EP1936042B1 - Self-sealing material for sealing floor areas - Google Patents

Abstract

The automatic sealing material has multiple dried ball shaped bodies, which consist of a mixture of clayey earth matter and a source material (14) intumescent in contact with water. The sealing material is granulate shaped, and the diameter or the equivalent diameter of the multiple bodies lies approximately within the range of 1 to 70 millimeter. Bentonite powder, bentonite pearl and bentonite pellets are the source materials. Independent claims are also included for the following: (1) a method for the production of an automatic sealing material for the sealing of floor spaces (2) a device for the production of an automatic sealing material.

Description

The present invention relates to a self-sealing pourable sealing material for in-situ waterproofing of underwater surfaces such as sills and embankments of canals or the like, a method of manufacturing the same and a method for in situ waterproofing of underfloor surfaces such as Soles and slopes of channels or the like, in which a clayey mass of material is first prepared for homogenization and then applied to the bottom surface.

From the DE 198 36 818 C2 is a method for sealing of ground surfaces, especially under water, such as soles and embankments of channels or the like, in which a clayey Erdereinisierung first prepared for homogenization and then applied to the bottom surface known. More specifically, in the known method, the processed clayey earth mass is divided into a plurality of three-dimensional bodies, the bodies thus produced are applied to the bottom surface and the body located on the bottom surface is processed so that the plurality of three-dimensional bodies deform into a dense layer.

The known method is quite time consuming and thus expensive by the processing step.

The EP-A-0 684 296 relates to the sealing of natural soils or sands and discloses a swellable smectite sealant layer. The smectite sealant layer has a mixture of smectite and low-swelling clay minerals. In addition, the swellable smectite sealant layer contains a nonionic organic water-retaining agent. The smectite serves as a swelling agent to reduce the water permeability and thus to the filling of existing cavities.

The EP-A-0 684 344 Meets the sealing of landfills, petrol stations and water pipes. The sealing material used for this purpose contains at least one sealing layer between geotextile layers. An organfilmer smectite swells on contact with organic liquids. The resulting swelling pressure leads to the filling of interstices in the sealing layer and thus to a compaction, whereby a barrier layer is formed, which prevents the penetration of organic liquid.

The EP-A-0 716 806 is directed to highly porous granules for use as animal litter. It consists of a highly swellable material and a liquid-receiving and -haltenden material.

The invention is therefore based on the object to enable a less time-consuming sealing of floor surfaces under water, such as soles and slopes of channels or the like.

According to the invention this object is achieved by a self-sealing pourable sealing material for in-situ sealing of underwater surfaces, such as soles and slopes of channels or the like, comprising a plurality of three-dimensional, preferably disc or plate-shaped bodies, each of a homogenized Mixture of clayey mass of material and at least one swelling on contact with water source material. With the clayey mass of material it may be, preferably processed, clay. The source material may consist, for example, of bentonite powder, bentonite beads or bentonite pellets.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, this object is achieved by a method for producing a self-sealing pourable sealing material for in-situ sealing of underwater surfaces, such as soles and slopes of channels or the like, characterized in that clayey bulk material with the addition of is homogenized at least one swelling on contact with water source material, the resulting material is compacted and formed into a plurality of three-dimensional bodies.

Furthermore, this object is achieved according to a further aspect by a method for in-situ sealing of underwater surfaces, such as soles and slopes of channels or the like, in which a clayey mass of material is first prepared for homogenization and then applied to the bottom surface, characterized in that, when homogenizing the clayey mass of material, at least one swellable source material upon contact with water is added, the resulting material is formed into a plurality of three-dimensional bodies, the shaped bodies are applied to the ground surface and at least one protective layer is applied to the applied bodies becomes. The prepared mass of material can be mixed with the source material on site, that is at the construction site, or in advance. The protective layer also serves as a ballast layer. The three-dimensional bodies may, for example, have cube shape, cuboid shape, disk shape, lens shape, barley grain shape or the like.

In the method for producing a self-sealing pourable sealing material, provision may be made for the bodies thus formed to be dried.

Furthermore, in the method for producing a self-sealing pourable sealing material, it may be provided that the resulting material is compacted and formed into a plurality of three-dimensional bodies. The three-dimensional bodies may, for example, have cube shape, cuboid shape, disk shape, lens shape, barley grain shape or the like.

Furthermore, the three-dimensional body can be dried by means of hot air or microwaves.

In particular, the three-dimensional bodies can be dried on a Rüttelrost.

Advantageously, the three-dimensional bodies are disk-shaped or platelet-shaped. Thus, the three-dimensional body for installation in the embankment area are particularly suitable and can thus achieve high storage densities.

In the method for in situ sealing of floor surfaces may be provided that the thus formed bodies are dried before they are applied to the bottom surface.

Furthermore, it can be provided that the at least one source material is bentonite powder, bentonite beads or bentonite pellets.

Advantageously, the three-dimensional bodies are disk-shaped or platelet-shaped.

Furthermore, it can be provided that the or at least one protective layer is a filter layer or a layer of water bricks.

According to a particular embodiment of the invention can be provided that directly on the layer of the molded bodies, a release layer, preferably from Tonschnitzeln applied.

According to a further particular embodiment of the invention, the bottom surface is a channel sole, the planum is prepared before applying the shaped body to the channel sole and a release layer, preferably made of clay chips, applied to the planum.

The invention is based on the surprising finding that a self-sealing seal or source seal is achieved through the use of swelling material, as a result of which a subsequent processing step can be dispensed with. When installing the sealing layer there are no hollow layers between, for example, a channel bottom and the sealing layer, since the individual bodies or shaped bodies adapt to the channel bottom.

The independent application of the horizontal swelling action avoids working and butt joints in the surface seal.

An application to existing structures, sheet piles or existing seals, in particular clay seals, takes place automatically without manual or mechanical reworking.

The surface seal has a self-healing effect in case of damage or subsidence.

There is an individual adaptation to the requirements of the construction measure with respect to the sealing speed and the thickness of the body, in particular moldings.

By means of the present invention, the production of large sealed surfaces in a short construction time and with little manpower and machinery is possible.

Figur 1

ein Beispiel für ein selbstdichtendes Abdichtungsmaterial im Laufe des Quellens jeweils in einer perspektivischen Ansicht von oben und in Schnittansicht zeigt;

Figur 2

eine Schnittansicht im Bereich einer Kanalsohle mit einer Abdichtung aus einem Abdichtungsmaterial gemäß einer besonderen Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung vor dem Quellen zeigt;

Figur 3

eine Ansicht wie Figur 2, jedoch nach dem Quellen zeigt;

Figur 4

eine Ansicht wie Figur 3, jedoch im Bereich eines Bauwerks bzw. einer Spundbohle zeigt;

Figur 5

eine Vorrichtung zum Aufbringen eines selbstdichtenden Abdichtungsmaterials zeigt; und

Figur 6

eine weitere Seitenansicht der Vorrichtung von Figur 5 zeigt.

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the claims and the following description, in which embodiments of the present invention are explained in detail with reference to the schematic drawings, in which:

FIG. 1

shows an example of a self-sealing sealing material in the course of swelling respectively in a perspective view from above and in sectional view;

FIG. 2

a sectional view in the region of a channel sole with a seal of a sealing material according to a particular embodiment of the present invention prior to swelling;

FIG. 3

a view like FIG. 2 but according to the sources shows;

FIG. 4

a view like FIG. 3 , but in the area of a building or a sheet pile shows;

FIG. 5

shows a device for applying a self-sealing sealing material; and

FIG. 6

another side view of the device of FIG. 5 shows.

FIG. 1 shows a disc-shaped body 10, which consists of clay 12 and thus mixed source material 14. The source material 14 may be made of, for example, bentonite beads consist. The body 10 may be dried and solid. Upon contact with water (not shown), the source material 14 begins to swell. In FIG. 1 is shown from top to bottom, as the source material 14 begins to swell and is getting bigger.

The bodies 10 may have different shapes depending on the location and condition of use. The body 10 is made by homogenizing natural clay and adding source material so as to give an even distribution in the clay mass, followed by densification and special shaping. Immediately after production, the bodies are dried by means of hot air or microwaves on a Rüttelrost so far that a bonding of the individual body 10 is prevented and a low-deformation transport and storage is made possible. In addition, the drying process stops the swelling process of the source material.

Although the size of the body 10 depends on the conditions of the individual case, as small a body as possible is always desired in order to achieve the highest possible storage density of the body in a surface seal.

FIG. 2 shows a sectional view in the region of a channel bottom 16. On the channel base 16, the planum 18 is made. To avoid mixing with the upcoming sands of the channel bottom 16, the installation of a separating layer 20 of clay chips takes place. On it is a multiplicity of in FIG. 1 shown body 10 applied in the form of a sealing layer 22. Above the sealing layer 22, a further separating layer 24 made of clay chips is applied in order to prevent mixing with the subsequent filter layers 26 and 28. On the filter layer 28 is then applied a layer 30 of water bricks. The filter layers 26 and 28 and the layer 30 simultaneously serve as ballast layers.

When the bodies 10 are brought to the position to be sealed, which may be several thousand bodies per square meter depending on the size, the bodies 10 arrive their surface with water in contact and become plastic. The outer bentonite beads incorporated in the bodies 10 as the source material 14 begin to absorb water. As a result, the bodies 10 increase in volume (see FIG. 3 ) and begin to self-seal the surface to be sealed. Due to the further progress of water absorption of the body 10, these are constantly plastic, so that the swelling process continues to progress.

Immediately after the installation of the sealing layer 22, the further layers 24, 26, 28 and 30 are applied as required. The ballast layers cause a mechanical vertical pre-compaction of the sealing layer 22.

The water, which now penetrates further into the sealing layer 22, is continuously absorbed by the source material 14 in the bodies 10, so that an increase in volume of the bodies 10 occurs continuously (see FIG. 3 ). The bodies 10 wedge and seal the surface hydraulically in the horizontal position (see FIG. 3 ). The expansion of the body 10 can only take place in the horizontal, since vertically the surface is ballasted. Thus, a seal on existing structures, sheet piles and clay surfaces is possible without mechanical post-processing is required.

After the upper bodies 10 have sealed the upper surface to be sealed due to the volume increase and further penetration of water is prevented, the lower portion of the sealing layer 22 is prevented from further reacting with the water, so that the swelling operation is interrupted. However, this lower area still has further unused source potential.

If mechanical damage or subsidence cracks occur in the upper region of the sealing layer 22, the lower region of the sealing layer 22 is capable of self-sealing these damages, since the latter still has source potential.

In addition, with this method of sealing a repair of large-scale damage is also easily possible.

By dosing the source material and sound components as well as the size and strength of the body 10, the swelling volume and the swelling speed can be adjusted. Thus, the seal with bodies 10 or moldings made of clay can be individually adapted to the requirements of the individual construction measure.

FIG. 4 shows the sealing situation in the area of a building or a sheet pile 32. The sealing layer 22 is applied to the sheet pile 32 automatically.

In the Figures 5 and 6 a device 34 for applying the body 10 is shown as a sealing layer. Said device also serves to apply the separating and filtering layers. Said device 34 has, in addition to a chute 36 for bulk material 38, a bulk material guide device made of a water-permeable and flexible material, in the present case chain mats 40 and 42. The chain mats 40 and 42 extend vertically parallel to each other on two opposite sides of the device 34. More specifically, they extend at right angles to two oppositely disposed floats 44 and 46. The chain mats are rollable on and secured to support rollers 48 and 50. By means of the retaining rollers 48, 50 they can be discharged more or less far down depending on the need and depth of the water 54. By Schüttgutleiteinrichtung prevents the bulk material drifts from the proposed bulk corridor and thus can not be positioned accurately positioned. According to the requirements of the installation accuracy and peculiarities of the construction site, chain mats can be mounted on all sides of the pouring facility, so that they form a bulk corridor.

In FIG. 5 the device 34 is still next to the point with built-bulk material 52 from the three-dimensional bodies described above, while in FIG. 6 is arranged above the built bulk 52.

The features of the invention disclosed in the present description, in the drawings and in the claims may be essential both individually and in any desired combinations for the realization of the invention in its various embodiments.

Claims (14)

1. Self-sealing pourable sealing material for in-situ sealing of ground areas under water (54), such as for example bases (16) and side slopes of canals or similar, comprising a plurality of three-dimensional, preferably disc or plate-shaped bodies (10) each consisting of a homogenised mixture of clayey earth material and at least one swelling material (14) which swells on contact with water (54).
2. Method of producing a self-sealing pourable sealing material according to claim 1 for in-situ sealing of ground areas under water (54), such as for example bases (16) and side slopes of canals or similar,
   characterised in that
   the clayey earth material is homogenised by the addition of at least one swelling material (14) which swells on contact with water (54),
   the resulting material is compressed and formed into a plurality of three-dimensional bodies (10).
3. Method according to claim 2, characterised in that the bodies (10) thus formed are dried.
4. Method according to claim 2 or 3, characterised in that the resulting material is compressed and formed into the plurality of three-dimensional bodies (10).
5. Method according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterised in that the three-dimensional bodies (10) are dried by means of hot air or microwaves.
6. Method according to one of claims 2 to 5, characterised in that the three-dimensional bodies (10) are dried on a vibratory grid.
7. Method according to one of claims 2 to 6, characterised in that the three-dimensional bodies (10) are disc or plate-shaped.
8. Method for in-situ sealing of ground areas under water (54), such as for example bases (16) and side slopes of canals or similar, in which a clayey earth material is firstly prepared for homogenisation and then applied onto the ground area,
   characterised in that
   during homogenisation of the clayey earth material at least one swelling material (14) which swells on contact with water (54) is added, the resulting material is formed into a plurality of three-dimensional bodies (10),
   the bodies (10) so formed are applied onto the ground area and at least one protective layer is applied onto the bodies (10) so placed.
9. Method according to claim 8, characterised in that the bodies (10) so formed are dried before being applied onto the ground area.
10. Method according to claim 7 or 8, characterised in that the at least one swelling material (14) is bentonite powder, bentonite pearls or bentonite pellets.
11. Method according to one of claims 7 to 10, characterised in that the three-dimensional bodies (10) are disc or plate-shaped.
12. Method according to one of claims 8 to 11, characterised in that the, or at least one, protective layer is a filter layer (26, 28) or a layer (30) of hydraulic engineering bricks.
13. Method according to one of claims 8 to 12, characterised in that a separation layer (24), preferably made from clay chips, is applied directly onto the layer (30) consisting of the formed bodies (10).
14. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the ground area is a canal base (16), and prior to application of the formed bodies (10) onto the canal base (16), the bed (18) is created and a separation layer (20), preferably made from clay chips, is applied onto the bed (18).

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