The invention relates to a damping element, comprising a head part, neck part and foot part of concrete, adjoining one another in the longitudinal direction, wherein the cross section of the neck part transversely to the longitudinal direction is smaller than the cross section of the head part transversely to the longitudinal direction and is smaller than the cross section of the foot part transversely to the longitudinal direction, which foot part has a periphery and a base, which periphery extends narrowingly from the base in the longitudinal direction.

A damping element of this type is known, for example from Dutch patent

2004345. Damping elements can be used, for example, in water barriers in connection with the damping of the wave action. Between the mutually adjacent head parts of the damping elements openings remain, via which the water crashing against the water barrier can drain away. A significant damping effect is thereby obtained. The water which is thus collected can be evacuated via the system of channels which is formed between the mutually adjacent, narrower neck parts, whereby the damping is further promoted.

In order to the stabilization of the damping elements, such that these can withstand the water forces which are exerted thereon by the wave action, the upright sides ofthe foot parts are provided with the said shape which becomes somewhat narrower in the upward direction. Wedge-shaped gaps, which widen in the upward direction, are thereby formed between adjacent damping elements. In these wedge- shaped gaps, stone chippings, grit or gravel, for example, can be received. Such a material ensures that the foot parts are firmly stabilized relative to one another. As a result of the wedge shape of the gaps between the foot parts, a strong mutual clamping effect of the foot parts is thus obtained.

The damping elements are placed side by side on a dike body in large numbers, in rows running in two mutually perpendicular directions. In order to rationalize the activities, grabs are herein used, and also a plurality of damping efcments can be placed side by side at the same time. Usually, the jaws of the grab are brought to act on the foot part of the damping elements. In practice, it turns out that the engagement on the foot part can be adversely influenced by the upwardly narrowing shape of that foot part. As a result of this, the damping elements can move in the grab, in which case damage occurs to the neck part and to the transition between the neck part and the foot part.

An object of the invention is hence to provide a damping element which can. be handled in a more reliable manner by means of a grab. A further object of the invention is to provide a damping element which rums less risk of being damaged as it is put in place by means of a grab. Another object is to provide a damping element which in particular is suitable for being grabbed and placed side by side several at a time. These and other objects are achieved by virtue of the fact that the periphery of the foot part has at least one gripping projection extending in the longitudinal direction.

The damping element can be grabbed by the foot part on the gripping projection which is specially designed for this purpose. It is thus no longer necessary to grab the foot part on those parts of the foot which are tapered. The engagement on the gripping projection enhances the reliability of the engagement. A projection which has a gripping surface extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction is preferred. Furthermore, the gripping projection can possess, for example, an adapted surface, having a surface structure which in particular is suitable for improving the friction between the jaws of a grab and the damping element at the point of

engagement

The gripping projection can extend over substantially the entire height of the foot part, though that is not necessary. Furthermore, and preferably, the gripping projection can have a width in the peripheral direction which width is an order of magnitude smaller than the peripheral dimension of the periphery. The periphery of the foot part can have a plurality of corners, wherein a peripheral side extends between in each case two comers. At least one of the peripheral sides is provided with a gripping projection. In that case, the width of the gripping projection can also be an order of magnitude smaller than the length of a peripheral side, viewed in the peripheral direction.

The gripping projection can be located equidistant from both corners of the peripheral side. These peripheral sides can be slightly convexly curved, such that the damping elements can also be positioned, somewhat twisted relative to one another about the longitudinal direction, in curvedly running paths. Preference is for a damping element the foot part of which is quadrangular or rectangular, with the formation of two pairs of opposite peripheral sides; in that case, a gripping projection is respectively found on two opposite peripheral sides.

In order to simplify the production of the damping element in concrete, for example, this can comprise two damping element parts, which abut each other according to an interface running parallel to the longitudinal direction. Preferably, such damping element parts are identical. In an embodiment of this type, it is preferable that each damping element part comprises a full peripheral side as well as two peripheral side halves bordering the full peripheral side on either side, wherein the gripping projections are then provided on the full peripheral side of the damping element parts.

The invention further relates to a damping element part for a damping element as described above, comprising a full peripheral side as well as two peripheral side halves bordering the full peripheral side on either side, and a gripping projection which is provided on the full peripheral side.

The invention additionally relates to a row of a plurality of mutually abutting damping elements as described above, as well as a water barrier, comprising a dike body as well as such a row of a plurality of mutually abutting damping elements.

The invention also relates to a method for handling a damping element as described above, comprising the steps of:

- providing a grab having two mutually opposite jaws, which are movable towards each other and away from each other,

- placing the jaws onto the foot part of the damping element,

- grabbing the damping element by means of the jaws on the gripping projections on opposite sides of the foot part of the damping element.

By pressing the jaws firmly towards each other and against both gripping projections, the particular damping element can be reliably secured in the grab.

In addition, the invention also relates to the grabbing of a plurality of damping elements side by side forming a row. These damping elements lie with their gripping projection in pairs one against the other. The method comprises the steps of:

- providing a grab having two mutually opposite jaws, which are movable towards each other and away from each other,

- placing one of the jaws onto the foot part of an outermost damping element located at one end of the row, - placing the other jaw onto the foot part of an. outermost damping element located at the other end of the row,

- pressing all elements of the row one against another,

- exerting pressure, by means of the jaws, on the gripping projections on both outermost damping elements at opposite ends of the row,

- wider the influence of the jaws on the said gripping projections on both outermost damping elements, clamping and pressing all damping elements in the row one against another,

- lifting the damping elements, which have been clamped in place and pressed one against another, of the row.

Furthermore, a plurality of rows can here be handled side by side in a grab. In that case, the jaws of the grab possess a width which is at least equal to the sum of the widths of the side-by- side rows.

The invention will be explained in greater detail below on the basis of an illustrative embodiment represented in the figures.

Figure 1 shows a side view of a damping element.

Figure 2 shows a top view of the damping element.

Figure 3 shows a view in perspective of a damping element part.

Figure 4 shows the way in which a grab engages the damping element.

Figure 5 shows the way in which a grab engages a row of damping elements.

The damping element 1 represented in Figures 1 and 2 consists of a head part 2, a neck part 3 and a foot part 4, which adjoin one another in the longitudinal direction 16. The neck part 3 possesses a cross section which is considerably smaller than the cross section of the head part 2 and of the foot part 4. The cross section of that head part 2 and of that foot part 4 do not differ much from each other. The foot part 4 possesses four peripheral sides 5 and 6, which together define the full periphery* 7 of the foot part 4, The peripheral sides 5, 6 are connected to one another by means of four comers 8. The foot part 4 possesses a base 9, by means of which the damping element 1 can be placed firmly on a foundation, such as a dike body.

As represented in the figures, the peripheral sides 5, 6 of the foot pan 4 taper somewhat narrowingly from the base 9. This shape is chosen because more or less upwardly widening wedge-shaped gaps are thereby formed in the lining of a dike body, which lining consists of a large number of such damping elements placed side by side. In these gaps grit-shaped particles are received, whereby the damping elements are firmly stabilized relative to one another.

In the placement of the damping elements, these are clamped in a grab 10 having two jaws 1 1 , as shown in Figure 4. In order to avoid slippage of the grab 10 as a result of the upwardly somewhat narrowing shape of the periphery 8, on opposite peripheral sides 5 gripping projections 12 are provided. The external gripping surface 15 of these gripping projections 12 runs more or less parallel to the longitudinal direction 5. By virtue of this shape of the gripping projections 12, the jaws 1 1 of the grab 10 can no longer easily slip, so that the damping element 1 can be reliably grabbed.

As represented in the figures, the damping element 1 in the represented illustrative embodiment consists of two identical damping element parts 13, which, via the flat interface 14, abut one against the other. Each damping element part 13 possesses a head part half 2', a neck part half 3' and a foot part half 4'. Each damping element part 13 possesses a half periphery 7', consisting of one full peripheral side 5 and two adjacent half peripheral sides 6'. Preferably, the gripping projection 12 is placed in the middle of the full peripheral side 5.

In Figure 5 is illustrated that also a row 17 of damping elements 1 can be grabbed. Usually a plurality of such rows are grabbed side by side at the same time by a grab which then has correspondingly wide jaws 10. The gripping surfaces 15 of the gripping projections 12 of mutually adjacent damping elements 1 are pressed firmly one against another by the jaws 10, which press against the gripping surfaces of the two outermost damping elements in each row. Thus the whole pack, consisting of damping elements 1 which are present in the pressed rows, can be grabbed, lifted, and deposited at the desired position.

List of reference symbols

1. Damping element

2. Head part

2'. Head part half

3. Neck part

3'. Neck part half

4. Foot part

4'. Foot part half

5, 6. Peripheral side

6'. Half peripheral side

7. Periphery

8, Comer

9. Base

10. Grab

11. Jaw of grab

12. Gripping projection

13. Damping element part

14. Interface

15. Gripping surface

16. Longitudinal direction

17. Row of damping elements