EP0603024B1 - Process for construction of transversal passages under rail or roadways - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a method for the construction of a structure, in particular of the type of a passage or tunnel for the circulation of vehicles or pedestrians under a railway or a road, roadway or the like in operation, which avoids having to section this lane or cut this lane even for a short period during the development of the passage, and in particular to have at the support of the lane provisional reinforcement devices of the auxiliary deck type or other, allowing the maintenance of the rail or road traffic without interruption of traffic during the works thus undertaken.

We already know the technique, called "umbrella", which consists of drilling under the track in the slope of the slope which supports it, relatively small diameter holes arranged side by side and extending transversely under the track, these holes allowing the installation of hollow metal tubes into which, if necessary, concrete can be injected so as to form, after hardening thereof, horizontal piles or the like, or else solid rigid sections which thus reinforce the ground by reinforcing that -this under the railway or the road forming above the passage or tunnel to achieve a kind of rigid bed base formed by the juxtaposition of these rigid tubes or profiles, the ground can then be excavated before the realization of the walls of the tunnel without risk of collapse of the track. The box spring thus created may have a planar or curved profile, above the passage or tunnel to be formed transversely in the slope.

We also know the so-called Self-sinking method (trademark registered by the Applicant), which is the subject of EP-A-245,155 and FR-A-418,162, which consists in placing opposite and on the other side of the slope supporting the track two half-abutments or similar works, in the form of identical hollow frames, closed or with a half-U section, prefabricated in reinforced concrete, and whose wheelbase corresponds substantially to the section of the tunnel to be produced, the frontal zones directed towards each other of these frames being preferably partially hollowed out to each form a beak with edges inclined on the vertical, these frames being progressively brought towards each other through the slope by means of traction cables controlled by very high power hydraulic cylinders, the system being arranged so that the two frames move simultaneously towards each other or in turn, one of them being immobilized while the he second moves to the first or vice versa. To this end, these cables are respectively secured to one of the frames and to a jack carried by the other frame so that the forces developed on these cables, by an appropriate mounting of the jacks, cause the frames to penetrate the slope. and their relative displacements from one to the other. The earth from the slope which is in front of the frames as they move towards each other or alternate, is eliminated continuously, until the moment, in the median plane of the structure, parallel to the direction of the track on the above the slope, the two frames meet with contact with their beaks facing each other, these frames then being keyed together in their junction zone to ensure the continuity of the tunnel thus produced under the track.

But in this method of Self-drilling which has many advantages, in particular of efficiency and speed of the installation of the frames under the track through the slope and also of a relatively more limited cost vis-à-vis that entailed by the implementation of other more conventional solutions, it is necessary, for a period of short duration but which nevertheless is not zero, to limit the traffic while the executives are approaching, and / or to put in place auxiliary support decks or stiffeners under this track to prevent it from collapsing when the frames are put in place.

In addition, sometimes turns out another disadvantage. Indeed, because of the displacements of the frames, the part of the ground which is above these and in front of both when they come together under the effect of the traction cables, creates, in spite of the use of means which at best ensure a certain "lubrication" facilitating the penetration of the frames into the slope, an infinity of reaction forces resulting from friction, by producing an intense kneading of the fraction of the attacked ground by the spouts provided at the tip of the two frames and an increase in the volume of soil in front of and above these spouts, these forces having a result which causes a lifting effort on the railroad or the roadway, creating the case irreparable damage to it, which requires immediate repair and a more or less prolonged interruption in traffic, which we first of all want to avoid.

It was therefore envisaged, to avoid this drawback, to first produce an umbrella vault by means of rigid metal tubes or profiles, then to sink under the support base of the track thus produced the two frames, which avoids in principle of stopping traffic and also strengthening the lane, even temporarily. But in this case, there appears another drawback, which makes this combination of the two methods if not impractical, at least such that it severely limits the advantages of both which, far from being cumulative, contradict each other. in part.

Indeed, in a self-drilling carried out under a horizontal shield previously put in place, it is necessary that this shielding and the displacement of the frames are carried out with very high precision, the rigid tubes or profiles having to be permanently supported upstream on the ground. under the track and downstream on one or both frames which progressively move towards each other, in the region which is located under the arch forming the support base.

However, it can be seen that this operation cannot be carried out without certain level shifts occurring between the plane of the horizontal arch and the upper face of the frames. Under these conditions, as and when they enter the slope, following a prior removal of a fraction of the ground in front of each of them before the force exerted on the traction cables makes it possible to advance the corresponding frame over the distance thus cleared, the tubes or sections of the roof are no longer adequately supported, which can lead, under the weight of the railway or the roadway located above the roof, to collapse partial of the field with all the problems already mentioned.

The present invention therefore relates to a method which makes it possible to overcome these drawbacks, by carrying out under an earth embankment carrying the track or pavement, the installation of two frames according to the known self-driving method, as well as that of an umbrella vault forming a support bed above these frames in such a way that any interruption in traffic is avoided, eliminating the reaction forces and the resulting lifting effect of the track and also allowing the vault to be in permanently supported over the entire length of the tubes or profiles that constitute it.

To this end, the process considered is characterized in that it consists in putting in place rigid metal tubes or profiles constituting a horizontal arch forming a support base under the track, simultaneously but gradually with the bringing together of two frames according to the method self-drilling, so that these tubes or profiles are permanently supported and secured to the upper face of the frames and advanced in the ground at the same time as these during their mutual reconciliation until the moment when they come into contact, substantially in the median plane of the slope, the tubes or profiles being further arranged so as to be able to undergo a relative displacement in the direction of their length with respect to the frames which support them as the displacement of these frames.

Preferably, the tubes or profiles carried by the upper face of the frames are movable along their longitudinal axis, parallel to the direction of advance of each frame in the ground, so that the tubes or profiles are driven into the slope on a distance given following a relative sliding with respect to the frame which supports them before the latter advances in turn and so on by a succession of steps alternatives for moving the tubes or profiles and then the corresponding frame.

Advantageously, on the upper face of the frames, there are a plurality of neighboring parallel tubes or profiles, the relative movements of which are controlled relative to the frame simultaneously or in turn.

The invention also relates to a frame for self-drilling, arranged for the implementation of the method, this hollow frame, made of concrete with a flat upper face, is characterized in that it comprises, on its upper face, a plurality of bearings juxtaposed, ensuring the guidance of the tubes or profiles under the effect of a pusher mounted at the rear of the frame and exerting on the end of the tubes or profiles carried by these bearings, a relative axial displacement force with respect to of the frame, according to the direction of advance thereof in the field.

According to a particular characteristic, the jack is carried by a mobile carriage on rails arranged on the upper face of the frame at the rear thereof and extending perpendicular to the direction of advance of this frame in the ground, this carriage being able to be arranged facing each tube or profile in succession so that the pusher exerts on it the force necessary for its penetration into the ground by sliding opposite the frame.

In a particular embodiment, each tube contains a rotary mandrel, actuated in axial displacement by the pusher and in rotation by a mechanism carried by the carriage, this mandrel being provided at the end, opposite the jack, with a tool drilling whose diameter is substantially equal to that of the tube for drilling in the ground a passage just necessary in advance of this tube. Advantageously, each tube once definitively placed under the track can serve as containment for a concrete pile, injected into the tube.

• Les Figure 1 et 2 sont des vues schématiques en coupe transversale d'une voie ferrée aménagée sur un talus dans lequel a été préalablement mise en place une voûte "parapluie", surmontant un ouvrage réalisé en dessous de la voûte pour passer sous la voie.
• La Figure 3 illustre de façon également très schématique un passage réalisé sous une voie ferrée par mise en oeuvre de la méthode d'autofonçage.
• La Figure 4 est une vue analogue à celle illustrée sur la Figure 3 sur laquelle l'un des deux cadres mis en place par autofonçage est représenté avec les moyens permettant d'assurer la formation simultanée d'une voûte parapluie au-dessus de ces cadres.
• La Figure 5 est une vue de détail en coupe transversale, à plus grande échelle, d'une partie de la face supérieure du cadre représenté sur la Figure 4.
• La Figure 6 est une vue également de détail, en coupe longitudinale, de l'extrémité d'un tube supporté par la face supérieure du cadre de la Figure 4.
• La Figure 7 est une vue de dessus du cadre illustré sur la Figure 4.
• La Figure 8 est une vue à coupe transversale du cadre selon la Figure 7.

Other characteristics of the method according to the invention as well as means and in particular of a framework to be put in place by self-drilling under a pre-existing railroad or roadway, simultaneously with the formation of a vault made up of parallel tubes or profiles , will also appear through the following description of an exemplary embodiment, given by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the appended drawings in which:

• Figures 1 and 2 are schematic cross-sectional views of a railway track fitted on an embankment in which an "umbrella" arch has previously been put in place, surmounting a structure produced below the arch to pass under the track.
• Figure 3 also illustrates very schematically a passage made under a railroad track by implementing the self-driving method.
• Figure 4 is a view similar to that illustrated in Figure 3 in which one of the two frames in place by self-drilling is shown with the means for ensuring the simultaneous formation of an umbrella vault above these frames .
• FIG. 5 is a detail view in cross section, on a larger scale, of a part of the upper face of the frame shown in FIG. 4.
• FIG. 6 is also a detail view, in longitudinal section, of the end of a tube supported by the upper face of the frame of FIG. 4.
• Figure 7 is a top view of the frame illustrated in Figure 4.
• Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of the frame according to Figure 7.

In FIG. 1, the reference 1 schematically designates a fraction of a railroad track or the like, this latter being able to be constituted as well by a motorway or other roadway. The rails 2 of the track 1 rest via spans 3 on a ballast (not shown) which itself rests on the ground or ground 4 of an embankment 5. Under the track, is produced by a method any conventional passage 6 delimited by a structure 7 with concrete walls 8. In the ground 4 located between the track 1 and the upper wall of the structure 7, is arranged a vault, called "umbrella" vault 9, formed by a plurality of metal tubes or sections 10 which extend transversely under the track, forming under the latter a sort of support base.

In FIG. 1, the arch 9 has a curved profile above the structure 7. In FIG. 2, the arch 9 extends substantially horizontally under the track 1. In both cases, however, the realization of the structure 7 requires to cut the track 1 to be able to remove the ground 4 from the slope 5 at the place where the structure must be laid out, to build the latter in the excavation by placing concrete walls 8, to cover the upper face of the structure with the ground, to set up in it the vault 9 before the track 1 is finally reconstituted. This results in a sometimes very long interruption of traffic on the track, which in certain circumstances is particularly harmful.

Figure 3 illustrates very schematically the process of implementation of the method known as Self-drilling, which consists in a very general way of making penetrate into the ground 4 of the slope 5 under the track 1 two concrete frames, respectively 11 and 12, whose section and the wheelbase correspond substantially to those of the structure 7 to be produced under track 1 through the embankment, these precast concrete frames, each having a front end in the shape of a beak 13 whose edge is inclined to the horizontal, these frames being associated to traction cables, respectively 14 and 15, making it possible to gradually bring them closer to one another in terrain 4 under the effect of mutual traction exerted on the cables by means of jacks 16 and 17, up to when the spouts 13 of these two frames meet substantially in the median plane of the slope, the two frames then being keyed together so as to ensure the continuity of the passage 6 under the track 1.

The implementation of this method is well known and has been described in particular in the aforementioned French patents of the Applicant, the relative advance of each of the frames 11 and 12 under the effect of the traction exerted on the cables 14 and 15 can be performed simultaneously or alternately. In this second case, one of the frames, for example the frame 12 in FIG. 3, is immobilized with respect to the ground 18, possibly by means of fastening members 19 placed temporarily while, in front of the other frame 11, from the inside thereof, part of the earth 4 from the slope is removed to form a clear area 20, in which this frame 11 can then be pulled by force on the cables 14 and 15 by means of jacks 16 and 17 carried by the other frame 12 and so on until the two frames meet and are finally immobilized.

In this solution, means are used to allow a progressive sliding of the two frames 11 and 12 in the terrain 4 of the slope 5, ensuring a kind of lubrication, in particular in the areas of the frames which rub on the terrain. However, it may happen that, in front of the spout 13 of each of them, the ground is strongly kneaded, and pushed back by creating an increase in volume which risks producing a lifting phenomenon of the railway track 1 or of the roadway s 'extending over the top of the slope 5, due to the reaction force of the friction forces, shown diagrammatically by the arrows 21.

To overcome this drawback, it is therefore desirable to install in the slope 5, between the frames 11 and 12 in mutual proximity and the track 1, a box spring or a vault of the kind illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, which will allow to stiffen the assembly and to control and absorb these reaction forces while avoiding any lifting of the track.

However, if the vault thus envisaged is put in place before the two frames are themselves dark towards each other, the need to clear the ground as the frames advance, risks lead to a collapse of the vault and as a result of the track, which is obviously inadmissible.

The invention therefore aims to set up a vault or box spring of the aforementioned kind which is carried out simultaneously with the displacement of the frames, so that the rigid tubes or sections which constitute this vault are permanently supported and supported, on the one hand on the ground in front of the frames as and when they advance in the embankment and on the other hand on these frames themselves, thus progressively following their own movement.

Figure 4 illustrates such an embodiment. In this figure, we find one of the two frames necessary for the implementation of the self-drilling method, here the frame 11 with its traction cables 14 and 15, and the jacks 16 and 17 allowing to exert the necessary forces on these cables, to lead, by controlled reaction, to the progressive advancement of the frame as recalled above.

But in this case, the upper face 22 of the frame is arranged to allow the support and the movement with the frame of the elements intended to constitute the vault, in this case a plurality of parallel tubes 23, these being fixed on the above the face 22 so as to be able to undergo with respect to the latter a relative displacement parallel to their axial direction, corresponding to that of the displacement of the frame 11 in the slope 5.

To this end, each tube 23 is carried by at least one, preferably several bearings 24, having the form of support cradles carried by the upper face 22 of the frame 11, the end of this tube opposite to that which enters the terrain 4, located at the rear of the frame being provided to cooperate with a hydraulic pusher device 25, making it possible to exert sufficient force on the tube so that it sinks into the terrain in its axial direction, in front of the nose 13 of the frame over a sufficient distance.

The hydraulic plunger 25, in particular constituted by a conventional jack system and the detail of which is not directly relevant to the invention, comprises a heel 26 immobilized on a support sole 27 provided in the rear part of the face 22. In addition, this pusher is advantageously arranged to allow free passage, in the axis of the tube 23 on which it exerts the force necessary to make it penetrate into the ground 4, of a mandrel 28 capable of being animated. a rotational movement in the axis of the tube under the effect of a drive mechanism 29 also carried by the support heel 26 behind the pusher 25. The mandrel 28 further comprises at its opposite end, beyond the tube 23 in its part which penetrates into the ground 4, a drilling head 30, arranged to make in the latter a hole 34 of appropriate size so that the tube can engage under the effect of the pusher.

Figures 5 and 6 illustrate in more detail the structure of a tube 23 and the mandrel 28 mounted in the axis of this tube with for example articulation at the end of this mandrel around an axis 31 of a lug cutting 32, the position of which can be modified using a control rod 33, so that the mandrel 28 can slide freely in the tube until it emerges at the end of the latter, the lug 32 then being straightened and put in the working position to drill the hole 34 in the ground 4.

According to the invention, for each position of the frame 11 prior to the removal of the ground in front of it in the area 20 freeing the space necessary for the limited movement of the frame, the mandrel 28 by its end lug 32 cleaning in the ground 4 in front of the frame the hole 34. Once this has been done, the pusher 25 advances the tube 23 in this hole, the mandrel and its lug having been previously retracted. In the following phase, the ground is evacuated by the interior of the frame in zone 20, to a depth sufficient to allow the advance of the frame over a determined distance. During this operation, however, the tube 23 placed in the hole 34 remains perfectly supported, in front by the ground around the hole, behind by the face 22 of the frame 11. Once the frame has been advanced, the process is resumed with return of the mandrel 28 in the tube, exit at the end of the latter from the drilling pin 32, continued formation of the hole 34 in front of the tube 23, new displacement of this tube under the effect of the pusher 25, then further advance of the frame 11 after clearing of the zone 20, and so on until the two frames meet.

In the final position, the tubes 23 which correspond to the two frames 11 and 12 also meet in the median plane 35 of the slope 5 where they can be joined to one another by welding or other usual method of connection.

FIG. 7 represents a top view of the frame 11 carrying the tubes 23 intended to constitute the umbrella vault to be fitted inside the terrain 4 constituting the slope 5 above the passage delimited by the two frames placed opposite by self-sinking as recalled above.

As can be seen in this figure, the vault is constituted by a plurality of neighboring tubes 23, extending parallel to each other on the upper face 22 of the frame 11, each of these tubes being advanced alternately with the proper movement of the frame. The pusher 25 which makes it possible to exercise on each tube 23 the movement of movement which brings the latter into the corresponding hole 34, as and when successive displacements of this tube and of the frame, is carried by a carriage 35 capable of move transversely on rails 36 carried by the sole 27 provided in the rear part of the upper face 22 of the frame 11 so that the pusher 25 can be brought, successively, to the right of each tube to push it individually in the associated hole 34, previously made in the slope 5 by the mandrel 28 carried by each of these tubes and the drilling head 30 mounted at the end of this mandrel. By moving the carriage 35 on its rails 36, the pusher 25 can thus be disposed behind each of the tubes and move the latter before that, all the tubes being advanced, the movement of the frame 11 is not controlled.

Once the vault thus formed by all of the tubes 23, these can advantageously be filled with liquid concrete injected under pressure to constitute piles which, after hardening, ensure greater rigidity of the vault.

According to the invention, it is thus possible to ensure the installation of an umbrella vault, simultaneously and as and when the advance of the hollow concrete frames forming the passage under the track and whose displacements are obtained by the process self-drilling in itself known. The tubes which form this vault are permanently supported by the ground remaining in place and by one or the other of the two frames in relative approximation, avoiding any possibility of bending of the ground towards the excavated area carried out permanently in front of the frames to authorize their advance, as well as the lifting of the ground by these frames, the efforts created being entirely taken up by the arch as it is created and its location under the track.

Of course, it goes without saying that the invention is not limited to the example described and shown but on the contrary embraces all variants. In particular and as illustrated in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 8, it is understood that after the vault formed by the set of tubes 23 extending horizontally over the top of the upper face 22 of the frame 11 has been put in place, it is also possible to have, along the lateral sides of this frame, other tubes such as 37, capable of reinforcing the terrain 4 and of preventing any collapse of the latter once the frame is in place, in particular by self-drilling.

Furthermore, if in the example described in relation to the preceding figures, it has always been a question of a tube or of several tubular elements, able to be introduced into as many corresponding holes 34 under the effect of the pusher 25, it is clear that these tubes could be replaced by metal profiles or other similar parts, ensuring the rigidity of the vault.

Claims (7)

1. Process for the construction of transversal passages (6) under rail or roadways (1) supported on an embankment (5) by means of two hollow frames (11, 12) positioned against one another according to the method of autosinking, in which the two frames are brought together respectively and progressively by means of traction cables (14, 15) connected to these frames and pulled by actuating drives (16, 17) supported by the latter, characterised in that it comprises progressively positioning the tubes (23) or rigid metal sections constituting a horizontal arch (9) forming a support beam under the road or railway simultaneously with the bringing together of the two frames, so that the tubes or sections are permanently supported and secured to the upper surface (22) of the frames and advanced into the ground (4) at the same time as the latter while they being brought together up to the point where they come into contact approximately in the median plane (35) of the embankment, the tubes or sections being arranged so that they can be displaced relatively in their longitudinal direction relative to the frames which support them during the displacement of the frames.
2. Process according to claim 1, characterised in that the tubes (23) or sections borne by the upper surface (22) of the frames (11, 12) are mobile in their longitudinal axis parallel to the advancing direction of each frame in the ground (4), so that said tubes or sections are sunk into the embankment at a given distance consecutively to a relative sliding in relation to the frame which supports them before the latter advances in turn in a succession of alternating stages of displacement of the tubes or sections and then of the corresponding frame.
3. Process according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterised in that a plurality of parallel adjacent tubes (23) or sections are disposed on the upper face (22) of the frames, the relative displacements in relation to the frame of which are controlled simultaneously or in turn.
4. Frame for autosinking for performing the process according to any one of claims 1 to 3, said frame (11) being hollow and made of concrete with a plane upper surface (22), characterised in that it comprises on its upper surface a plurality of juxtaposed bearings (24) for guiding the tubes (23) or sections with a pushing device (25), mounted at the rear of the frame and exerting on the end of the tubes or sections borne by said bearings, a displacement force axial to the frame in the advancing direction of the latter in the ground (4).
5. Frame according to claim 4, characterised in that the pushing device (25) is mounted on a moving carriage (35) on rails (36) arranged on the upper face (22) of the frame (11) at the rear of the latter and extending perpendicularly in the advancing direction of said frame in the ground, said carriage being able to be arranged successively opposite each tube (23) or section so that the actuating drive can exert thereon the force required for its penetration into the ground (4) by sliding relative to the upper face (22) of the frame.
6. Frame according to claim 5, characterised in that each tube (23) contains a rotating chuck (28) operated in axial displacement by the pushing device (25) and in rotation by a mechanism (29) carried by the carriage (35), said chuck being equipped at the end opposite to the pushing device with a drilling tool (30) the diameter of which is almost equal to that of the tube, to drill an exact hole (34) into the ground which is necessary for the advance of said tube.
7. Frame according to one of claims 4 to 6, characterised in that each tube (23) once positioned permanently under the road or railway (1) can contain a concrete pile injected into the tube.

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