Hydraulic and earth engineering – Underground passageway – e.g. – tunnel – Boring
Patent
1998-09-01
2000-07-18
Lillis, Eileen Dunn
Hydraulic and earth engineering
Underground passageway, e.g., tunnel
Boring
405138, 299 33, E21D 900
Patent
active
060897910
ABSTRACT:
To construct a tunnel in a formation (11, 15) with zones of high hydraulic pressure (15), a gallery (13) is driven from the stable formation (11) toward the problem formation zone (15). At least one lock zone (19) with pressure-tight gates (23, 23') is constructed under protection of the stable formation (11) at some distance from the problem formation zone (15). Behind this lock zone (19) the gallery (13) is now filled with water (25) and pressurized. Further driving into the problem formation zone (15) and therethrough is now performed under water (25) having a pressure corresponding to the hydraulic pressure of the problem formation zone (15). For this purpose the machines (47, 47', 73) are remote-controlled and are controlled and monitored from the atmospheric zone (17). Material transportation operations are managed substantially via the lock zone (19). The gallery (13) is stabilized against the static rock pressure by a first tunnel lining (71) and sealed against the hydrostatic pressure by a watertight internal ring installed inside the first tunnel lining.
REFERENCES:
patent: 360959 (1887-04-01), Greathead
patent: 3260054 (1966-07-01), Lorenz
patent: 4068486 (1978-01-01), Uchida et al.
patent: 4729693 (1988-03-01), Hentschel
patent: 5203614 (1993-04-01), Robbins et al.
Barbara Stack: "Handbook of Mining and Tunnelling Machinery", 1966, A Wiley--Interscience Publication, New York XP002053547, pp. 413-417.
Patent Abstracts of Japan, vol. 014, No. 231 (M-0974), May 16, 1990 and JP 02-058697 A (Komatsu Ltd), Feb. 27, 1990.--Abstract only --.
Lagman Frederick L.
Lillis Eileen Dunn
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