US2128284A

US2128284A - Method of constructing subways and like underground structures

Info

Publication number: US2128284A
Application number: US207897A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ralph H Burke
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1938-05-14
Filing date: 1938-05-14
Publication date: 1938-08-30
Anticipated expiration: 1955-08-30

Description

Aug. 30, 1938. R. H. BURKE 2,128,284

METHOD DE c'oNsTRUcTINc sUBwAYs AND LIKE UNDERGROUND STRUCTURES 'Filed May 14, 1938 :s sheets-sheet 1 af-gj,

\ V. ,E E Il/ X A N lf/ EMKEDMEMWM.

R. H. BURKE METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING SUBWAYS AND LIKE UNDERGROUND STRUCTURES Aug. 30, 1938.

Filed May 14, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 30, 1938. R H BURKE METHOD oF coNsTRUcTING suBwAYs AND LIKE UNDERGROUND STRUCTURES Filed May 14, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 T, ff, .....n/A, 4 V a KANT:

Patented Aug.v 30, 1938 METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING SUBWAYS AND LIKE UNDERGROUND STRUCTURES Ralph I-I. Burke, Evanston, Ill.

Application May 14, 1938, Serial No. 207,897

Claims.

The present invention relates to the construction of subways and other underground structures, and contemplates a new mode of operation that includes rst erecting the retaining walls that constitute the sides of the proposed subway, then rooiing over the space between such Walls to form a roadway as well as a ceiling for the subway, so that the construction of the subway may be carried on with little if any interference with the use of the street or roadway for traffic. The retaining walls may be located at or near the lines of the curbs, and by then roofing over the space between such Walls a roadway may be provided for traino while at the same time the material l5 between the side walls and under the roof is being excavated and the subway is being completed in other respects.

It is old in the art to build underground retaining Walls by first sinking a vertical shaft and then excavating the earth and building the Wall in sectional courses, beginning at the lowermost course of the wall and constructing each superjacent course or section upon a subjacent course or section that has been previously completed. In .3 such constructions, however, the first Wall section or course is completed before the next wall section tunnel is excavated, and it is therefore necessary in such cases to carry the concrete for each course down through the shaft and into each tunnel, the lling beginning at the far or blind end of the tunnels, requiring the expenditure of much time and labor in placing the concrete. With such method, also, the material excavated from each of the upper tunnels must be removed through the tunnel in which the excavating is then being carried on, which often necessitates the excavation of a larger tunnel than is needed t0 accommodate the concrete wall desired, and also requires the use of forms to construct the concrete wall of the dimensions desired, all of which makes for crowded working conditions in the tunnel and therefore loss of time in the excavating operations. It is also old in the art to excavate the earth between the walls before roofing over the space between them, and to place in such excavation forms that are suitably braced from below on to which the concrete of the roof section of the subway is poured.

The present invention has for its principal object to provide a simple and safe method of constructing retaining walls, supporting piers and the like, and the roofs of subways and other underground structures, whereby the time and labor required in the excavating operation and the lling with concrete to form the same will be reduced to a minimum, so as to make the construction of such retaining walls and roof inexpensive as compared to the prior methods of construction.

In constructing a subway, or like underground structure, by my improved method, I first sink a vertical shaft to a point level with or below the lowermost section of the Wall to be constructed. Then, beginning at the lower end of the shaft, I excavate a tunnel of suitable height, and of about the width of the thickness of the proposed wall. This lowermost tunnel is of such size and shape as to provide Working room for transporting the earth excavated therefrom and from the superposed tunnels subsequently excavated. Since the base section of the proposed wall is ordinarily wider than the upper portions, the lowermost tunnel is about the width of the proposed base section. The length of this tunnel will correspond with the length of the wall section that is to be built by operating from the shaft. In extending this lowermost tunnel its sides are lagged or lined with side plates and said plates are braced or stiffened with strips or angles secured to upper and lower margins thereof. Also secured to the side plates adjacent their upper margins are cross strips or braces spaced apart longitudinally of the tunnel. Loosely supported by the stiffening strips at the upper margins of the side plates are removable steel plates forming a temporary solid roof for the lowermost tunnel to retain the earth above it. After completing the excavation ofthe lowermost tunnel, still operating from the shaft,

the next higher tunnel isv excavated, the plates forming the roof of the lowermost tunnel being successively removed as the excavating progresses, thus allowing the material excavated from the upper tunnel to drop down between the cross strips into the lowermost tunnel, from which it is removed through the shaft. The sides of the second tunnel are lagged and braced in a manner similar to those of the rst tunnel, and in addition the lower margins of the side plates of the second tunnel are secured to the upper margins of the side plates of the lower tunnel, spacedapart cross strips or braces are connected between the upper margins of the side plates of the second tunnel, and removable steel plates are placed to form a solid roof for such tunnel, as in the case of the lowermost tunnel. After digging the second tunnel, the next higher one is excavated in the same Way, in each case the excavated material being allowed to drop into the lowermost tunnel for removal therefrom through the shaft, and so on until the full height of the wall is reached. Of course, in the case of a topmost tunnel which would reach the street level, if preferred the material dislodged could be thrown out into the street instead of being allowed to drop through the several tunnels into the bottom one. After the several tunnels have been completely excavated concrete is poured into them through pipes extending from the ground surface into the uppermost tunnel, or extended into the lower tunnels, as may be desired, said pipes being spaced apart at suitable distances along the length of the proposed wall, and the concrete will pass through the pipes or the open upper portions of the several tunnels in the filling operation, so that the lowermost tunnel will be lled first, and then the remaining tunnels in succession, as will be readily appreciated. If the uppermost tunnel reaches the ground surface or street level, the pipes may be dispensed with and the concrete poured directly into the several tunnels by the usual method to fill them in succession. Tunnels may be extended from the shaft in more than one direction, so that by sinking one shaft a considerable length of wall or walls can be formed. Similarly, a shaft may be provided at each end of a proposed wall section, with the work progressing towards the center of said section from the two shafts.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown one form of means for carrying out my improved method. As there illustrated:

Figure l is a longitudinal vertical sectional view througha shaft and three partially completed superposed tunnels, showing the successive steps of excavating and forming the tunnels; also one of the concrete receiving pipes extending between the upper tunnel and the ground surface;

Figure 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on the line 2 2 of Figure l, and showing in addition in dotted lines two adjacent parallel retaining walls;

Figure 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale showing the cross strips or braces interposed between the upper and lower ends of the side plates at opposite sides of the tunnel;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical cross-section on an enlarged scale, showing the means for connecting the side plates of a lower tunnel to the sid-e plates of the next higher tunnel, and the means for connecting the cross braces to the side plates;

Figure 5 is a vertical cross-sectional View showing a subway structure comprising three retain- -ing walls and a roof supported thereon constructed in accordance with my improved method and before the earth between the retaining walls and below the roof has been excavated; and

Figure 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view similar to Figure 5 showing the subway after the excavation of the earth between the walls and below the roof, and the laying of the oor.

In carrying out my improved method, I first construct two side walls, and an intermediate wall when one is required, and each of such walls is constructed by sinking a vertical shaft 6 down to a point level with or below the foot of the lowermost section of the proposed wall, and the side walls of the shaft may be lined with a plurality of side plates such as those shown at 'l in Figure l, if desired. Then a tunnel 8 is excavated, commencing at the bottom of the shaft and extending along the line of the proposed wall, and as the excavating progresses a plurality of side plates 9 are placed along the sides of the tunnel to prevent the earth adjacent thereto from falling into the tunnel, as is usual in tunnel construction. The plates 9 in the lowermost tunnel extend from the top to the bottom of the tunnel, and in the preferred construction said side plates are or diverge outwardly from top to bottom as shown in Figures 2 and 3, so that the bottom portion of the tunnel is wider than the top portion thereof. The purpose of such construction is to provide more room for the workmen engaged in removing the material from the tunnel and also to provide for the use of small dump cars, such as shown at C in Figure 3, that ar-e usually used in tunnel construction. The side plates 9 may be joined together by flanges or otherwise to form a continuous lining. If desired, after all of the tunnels have been completed and before the concrete is poured thereinto, vertically arranged side plates may be inserted in lieu of the diverging plates 9, or the plates 9 may be left in place and vertically arranged plates or forms of other desired shape may be inserted on the inner sides thereof in addition thereto, to form the concrete wall of any desired shape or dimension.

An angle bar I9 is secured to the inner face of each of the side plates 9 adjacent the upper margin thereof by welding or otherwise suitably securing one flange II of said bar to said plate, the other flange I2 of the angle bar extending inwardly from said plate in a horizontal plane for a purpose to be hereinafter described. The upper ends of the side plates 9 at opposite sides of the tunnel are braced and held apart by spaced-apart cross strips or braces I3 that are preferably in the form of steel rods or bars having their outer ends reduced in diameter as shown at It and inserted in holes I5 provided therefor in the flanges II of the angle bars IE) as best shown in Figure 4. Removable steel plates II are placed loosely on the angle bars IE! to form a temporary roof for the lowermost tunnel and to retain the earth above such lowermost tunnel until said earth is excavated in forming the next higher tunnel. These removable plates i6 provide a footing for the workmen in excavating the next higher tunnel, and are removed in succession as such excavation proceeds. The brace rods I3 are preferably formed in twosections connected together by a turnbuckle to facilitate the insertion of the ends ld of the rods in the holes I5 and to adjust them tightly in place, as will be readily appreciated. It is to be understood that any desired number of such braces may be used as are necessary to resist the pressure of the earth on the sides of the tunnel, so long as they are spaced apart sufficiently to permit the material excavated from the next higher tunnels, and the concrete that is poured in from above when the tunnels are completed, to drop therebetween into the lower tunnels.

As shown in Figure 3, preferably an angle bar I'I is secured to the inner face of each of the side plates 9 adjacent its lower margin in a manner similar to that in which the angle bars I0 are secured to the upper margins of said plates, and the lower ends of the side plates 9 at opposite sides of the tunnel are braced and held apart by lower cross-braces or rods I8, similar to the upper brace rods I3, that have their reduced outer ends inserted in holes provided therefor in the flanges of the angle bars I1.

After the first tunnel has been completed to any desired or convenient distance from the shaft, and before concrete is placed therein, the excavating of the second tunnel 23 is commenced, starting from the shaft. As the excavating of the tunnel 23 progresses the removable steel plates I6 forming the solid roof of the lower tunnel 8 are removed, allowing the material excavated from the tunnel 23 to drop between the cross strips or braces I3 into the rlowermost tunnel, from which it is removed from the shaft. During this work the sides of the tunnel 23 are lined with steel side plates 24 similar to the side plates 9 of the lowermost tunnel except that the plates 24 are preferably vertically arranged as shown. These plates 24 are also preferably joined together by flanges or otherwise to make a continuous lining. Each of the side plates 24 adjacent its lower margin is provided with an angle bar 25 having one flange 26 thereof secured to said plate and its other flange 21 extending inwardly from said plate in a horizontal plane in a position just above the ilange I2 of the angle bar I0 at the upper end of the side plate 9 of the lower tunnel, and the angle bars I0 and 25 are secured together by means of a bolt 28 extending through aligned openings in the flanges I2 and 21 of said angle bars, respectively, said bolt being held in position by a nut 29 threaded thereon.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the lower ends of the side plates 24 at opposite sides of the tunnel 23 are braced and held apart by spaced apart cross braces 3l similar to the cross braces I3 and I 1, and have their reduced outer ends 32 inserted in holes 33 provided therefor in the iianges 28 of the angle-bars 25, as shown in Figure 4.

The upper ends of the side plates 24 at opposite sides of the tunnel 23 are held spaced apart in proper position by means of spaced cross braces 35 (Figure 1) that are similar in all respects to the cross braces I3 and similarly connected to the angle bars 36 at the upper ends of the side plates 24. Removable steel plates 31 are placed on said angle bars 36 to form a temporary roof for the tunnel 23, similar in all respects to the plates I6 which form the temporary roof of the tunnel 8.

After the second tunnel has been completed, the y next succeeding higher tunnel 38 is excavated, commencing at the shaft, and as the excavating progresses the material dislodged is allowed to drop between the braces 35 and 3I, and I3 of the

tunnel sections

23 and 8, respectively, to the bottom of the lowermost tunnel 8, from which the material is removed through the shaft. This tunnel 38 is lined with side plates 39 similar to the side plates 24 and cross braced as shown at 4 I-42 in Figure 1 in the same manner as the side plates 24 as above described, and removable steel plates 43 are-placed on the angles 44 at the upper ends of the side plates 39 to form a roof for the tunnel 38, in the same manner as plates I6 and 31 are used in

tunnels

8 and 23, respectively.

It is well to point out that the excavation of each of the upper tunnels may be started as soon as the next lower tunnel has been excavated a short distance, so that the work of excavating the several tunnels may be concurrent to a large extent, as will be readily understood.

In cases where the uppermost tunnel section 38 does not reach the ground surface, as in the illustrated construction, I provide means for filling the tunnel sections with concrete from the ground surface, and such means comprises a plurality of pipes 44, one of which is shown in Figure l, that are spaced apart at suitable distances along the length of the upper tunnel and extend from the ground surface into said tunnel. The concrete for filling the tunnels is poured into said pipes and drops down between the several spaced brace members of the tunnels, the several tunnels being lled in succession, beginning with the lowermost tunnel. If desired, pipes 44 may be extended into the

tunnels

8, 23, and 38 by extension pipe sections 45, as shown in .dotted lines in Figure 1, such extension pipe sections being removed as the placing of concrete proceeds. In cases where the uppermost tunnel reaches 'the ground surface, the pipes 44 are dispensed with and the material is poured directly into the uppermost tunnel, and distributed in the tunnels by the usual construction method.

One advantage derived from my method of constructing retaining walls for tunnels is that by providing the spaced apart braces in the several tunnels, reenforcing members that extend through all of the tunnels may be introduced before the concrete is poured 'into the tunnels, whereby the finished wall will be properly strengthened and reenforced from top to bottom.

The method of constructing retaining walls outlined above is particularly advantageous in building subways under city streets, as, by the method described, the operation of building each wall may be coni-ined to a narow space at one side of the roadway without the necessity of digging up the whole street or half of the street as the work progresses, thereby reducing interference with traiiic to a minimum.

After the side walls, and the intermediate Wall if one is required, have been completed, as above j as the roof of the subway. This is done before the earth between the walls is removed, so that such earth supports the concrete that forms the roof while the concrete is being poured. In Figure 5 I have illustrated a subway construction comprising two side retaining and supporting walls 41 and 48 and a centrally disposed supporting wall 49 on which a roof 5I formed in the manner above described is supported. After the roof has been completed, the earth between the

walls

41 and 49 and 48 and 4Q and below the roof 5I is excavated down to a point in line with the lower ends of the

walls

41, 48, and 49, and concrete is then laid between the several walls to form the.

iloor sections

52 and 53 as shown in Figure 6.

This method of construction is particularly advantageous in building subways under city streets since it provides a practical means of constructing the side walls of the subway before the main excavating of the subway is begun. The walls having thus been irst constructed, the roof of the subway may be constructed at street level, resting upon the previously constructed walls, after which the excavating necessary for completing the subway may be proceeded with beneath the completed roof and between the completed walls, in utmost safety, without interference with street trafc and without the inconvenience of using temporary bracing to hold the sides or roof of the excavation. It is apparent that the procedure above described, which is ina-de possible by the use of my method of constructing concrete retaining walls described herein, obviates the necessity of constructing a temporary street deck structure under which the work of carried on, and thereforeV provides for constructing subways at a higher level than heretofore, thus effecting a substantial saving in the total amount of excavating work required for the subway; and obviating entirely the we of back lling that is usually required above. the roof of the subway to fill to the required street grade and saving entirely the repaving of the street after construction of the subway. The method is of further advantage in the operation of the subway after completion, in that it allows construction of the subway at a higher level than was heretofore practicable, minimizing the steps necessary for the users of the subway to take in descending to and ascending from the platform levels in the subway.

1. The method of constructing concrete retaining walls for subways, underground structures, and the like, which comprises sinking a shaft to or below the level of the foot of the wall to be constructed, excavating a tunnel beginning at said shaft, excavating similar successively higher tunnels beginning at said shaft along the line of and over said first tunnel, whereby as said tunnels are successively excavated the material therefrom will drop down into said first tunnel, removing the material excavated from successively higher tunnels through said lowermost tunnel, and lling said tunnels in succession, commencing with the lowermost tunnel, from above with concrete.

2. The method of constructing a plurality of superposed tunnels for the purpose of building a concrete retaining wall, which comprises sinking a shaft to or below the level of the foot of the proposed wall, excavating the lowermost tunnel beginning at said shaft, providing a sectional removable ceiling for said tunnel, successively excavating and constructing one or morey like superposed tunnels over and in line `with said lowermost tunnel, meanwhile progressively removing such ceilings, so that 'the material excavated from said superposed tunnels is allowed to drop down into the lowermost tunnel, and removing the material excavated from said superposed tunnels from said lowermost tunnel through said shaft.

3. The method of constructing concrete retaining walls for subways and the like, which comprises sinking a shaft to or below the level of the foot of the wall to be constructed, excavating a tunnel beginning at said shaft, providing a secv tional removable ceiling for said tunnel, excavating and constructing similar successivelyhigher tunnels beginning at said shaft along the line of and over said first tunnel, meanwhile progressively removing such ceilings, whereby as said tunnels are successively excavated the material therefrom will drop down into said rst tunnel, removing the material excavated from successively higher tunnels through said lowermost tunnel, and filling said tunneds in succession from above with concrete.

4. The method of constructing concrete retaining walls for subways and the like, which comprises sinking a shaft to or below the level of the foot of the wall to be constructed, excavating a tunnel beginning at said shaft, providing a sectional removable ceiling for said tunnel excavating and constructing similar successively higher tunnels beginning at said shaft along the line of and over said first tunnel, meanwhile progressively removing such ceilings, whereby as said tunnels are successively excavated the material therefrom will drop down into said first tunnel,

removing the material excavated from successiveproviding an opening between the uppermost tunnel and the ground surface, and filling all of said tunnels in succession, commencing with the lowermost tunnel, with concrete poured through said opening.

5. The method of constructing concrete retaining walls for subways and the like, which comprises sinking a shaft to or below the level of the foot of the wall to be constructed, excavating a tunnel beginning at said shaft, providing lining plates along the side walls of the tunnel, providing spaced apart cross braces between the upper ends of the lining plates at opposite sides of said tunnel, providing a sectional removable ceiling for said tunnel, excavating and constructing successively higher tunnels beginning at said shaft along the line of and over the rst tunnel in a manner similar to that of said first tunnel, meanwhile progressively removing such ceilings, whereby as said tunnels are successively excavated the material therefrom will drop down between said cross braces into said first tunnel, removing the material excavated from successively higher tunnels through said lowermost tunnel, and filling all of said tunnels, in succession, commencing with the lowermost tunnel, with concrete poured into said tunnels'from above.

6. The method of constructing subways and like underground structures, which comprises forming two or more spaced apart retaining walls below the ground surface, each of which is constructed by sinking a shaft to or below the level of the foot of the proposed wall, excavating the lowermost tunnel beginning at said shaft, providing a sectional removable ceiling for said tunnel, successively excavating and constructing one or more like superposed tunnels over and in line with said lowermost tunnel, meanwhile progressively removing such ceilings, so that the material excavated from said superposed tunnels is allowed to drop down into the lowermost tunnel, removing the material excavated from said superposed tunnels from said lowermost tunnel through said shaft, roofing over the space between said retaining walls to form a roof for the subway, and thereafter removing the material from between said walls and below said roof. y

'7. The method of constructing subways and like underground structures, which comprises forming two or more spaced apart retaining walls below the ground surface, each of which is constructed by sinking a shaft to or below the level of the foot of the wall to be constructed, excavating a tunnel beginning at said shaft, providing a sectional removable ceiling for said tunnel, excavating and constructing similar successively higher tunnels beginning at said shaft along the line of and over said rst tunnel, meanwhile progressively removing such ceilings, whereby as said tunnels are successively excavated the material therefrom will drop down into said iirst tunnel, removing the material excavated from successively higher tunnels through said lowermost tunnel, lling said tunnels in succession from above the concrete, roofing over the space between said retaining walls to form a roof for the subway, and thereafter removing the material from between said walls and below said roof.

8. The method of constructing subways and other underground structures which comprises forming two or more spaced apart retaining walls below the ground surface, each of which is constructed by sinking a shaft to or below the level of the foot of the wall to be constructed, eX- cavating a tunnel beginning at said shaft, excavating similar successively higher tunnels beginning at said shaft along the line of and over said rst tunnel, whereby as said tunnels are successively excavated the material therefrom will drop down into said rst tunnel, removing the material excavated from successively higher tunnels through said lowermost tunnel, and lling said tunnels in succession, commencing with the lowermost tunnel, from above with concrete, roofing over the space between said retaining walls to form a roof for the subway, and thereafter removing the material from between said walls and below said roof.

9. The method of constructing a subway under a street or roadway which comprises constructing a retaining wall below the ground surface along each side of the roadway, roong over the space between said walls to form a pavement for the roadway and a roof for the subway, and thereafter excavating the earth from between said walls and below said roof.

10. The method of constructing a subway which comprises constructing a retaining wall below the ground surface along each side of the subway, constructing a roof for the subway supported by said retaining walls, and thereafter excavating the earth from between said walls and below said roof.

RALPH H. BURKE.