Hydraulic and earth engineering – Underground passageway – e.g. – tunnel – Vertical
Patent
1989-06-20
1990-11-27
Taylor, Dennis L.
Hydraulic and earth engineering
Underground passageway, e.g., tunnel
Vertical
405233, 405244, E02D 2314
Patent
active
049731971
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to silos and to methods of burying them, i.e. inserting them in the ground, both on dry land and under water.
By the term "silo" as used herein is meant any elongate structure, whether hollow or solid, open or closed, which is adapted to be driven in end first into the ground. Although preferably tubular and of steel, such a silo can be of any shape and of any material which can allow driving in of the silo into the ground either by hydraulic, mechanical or hydrostatic means. For example the silo can be square in cross-section, closed at its upper end and of concrete in the manner of a caisson. The silo can also take the form of a solid pile which has been provided at its lower end with a sharp point.
One of the main problems encountered during the driving in of silos into the ground is the friction caused by the movement of the silo walls through the soil. As the silo is driven deeper into the soil so the area of silo wall moving against the soil increases, and furthermore the pressure of the surrounding soil against the silo walls similarly increases with increasing depth of silo penetration. Thus regardless of the type of soil encountered by the silo, there is generally a limit to the depth of penetration achievable by a silo for a given force of silo drive.
One system for reducing this friction is described in our U.S. Pat. No. 4,744,698. In Pat. No. 4,744,698, the cutting end of the silo is enlarged around its opening so as to form an outsize cutting "shoe". The cross-section of the shoe is wedge-shaped and the sloping edge of the shoe extends beyond the line of the outside of the silo. By this means the hole cut by the cutting shoe is larger than the profile of the silo and thus an annular space is formed at least initially around the silo as it is driven in the soil, thereby reducing the amount and pressure of the surrounding soil in contact with the silo walls during insertion of the silo.
With many loose soils and with increasing depth of insertion, however, the annular space created by the shoe does not stay free of soil for long, and soil frequently falls into the space from the hole sides and friction again starts to increase.
It has now been found possible to reduce this infilling and resultant friction, and hence permit greater insertion depths for silos, by arranging for a fluid-inflated sleeve to occupy this annular space.
In accordance with the present invention there is provided a silo or like structure adapted to be inserted end first into the ground to a desired depth comprising an elongate body enlarged at one end, a cutter carried by the enlarged portion and directed axially away from the body so as to form an outsize hole for the body when the structure is inserted into the ground, a flexible sleeve attached to the periphery of the enlarged portion, and duct means opening into an annular space defined between the body and the sleeve for conveying a fluid from a fluid source to the adjacent enlarged portion, characterized in that the flexible sleeve is adapted to cover essentially the entire inserted length of the body in spaced relationship therefrom, and in that the sleeve is porous with respect to the said fluid.
The invention also provides a method of inserting a structure of the present invention into the ground comprising driving the structure downwardly whilst pumping a fluid from the source into the annular space between the body and the sleeve through the duct means.
Preferably, the enlarged portion is hollow and axially open and wherein the cutter takes the form of a circumferential cutting edge around the opening. Means can then be provided within the body for removing soil from the interior thereof. In one embodiment the removal means comprise at least one water jet and a slurry pump, whilst in another the removal means comprises a mechanical excavator. Desirably, the removal means is releasably attached to the body.
As will readily be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the rate of flow of the fluid into the annular space should be at le
REFERENCES:
patent: 2065003 (1936-12-01), Widugier
patent: 3293865 (1966-12-01), Loofbourow et al.
patent: 3492823 (1970-02-01), Lamberton
patent: 4107930 (1978-08-01), Thieofe
patent: 4585681 (1986-04-01), Kidera et al.
patent: 4671703 (1987-06-01), Schmidt
Dallimer David S.
Nixon Giles M.
Deliguori Franco
LME Petroscope Limited
Taylor Dennis L.
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