WO2008068363A1

WO2008068363A1 - Procedure, device for making tunnels and complement for tunneling machine

Info

Publication number: WO2008068363A1
Application number: PCT/ES2007/000699
Authority: WO
Inventors: Frech Rafael Bote
Original assignee: Enia Tecnica Y Gestion, S.L.
Priority date: 2006-12-04
Filing date: 2007-11-30
Publication date: 2008-06-12
Also published as: ES2270742B1; ES2270742A1

Abstract

Procedure for making tunnels, such as the type of tunnel including at least a first section with a lesser diameter and a second section of a greater diameter adjacent to the first, wherein the lesser diameter section is bored by means of a tunneling device, the procedure characterised in that it includes the following steps: creation of a first vertical well in the transition zone between the first section and the second section; after the tunneling device has reached the first well, adaptation of the tunneling device by changing its excavation diameter to a greater diameter suitable for the second section; and boring of the second tunnel section with the adapted tunneling device.

Description

PROCEDURE, DEVICE FOR THE REALIZATION OF TUNNELS AND COMPLEMENT FOR TUNNEL

DESCRIPTION

The present invention refers to the realization of tunnels, especially to the realization of tunnels of great lengths and with wide areas.

More particularly, the present invention refers to a procedure for the realization of tunnels, a device for performing said procedure and a tunneler complement intended for the adaptation of tunneling machines for the implementation of the procedure object of the present invention. .

The realization of large tunnels is applicable to the realization of transport routes, in particular eminently underground transport, such as the suburban metropolitan railway or "subway". For the realization of these communication routes, it is necessary to make long stretches of underground tunnel between a wide area or "stations". "Stations" require an excavation diameter greater than the tunnel itself and, therefore, greater excavation. According to the available techniques, the "station" must be manually excavated, or an excavation or tunneling device of adequate diameter for the stations, although excessive for the tunnel, must be chosen for the entire tunnel. Both solutions mean a notable increase in costs and a decrease in performance in terms of the progress of the excavation.

It is an objective of the present invention to give know means that allow to reduce costs, increase linear performance and the degree of automation in the realization of tunnels.

In particular, according to a first aspect, the present invention comprises a method of making tunnels comprising at least a first sections with a smaller diameter and a second section of diameter greater than the diameter of the first section, the first section being adjacent to the second section , the first section being carried out by means of a tunneling device, the procedure being characterized because it comprises the following steps:

- realization of a first vertical well in the transition zone between the first and second sections,

- preferably, realization of a second well in a position corresponding to the final end of the second section;

- once the tunneling device has reached the first vertical well, adapting the excavation diameter of the excavation device to the diameter corresponding to the second section, - realization of the second tunnel section with the tunneled device adapted;

- preferably, when the tunneling device reaches the second vertical well, adapting said device to a diameter corresponding to the first diameter;

- and, also preferably, continuation of the excavation with said diameter corresponding to the first section.

The present invention has the advantage of Combine the tunneling in two different diameters in a technically feasible way, since the tunneling device is adapted using the vertical well. The use of vertical wells located precisely at the adjacency points between sections of different diameter has the advantage that said vertical wells can be carried out simultaneously with the advance of the tunneling device and that its vertical arrangement facilitates the introduction of parts and labor to Tuning device tuning. On the other hand, techniques are known that allow the realization of vertical wells of large diameter in an automated manner and with adequate performance. In addition, the present invention has the synergistic advantage that the tunnel can be subsequently taken advantage of by means of a subsequent phase of conditioning of at least one of said vertical wells as a permanent access structure to said second section, for example, as accesses from the street To the subway station.

Preferably, the adaptation of the tunneling device in the first well comprises the addition to the tunneling device of a complement for increasing the excavation diameter of a tunneling machine, a complement that can preferably be removed in the second vertical well. This has the advantage of being able to remove and use the complement in other parts of the work while the tunnel boring machine advances.

According to another aspect, the present invention also comprises a tunneling device, suitable for carrying out the process according to the present - TO -

invention comprising the following elements:

- a first circular excavation surface generally provided with excavation elements; an externally cylindrical structure for protection of elements located behind the excavation surface;

- a device for actuating said excavation elements; These elements are common to the vast majority of TBMs. The device according to the present invention is characterized in that it further comprises:

- a second excavation surface generally of a circular crown, provided with excavation elements, the inner diameter of the crown being coincident with the outer diameter of the first excavation surface;

- a second externally cylindrical structure associated with the second excavation surface, in such a way that the first and second structures are connected to each other by means of a removable joint, such that the second excavation surface can be mounted and disassembled on the first .

In the event that the excavation device requires a dovela erector (which is necessary for tunneling on land), said erector may have the ability to place dovelas of diameters corresponding to the external digging diameters of both the first as of the second excavation surface, for example by providing an arm articulated or telescopic.

Likewise, the device will preferably comprise an evacuation system comprising a connection port between the chambers or interior spaces of said first or second structure, said port being preferably provided with an isolation door between spaces. This arrangement allows the use of a single evacuation system.

As for the operation of the excavation elements of the first and second surfaces, this may be independent of each other or common, and the excavation surfaces may be in solidarity with each other or not.

According to another additional aspect, the present invention comprises a tunneling complement that allows a tunneling machine of the type known above to be adapted to form the device according to the present invention. Said complement, therefore, comprises a second excavation surface generally of a circular crown whose internal diameter corresponds to the external diameter of the excavation surface of the tunnel boring machine, a second cylindrical overall protection structure associated with the second surface of excavation, and a structure of union between the first and second structures of protection. In preferred embodiments, the complement may comprise joining means to support the first and second excavation surfaces. In another preferred embodiment, the complement may comprise a series of pieces of generally cylindrical angular section that can be joined together. Also, the complement according to the present invention may understand the characteristics necessary for the realization of the tunneling device according to the present invention, cited above.

For a better understanding of the invention, some drawings of embodiments of the present invention are attached by way of explanatory but not limiting example.

Figure 1 is a schematic view of a construction work of a tunnel made by a method according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a schematic view showing different phases of carrying out the process according to the present invention.

Figures 3, 4 and 5 are respective side elevation views sectioned by the middle plane of a device according to the present invention in different subphases of the phase of adaptation of the digging diameter of a tunneling device.

Figure 6 is a front elevational view in which the excavation surfaces of an embodiment of the device according to the present invention can be observed.

Figures 1 and 2 show a procedure for making tunnels for an underground communications work, such as a meter. The work to be done consists of tunnel sections, such as the first section -200- or the third section -600- in which a certain excavation diameter is required. Between these sections are the -400- stations that require a major excavation. In accordance with the known technique, the track sections -200-, -600- are made by a tunneling device or tunnel boring machine -1-, which is introduced to the tunnel depth, for example, by means of an open pit excavation -100-. However, this leaves open the problem of the realization of the -400- stations, which require an excavation greater than the sections of via -200-, -600-. Figure 1 shows, in a schematic manner, a specific state of an embodiment of the process object of the present invention. The excavated areas have been represented by continuous lines, while the areas to be excavated have been represented by dashed lines. As we can see, after the completion of the first excavation -100-, which can be a vertical well made by automatic means -700-, the excavation of the first tunnel section -200- has been initiated by a tunnel boring machine -1-. The TBM -1-, in this phase, can be a tunnel boring machine of known type. It is also known to carry out large diameter circular wells, for example the well -100-, by means of automatic devices -700-, for example, of the ES2235667 patent. While the tunneling device -1- excavates the tunnel corresponding to the first section -200-, the device -700- for automatic completion of wells can perform wells -300-, -500- that are located in the transition zones between excavations of different diameter -200-, -400-, -600-. Said wells -300-, -500- have the double advantage of serving as a space for adapting the tunneling device -1- to the tunneling diameter of the station -400-, for example, by adding a complement -2- ( which can be advantageously shared by several tunneling devices) or by any other method. Conversely, when the excavation device adapted -1-, -2- reaches the well -500- located at the end of the station -400-, complement -2- can be removed to continue the excavation of the third tunnel section -600- .

In FIG. 2, various situations of the tunneling device are simultaneously represented in the same figure during an exemplary embodiment of the method according to the present invention. During the excavation of the first section -200-, the excavator device may consist of a tunnel boring machine of known type -1-, which, in a general case, presents means for placing segments -701- of containment of the excavated walls.

When the tunnel boring machine -1- reaches the vertical well -300-, a complement -2- will be introduced into the well (see directional arrow -A-) in assembly arrangement. The assembly can be done at the bottom of the well and leaves the tunneling device -1-, -2- ready to continue excavating the -400- section of larger diameter. The device -1-, -2-, once adapted, is capable of tunneling to a new larger diameter and, where appropriate, placing the corresponding containment segments -702- corresponding to the larger diameter of the second section -400-. After finishing the section, the tunneling device arrives at a second vertical well -500- located at the end of the -400- station. In said well, the complement -2- is removed and the tunnel boring machine -1- can continue digging a third section -600- of the same characteristics as the first.

The second section -400- of greater diameter, can be used, for example, as a subway station, while the vertical wells -300-, -500-, when connected, it can be used as access areas to the station -400-, by means of the corresponding subsequent conditioning.

As noted, the process object of the present invention requires an adaptation phase of the excavation diameter of the excavator device. This can be achieved, preferably, by means of an excavator device that can be formed from a tunnel boring machine -1- of a known type to which a complement -2- is added, as previously mentioned. This embodiment has several advantages, such as the absence of the need to make a specific tunneling device, being able to use the complement at different work points and the ease of assembly and disassembly in a vertical well -300-, -500-. Figures 3 to 5 show three different moments in the process of assembling a complement -2- with a tunnel boring machine -1- of known type. As can be seen, the assembly can be carried out by linear movement of the tunnel boring machine -1-, being introduced inside the complement -2-. The tunnel boring machine -1- represented in the figures has an excavation head equipped with an attack or excavation surface -12-, equipped with excavation elements, such as that represented by numeral -121- in figure 6 and, in where appropriate, holes -122- to facilitate the passage of excavation products into the tunnel boring machine -1-. The excavation elements can be of any type. The excavation surface may rotate in one direction or it could be divided into two parts rotating in different directions, according to techniques known, thanks to an actuator -16-, for example of known type, and the corresponding movement transmission elements -17-.

In addition, the tunnel boring machine has a cylindrical structure -11-, whose function is to protect the space or chamber located behind the excavation surface -12-. To facilitate the collection of excavation products, the tunnel boring machine -1- in the example presents a collection system -13- in the chamber. Said collection system may be of any type: belt, buckets, suction pipe, etc. and your choice will depend on the type of land to be excavated.

The complement -2- shown in the figures comprises a second excavation surface -22- and a second externally cylindrical structure -21-. The second excavation surface -22- has a general circular crown shape, with the inner diameter corresponding to (in general, approximately equal to) the outer diameter of the first excavation surface -12-. Said second excavation surface -22- also has excavation elements -221- and holes for receiving excavation products -222 ¹ -.

The cylindrical protective structures -11-, -21- are joined together, preferably in a solidary manner, through a corresponding joint structure -23-, -24-, In the example shown in Figure 6, there are also elements of Fixed connection -232- between the first -12- and second -22- excavation surfaces. In this case, both excavation surfaces rotate in solidarity with each other, with direct transmission of movement between the transmission elements -17- and -27- corresponding to the tunnel boring machine -1- and complement -2-, respectively. However, it would be possible to do by means of known techniques that both surfaces rotate in opposite directions to each other.

In the case shown, a joint tunneling arrangement -1- - complement -2- in which there is a single drive device -16- has been selected. Depending on the difference in outside diameter between tunnel boring machine -1- and complement -2- this may require an oversizing of the drive device -16- of a conventional, although not existing, tunnel boring machine. This avoids providing a complement drive device -2-.

Likewise, and in order to simplify the construction of the complement, a dovelas erector -14- has been placed in the tunnel boring machine -1- that has the ability to place segments corresponding to the external digging diameters of both the first and second surfaces of excavation. In the figures, the erector -14- has been represented by an articulated arm. It could also be carried out by an extensible cylinder or otherwise.

To simplify the task of collecting the excavation products, in the example shown, a connection port has been arranged between the chambers defined by the first -11- and second -21- protection structures. To facilitate the excavation tasks of the tunnel boring machine -1- without complement -2-, this port can be provided with a door -15- for insulation.

For better assembly, disassembly and transfer of complement -2-, this can be composed of a series of removable parts with a general shape of angular section of cylindrical crown (not shown in the drawings), allowing a reduction of beneficial weight in the introduction of complement -2- in the vertical wells -300-. While the invention has been described with respect to examples of preferred embodiments, these should not be construed as limiting the invention, which will be defined by the broader interpretation of the following claims.

Claims

RE I VI ND I CAC I ONE S

1. Procedure for making tunnels, of the type of tunnel comprising at least a first section with a lower diameter and a second section of a larger diameter, adjacent to the first, in which the section with a lower diameter is made with an intermediate tunneling device, the procedure being characterized because it comprises the following steps:

- realization of a first vertical well in the transition zone between the first section and the second section; - once the tunneling device has reached the first well, adapting the tunneling device by modifying its excavation diameter to a larger diameter suitable for the second section; Y

- realization of the second section of tunnel with the tunneling device adapted.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that it also comprises the steps of:

- realization of a second vertical well at the end of the second section; - once the adapted tunneling device has reached the second vertical well, readjusting the diameter of the excavator device to the diameter corresponding to the first section, and

- continuation of the excavation of a third section with said diameter corresponding to the first section.

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the adaptation of the tunneling device in the first well comprises the addition to the device Tunneler of a complement to increase the excavation diameter of a tunnel boring machine.

Method according to claim 3, characterized in that the adaptation comprises the assembly of the tunneling head in an adaptation device with a general cylindrical crown shape.

Method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it comprises a subsequent phase of conditioning of at least one of said vertical wells as a permanent access structure to said second section.

6. Tunnel making device, of the type comprising:

- a first circular excavation surface generally provided with excavation elements, - an externally cylindrical structure for protection of elements located behind the excavation surface;

- a device for actuating said excavation elements; characterized in that it comprises

- a second excavation surface generally of a circular crown, provided with excavation elements, whose inner diameter coincides with the outer diameter of the first excavation surface - a second externally cylindrical structure associated with the second excavation surface; in such a way that the first and second structures are in solidarity with each other through a detachable union, in such a way so that the second surface can be mounted and disassembled on the first.

7. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises an erect eyelid with the ability to place diameters corresponding to the external digging diameters of both the first and second excavation surfaces.

8. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that the erect of the segments comprises an articulated arm.

9. Device according to any of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that it comprises an evacuation system for excavation products comprising a connection port between the interior spaces to said first and second structures.

10. Device according to claim 9, characterized in that the port comprises a door for insulating each other from the interior spaces to said first and second structures.

Device according to any one of claims 6 to 10, characterized in that the first excavation surface and the second excavation surface are driven by the same actuator.

12. Device according to claim 11, characterized in that the first and second excavation surfaces are integral with each other.

13. Device according to any of claims 6 to 12, characterized in that the second excavation surface rotates in the opposite direction to the First excavation surface.

14. Device according to any of claims 6 to 13, characterized in that both the second excavation surface and the second structure are composed of a set of removable parts with a generally cylindrical angular section.

15. Complement for a tunnel boring machine, of the type of tunnel boring machine that comprises a first excavation surface of a generally circular shape and a first protection structure of elements located behind the excavation surface, characterized in that said complement comprises a second excavation surface of a general shape of circular crown whose inner diameter corresponds to the outer diameter of the first excavation surface, and a second generally cylindrical protective structure associated with the second excavation surface; as well as a structure for union between the aforementioned first and second protection structures.

16. Complement according to claim 15, characterized in that it comprises joining means for joining the first and second excavation surfaces.

17. Complement according to claim 15, characterized in that it comprises means for transmitting movement from the device for actuating the excavation elements to the excavation elements of the second excavation surface independently of the movement of the excavation elements of the quoted first excavation surface.

18. Complement, characterized in that it comprises a series of pieces with general shape of angular section of cylindrical crown that can be joined together.