Abstract: The invention concerns a device for analysing the microporosities of a given material including at least two phases, one of which is a fluid phase, including: multiple sensors (100) incorporated in the given material (M), where each of the sensors includes one or more cMUT acoustic and capacitive transducers.

Abstract: A cMUT-type capacitive electroacoustic transducer including: at least one membrane configured to oscillate under effect of an electric field and/or an acoustic wave, wherein the membrane is formed from one or more layers of juxtaposed nanotubes or nanowires or nanorods, and an acoustic imaging device or UHF sonar including such transducers.

Abstract: A device for analyzing microporosities of a given material including at least two phases, one of which is a fluid phase, the device including: multiple sensors incorporated in the given material, wherein each of the sensors includes one or more cMUT acoustic and capacitive transducers.

Abstract: Safety equipment for use with prestressing cables as used in civil engineering and building structures, the safety equipment having two principle parts adapted to fit over a cable at a point where the cable interfaces with anchoring members or walls, the safety equipment configured to take over from original anchoring elements in the event of a rupture of the cable.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for determining visibility distance in a landscape. The device comprises a camera for taking an image of said landscape; means for storing said image; means for associating each pixel of the image with information representative of the distance between the camera and the point in the landscape corresponding to said pixel, thereby obtaining a map of distances; means for processing the image to detect whether a pixel of the image presents contrast greater than a predetermined value relative to at least some adjacent pixels; means for applying said processing for detecting contrast successively to the pixels of the image beginning from the pixel corresponding to the greatest distance and continuing to the first pixel found to satisfy the contrast condition; and means for associating said pixel with distance information from said map of distances.

Abstract: A sensor for remotely detecting an object, the sensor comprising: a light source having a coherence length that is short relative to the distance between the sensor and the object; a splitter splitting the emitted light beam into an incident beam and a reference beam; a photorefractive crystal recording a hologram on interfering reception of the reference beam and of the reflected beam reflected by an object illuminated by the incident beam, and playing back the hologram in a diffracted beam that is re-emitted by the crystal by anisotropic diffraction under the effect of the reference beam; a detector recording information on receiving the diffracted beam; and a polarizing filter that eliminates the major fraction of the reflected beam as transmitted by the crystal on receiving the reflected beam; such that the detector receives only the diffracted beam from the crystal. Both the sensor and imaging systems incorporating the sensor enable measurements to be made through diffusing media.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of fabricating manufactured aggregates (10), characterized in that the following steps are performed: supplying a first material (12) comprising particles; supplying elements (16, 18, 20, 22) for forming a second material (14); mixing a predetermined quantity (Q12) of said first material (12) with a predetermined quantity (Q16, Q18, Q20, Q22) of each of said elements (16, 18, 20, 22) of said second material (14), so as to obtain a mortar (M12-14) made up of inclusions (12) corresponding to the first material and a matrix (14) corresponding to the second material (14); subjecting a first cure (T1) to the mortar (M12-14) for a predetermined first cure duration (t1); and crushing (C) said mortar (M12-14) to obtain manufactured aggregates (10).

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for determining visibility distance in a landscape. The device comprises a camera for taking an image of said landscape; means for storing said image; means for associating each pixel of the image with information representative of the distance between the camera and the point in the landscape corresponding to said pixel, thereby obtaining a map of distances; means for processing the image to detect whether a pixel of the image presents contrast greater than a predetermined value relative to at least some adjacent pixels; means for applying said processing for detecting contrast successively to the pixels of the image beginning from the pixel corresponding to the greatest distance and continuing to the first pixel found to satisfy the contrast condition; and means for associating said pixel with distance information from said map of distances.

Abstract: A device for obtaining vehicle electromagnetic signature data from electromagnetic signals includes means (16) for obtaining a digitized signal from measured electromagnetic signals. The device further includes means (20) for determining if a digitized signal is a vehicle electromagnetic signature signal. The means (20) then calculate electromagnetic signature data of a vehicle from the digitized signal, and time-stamp each data point of the electromagnetic signature. Vehicles can therefore be classified in accordance with several criteria by specific processing of the digitized electromagnetic signature signals.

Abstract: The device comprises a target member (4) and a support (1) for supporting the target member. The support includes a receptacle head (12) for the target member, including a housing (15) open to the outside via an outwardly flared frustoconical seat (16). The target member includes a flange (42) having a spherical annular lateral surface adapted to bear tangentially against the seat (16), and a plate (45) upstanding perpendicularly on the flange in an equatorial plane an imaginary sphere (44) of which the lateral surface of the spherical annular flange is part. The plate has two parallel plane retroreflecting faces and a hole (46) passing completely through it and centered on an axis perpendicular to the faces of the plate and passing through the center of the spherical surface, and the hole is open at both ends via a bevel (461).

Abstract: The invention relates to apparatus with capacitive electrodes for electrical prospecting in a borehole, the apparatus comprising at least two injection electrodes (16, 18), at least two measurement electrodes (28, 34), and a current generator (22) for applying an electrical current between the two injection electrodes. The current generator (22) delivers alternating current at a frequency of 5 kHz to 100 kHz and at a voltage of less than 1000 volts. At least one of the measurement or injection electrodes (16, 28) is placed in a borehole (12, 14) and presents an outer surface that is cylindrical and electrically conductive. The apparatus further comprises means (24) for measuring the current flowing through said injection electrodes, means (36, 36b) for measuring the potential difference between the measurement electrodes, and means for processing the measured current and potential difference to deduce therefrom the characteristics of the subsoil in which the borehole is situated.

Abstract: The device comprises a corer (1, 4) fitted with a flexible diaphragm (2) on its inside face, means (10) for driving the corer into the soil (11), means for breaking up the soil leaving the top orifice of the corer, means for applying axial forces on the diaphragm (2) and on the top face of the soil sample (12) contained in the corer, and means for measuring stresses and deformations to which the sample (12) is subject. While a measurement is being performed, the corer is held stationary in the soil (11).

Abstract: A process for detecting defects in a textured suface, particularly on a highway. The process consists in displacing with respect to the surface a camera presenting an inclination and in processing by processing systems the successive images taken by the camera. A mathematical processing is effected on sub-images, corresponding to the same spatial portion of the surface, taken at different consecutive instants.

Abstract: A Device for driving rods used primarily for soil mechanics tests into the round, of the type comprising a traction and compression resistant tubular one-piece rod (42) made of a material and capable of being curved by reversible elastic derformation, a drum (44) for winding said rod (42) and a device (46) for driving and extracting said rod.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for measuring the electrode potential of the reinforcement in underwater concrete. The device is of the type comprising a reference electrode placed against the facing of the concrete and a voltmeter connected to the reference electrode and to the reinforcement. The reference electrode is disposed in a bell suitable for pressing in watertight manner against a facing of the concrete, thereby delimiting an enclosure. The device further includes means for injecting compressed air into the enclosure and means for enabling the water imprisoned therein to escape.

Abstract: The invention relates to an insulating and structural masonry block comprising a sealed envelope of parallelepipic shape in which layers of light, dry aggregate are superposed, separated by a geotextile band placed in accordion like layers. Within the envelope is drawn a pressure lower than ambient pressure.

Abstract: A manipulator arm is provided for public works machines comprising two beams of equal length and a pivoting cradle connected in series. The first or command beam is rotated about the forward end thereof on the chassis of a support unit, and the cradle is pivoted in response to rotation of the command beam by means of gears and chains designed and arranged such that the cradle undergoes a linear translational movement and maintains a predetermined inclination.

Abstract: A method of rapidly determining surface relief of an object or a structure without making contact therewith based on quantifying the degree to which the image of an illuminated point or small spot on the surface is defocussed. Said point or spot is illuminated by a source of electromagnetic radiation such as a laser, and the relief is determined in the form of a profile where the height of any point on the profile is represented by the ratio of the energy values of two beams derived by splitting a single beam reflected from the surface under investigation: one of the beams acting as a reference and the other of the beams being limited by the action of a diaphragm and constituting a measurement beam.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for measuring the dynamic load exerted on a highway by the axles of the vehicles circulating thereon. Two piezo-electric cables sensitive to the pressure of the axles, furnish, upon passage thereof, a weight information pulse and a speed information pulse, respectively. Signals representing respectively the area of the pulse and the duration of the time gap separating the pulses, are applied to a divider which effects the quotient thereof and furnishes a signal representing the dynamic load.

Abstract: A continuous linear element is used in the form of a fine fibrous trap, delivered in a continuous manner by an ejector (11) placed in a gaseous atmosphere established in an open-bottomed bell (8) immersed in the liquid medium with its open bottom close to the deposition site of the construction material. A slurry of solid particles is injected into the fibrous trap when it is still in the gaseous atmosphere of the bell and the trap charged with said particles is then deposited on the construction site (1). The ejector (11) can be part of a device (12) for breaking up textile cable (17) and is connected with a floating platform (3).