EP0059515B1

EP0059515B1 - Machine for the layered placing of core material and of the adjacent transitional material for dams

Info

Publication number: EP0059515B1
Application number: EP82200246A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Gerardus Lambertus Marinus Mulders; Jacobus Gerardus Johannes Marie Hermans
Original assignee: Bitumarin BV; Veidekke ASA
Current assignee: Veidekke ASA
Priority date: 1981-02-27
Filing date: 1982-02-26
Publication date: 1985-09-04
Also published as: NO159809C; NO159809B; DE3265950D1; NL8100956A; NO820615L; EP0059515A1

Description

The invention relates to a machine suitable for the layered placing of upright or sloping dam cores of materials bound with bitumen and/or plastic and/or a natural binder, in a constant or upward-tapering thickness for dams such as barrage dams, and of adjacent transitional material, comprising:

a) a sliding formwork to form the dam core, and containing compacting elements for pre-compaction of the dam core, and
b) travelling elements to move the machine while placing the dam.

The invention furthermore relates to a method for this layered placing using this machine.
From British patent specification 1,413,085 a method is known for building a dam or barrage having a core formed of a plurality of layers of asphaltic material and multi-layered transitional zones adjacent said core, each said layer of the core and said zones being formed by: laying asphaltic material between removable linings; partially compacting the asphaltic material, while between said linings; after partially compacting said asphaltic material, removing the linings to leave the material free-standing; laying, levelling off to substantially the level of the free-standing asphaltic material, and compacting material for transitional zones adjacent the asphaltic material; and completely compacting the asphaltic material after removal of the linings, optionally simultaneously with the compaction of the transitional zones.
The laying of the material for the transitional zones may take place either before or after removal of the linings, but preferably after their removal.
An installation apparatus moves the linings along the length of the dam. These linings also contain one or more compacting elements for pre-compaction of the dam core.
Material for the transitional zones is continuously laid and levelled off by installation equipment running behind said installation apparatus.
This installation equipment may be connected to a covering which is pulled along by the installation apparatus or which may run separately and which protects the surface of the laid dam core from contamination.
Further compaction of the dam core and compaction of the transitional zones may then take place by means of separate compacting elements, e.g. rollers, running behind the installation equipment.
The purpose of the present invention is to provide a single machine which alone is able to perform the building of a dam or barrage. As indicated above British patent specification 1,413,085 does not disclose such a machine nor does it give any suggestion in this respect.
The present invention therefore relates to a machine as mentioned in the preamble, which machine is characterized in that it moreover comprises (see below-mentioned Figures):

c) a silo (2) from which the bore material is placed in the sliding formwork,
d) one or more silos (5) from which the transitional material is placed alongside and against the placed core material,
e) vibrating plates (4), which are located on or in the sliding formwork, for pre-compaction of the core material both vertically and laterally immediately after it has been placed and before the transitional material is placed,
f) vibrating plates (9), which are located at the rear of the machine, for further compaction of the core material and the simultaneous compacting of the transitional material, the sliding formwork still protecting the formed core until and while the placing of the transitional material from the silo(s) (5).

It is furthermore known from German patent specification DE-B-1,170,329, to place both the core material and the transitional material simultaneously and physically separated by walls. However, compaction is not effected until the wall separating core material and transitional material has disappeared, so that during compaction the transitional material is forced sideways into the core material. Although this brings about a certain degree of interpenetration between core material and transitional material, it does have the drawback that the zone where core material and transitional material interpenetrate is less compact and will exhibit cracks or fissures, with the result that the effective width of the watertight core is diminished.
The present machine preferably travels over the already compacted transitional material of an underlying layer.
Preferably the machine is provided at the rear with conveying worms for driving the transitional material in the direction of the core material, and removing excess material.
Preferably the machine is provided with a covering plate to protect the top of the dam core during placing of the transitional material.
If a bituminous binder is used, the core material is preferably placed after the underlying layer of the core material has been heated by means of, for example, infra-red radiators, present at the front of the machine.
By adjustment of the sliding formwork, the height, breadth and form of the dam core can be varied.
An embodiment of the invention is described in further detail below with the aid of the drawings.
Fig. 1 represents a top view of the machine, Fig. 2 a longitudinal section of the machine and Fig. 3 a layout sketch of the dam core.
In the figures, the arrow indicates the direction of travel of the machine. Furthermore, the following nomenclature applies in the figures:

1 Infra-red burners
2 Core material silo
3 Core height control effected by means of a strike-off bar, which is controlled for example with the aid of a laser beam
4 Pre-compactor (vibrating plates)
5 Transitional material silos
6 Transitional material height control effected by means of two strike-off bars
7 Core covering plate and lateral guide plate
8 Filling and levelling screw (controllable)
9 Vibrating plates
10 Endless tracks.

Moreover, Fig. 3 shows the following zones:

A Pre-heating of already laid core
B Placing of core
C Pre-compaction of core (in lateral direction as well)
D Placing of transitional material
E Filling of transitional material against core wall
F Levelling of transitional material
G Compaction of core and transitional material.

According to the present invention the core material is situated in a protective tunnel until and while the transitional material is placed. The start of this tunnel is joined up to the outlet of silo 2 whence the core material is dosed and which is provided with a vertically adjustable strike-off bar 3 to control the height of the layer to be placed.
Immediately downstream of the outlet of silo 2, the tunnel is provided with vibrating plates 4 (compactors), both on the sidewalls and on the top. The advantage of lateral compaction in conjunction with vertical compaction is that the core material is endowed with optimum properties in terms of watertightness in that direction in which the core is subjected to the severest loads (horizontal water pressures) under ultimate conditions of use. Depending upon the consistency of the core material, the number of compactors in the longitudinal direction of the tunnel can be increased.
In the longitudinal direction, the tunnel can consist of several segments hinge-connected to one another. This makes it possible to construct a horizontally-curved core should the geometry of the barrage dam so require.
The transitional material is dosed from two silos 5. The height of the placed transitional material is in the first instance controlled by two strike-off bars 6 which are adjustable in height. This setting can be effected independently for either strike-off bar, thereby permitting layers of transitional material with differing thicknesses to be placed on either side of the core material. As the entire machine travels, with the aid of, for example, endless tracks 10, on the compacted transitional material of the previously placed layer, it is hereby possible to tilt the machine and thus construct a sloping core.
After the height of the transitional material has been controlled by the bars 6, two worm screws 8 on either side of the core ensure that the transitional material is levelled by means of a movement towards the core while a second pair of worm screws removes any excess transitional material.
A plate 7 on the top of the core ensures that the core material remains free of contamination.
Subsequently, vibrating plates 9 ensure that the transitional material is compacted and that the core material is finally compacted.
The entire machine moves on, for example, endless tracks over the compacted transitional material of the previously placed layer. This layer forms a sufficiently level driving surface for the equipment in order to place a layer of core material having a thickness lying within acceptable tolerances.
At the same time, the thickness of the layer can be controlled by the strike-off bar 3, which can receive its signals from a laser beam.
In the longitudinal direction, positioning is effected, for example, by sighting a paint line on the underlying layer of core material by means of a sighting device. This paint line can be made by a device located in the axis of the tunnel underneath plate 7.
A more sophisticated system for positioning both in the vertical and in the horizontal direction can be achieved by suspending the silo with core material (2), the tunnel with the vibrating plates for pre-colsolidation (4) and the silos with transitional material (5) together with the strike-off devices (3) and (6) in a separate frame which is to be positioned relative to the chassis of the travelling part of the machine. The travelling gear itself effects rough positioning, while the frame is positioned more precisely relative to the travelling undercarriage by means of hydraulic cylinders.
Vertical positioning can be effected by means of three cylinders which are controlled, in conjunction with a system of clinometers, by a laser arranged in line with a spirit level.
Horizontal positioning can likewise be effected by means of, for example, a system of magnetic reading heads which control horizontal positioning with the aid of a metal foil strip or wire that has been laid out beforehand.
To vary the width of the core, the tunnel with compaction vibrators can be interchanged.

Claims

1. Machine suitable for the layered placing of upright or sloping dam cores of materials bound with bitumen and/or plastic and/or a natural binder, in a constant or upward-tapering thickness for dams such as barrage dams, and of adjacent transitional material, comprising:

a) a sliding formwork to form the dam core, and containing compacting elements (4) for pre-compaction of the dam core,

b) travelling elements (10) to move the machine while placing the dam, characterized in that it moreover comprises: '

c) a silo (2) from which the core material is placed in the sliding formwork,

d) one or more silos (5) from which the transitional material is placed alongside and against the placed core material,

e) vibrating plates (4), which are located on or in the sliding formwork, for pre-compaction of the core material both vertically and laterally immediately after it has been placed and before the transitional material is placed,

f) vibrating plates (9), which are located at the rear of the machine, for further compaction of the core material and the simultaneous compacting of the transitional material, the sliding formwork still protecting the formed core until and while the placing of the transitional material from the silo(s) (5).

2. Machine as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that it is provided at the rear with conveying worms (8) for driving and removing the transitional material.

3. Machine as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is provided with a covering plate (7) to protect the top of the dam core during placing of the transitional material.

4. Machine as claimed in one or more of claims 1-3, characterized in that the height, breadth and form of the sliding formwork can be varied.

5. Machine as claimed in one or more of claims 1-4, characterized in that positioning is effected by means of a frame construction on and to which the silos (2, 5) for dam core material and transitional material are attached, as are the compaction tunnel and the strike-off bars (3, 6) and worms (8), with fine positioning in the vertical and horizontal direction being effected by means of hydraulic cylinders fitted between frame and chassis.

6. Method for the layered placing of upright or sloping dam cores of materials bound with bitumen and/or plastic and/or a natural binder, in a constant or upward-tapering thickness for dams such as barrage dams, and of adjacent transitional material, characterized in that a machine as claimed in any one of claims 1-5 is used.