EP4665951A1 - Equipment for supporting and moving formworks for building tunnels - Google Patents

Equipment for supporting and moving formworks for building tunnels

Info

Publication number
EP4665951A1
EP4665951A1 EP24707917.1A EP24707917A EP4665951A1 EP 4665951 A1 EP4665951 A1 EP 4665951A1 EP 24707917 A EP24707917 A EP 24707917A EP 4665951 A1 EP4665951 A1 EP 4665951A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
equipment
support
piece
formworks
support element
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Pending
Application number
EP24707917.1A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Inventor
Michele MANCINI
Roberto Roberto
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Sointek Srl
Original Assignee
Sointek Srl
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Sointek Srl filed Critical Sointek Srl
Publication of EP4665951A1 publication Critical patent/EP4665951A1/en
Pending legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
    • E21D—SHAFTS; TUNNELS; GALLERIES; LARGE UNDERGROUND CHAMBERS
    • E21D11/00—Lining tunnels, galleries or other underground cavities, e.g. large underground chambers; Linings therefor; Making such linings in situ, e.g. by assembling
    • E21D11/40—Devices or apparatus specially adapted for handling or placing units of linings or supporting units for tunnels or galleries

Definitions

  • the present invention concerns a piece of equipment for supporting and handling formworks, in particular for producing the internal lining of tunnels.
  • the invention relates to a piece of equipment configured to move the formworks along the excavation to produce the various sections of the internal lining, but also to support said formworks during the casting step, i.e., to receive and transfer to the ground the entire load generated by the pressure of the concrete casting on the formworks.
  • the internal lining layer of tunnels is produced using formworks that reproduce the internal surface of the tunnel.
  • These formworks comprise panels placed side by side with one another in radial or transverse direction with respect to the direction of extension or axis of the tunnel.
  • the internal lining is formed by several contiguous sections produced one after another. After the casting of one section has been completed, the formworks are then moved along the tunnel to produce the next section.
  • a first “conventional” piece of equipment comprises a gantry structure provided with wheels that can move along guides or tracks fixed to the ground.
  • a support frame is mounted on said gantry structure, to support the various sections of formworks that form the vault section of the tunnel to be cast.
  • the load generated by the concrete casting is transferred from the formworks to the frame and from the latter to the gantry structure, which thus acts as load-bearing structural element.
  • Examples of equipment of this type are, for example, described in EP 3309358 B l, EP
  • support and adjustment devices known as “wedge boxes” or equivalent means are used; these are generally arranged every 75 cm of length of the piece of equipment in the direction of extension of the tunnel. Through these support devices, the load is transferred from the structure to the ground.
  • Pieces of equipment known as “self-supporting formworks” are known and widely used in the field. These pieces of equipment are “made-to-measure” for the specific construction work being produced and generally comprise a support structure, known as “formwork turret ”, to which the various formwork sections are connected. These pieces of equipment are provided with hydraulic devices to move the formwork sections between the arming and disarming positions.
  • selfreacting formworks Structures that are similar in concept to self-supporting formworks are known as “selfreacting formworks”. Unlike the two types described above, these pieces of equipment have a structure that does not require anchoring of the wing formworks. Nonetheless, self-reacting formworks also require the use of wedge boxes arranged under the wing formworks for the arming and disarming operations of the piece of equipment.
  • the object of the present invention is to provide a piece of equipment for supporting and handling formworks that overcomes the limits of the prior art.
  • the object of the present invention is to produce a piece of equipment for supporting and handling formworks that allows the operations for positioning and the manoeuvres for arming and disarming to be carried out in a manner that is simple, fast and safe for the operators.
  • the object of the present invention is to produce an automated piece of equipment that does not require manual intervention by the operator during the steps to adjust the position of the formworks and to arm and disarm them.
  • Another object of the present invention is to produce a piece of equipment that can be adapted and reutilized with different design geometries required, able to adapt both in longitudinal direction, to support formworks of different length, and in transverse direction.
  • a further object of the present invention is to provide a piece of equipment for supporting and handling formworks that allows any ground deformation or subsidence to be compensated, during translation and positioning of the formwork prior to casting.
  • Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a piece of equipment for supporting and handling formworks that is simpler and less costly with respect to those of the prior art. These objects are achieved by a piece of equipment for supporting and handling formworks intended for tunnel construction, in conformity with claim 1.
  • said piece of equipment comprises at least one pair of supports provided with rolling means and a frame, mounted on said supports, adapted to support one or more formworks.
  • two pieces of equipment according to the invention are used to support a gantry structure movable along the tunnel and on which the formworks are installed.
  • Each of the two pieces of equipment according to the invention is thus placed under the uprights of said gantry structure to form a movable formwork.
  • each support comprises a body that includes a chamber in which a piston, integral with a stem, is slidably housed.
  • the upper end of the stem is fixed to the frame, while the lower end of the body is connected integral with a support element adapted to rest on the ground.
  • Said support element has a lower end defining a support surface for resting on the ground.
  • the chamber can be supplied with a pressurized hydraulic fluid to control the displacement of the piston along a substantially vertical axis.
  • the rolling elements are connected to the body of the support, more precisely at the lower end of said part.
  • Said rolling means are mounted on the body of the support in a movable manner, i.e., they can be moved between an extended (or operating) position, in which they protrude at least partially, downwards, beyond the support surface of the lower end of the support element, and a retracted position, in which they are completely above said support surface.
  • the movement of the rolling means is controlled by at least one actuator, preferably hydraulic.
  • the rolling means of the support are in contact with the ground while the support element is raised. Instead, in the retracted position said rolling means are raised and the support element is in contact with the ground.
  • the rolling means when the rolling means are in the extended position, i.e., resting on the ground, they allow the whole structure to be moved along the axis of the tunnel.
  • the support element in contact with the ground, can transfer both the weight of the whole of the structure above and the thrust exerted by the casting to the ground.
  • the piston has a stroke such as to allow the vertical movement of the structure from the transport position, in which the formworks are lowered by a few tens of centimetres with respect to the vault of the tunnel, to the arming position, and vice versa.
  • the piston has a stroke typically between 50 mm and 1000 mm, preferably between 100 mm and 500 mm.
  • the pistons supply a thrust generally between 150 kN and 500kN.
  • the body of the support is slidably mounted on a guide element integral with the frame.
  • said guide element comprises a tube, open at least at the lower end, in which the body is housed.
  • the body of the support and the guide element have a circular plan section, i.e., they both have a substantially circular shape.
  • said guide element also acts as structural element through which the load from the frame is transferred during casting.
  • the body of the support and the guide element have the function of the wedge boxes of conventional systems.
  • Said elements are sized so as to support loads generally between 1500 kN and 2500 kN.
  • the locking device comprises a threaded ring nut, which can be screwed, manually or automatically, onto a threaded section of the body, adapted to abut a stop zone of the guide element, preferably a lower end edge of said guide element.
  • the locking device comprises a sensor for detecting contact or proximity of the ring nut with the stop zone of the guide element. In this way, it is possible to check that the locking device is effectively operating, i.e., that the pistons are “unloaded”, before casting the concrete.
  • a centring element is interposed between the stem of the piston and the support element.
  • Said centring element allows any misalignments between the stem of the piston and the support element, for example due to the position of said support element when it is in contact with the ground, to be compensated, eliminating or reducing any lateral forces that might weigh on the stem.
  • the wheel assemblies are arranged so that the respective wheels are preferably aligned along a longitudinal direction of the support device, i.e., along a direction of movement, which is substantially parallel to the axis of extension of the tunnel when the piece of equipment is in use.
  • said wheel assemblies can be configured to rotate with respect to an axis parallel to the axis of the piston, for example to move the piece of equipment in curved sections of the tunnel.
  • the wheel assemblies are mounted on the support element in a rotatable manner so as to move the respective wheels between the extended (or operating) position, in which they protrude at least partially downward beyond the support surface of the lower end of the support element, and the retracted position, in which they are completely above said support surface.
  • each wheel assembly comprises a fork on which a wheel is rotatably mounted, the forks of the two wheel assemblies being hinged on a bracket connected to the support element.
  • the rolling means further comprise at least one actuator, typically hydraulic, the ends of which are connected to respective upper appendages of the forks of the two wheel assemblies.
  • the configuration of the forks and of the actuator is such that the extension and the contraction of the actuator cause the rotation (swivelling) of the forks around the respective pivot points on the bracket.
  • This rotation of the forks causes the variation in height of the wheels.
  • the rolling means comprise a pair of actuators arranged side by side and parallel, each interposed between the appendages of the two forks.
  • said bracket is slidably mounted on the support element along a transverse or lateral direction, i.e., parallel to the axis of rotation of the wheels.
  • the lateral movement of the bracket allows the transverse position of the structure to be adjusted so as to ensure centring of the formworks with respect to the casting to be produced.
  • an actuator for example hydraulic or electric, is provided for controlling the transverse movement of the bracket with respect to the support element.
  • the piece of equipment can comprise at least one sensor for measuring the movement (sliding) of the body of the support with respect to the guide element, i.e., indirectly, the stroke of the piston.
  • Said sensor is preferably housed in the chamber of the body in which the piston moves, for example it is a linear position transducer.
  • the piece of equipment is provided with a hydraulic circuit for controlling the passage of a hydraulic fluid entering and exiting the chamber for displacement of the piston.
  • This hydraulic circuit is managed by a control unit, such as a PLC or equivalent computer device.
  • the piston of each support is controllable independently of the others via solenoid valves or other equivalent control means.
  • Said control unit is further connected to the various sensors with which the piece of equipment is provided.
  • the piece of equipment is provided with electronic level sensors configured to monitor the orientation in space (i.e., levelling) of the structure during its movement between two casting positions and during positioning for casting concrete.
  • control unit is configured to receive the data measured by said level sensors and is able to control and automatically correct levelling of the formwork mounted on the structure by means of the pistons.
  • the piece of equipment can comprise load sensors for detecting the load that weighs on the support, especially during the casting step.
  • control unit is configured to receive the data measured by said load sensors and to notify of any subsidence of the support surface under said supports and/or variations of the load outside tolerance ranges.
  • Said load sensors can, for example, be load cells, pressure sensors on the hydraulic circuit that supplies the chambers, or similar.
  • the piece of equipment can be provided with further sensors for detecting the position and/or the orientation of the formworks.
  • the control unit can be configured to receive the data measured by the aforesaid sensors and to control the hydraulic circuit in order to actuate in a coordinated manner the pistons and thereby control both the movement of the formworks, in particular from the transport position towards the arming position, and levelling thereof, in an automatic manner.
  • FIG. 1 is a side view of the piece of equipment according to the present invention.
  • Fig. 2 is a sectional view along a longitudinal vertical plane of a support of the piece of equipment of Fig. 1 ;
  • FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a detail of the support of Fig. 2;
  • Fig. 4 is a sectional view along a transverse vertical plane of a detail of the support of Fig. 2;
  • Figs. 5a and 5b are side views of the detail of the support of Fig. 2, with the rolling means in retracted and extended position, respectively;
  • FIGS. 6a, 6b and 7a, 7b are respectively front and side sectional views of a structure for handling formworks provided with the piece of equipment according to the present invention, during some steps of use in a tunnel.
  • the number 1 indicates as a whole the piece of equipment according to the present invention, which comprises two supports 10 on which a frame 50 is mounted.
  • the piece of equipment can be used to support and handle a support structure 100 carrying at the top the formworks 110 for receiving the concrete casting for producing the internal lining of the tunnel (Figs. 6-7).
  • the frame 50 comprises one or more rigid elements 51, such as beams, rods or the like, rigidly joined to one another, which, as a whole, connect the two supports 10 and keep them spaced from, and parallel to, each other.
  • the frame is typically made or steel or other metals of suitable mechanical strength.
  • the frame 50 is of modular type, i.e., it can be manufactured using, and connected to one another, a different number of rigid elements 51 or with said elements of different size, so as to be able to support a structure 100 and a respective formwork of different length, for example 6, 9 or 12 metres in length in the direction of extension of the tunnel.
  • the shape of the frame 50 represented in the figures is provided purely by way of example and that any other structural configuration suitable to support the weight of the structure 100 and the loads of the casting transferred to the formworks 110 can be used.
  • Each of the supports 10 includes a body 11, substantially cylindrical in shape, slidably housed in a guide element 20 rigidly fixed to the frame 50.
  • Said guide element 20 comprises a cylindrical tube 21 open at the lower end.
  • the free end of the stem 17, which extends upwards from the body 11, is fixed to the upper end of the guide element 20 and is thus also integral with the frame 50.
  • the lower end of the body 11, more precisely the lower cover 15, is connected integral with a support element indicated as a whole with 30.
  • Said support element comprises a coupling portion 31, fixed to the lower cover 15, and a foot 35, connected to the lower part of the coupling portion 31, the lower end of which is adapted to rest on the ground.
  • the support 10 is further provided with rolling means 40 connected to said support element 30.
  • the rolling means 40 comprise a bracket 41 comprising two flanges 41a joined by a pair of pins 48. Said pins 48 are slidably mounted in respective seats 36 obtained in the coupling portion 31 and are arranged with the respective axes XI transverse with respect to the direction of movement Y of the piece of equipment 1.
  • bracket 41 Translation of the bracket 41 along the axes XI is controlled by an actuator 43, typically hydraulic, mounted on the bracket 41 and an end of which is fixed to the coupling portion 31.
  • actuator 43 typically hydraulic
  • Two wheel assemblies 42 each comprising a fork 44 on which a wheel 45 is mounted, are connected to the bracket 41.
  • the forks 44 are arranged so that the respective wheels 45 are aligned along the direction of movement Y, which is substantially parallel to the axis of extension of the tunnel when the piece of equipment is in place.
  • a wheel 45 of one of the wheel assemblies 42 is connected to a motor 45a, preferably hydraulic.
  • the forks 44 are hinged to the bracket 41, preferably at the pins 48, so as to each swivel around the axis XI of the respective pin 48.
  • Each fork 44 has upper appendages 44a to which the ends (body or stem) of a pair of hydraulic actuators 46 are connected, i.e., said actuators 46 are interposed between respective upper appendages 44a of two forks 44.
  • the forks 44 are structured so as to have a space 47 between them, in which the foot 35 of the support means 30 is arranged.
  • the extension and the contraction of the actuators 46 causes the rotation (swivelling) of the forks 44 around the respective pivot points on the bracket 41 and, therefore, the variation in height of the wheels with respect to the lower end of the foot 35.
  • the assembly formed by the bracket 41, by the two forks 44 and by the actuators 46 takes the configuration of an articulated parallelogram that allows the two forks to swivel freely.
  • This configuration in the extended configuration of the rolling means, allows both the wheels 45 to remain in contact with the ground regardless of the rougher or smoother conformation of the ground, and of the slope.
  • the foot 35 can have an arch or “saddle” shape, so that, when it is resting on the ground it can substantially straddle any tracks or the guides on which the wheels 45 can run.
  • the coupling portion 31 and the foot 35 are connected by a centring element 32, which comprises a female seat 33, fixed on the upper part of the foot 35, adapted to accommodate a male terminal 34, fixed to the lower end of the coupling portion 31.
  • the female seat 33 has a partially conical or partially spherical shape and the male terminal 34 has a partially conical or partially spherical shape complementary to that of the female seat 33.
  • the centring element 32 thus structured allows limited shifting and/or rotations between the coupling portion 31 and the foot 35. In this way, the coupling portion 31, and the support 10 as a whole, can maintain a substantially vertical position regardless of the orientation of the foot 35 in the section of ground on which it rests. Moreover, thanks to the centring element 32, lateral or bending forces on the body 11 and on the stem 17, which could occur due to the arrangement of the foot 35 on the ground, are prevented or limited.
  • the body 11 comprises a mechanical locking device 25 comprising a threaded ring nut 26 screwable onto a respective threaded portion 27 obtained on the lower outer surface of the body 11.
  • Said ring nut 26 is adapted to receive abutting thereon a stop zone at the lower end 21a of the tube 21 of the guide element 20.
  • a sensor is arranged on said tube 21 for detecting contact or proximity of the ring nut 26 with the stop zone of the guide element 20.
  • Said sensor is preferably a proximity sensor.
  • the position and the displacement of the piston 16 are preferably measured by means of a linear position transducer.
  • This sensor thus detects the movement (raising or lowering) of the frame 50, with respect to the support element 30, when the foot 35 or the wheels 45 are resting on the ground.
  • Figs. 6a, 6b and 7a, 7b depict a structure 100 for handling formworks 110 provided with the piece of equipment 1 according to the present invention.
  • the structure 100 is represented in different steps during use in a tunnel G.
  • Figs. 6a, 6b the structure 100 and the related formworks 110 are in arming position; the structure is thus in a raised position so that the outer surface of the formworks 110 is substantially coincident with the inner surface of the lining R of the tunnel G.
  • the casting step has already been carried out and the section of lining R has already been formed.
  • the pistons 16 are extended so that the body 11 at least partially protrudes beyond the lower end 21a of the tube 21 of the guide element 20. Moreover, the end 21a of the tube 21 is abutting the threaded ring nut 26 so that the load is transferred from the frame 50 to the body 11, unloading the pistons 16.
  • the actuator 46 is retracted so that the wheels 45 are raised off the ground while the foot 35 of the support element 30 is in contact with the ground.
  • the whole of the load that weighs on the frame 50 is therefore transferred to the ground by the body 11 through the support elements 30.
  • the structure 100 can be moved along the tunnel G to reposition the formwork 110 and produce a new section of lining R.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
  • Architecture (AREA)
  • Civil Engineering (AREA)
  • Structural Engineering (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
  • Geology (AREA)
  • Lining And Supports For Tunnels (AREA)

Abstract

The invention concerns a piece of equipment (1) for supporting and handling formworks (110) for tunnel construction comprising at least one pair of supports (10) provided with rolling means (40) and a frame (50) mounted on said supports (10), wherein each support (10) includes a body (11), defining a chamber (12) housing a piston (16) with a stem (17) fixed, directly or indirectly, to the frame (50), and a support element (30) connected to the body (11), wherein the rolling means (40) are connected to at least one actuator (46) and are mounted on the support (10) in a movable manner between an extended position, in which they protrude at least partially beyond a lower end of the support element (30), and a retracted position, in which said rolling means (40) are completely raised with respect to said lower end of the support element (30), the latter being in contact with the ground.

Description

TITLE
EQUIPMENT FOR SUPPORTING AND MOVING FORMWORKS FOR BUILDING TUNNELS.
DESCRIPTION
The present invention concerns a piece of equipment for supporting and handling formworks, in particular for producing the internal lining of tunnels.
More in detail, the invention relates to a piece of equipment configured to move the formworks along the excavation to produce the various sections of the internal lining, but also to support said formworks during the casting step, i.e., to receive and transfer to the ground the entire load generated by the pressure of the concrete casting on the formworks.
As is known, the internal lining layer of tunnels is produced using formworks that reproduce the internal surface of the tunnel. These formworks comprise panels placed side by side with one another in radial or transverse direction with respect to the direction of extension or axis of the tunnel.
As the length of the formworks in the direction of the axis of the tunnel is limited, generally from 3 m to 12 m, the internal lining is formed by several contiguous sections produced one after another. After the casting of one section has been completed, the formworks are then moved along the tunnel to produce the next section.
Various types of formworks, and related pieces of equipment that almost exclusively allow their movement along the tunnel, are known in the state of the art.
A first “conventional” piece of equipment comprises a gantry structure provided with wheels that can move along guides or tracks fixed to the ground. A support frame is mounted on said gantry structure, to support the various sections of formworks that form the vault section of the tunnel to be cast.
The load generated by the concrete casting is transferred from the formworks to the frame and from the latter to the gantry structure, which thus acts as load-bearing structural element. Examples of equipment of this type are, for example, described in EP 3309358 B l, EP
1096105 A2, EP 1136650 Al and WO 2014/180841 A2.
To take the equipment to, and maintain it in, the “arming” position numerous support and adjustment devices, known as “wedge boxes” or equivalent means are used; these are generally arranged every 75 cm of length of the piece of equipment in the direction of extension of the tunnel. Through these support devices, the load is transferred from the structure to the ground.
However, these support and adjustment devices are not particularly practical to manoeuvre and to handle. In fact, the actuator for the arming and disarming operations is generally of manual type and requires the use of large wrenches.
Moreover, these devices must be handled manually by the operators, as they are not fixed to the structure and as they weigh a few tens of kg each, they require considerable effort both to be moved on site and to be correctly positioned under the gantry structure.
Finally, these devices are prone to jamming and therefore require frequent cleaning and maintenance operations.
Pieces of equipment known as “self-supporting formworks” are known and widely used in the field. These pieces of equipment are “made-to-measure” for the specific construction work being produced and generally comprise a support structure, known as “formwork turret ”, to which the various formwork sections are connected. These pieces of equipment are provided with hydraulic devices to move the formwork sections between the arming and disarming positions.
Examples of these pieces of equipment are described, for example, in DE 102004060653 Al and ES 1144986 U.
Unlike conventional structures, self-supporting formworks are configured to work “in an arch”, i.e., so that the loads due to the casting are transferred to the ground,, while the support structure acts only as support element during movement of the piece of equipment along the tunnel. For this reason, these pieces of equipment also require the use of wedge boxes, or equivalent devices, placed at the ends of the wing formworks, with the same drawbacks described above.
Structures that are similar in concept to self-supporting formworks are known as “selfreacting formworks”. Unlike the two types described above, these pieces of equipment have a structure that does not require anchoring of the wing formworks. Nonetheless, self-reacting formworks also require the use of wedge boxes arranged under the wing formworks for the arming and disarming operations of the piece of equipment.
In this context, the object of the present invention is to provide a piece of equipment for supporting and handling formworks that overcomes the limits of the prior art.
In detail, the object of the present invention is to produce a piece of equipment for supporting and handling formworks that allows the operations for positioning and the manoeuvres for arming and disarming to be carried out in a manner that is simple, fast and safe for the operators.
In particular, the object of the present invention is to produce an automated piece of equipment that does not require manual intervention by the operator during the steps to adjust the position of the formworks and to arm and disarm them.
Another object of the present invention is to produce a piece of equipment that can be adapted and reutilized with different design geometries required, able to adapt both in longitudinal direction, to support formworks of different length, and in transverse direction.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a piece of equipment for supporting and handling formworks that allows any ground deformation or subsidence to be compensated, during translation and positioning of the formwork prior to casting.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a piece of equipment for supporting and handling formworks that is simpler and less costly with respect to those of the prior art. These objects are achieved by a piece of equipment for supporting and handling formworks intended for tunnel construction, in conformity with claim 1.
In detail, according to the invention, said piece of equipment comprises at least one pair of supports provided with rolling means and a frame, mounted on said supports, adapted to support one or more formworks.
According to a typical mode of implementation, two pieces of equipment according to the invention are used to support a gantry structure movable along the tunnel and on which the formworks are installed. Each of the two pieces of equipment according to the invention is thus placed under the uprights of said gantry structure to form a movable formwork.
According to a first aspect of the invention, each support comprises a body that includes a chamber in which a piston, integral with a stem, is slidably housed. The upper end of the stem is fixed to the frame, while the lower end of the body is connected integral with a support element adapted to rest on the ground. Said support element has a lower end defining a support surface for resting on the ground.
The chamber can be supplied with a pressurized hydraulic fluid to control the displacement of the piston along a substantially vertical axis.
Hereunder, the terms vertical, horizontal, upper and lower refer to the operating configuration of the equipment, as represented in the accompanying figures described below, arranged on flat ground.
According to an aspect of the invention, the rolling elements are connected to the body of the support, more precisely at the lower end of said part.
Said rolling means are mounted on the body of the support in a movable manner, i.e., they can be moved between an extended (or operating) position, in which they protrude at least partially, downwards, beyond the support surface of the lower end of the support element, and a retracted position, in which they are completely above said support surface.
The movement of the rolling means is controlled by at least one actuator, preferably hydraulic.
In practice, in the extended position, the rolling means of the support are in contact with the ground while the support element is raised. Instead, in the retracted position said rolling means are raised and the support element is in contact with the ground.
Therefore, when the rolling means are in the extended position, i.e., resting on the ground, they allow the whole structure to be moved along the axis of the tunnel.
Instead, in the retracted position the support element, in contact with the ground, can transfer both the weight of the whole of the structure above and the thrust exerted by the casting to the ground.
The piston has a stroke such as to allow the vertical movement of the structure from the transport position, in which the formworks are lowered by a few tens of centimetres with respect to the vault of the tunnel, to the arming position, and vice versa.
According to an aspect of the invention, the piston has a stroke typically between 50 mm and 1000 mm, preferably between 100 mm and 500 mm.
However, these values can vary as a function of the dimensions of the tunnel.
According to an embodiment in which two pieces of equipment, each provided with two supports, are provided, the pistons supply a thrust generally between 150 kN and 500kN.
According to an aspect of the invention, the body of the support is slidably mounted on a guide element integral with the frame.
According to a preferred embodiment, said guide element comprises a tube, open at least at the lower end, in which the body is housed. Preferably, the body of the support and the guide element have a circular plan section, i.e., they both have a substantially circular shape.
Besides guiding the movement of the body, said guide element also acts as structural element through which the load from the frame is transferred during casting.
In fact, as the entire weight of the structure above and the thrust of the concrete casting weigh on the supports, the pistons are generally provided with mechanical locking devices adapted to transfer the load from the frame to the body of the support and from the latter to the support element.
In practice, the body of the support and the guide element have the function of the wedge boxes of conventional systems. Said elements are sized so as to support loads generally between 1500 kN and 2500 kN.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the locking device comprises a threaded ring nut, which can be screwed, manually or automatically, onto a threaded section of the body, adapted to abut a stop zone of the guide element, preferably a lower end edge of said guide element.
When the pistons have moved (raised) the entire gantry structure and the formworks into the casting position, the ring nut is screwed onto the body until it abuts the stop zone of the guide element.
According to another aspect of the invention, the locking device comprises a sensor for detecting contact or proximity of the ring nut with the stop zone of the guide element. In this way, it is possible to check that the locking device is effectively operating, i.e., that the pistons are “unloaded”, before casting the concrete.
According to another aspect of the invention, a centring element is interposed between the stem of the piston and the support element. Said centring element allows any misalignments between the stem of the piston and the support element, for example due to the position of said support element when it is in contact with the ground, to be compensated, eliminating or reducing any lateral forces that might weigh on the stem.
Said centring element can, for example, comprise a conical or partially spherical female seat, adapted to accommodate a conical or partially spherical male terminal, said female seat and said male terminal being fitted respectively to the support element and to the end of the second stem, or vice versa. According to another aspect of the invention, the rolling means comprise two wheel assemblies, each comprising at least one wheel. Said wheel can be idle or can be connected to a motor, typically hydraulic.
The wheel assemblies are arranged so that the respective wheels are preferably aligned along a longitudinal direction of the support device, i.e., along a direction of movement, which is substantially parallel to the axis of extension of the tunnel when the piece of equipment is in use.
According to a variant, said wheel assemblies can be configured to rotate with respect to an axis parallel to the axis of the piston, for example to move the piece of equipment in curved sections of the tunnel.
The wheel assemblies are mounted on the support element in a rotatable manner so as to move the respective wheels between the extended (or operating) position, in which they protrude at least partially downward beyond the support surface of the lower end of the support element, and the retracted position, in which they are completely above said support surface.
According to a preferred variant, each wheel assembly comprises a fork on which a wheel is rotatably mounted, the forks of the two wheel assemblies being hinged on a bracket connected to the support element.
The rolling means further comprise at least one actuator, typically hydraulic, the ends of which are connected to respective upper appendages of the forks of the two wheel assemblies.
The configuration of the forks and of the actuator is such that the extension and the contraction of the actuator cause the rotation (swivelling) of the forks around the respective pivot points on the bracket. This rotation of the forks causes the variation in height of the wheels. According to a preferred variant, the rolling means comprise a pair of actuators arranged side by side and parallel, each interposed between the appendages of the two forks. As mentioned above, in the extended configuration of the actuator, the wheels are moved to the extended or operating position in which they protrude at least partially downwards, beyond the support surface of the lower end of the support element. Instead, in the retracted configuration of the actuator the wheels are raised so as to remain completely above said support surface.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, said bracket is slidably mounted on the support element along a transverse or lateral direction, i.e., parallel to the axis of rotation of the wheels.
The lateral movement of the bracket allows the transverse position of the structure to be adjusted so as to ensure centring of the formworks with respect to the casting to be produced. Preferably, an actuator, for example hydraulic or electric, is provided for controlling the transverse movement of the bracket with respect to the support element.
According to another aspect of the invention, the piece of equipment can comprise at least one sensor for measuring the movement (sliding) of the body of the support with respect to the guide element, i.e., indirectly, the stroke of the piston. Said sensor is preferably housed in the chamber of the body in which the piston moves, for example it is a linear position transducer.
According to an aspect of the invention, the piece of equipment is provided with a hydraulic circuit for controlling the passage of a hydraulic fluid entering and exiting the chamber for displacement of the piston.
This hydraulic circuit is managed by a control unit, such as a PLC or equivalent computer device.
Preferably, the piston of each support is controllable independently of the others via solenoid valves or other equivalent control means.
Said control unit is further connected to the various sensors with which the piece of equipment is provided. According to another aspect of the invention, the piece of equipment is provided with electronic level sensors configured to monitor the orientation in space (i.e., levelling) of the structure during its movement between two casting positions and during positioning for casting concrete.
According to this variant, the control unit is configured to receive the data measured by said level sensors and is able to control and automatically correct levelling of the formwork mounted on the structure by means of the pistons.
In this way it is possible to compensate any ground subsidence during the step of handling and positioning the piece of equipment.
According to another aspect of the invention, the piece of equipment can comprise load sensors for detecting the load that weighs on the support, especially during the casting step.
According to this variant, the control unit is configured to receive the data measured by said load sensors and to notify of any subsidence of the support surface under said supports and/or variations of the load outside tolerance ranges.
Said load sensors can, for example, be load cells, pressure sensors on the hydraulic circuit that supplies the chambers, or similar.
According to another aspect of the invention, the piece of equipment can be provided with further sensors for detecting the position and/or the orientation of the formworks. According to this variant, the control unit can be configured to receive the data measured by the aforesaid sensors and to control the hydraulic circuit in order to actuate in a coordinated manner the pistons and thereby control both the movement of the formworks, in particular from the transport position towards the arming position, and levelling thereof, in an automatic manner.
In practice, with the piece of equipment thus configured it is possible to manage the final arming position of the formworks (height, lateral and frontal inclination) in a completely automatic manner. Further features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment, of a piece of equipment for supporting and handling formworks, as illustrated in the accompanying figures, wherein:
- Fig. 1 is a side view of the piece of equipment according to the present invention;
- Fig. 2 is a sectional view along a longitudinal vertical plane of a support of the piece of equipment of Fig. 1 ;
- Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a detail of the support of Fig. 2;
- Fig. 4 is a sectional view along a transverse vertical plane of a detail of the support of Fig. 2;
- Figs. 5a and 5b are side views of the detail of the support of Fig. 2, with the rolling means in retracted and extended position, respectively;
- Figs. 6a, 6b and 7a, 7b are respectively front and side sectional views of a structure for handling formworks provided with the piece of equipment according to the present invention, during some steps of use in a tunnel.
With reference to the accompanying Fig. 1, the number 1 indicates as a whole the piece of equipment according to the present invention, which comprises two supports 10 on which a frame 50 is mounted.
As mentioned above, the piece of equipment can be used to support and handle a support structure 100 carrying at the top the formworks 110 for receiving the concrete casting for producing the internal lining of the tunnel (Figs. 6-7).
The frame 50 comprises one or more rigid elements 51, such as beams, rods or the like, rigidly joined to one another, which, as a whole, connect the two supports 10 and keep them spaced from, and parallel to, each other. The frame is typically made or steel or other metals of suitable mechanical strength.
The frame 50 is of modular type, i.e., it can be manufactured using, and connected to one another, a different number of rigid elements 51 or with said elements of different size, so as to be able to support a structure 100 and a respective formwork of different length, for example 6, 9 or 12 metres in length in the direction of extension of the tunnel.
It must be specified that the shape of the frame 50 represented in the figures is provided purely by way of example and that any other structural configuration suitable to support the weight of the structure 100 and the loads of the casting transferred to the formworks 110 can be used.
Each of the supports 10 includes a body 11, substantially cylindrical in shape, slidably housed in a guide element 20 rigidly fixed to the frame 50. Said guide element 20 comprises a cylindrical tube 21 open at the lower end.
A chamber 12 formed of a cylindrical cavity, closed at the respective ends by an upper cover 14 and by a lower cover 15, is obtained in the body 11. A piston 16 connected to a stem 17, slidably mounted in an opening 14a of the upper cover 14, is slidably housed in the chamber 12.
The free end of the stem 17, which extends upwards from the body 11, is fixed to the upper end of the guide element 20 and is thus also integral with the frame 50.
The lower end of the body 11, more precisely the lower cover 15, is connected integral with a support element indicated as a whole with 30.
Said support element comprises a coupling portion 31, fixed to the lower cover 15, and a foot 35, connected to the lower part of the coupling portion 31, the lower end of which is adapted to rest on the ground.
The support 10 is further provided with rolling means 40 connected to said support element 30.
According to the variant illustrated in the figures, the rolling means 40 comprise a bracket 41 comprising two flanges 41a joined by a pair of pins 48. Said pins 48 are slidably mounted in respective seats 36 obtained in the coupling portion 31 and are arranged with the respective axes XI transverse with respect to the direction of movement Y of the piece of equipment 1.
Translation of the bracket 41 along the axes XI is controlled by an actuator 43, typically hydraulic, mounted on the bracket 41 and an end of which is fixed to the coupling portion 31.
Two wheel assemblies 42, each comprising a fork 44 on which a wheel 45 is mounted, are connected to the bracket 41. The forks 44 are arranged so that the respective wheels 45 are aligned along the direction of movement Y, which is substantially parallel to the axis of extension of the tunnel when the piece of equipment is in place.
In the example illustrated, a wheel 45 of one of the wheel assemblies 42 is connected to a motor 45a, preferably hydraulic.
The forks 44 are hinged to the bracket 41, preferably at the pins 48, so as to each swivel around the axis XI of the respective pin 48.
Each fork 44 has upper appendages 44a to which the ends (body or stem) of a pair of hydraulic actuators 46 are connected, i.e., said actuators 46 are interposed between respective upper appendages 44a of two forks 44.
The forks 44 are structured so as to have a space 47 between them, in which the foot 35 of the support means 30 is arranged.
The extension and the contraction of the actuators 46 causes the rotation (swivelling) of the forks 44 around the respective pivot points on the bracket 41 and, therefore, the variation in height of the wheels with respect to the lower end of the foot 35.
The assembly formed by the bracket 41, by the two forks 44 and by the actuators 46 takes the configuration of an articulated parallelogram that allows the two forks to swivel freely. This configuration, in the extended configuration of the rolling means, allows both the wheels 45 to remain in contact with the ground regardless of the rougher or smoother conformation of the ground, and of the slope.
According to a variant, not illustrated, the foot 35 can have an arch or “saddle” shape, so that, when it is resting on the ground it can substantially straddle any tracks or the guides on which the wheels 45 can run.
According to a preferred variant, the coupling portion 31 and the foot 35 are connected by a centring element 32, which comprises a female seat 33, fixed on the upper part of the foot 35, adapted to accommodate a male terminal 34, fixed to the lower end of the coupling portion 31.
According to a preferred variant, the female seat 33 has a partially conical or partially spherical shape and the male terminal 34 has a partially conical or partially spherical shape complementary to that of the female seat 33.
The centring element 32 thus structured allows limited shifting and/or rotations between the coupling portion 31 and the foot 35. In this way, the coupling portion 31, and the support 10 as a whole, can maintain a substantially vertical position regardless of the orientation of the foot 35 in the section of ground on which it rests. Moreover, thanks to the centring element 32, lateral or bending forces on the body 11 and on the stem 17, which could occur due to the arrangement of the foot 35 on the ground, are prevented or limited.
According to the variant illustrated, the body 11 comprises a mechanical locking device 25 comprising a threaded ring nut 26 screwable onto a respective threaded portion 27 obtained on the lower outer surface of the body 11.
Said ring nut 26 is adapted to receive abutting thereon a stop zone at the lower end 21a of the tube 21 of the guide element 20.
In this way, the load from the frame 50 is transferred directly to the body 11 substantially leaving the piston 16 and related stem 17 unloaded.
Preferably, a sensor, not illustrated in the figure, is arranged on said tube 21 for detecting contact or proximity of the ring nut 26 with the stop zone of the guide element 20. Said sensor is preferably a proximity sensor.
The position and the displacement of the piston 16 are preferably measured by means of a linear position transducer.
This sensor thus detects the movement (raising or lowering) of the frame 50, with respect to the support element 30, when the foot 35 or the wheels 45 are resting on the ground.
Figs. 6a, 6b and 7a, 7b depict a structure 100 for handling formworks 110 provided with the piece of equipment 1 according to the present invention.
In detail, in the aforesaid figures, the structure 100 is represented in different steps during use in a tunnel G.
In Figs. 6a, 6b the structure 100 and the related formworks 110 are in arming position; the structure is thus in a raised position so that the outer surface of the formworks 110 is substantially coincident with the inner surface of the lining R of the tunnel G. With particular reference to Figs. 6a, 6b, the casting step has already been carried out and the section of lining R has already been formed.
In this arming position, the pistons 16 are extended so that the body 11 at least partially protrudes beyond the lower end 21a of the tube 21 of the guide element 20. Moreover, the end 21a of the tube 21 is abutting the threaded ring nut 26 so that the load is transferred from the frame 50 to the body 11, unloading the pistons 16.
In the arming position represented in Figs. 6a, 6b, the actuator 46 is retracted so that the wheels 45 are raised off the ground while the foot 35 of the support element 30 is in contact with the ground.
The whole of the load that weighs on the frame 50 is therefore transferred to the ground by the body 11 through the support elements 30.
Figs. 7a, 7b illustrate the structure 100 in the disarmed and transport position. In this position, the pistons 16 are retracted to lower the whole of the structure 100 by a few centimetres. In this position, before retraction of the pistons 16, the ring nut 26 is rotated on the thread of the body 11 and is detached from the lower end 21a of the tube 21 to allow sliding of the body 11 in the tubular element 21. Starting from the disarmed position described above, the actuators 46 are extended, first taking the wheels 45 into contact with the ground and then raising the whole of the structure by a few millimetres (30 mm - 120 mm).
In this position, the structure 100 can be moved along the tunnel G to reposition the formwork 110 and produce a new section of lining R.
The steps of arming the structure 100 from the transport position are carried out in reverse order and opposite with respect to the disarming steps described above.
In detail, when the structure 100 has been taken to the position of the new casting to be produced, arranged in the correct longitudinal position, it can be repositioned with respect to the axis of the tunnel (i.e., in transverse direction) by operating the actuator 43 of each support 10; subsequently, the actuators are retracted 46, until the foot 35 is resting on the ground.
The pistons 16 are then extended to the position of final extension and, finally, the ring nut 26 is screwed onto the threaded portion 27 of the body 11 taking it to abut with the lower end 21a of the tube 21.
The present invention has been described, for non-limiting illustrative purposes, according to some preferred embodiments. The person skilled in the art may find numerous other embodiments and variants, all falling within the scope of protection of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A piece of equipment (1) for supporting and handling formworks (110) intended for tunnel construction, said equipment (1) comprising:
- at least one pair of supports (10) provided with rolling means (40); and
- a frame (50), mounted on said supports (10), adapted to support a structure (100) on which one or more formworks (110) are installed; wherein each support (10) includes:
- a body (11) defining a chamber (12);
- a piston (16) slidably housed in the chamber (12);
- a stem (17), integral with the piston (16), fixed, directly or indirectly, to the frame (50);
- a support element (30) connected to the body (11); wherein said rolling means (40) are connected to at least one actuator (46) and are mounted on the support (10) in a movable manner between an extended position, in which they protrude at least partially beyond a lower end of the support element (30), and can rest on the ground, in such a position the support element (30) being raised, and a retracted position, in which said rolling means (40) are raised with respect to said lower end of the support element (30), the latter being in contact with the ground.
2. The piece of equipment (1) according to claim 1, wherein the rolling means (40) comprise two wheel assemblies (42), each comprising at least one wheel (45), arranged so that the respective wheels (45) are aligned with each other, said wheel assemblies (42) being mounted on the support element (30) in a rotatable manner and being connected to the at least one actuator (46) for moving the respective wheels (45) between the extended position and the retracted position.
3. The piece of equipment (1) according to claim 2 , wherein each wheel assembly (42) comprises a fork (44) on which said at least one wheel (45) is mounted, said fork (44) being hinged to a bracket (41) connected to the support element (30), said at least one actuator (46) being connected to respective upper appendages (44a) of the forks (44) of each wheel assembly (42).
4. The piece of equipment (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the body (11) of the support (10) is slidably mounted in a guide element (20) integral with the frame (50), said support (10) being provided with a mechanical locking device (25).
5. The piece of equipment (1) according to claim 4, wherein the locking device (25) comprises a threaded ring nut (26), screw able onto a threaded section (27) of the body (11), adapted to abut a stop zone (21a) of the guide element (20).
6. The piece of equipment (1) according to claim 5, wherein the locking device (25) comprises a sensor for detecting contact or proximity of the ring nut(26) with the stop zone (21a) of the guide element (20).
7. The piece of equipment (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said support element (30) comprises a centring element (32).
8. The piece of equipment (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a sensor for detecting the displacement of the piston (16) in the chamber (12).
9. The piece of equipment according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a hydraulic circuit for supplying a hydraulic fluid to the chamber (12) and a control unit for controlling said hydraulic circuit.
10. The piece of equipment according to claim 9, comprising sensors for detecting the position and/or orientation and/or levelling of the formwork (110), the control unit being configured to receive the data measured by the aforementioned sensors and to control the hydraulic circuit in order to actuate in a coordinated manner the pistons (16) to move the structure (100) and the formwork (110) in an automatic manner at least from the transport position towards the arming position.
EP24707917.1A 2023-02-13 2024-02-09 Equipment for supporting and moving formworks for building tunnels Pending EP4665951A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IT102023000002424A IT202300002424A1 (en) 2023-02-13 2023-02-13 EQUIPMENT FOR THE SUPPORT AND HANDLING OF FORMWORK FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF TUNNELS
PCT/IB2024/051222 WO2024171014A1 (en) 2023-02-13 2024-02-09 Equipment for supporting and moving formworks for building tunnels

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IT (1) IT202300002424A1 (en)
WO (1) WO2024171014A1 (en)

Family Cites Families (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2542778B1 (en) * 1975-09-25 1977-01-13 Bochumer Eisen Heintzmann PROCEDURE FOR MECHANIZED INSTALLATION OF ROAD CONSTRUCTION AND EQUIPMENT FOR CARRYING OUT THE PROCEDURE
ATE318991T1 (en) 1999-10-28 2006-03-15 Zueblin Ag METHOD FOR FORMWORKING THE WALLS OF A TUNNEL AND FORMWORK FOR IMPLEMENTING THE METHOD
IT1320275B1 (en) 2000-03-24 2003-11-26 Mecsider S P A ADJUSTABLE SIZE TROLLEY FOR TUNNELS.
DE102004060753B4 (en) 2004-12-15 2006-11-02 Muhr Und Bender Kg Retaining element for a spring band clamp
CN102536261B (en) * 2012-01-14 2014-06-18 湖南五新重型装备有限公司 Retractable emergency car avoidance belt tunnel lining trolley
DE102013104844A1 (en) 2013-05-10 2014-11-13 Peri Gmbh Formwork segment and formwork system with several such formwork segments
ES1144986Y (en) 2015-09-30 2016-04-11 Amorim Obras Publicas S L Self-supporting formwork trolley for tunneling
DE102016220046A1 (en) 2016-10-14 2018-04-19 Peri Gmbh Tragradbaugruppe
CN111156050A (en) * 2020-01-16 2020-05-15 中铁十六局集团有限公司 Tunnel protection trolley
IT202100025274A1 (en) * 2021-10-01 2023-04-01 Sointek S R L EQUIPMENT FOR SUPPORTING AND HANDLING FORMWORKS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF TUNNELS

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IT202300002424A1 (en) 2024-08-13

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