forming a spring which is supported on said bar. 
     
     
         10 . The system as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the separator has a first end connected to a higher reference bar of the first cladding panel, and a second end connected to a lower reference bar of the second cladding panel. 
     
     
         11 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the predefined threshold is reached for a stress corresponding to the weight of a mass of 10 to 20 kg. 
     
     
         12 . A reinforced ground structure comprising a system as claimed in  claim 1 , the structure additionally comprising a plurality of cladding panels arranged above one another, each panel of the plurality comprising a front face and a rear face, the structure additionally comprising:
 backfill disposed on the side of the rear face of the panels of the plurality of cladding panels,   the stress being proportional to a height of backfill in the reinforced ground structure, the predefined threshold being reached when the backfill covers a height above the first cladding panel corresponding to two cladding panels.   
     
     
         13 . A method for positioning cladding panels, comprising:
 installing at least a first cladding panel and a second cladding panel separated from the first cladding panel by a separator with resilient properties configured to maintain a relative reference position (Pr) between the first cladding panel and the second cladding panel;   exerting a stress on the separator by means of the first cladding panel and the second cladding panel, such that the separator is deformed, giving rise to moving closer together of the first cladding panel and the second cladding panel when the stress is greater than a predefined threshold.   
     
     
         14 . The method as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the first cladding panel and the second cladding panel are in the form of a lattice, the method additionally comprising:
 installing the separator by clipping onto at least one out of: a higher reference bar of the first cladding panel and a lower reference bar of the second cladding panel.