Hydraulic and earth engineering – Underground passageway – e.g. – tunnel – Subaqueous
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-02
2002-09-17
Shackelford, Heather (Department: 3673)
Hydraulic and earth engineering
Underground passageway, e.g., tunnel
Subaqueous
C405S134000, C405S135000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06450734
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to an underwater tunnel system for vehicular traffic flow, including rail, automobile and truck traffic and, more specifically, to a submerged floating tunnel system of modular construction which utilizes submarine technology to provide specific and adjustable buoyancy capabilities.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art, comprising known or existing techniques for connecting two land masses, includes bridges and tunnels.
As a means of traversing a body of water between two land masses, bridge construction presents several major problems. Because bridge construction is performed substantially (about 95%) on site, delays and cost overruns are common, being subject to seasonal changes and inclement weather. In addition, the average construction time (including design) of a conventional bridge is five to seven years. Once in place, conventional bridges possess several characteristics which also present difficulty. Exposure to weather and the elements requires constant examination and continuous maintenance efforts. In addition, the same weather factors which hinder construction and shorten the life span of the resulting structure also adversely affect traffic conditions. Finally, conventional bridges can have significant environmental impact as well as degrading the scenery or skyline of the surrounding land mass areas.
Currently, underwater tunnels also contain serious flaws and weaknesses in both their design and technique of construction. Conventional tunnels require extensive boring beneath the seabed, riverbed, or the like. This is a process which results in both substantially lengthening the construction period and substantially increasing costs. Furthermore, the extensive boring required in the construction of conventional tunnels also can have negative effects on the surrounding marine environment.
While submerged and prefabricated tunnels already exist, these systems are not without flaws. Through this invention, both existing tunnel technology and design will be improved upon substantially. Presently, submerged tunnels utilize concrete tubes which, although about 60% prefabricated, require substantial on-site work. The prefabricated tubes used in concrete tunnels employ relatively short 300 foot sections. In order to build and install a concrete submerged tunnel on the floor of the body of water being traversed, additional concrete pours (above the waterline) are required to create the negative buoyancy necessary to submerge and lower these tube sections under the control of barge cranes. Extensive dredging is also required in order to produce the level of prescribed foundation to effectively join these tube sections together.
Finally, and most importantly, once a concrete tunnel of known design, is permanently weighted down with additional concrete in order to overcome positive buoyancy, repairs to the tunnel become difficult. Due to the permanent nature of the structure, maintenance and repair work can only be accomplished on site and underwater.
Numerous patents exist which are representative of a variety of fields of invention which must be considered when considering solutions to the problem being addressed by the inventors.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,849,821 issued Nov. 26, 1974 to Arild et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 3,478,521 issued Nov. 18, 1969 to Petrik, disclose submerged tunnel bridges assembled underwater from prefabricated concrete modules.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,406,151 issued Sep. 27, 1983 to Simonsen et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,165,196 issued Aug. 21, 1979 to Serrano, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,893,304 issued Jul. 8, 1975 to Pochitaloff-Huvale all disclose the fabrication of underwater structures.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,362,921 issued Nov. 8, 1994 to Birkelund et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,892,442 issued Jan. 9, 1990 to Shoffner, U.S. Pat. No. 2,770,950 issued Nov. 20, 1956 to Collins, and U.S. Pat. No. 244,752 issued Jul. 26, 1881 to Hunter et al. all disclose various underwater cable constructions and techniques for their installation.
Numerous U.S. patents disclose the laying of underwater pipeline, of which the following are exemplary:
U.S. Pat. No.
Inventor(s)
Issue Date
5,044,825
Kaldenbach
09/03/91
4,778,306
Anselmi et al.
10/18/88
4,712,946
Greatorex
12/15/87
4,465,400
Adams
08/14/84
4,459,065
Morton
07/10/84
4,360,290
Ward
11/23/82
4,183,697
Lamy
01/15/80
4,120,168
Lamy
10/17/78
4,028,903
Dietrich
06/14/77
3,977,201
Bittner
08/31/76
3,835,656
McDermott
09/17/74
3,568,456
Van Loenen
03/09/71
3,479,831
Teague, Jr.
11/25/69
3,425,453
Fuller
02/04/69
3,086,369
Brown
04/23/63
1,946,389
Christiansen
02/06/34
612,485
Conover
10/18/1898
In a similar fashion, the following U.S. patents disclose methods and apparatus for joining pipe sections underwater:
U.S. Pat. No.
Inventor(s)
Issue Date
5,004,017
White
04/02/91
4,832,530
Andersen et al.
05/23/89
4,468,155
Levallois et al.
08/28/84
4,171,175
Nobileau et al.
10/16/79
4,076,130
Sumner
02/28/78
3,795,115
Bergquist et al.
03/05/74
375,464
Thacher et al.
12/27/1887
It was in light of the foregoing and the inventors' expertise in submarine construction and design that the present invention was conceived and has now been reduced to practice.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an underwater tunnel system for vehicular, including rail, traffic connecting the shores of opposed land masses separated by a body of water. The invention draws heavily from submarine manufacturing and modular construction technology. It is environmentally benign and will not adversely dominate the skyline of the surrounding region. The system of the invention requires minimal, if any, dredging to insure its substantially level installation. A compensating ducting, piping and valve system is utilized for initial tunnel submergence during construction and to provide dynamic stability subsequently during operation. Part of the ducting system utilized during submergence operations is also subsequently used for ventilation air flow throughout the tunnel system during operation. During operation, fresh air is introduced from both shores into the tunnel system and exhaust air may be selectively discharged at both shores or from the tunnel system at locations distant from both shores.
It will be understood that the specific design parameters for constructing a Transportation Underwater Tunnel System (TUTS) in accordance with the present invention will vary with each specific project location. For example, it will be necessary for the project engineer to calculate and design the length of the tunnel and its desired width to accommodate optimum traffic conditions. Furthermore, the project engineer will have to determine the desired depth of the tunnel dependent upon the type of ship channel depth constraints. A tunnel marker buoy may be used to indicate the location of the inclined tunnel sections adjacent to both land masses. This tunnel marker will provide guidance for marine vessels passing above the tunnel, through the body of water, taking into account the tidal changes.
As stated above, each of these specific design parameters, as well as others, may be different for each individual project. However, one ordinarily skilled and reasonably competent in this particular art would readily understand how this design functions and could construct a Transportation Underwater Tunnel System in accordance with the present invention. According to the invention, there are three (3) basic tunnel configuration options or combinations that can be constructed and installed based upon tunnel size (number of traffic lanes), geographical and geological conditions and the marine environment to properly locate a specific tunnel configuration, as follows:
Type I—Shallow Water Elongated Tunnel (approximate depth of 40 feet to 60 feet)
Type II—Shallow Depth Cylindrical or Elongated Tunnel (approximate depth of 50 feet to 100 feet)
Type III—Open Depth Cylindrical Tunnel (approximate depth of 70 feet or greater)
In each instance, the depth indicated
Coletti Thomas M.
Kuja Michael W.
Hilburger Albert W.
Lagman Frederick L.
Shackelford Heather
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