GB2038908A - A Lining for a Channel or the Like - Google Patents

Abstract

The lining for the side walls and the roof (7) and/or the floor (8) of a channel, conduit, underground gallery or the like is substantially longitudinal and comprises a plurality of elements (3 to 10) to provide its transverse shape. The elements are connected together in a watertight manner, for example by welding where the elements are made from steel. The elements are made from a deformable material capable of elastic-plastic deformation to allow the lining to be safely used in regions with faults in the earth's crust or where mining subsidence may occur. The plurality of elements used in a lining allows the elements of the same size and shape to be used in making linings of a variety of sizes and shapes. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A Lining for a Channel or the Like The present invention relates to an arrangement of a lining for a channel, a waterconveying conduit or excavated gallery in waterbearing soils or the like.

Galleries cut into water-bearing ground and also channels and water-carrying conduits, particularly channels of large cross-section situated in the open, are still usually designed so that they are provided at the most with a lateral lining, especially one consisting of concrete. The floor of such water-carrying conduits, channels and excavated galleries and the like is not adequately protected against the penetration or escape of water nor against the irruption of soil under the lateral lining.

Particularly problematic are channels which carry waste waters or sewage containing noxious substances which have to be transported to a subsequent preparation stage, and in such cases there is a risk of contamination of the ground water level.

It is also regarded as a particular disadvantage of known channels that they cannot adapt to earth movements, particularly subsidences due to mining damage, or cannot adapt to the necessary degree, so that side linings for example may begin to break, with the result that very costly repair work may become necessary.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an arrangement of a lining for use in a channel produced by for example'the open construction method or a water-carrying conduit or excavated gallery in water-bearing soils or the like. It is further an object of the present invention to provide such a lining, for regions with faults in the earth's crust or for regions where mining subsidence may occur.

According to the present invention there is provided a lining for the side walls and the roof and/or floor of a channel, conduit, underground gallery or the like, the lining extending in use longitudinal of the channel and comprising a plurality of elements to provide its transverse shape, the elements being connected together in a water tight manner and being made from a deformable material.

The use of an arrangement as proposed by the present invention can ensure that there can be provided for any above-ground or underground cross-section of channel or the like a lining which can be so prefabricated on a unit construction or modular construction principle that at the working or building site it can be assembled quickly and easily without difficulty in a watertight fashion not only at the sides but for example also at the floor and if necessary also at the roof of a channel or the like. The construction system elements may be so prefabricated and constructed that they can be used for not only one cross-sectional form but for a plurality of different cross-sectional forms of different sizes. Production of the elements can thus be carried out on a modular construction system.

The deformability of the material from which the lining is made is preferably elastic and/or plastic so that the lining can adapt itself substantially without damage to a variety of earth movements without losing its watertight property.

Chemicals or the like can thus be conveyed without danger over some distance, for example, to convey them to a suitable degradation or purification plant, before being discharged into a river. Dangerous or corrosive substances need not therefore trickle out into the soil.

The arrangement of a modular construction lining embodying the present invention can allow even relatively large channels with a variety of profiles and cross-sections to be lined both in the floor region and if necessary in the roof region.

Using a modular construction system can also allow savings as regards construction tools or formwork which can have an advantageous effect on production costs.

Where the lining is for the side walls and for both the roof and the floor of a channel or the like it is possible to produce at the site of installation a ring type lining structure using prefabricated elements. It is thus possible to construct for example underground channels with the largest cross-sections normally used.

The elements are preferably made from steel or cast steel and are connected together by welding.

The connections between two adjoining elements may have a length of for example three or more metres measured in the longitudinal direction. The connection or joint may be flanges or transition regions constructed in some other way, for example chamfered joint portions. It is moreover possible to arrange expansion joint elements in these regions.

The individual elements may be welded to one another continuously on the site, in other words at the construction site, to form the necessary lining, so that water cannot penetrate the interior either from the sides or from the roof or floor, or escape from within the lining into the soil.

Suitably an element providing the lining for all or a part of the roof or floor of the channel or the like is profiled to provide a corrugated surface, ridges and valleys in the surface extending substantially transversely across the lining. Such corrugated elements can be used to provide a lining for the side walls of a channel or the like or for elements which hold up the roof. Such an arrangement can allow the lining in general to be capable of elastic-plastic deformation to some extent. Alternatively an element providing the lining for all or a part of a sidewall of the channel or the like can consist of a sheet element such as sheet piling made from standard sections.

Preferably an element providing the lining for all or a part of the roof or floor of the channel or the like is arched outwardly, so that it follows at least in part an arc of a circle. Such a lining is particularly advantageous as it can accept lateral thrust forces particularly well. Linings of large cross-sections can be produced according to this form of the invention which are of substantially rectangular configuration with rounded corners.

The lining in the region of the roof or the floor of the channel or the like can be made of a plurality of separate elements each of which is curved in transverse cross section and follows an arc of a circle. The separate elements can be used to form a variety of linings with a large number of different cross sectional shapes and sizes and with great stability.

If desired an element providing the lining for all or part of a side wall of the channel or the like is arched outwardly and follows at least in part an arc of a circle. A lining can thus be provided in which in transverse cross section each of its elements is curved outwardly. Such a lining has the advantage that it has a reduced risk of lateral deformation from, for example, caving-in rock layers.

Preferably an element providing the lining for the roof of a channel or the like is interchangeable with an element providing the lining for the floor of the channel or the like. The lining may even be so designed that each element in it may be interchangeable with any other element in it.

Incorrect assembly on the site can thus be substantially obviated. The number of production tools can also be reduced and the problems of stockkeeping can be simplified.

The present invention extends to a lining installed in a channei conduit, underground gallery or the like and to a channel, conduit, underground gallery or the like lined with a lining.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings; wherein: Fig. 1 is a transverse cross-section through an underground channel lined with a first embodiment of lining; Fig. 2 shows a partial section taken on the line Il-Il of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a partial transverse cross-section through a trough-shaped channel lined with a second embodiment of lining; Fig. 4 shows a length of lining in perspective view; Fig. 5 shows a third embodiment of lining shaped in the manner of a closed ring; Fig. 6 illustrates a fourth embodiment of a trough-shaped lining; and Fig. 7 illustrates an embodiment of lining wherein there are associated with the lining concrete slabs which form an upper boundary to the channel cross-section.

Individual elements forming part of a construction system of each illustrated embodiment are shown of different lengths in the drawings. However, it is possible to provide embodiments in which all the construction system elements, in other words units forming lateral elements and also those forming the floor and/or roof, are of identical length, so that a wide range of channels varying in the size and shape of their cross section can be lined with one type of element.

Referring firstly to Figs. 1 to 4, each illustrated lining includes lateral elements 1 and 2 which, as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4 are constructed as sheet piling elements. The elements 1 and 2 can have standard cross-sectional forms and do not therefore need to be specially produced. Sheet piling elements which adjoin one another are welded together in a watertight manner. The welding work can be carried out on site, i.e. at the construction site. Alternatively, and advantageously, a plurality of such sheet piling elements can be joined by weld seams at the production works so that an already assembled length is available at the site to put into a channel and there joined in a watertight fashion by means of weld seams to other ready assembled lengths.

Elements 1 and 2 as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 are planar and lie in respective vertical planes. It is however possible to give these elements an arcuate shape.

At the upper and lower edges of the elements 1 and 2 are provided corner curves 3,4 and 5,6 respectively. Construction system elements 9 and 10 are arranged respectively in the regions of a roof 7 and a floor 8 of the channel and are connected in a water-tight manner to the corner curves 3,4 and 5,6 respectively by weld seams (not shown in the drawings). The comer curves 3,4 and 5,6 are of identical construction to one another and are arranged to follow elements 9 and 10 without a break.

As Figs. 1 and 4 show, the construction system elements 9 and 10 situated respectively in the region of the roof 7 and in the region of the floor 8 of the channel each follows the shape of an arc of a relatively large circle. In these embodiments the elements in the region of the roof 7 and of the floor 8 can be of identical construction and can thus be used substantially interchangeably.

In the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2 three such elements 9 are provided in the region of the roof 7 and three elements 10 in the region of the floor 8.

A larger or a smaller number of such lining elements may be used.

The partial section shown in Fig. 2 illustrates that the construction system elements 9 and 10 have a profiled longitudinal cross-section and are given a wave-like form or corrugated shape. At their side boundaries the profiled wave-like parts or the like can have weld flanges or screw connection flanges not shown in the drawings. By means of these flanges they can be connected to one another in a water-tight manner by weld seams or by screw bolts. Where the need arises, a suitable sealing element in each case be arranged between mutually adjoining parts, this being necessary for example if the individual construction system elements are to be clamped together in a watertight manner by screw bolts.

In the embodiments shown in Figs. 1 to 4 the arrangement is such that in a longitudinal length A three corrugations or the like situated in the region of the roof 7 or floor 8 respectively of the channel are prefabricated to form in each case a unit which can be handled as one piece.

Alternatively they are welded together to form such a unit away from the excavation or working site, so that the longitudinal lengths for the elements 9 and 10 respectively can be introduced into the channel as pieces capable of being handled as a single unit.

It is possible to secure the corner curves 3 and 4 to these longitudinal lengths of the elements 9 and 10. Such an assembly can be made by welding and can then be handled in one piece. It can thus readily be joined to the lateral construction system elements 1 and 2 or be introduced into the channel and then connected to the lateral elements 1 and 2. Watertight connections between the elements 1 and 2 and such assembly are preferably made by the use of weld seams. This means that in the illustrated embodiments all parts of the lining have to consist of a readily weldable steel or cast steel.

In the embodiment of Fig. 4 the roof and floor elements 9 and 10 respectively are connected to the associated corner curves 3 to 6 and the side elements 1 and 2 over a longitudinal length of distance A to form a roughly cylindrical length of lining. Watertight connections are preferably effected by the use of weld seams, so that the entire length of lining shown in Fig. 4 can be prefabricated at a factory or outside the construction site. The length of lining is put into the channel and connected in watertight fashion to adjacent length of lining by weld seams or the like. As a result, extremeiy rapid construction of the lining on the site is possible.

The length A may amount to three metres for example. It is possible for the length A to be shorter or longer for example four metres or more.

The lateral construction elements 1 and 2 formed by sheet piling elements have very great dimensional stability. It is however possible for the lateral elements, especially if they are to have a different profile shape in cross-section, to be curved with an outwardly directed curve i.e. to curve outwardly with respect to the channel. In this way it becomes possible to use the same modular elements for the lateral elements 1 and 2 as for the roof and floor regions 7 and 8 of the channel. This considerably simplifies stockkeeping and tool costs can also be reduced.

Referring now to Fig. 5 the embodiment includes lateral construction system elements 11 and 12 respectively, and roof and floor elements 1 3 and 14. As shown, the roof and floor elements extend in each case over the entire width of the lining. The lateral elements 1 and 2 are of convex configuration as are the modular elements 13 and 14, i.e. they are shaped with an outwardly directed curve. Elements 11 to 14 which adjoin one another are connected for example integrally in a watertight manner by weld seams which are not shown in detail. A length of lining (not shown as such in Fig. 5) can thus be prefabricated so that at the construction site the lining can be constructed very rapidly by welding such lengths together.

Referring now to Fig. 6 the embodiment has two vertically disposed lateral elements 1 5 and 16 respectively which can be constituted either as sheet piling elements or of other suitable section elements made advantageously of steel or cast steel. These lateral modular elements are connected with corner curves 1 7 and 1 8 which are welded by watertight weld seams to an element 19 situated in the floor region.

The embodiment of Fig. 7 is similar to that of Fig. 6 so that the same reference numerals have been used for like parts in the two Figures.

However, whereas in the embodiment shown in Fig. 6 the lining is open at the top, in the embodiment of Fig. 7 the lining is covered for example by a concrete slab 20. The concrete slab 20 rests for example on section members or angle members 21 and 22 which are connected by weld seams or by screw bolts to the lateral construction system elements 1 5 and 1 6.

Prefabrication of lengths of lining is possible with the embodiments of Figs. 6 and 7. It is however possible simply to connect the corner curves to the lateral construction system elements 1 5 and 1 6 by weld seams. The floorregion elements in the embodiments of Figs. 5 to 7 respectively can if desired be profiled in a corrugated manner, as shown more particularly in Fig. 2. The ridges and valleys of such profilings or the like thus extend transversely to the longitudinal axis of the channel.

In all cases the lining in the illustrated embodiment is capable of elastic-plastic deformation within certain limits.

The cross-section of the channel illustrated in the drawings is substantially rectangular or at least very approximately. This gives advantageous static properties and advantageous crosssections.

The drawings do not show expansion joint elements which may be attached to the corner curves by way of weld seams and which can increase the elastic plastic properties of the lining.

Claims (1)

1. Claims

   1. A lining for the side walls and the roof and/or floor of a channel, conduit, underground gallery or the like, the lining extending in use longitudinal of the channel and comprising a plurality of elements to provide its transverse shape, the elements being connected together in a watertight manner and being made from a deformable material.

   2. A lining according to claim 1 wherein the elements are made from steel or cast steel and are connected together by welding.

   3fA lining according to any one of the preceding claims wherein an element providing the lining for all or a part of the roof or floor of the channel or the like is profiled to provide a corrugated surface, ridges and valleys in the surface extending substantially transversely across the lining.

   4. A lining according to any one of the preceding claims wherein an element providing the lining for all or a part of the roof or floor of the channel or the like is arched outwardly.

   5. A lining according to claim 4 wherein the said element is arched so that it follows at least in part an arc of a circle.

   6. A lining according to claim 4 or claim 5 wherein an element providing the lining for all or part of a side wall of the channel or the like is arched outwardly and follows at least in part an arc of a circle.

   7. A lining according to any one of the preceding claims wherein in transverse cross section each of the said elements is curved outwardly.

   8. A lining according to any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein an element providing the lining for all or a part of a side wall of the channel or the like consists of a sheet element such as sheet piling.

   9. A lining according to any one of the preceding claims wherein an element providing the lining for the roof of a channel or the like is interchangeable with an element providing the lining for the floor of the channel or the like.

   10. Lining according to any one of the preceding claims wherein each element in the lining is interchangeable with any other element in the lining.

   11. Lining substantially as herein described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 or any one of Figs.

   3 to 7 of the accompanying drawings.

   12. A lining according to any one of the preceding claims when installed in a channel, conduit underground gallery or the like.

   1 3. A channel, conduit, underground gallery or the like whose side walls and roof and/or floor are lined by a lining whose transverse shape is provided by a plurality of elements, the elements being connected together in a watertight manner and being made from a deformable material.