Static structures (e.g. – buildings) – Module or panel having discrete edgewise or face-to-face... – Having integral key
Patent
1997-06-17
1999-11-30
Safavi, Michael
Static structures (e.g., buildings)
Module or panel having discrete edgewise or face-to-face...
Having integral key
405153, E21D 1108
Patent
active
059921188
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a segment for lining cavities, in particular tunnels, which includes a substantially shell-shaped body bounded by an inner face, an outer face, and side faces, the latter exhibiting at least one opening for receiving a dowel.
2. The Prior Art
A frequently used technique in lining tunnels, shafts, etc., is tubbing. Individual tubbing segments are conveyed into the newly excavated tunnel where they are assembled to form a complete lining. To speed up installation and automatize the lining process, there is an increased use of tubbing segments with which an interlocking connection can be established between adjacent segments. Such a connection is often achieved by a dowel penetrating into a suitable bore in the adjacent segment.
A problem with connections of this kind is that, due to tolerances, measuring errors, etc., it will not always be possible to build or install the individual segments in such a way that the dowels are precisely aligned with the corresponding holes. For this reason allowances should be made for a certain radial displacement between the axis of the dowel and that of the bore into which the dowel is to be fitted, without any functional impairment.
In CH-A 654066 tunnel segments are disclosed which are joined by dowels. Different dowel variants are proposed which are to prevent the segments from falling apart once they have been fastened together. In order to avoid any damage while the dowels are being inserted into their openings, partially funnel-shaped elements are provided to facilitate assembly and prevent the holes and dowels from being damaged during fitting. There are no tolerances for compensating inaccuracies in the assembled state, however. As a consequence, problems are encountered with such segments in certain applications.
EP-A 100 771 describes an invention for connecting segments which is concerned with the above problem. The known connecting means substantially comprise sleeves into which the dowels are inserted so as to provide a force-mediated connection. To allow for variations in radial direction, the dowel sleeves are conical at their open ends, such that the dowels can undergo deformations in this area. This implies that the dowels must be made soft and flexible enough to permit such deformations. As a consequence, a large number of dowels are required to achieve a predetermined holding force. Moreover, this solution does not permit simple manufacture of the dowels, by pouring them as concrete elements integral with the body of the respective segment, for instance. It has further been found that the comparatively thin dowels of this type of construction frequently break upon insertion, thus leading to losses of material and delays in the lining process.
In DE-A 22 38 792 a tunnel lining is described in which the dowel holes are provided with spring rings. Such rings provide for a certain radial adjustment to compensate manufacturing tolerances. However, due to the spring characteristics and the essentially point-type contact between spring ring and dowel, the latter cannot be anchored securely in the segment.
Other solutions are disclosed in FR-A 78 25 472 and in DE-A 20 27 149. None of these solutions have proved completely satisfactory in practical use, however.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a segment of the above type which is easy to manufacture and to handle, and which offers a compensation in the instance of displacements in radial direction of the dowel.
In the invention this object is achieved by configuring the opening as a substantially cylindrical bore into which projects a tube of limited deformability, a gap being provided between the outer circumference of the tube and the wall of the bore.
An essential characteristic of the invention is the special configuration of the opening receiving the dowel. In principle, the invention is suited for assemblies of segments where any two segments to be fastened together are provided with corresponding open
REFERENCES:
patent: 3780484 (1973-12-01), Muse
patent: 4741135 (1988-05-01), Baena
patent: 5189859 (1993-03-01), Payer
patent: 5232302 (1993-08-01), Wagner et al.
Schulter Alfred
Wagner Harald
GIT Tunnelbau GmbH
Safavi Michael
LandOfFree
Segment for lining cavities does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Segment for lining cavities, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Segment for lining cavities will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1657990