A METHOD AND A DEVICE FOR REPAIR OF QUAY-PROTECTING LININGS

Abstract: The invention concerns a method and a device for repairing quay-protecting linings and similar structures. According to the invention a support mould (3) having an L-shaped cross-sectional configuration is attached to the external face of the quay-protecting lining, whereupon into said mould is inserted a lining sheeting having projecting gripping means (16) thereon, whereupon the casting compound is poured into the gap between the original quay-protecting lining (1) and the lining sheeting (4). After hardening of the casting compound the support mould is removed, the lining sheeting then forming a protective facing turned towards the water.

Description: A Method and a Device for Repair of Quay-Protecting Linings. The present invention concerns a method of repairing quay-protecting linings and other surfaces in or adjacent the water level by applying a reinforcement layer thereon. Usually, quay-protecting linings of the kind outlined above consist of sheet steel piling which is driven into the ground and which generally exhibits an essentially U-shaped cross-sectional configuration with edge portions thereof designed to be interlocked in a hook-like manner to form a wall facing the water and preferably forming a bulkhead to hold back the quay-forming filler material, such as rock or earth, but which also may form supports for the casting compound during the casting of concrete quays. Quay-protecting linings of this kind are exposed to extremely severe impacts on the face thereof in contact with the water, due e.g. to the formation of ice and to corrosion. When linings of th s kind need to be repaired, the general procedure in the past has been to simply replace the damaged sheet piling by fresh one. Alternatively, the existing sheet piling was re-inforced by welding new pieces of sheet piling onto the damaged areas. Replacement of the entire sheet piling is a comparatively expensive procedure and the piecemeal welding method is but a temporary solution, in addition to being an unaesthetical one. These disadvantages occur also when the quay-protecting linings are made from other protecting lining materials than steel sheeting. The parts of the quay lining that are most severely exposed are those located in the immediate vicinity of the surface of the water and consequently the majority of the damages occur on these lining parts. The invention is concerned with providing a means of repairing damages of the kind outlined in the aforegoing to provide durable and at the same time aesthetically pleasing repaired linings which are easy to install while giving satisfactory economy. SUBSTITUTE SHEET This purpose is achieved by applying the method in accordance with the invention and by using suitable means in accordance with the invention for performing the method. In accordance .with the teachings of the subject invention a rigid support mould having an L-shaped cross-section is applied on the quay-protect ng lining in question in such a manner that the free longitudinal edge of the lower flange which is pre-formed in conformity with the horizontal extension of the quay edge or similar structure abuts against the quay- protecting lining below said surface of the water, whereupon lining sheeting of a corrosion-resistant material and of a configuration congruent with that of the support mould is positioned inside the support mould so as to rest against the inner wall of the mould, said lining sheeting being provided on its internal face with anchoring means, whereupon the space formed between the original quay- protecting sheeting and the support mould is filled with concrete which is allowed to harden, whereafter the support mould is removed, and that the lining sheeting presents a smooth protecting surface towards the water. One example of the invention will be described in closer detail in the following with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein FIG.1 is a view of a section of an existing quay- protecting lining in need of repair, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a section of a mesh reinforcement designed to be used in connection with making the repair installation in accordance with the invention, FIG.3 illustrates a section of such a mesh reinforcement when applied in position of use, FIG.4 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the attachment of the mesh reinforcement, FIG. 5 is a partly cut fragmentary view showing the interior face of a casting mould used in the application of the invention, FIG.6 shows a detail of FIG. 5 on an enlarged scale, FIG. 7 is a partly cut fragmentary view showing the exterior of the casting mould of FIG. 5, FIG.8 is a cross-sectional view of the lower part of the casting mould when applied to an existing quay- protecting lining, FIG.9 is a horizontal cross-sectional view through one edge part of the casting mould in position of use after casting, FIG. 10 is a partly cut perspective view of the casting mould prior to casting, and FIG. 11 is a horizontal section through the area of a joint after casting. In FIG. 1 is shown one example of a quay-protecting lining of a conventional kind. This quay-protect ng lining consists of a number of sheet piles 1 which, as is most clearly illustrated i FIG. 11, consist of a number of sections having an essentially C-shaped cross-sectional configuration and bent marginal portions which in the manner of hooks interlock with correspondingly shaped, bent marginal portions of the adjacent sheet pile sections. Adjacent sheet pile sections are oppositely directed so as to form a zigzag horizontal outline. The various sheet pile sections are usually driven into the seabed, one at a time, with the marginal hook-like portion of one pile section engaging in the correspondig marginal portion of the juxtaposed pile section. This type of sheet piling is commonly used for quay- protecting linings but obviously the invention is applicable also to other types of quay-protecting linings in need of repair. As quay- protection could be regarded, for the purpose of this invention, also the case when the quay is not fitted with an external metal lining. In this case, the side of the quay may be in the form of a body of cast concrete which is directly exposed to the water. When a quay- protecting lining of the kind consisting of sheet steel piling is exposed to the effects of ice and corrosion, damages or defects 2 will generate therein which normally in the past were repaired by replacement of all damaged sheet piling. This is a very expensive method. As a temporary measure, pieces of sheet piling may be welded onto the damaged areas but this solution cannot be regarded as a permanent one and the quay lining, repaired in accordance with this method, will have an unaesthetical appearance. Very often the parts of the sheet piling that are positioned at water level or above are those most exposed to damage. Damage may occur also as a result of mechanical damage, as for instance from impacts from boats and ships moored by the quay. Numeral reference 3 is used to designate a support mould generally which is used in accordance with the embodiment shown. By numeral reference 4 is designated the lining sheeting generally, intended to remain after the renovation as a protective and aesthetically attractive external surface cover. By numeral reference 5 is designated a mesh reinforcement generally, to be embedded in concrete. The mesh reinforcement 5 consists of a number of horizontal reinforcement rods 5 which are bent so as to be congruent with the outl ne or contour of the quay-protection to be renovated, in the case of the embodiment illustrated in the shape of the sheet piling 1 forming the quay-protecting lining. The various horizontal rods 6 are maintained in their vertical spaced-part relationship by means of vertical reinforcement rods 8 which preferably are welded to the horizontal rods 6. A number of attachment brackets 9 are also secured to the mesh elements, preferably also by welding, and these attachment brackets 9 are intended by means of welds 10 or in any other suitable manner to be secured to the sheeting 1 to be repaired, in the manner appearing from FIG. 4. Preferably, the mesh reinforcement is manufactured in the form of individual elements in the factory which are then applied in an assembled condition at the place of repair by being erected into abutment against the sheeting 1 and welded thereto. As illustrated in the drawings, the support mould 3 which according to the drawing has an L-shaped cross-sectional configuration, i.e. it comprises a vertical wall 11 and a horizontal flange 12, preferably is also configured in congruence with the shape of the sheet piling 1. The shape of the bottom flange 12 preferably is such that its free front face 12a coincides closely with the horizontal extension of the sheet piling. In order to el minate the risks of leakage during casting, the front face of the bottom flange is also provided with a soft sealing strip 13. In order to secure the support mould to the sheet pil ng it is provided with downwardly projecting lobes 14, preferably in the form of flat irons bars in which apertures 15 are formed n order to secure the support mould to the sheet piling by means of attachment bolts 22 in the manner appearing from FIG. 8. By numeral reference 23 are designated upwardly projecting shoulders, arranged to receive the lining sheeting 4 in the space delimited by-said shoulders and the vertical wall 11 and to guide said sheeting into position prior to casting. It may be advantageous to use other types of spacing means in order to facilitate release of the support mould by displacing the latter horizontally away from the piling without causing dislodging of the lining sheeting 4 from the cast compound. The lining sheeting 4 as illustrated also has a configuration, in the case illustrated an undulating configuration, which agrees with the configurations of the sheet piling 1 and of the support mould 3. On one side, i.e. the one which in position of use faces inwards, the lining sheeting 4 is formed with a number of gripping means 16 which are intended to be embedded into the concrete and which are attached, preferably by means of welding, to said sheeting with the aid of a flange and which also are formed with further flanges 16a and 16b projecting inwardly with respect to the lining sheeting 4. The vertical end edges of the lining sheeting sections are bent inwardly in the manner most clearly illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 11. In addition, a joining rail 17 having a C-shaped cross-sectional configuration is intended to hold together adjacent lining sheeting elements 4 by bridging and grippingly engaging the bent-over edge portions 18 thereof. To renovate the quay-edge one preferably proceeds in the following manner. The mesh reinforcement elements 5 are erected into abutment against the original quay lining, in the subject case the sheet piling 1, and as mentioned in the aforegoing, they are secured thereto by welding the mesh attachment brackets 9 to the sheet piling. The support mould 3 is then suspended from the sheet piling by means of bolts 22 which, after having been carried through the attachment apertures 15 in the attachment lobes 14, are tightened against the sheet piling. This also results in compression of the sealing strip 13 against the sheet piling, which strip fills any existing uneven areas or cavities therein, thereby providing efficient sealing. The pre-bent lining sheeting elements 4 are then inserted into the support mould closely adjacent the inner face thereof while being guided, at their bottom, by the guide shoulders 23 or other suitable spacer means. As - illustrated in FIG. 9 a vertical filling rib 19, preferably of a slightly tapering cross-sectional shape as appears from FIG. 9, is inserted into the gap between the sheeting 1 and the longitudinal marginal portions 3a and 4a of respectively the support mould 3 and the support sheeting 4. In order to make room for the filling strip the mesh reinforcement 5 preferably has a horizontal extension somewhat shorter than that of the support mould and the lining sheeting. Preferably, the filler strip is formed with transverse borings to allow it to be passed over the end portions of the horizontal reinforcement iron bars, as shown in FIG. 9, when it is desirable that the mesh reinforcement extends also over the areaa of the joint in the concrete compound. Alternatively, the end portions of two juxtaposed mesh reinforcement elements may be allowed to extend in overlapping relationship and be mutually interconnected by bending. In addition the marginal portion of the support mould 3 is bent sl ghtly outwards, as likewise is illustrated in FIG. 9, in order to accommodate the bent-over arginal portion of the lining sheeting elements inside the gap and to ensure that the mould is completely sealed. The mould s then filled from above with a cast compound 20, preferably in the form of concrete, which preferably is added to the mould under vibration in order to ensure that all voids therein are filled completely. When the concrete has hardened the support mould 3 and the filling strip 19 are removed. The support mould is then displaced laterally up to a new section in which its opposite edge portion extends somewhat in over the now exposed edge portion 4a of the l ning sheeting. After positioning of a new lining sheeting element adjacent the preceding one, and interconnection of the two juxtaposed lining sheeting elements in the manner most clearly apparent from FIG. 10, and re-insertion of the strip 19 into the free lateral opening of the mould thus formed, a new casting operation may be performed, during which the very area of the joint is also filled, as most clearly illustrated in FIG. 11, so that also the joint between the two adjoining lining sheeting elements will be embedded in the concrete, resulting in a very smooth external surface of the lining sheeting elements. After.removal of the support mould the lining sheeting elements are maintained in position by the gripping elements 15 that project into the concrete compound, thus preventing the lining sheeting elements from being dislodged and bulging outwards from the cast body. The height of the restored quay lining erected in this manner may be determined according to need. Owing to the configuration of the support mould as described and illustrated, it is possible to end the casting at any level below the water surface so that unnecessary repairs of sound parts of the quay lining need not be made. The invention as described in the aforegoing should be regarded as a non-limiting example and its details and components could be altered in many ways within the scope of the appended claims w thout departing from the inventive idea. For example, no mesh reinforcement 5 need be used inside the mould when the requirements for strength on the reinforcement are not very demanding. In such cases, it is suitable to provide the sheet piling 1 with suitable attachment means projecting into the mass of cast compound in principally the same manner as the lining sheeting elements. Conceivable, the invention is applicable also on a larger scale when localized renovation of facade linings is required rather than of conventional quay linings.

Claims: C L A I M S 1. A method of repairing quay-protecting linings and other surfaces in or adjacent the water level (21) by applying a reinforcement layer thereon, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by applying a rigid support mould (3) having an L-shaped cross-section on the quay- pro tec ting lining in such a manner that the free longitudinal edge (12a) of the lower flange (12) which is pre- formed in conformity with the horizontal extension of the quay edge or similar structure, abuts against said quay-protecting lining (1) below the water level, positioning lining sheeting (4) of a corrosion-resistant material and of a configuration congruent with that of the support mould inside the support mould so as to rest against the inner wall of the mould, said lining sheeting being provided on its internal face with gripping means (16), filling the space formed between the original quay-protecting lining (1) and the support mould (3) with a castable material, preferably concrete, which is allowed to harden, and then removing the support mould, the lining sheeting thus presenting a smooth protecting surface towards the water. 2. A method as claimed in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r !" z e d in that a mesh (5) of a reinforcement material is secured to the original quay-protecting lining (1) by means of brackets (9) before application of the support mould (3). 3. A method as claimed in claim 3 for use when the original quay-protecting lining (1) is in the form a sheet-steel pile sections, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the mesh (5) is pre-shaped into a configuration congruent with that of the sheet piling (1) and in that it is provided in advance with appropriate brackets (9) which are secured to the sheet piling (1) by means of welding. 4. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the support mould (3) is removably attached to the quay lining (1) by means of bolt connections (16). 5. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, c a r a c t e r i z e d in that the support mould (3) is attached to the original quay-protecting lining (1) in sections, and in that the casting-compound receiving space between said mould and the original quay lining (1) is delimited laterally by a support strip (19) which covers a joint portion (4a) at the lateral edge of the lining sheeting during moulding and which is removed prior to the casting of the following section involving displacement of the support mould (3) laterally. 6. A method as claimed in any one of claims 2 - 3 and claim 5, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the width of the mesh reinforcement (5) is chosen to be somewhat smaller than the horizontal extension of the lining sheeting (4) in order to provide free space to accommodate the support strip (19). 7. A device for performing the method in accordance with claim 1 to repair quay-protecting linings by applying a reinforcement layer thereon, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that it comprises a support mould (3) of a rigid material and of an essentially L-shaped cross-sectional configuration, i.e. having a wall (11) which in the mounted position of the mould extends vertically, and a horizontal bottom flange (12) connected to the wall (1) the free edge face of the bottom flange being configured to horizontally coincide with the configuration of the associated original quay-protecting lining. 8. A device as claimed in claim 7, c h a r a c t e r !' z e d in that the front face of the bottom flange (12) supports an elastic sealing strip thereon. 9. A device as claimed in claim 7 or 8, c h a r a c t e r¬ i z e d in that the bottom flange is formed with means (23) in order to retain a lining sheeting section (4) inserted therein in position adjacent its vertical inner wall. 10. A device as claimed in any one of claims 7 - 8, c h a r- a c t e i z e d in that at least one of the three vertical lateral marginal portions of the support mould is somewhat flared in order to accommodate an enlarged edge of the joint edge portion (4a) of the lining sheeting (4). 11. A device as claimed in any one of claims 7 - 9, c h a r- a c t e r i z e d in that the support mould is provided with attachment means (14) for removable attachment of the gripper means (16) cooperating with the original quay-protective lining (1).

Inventors: ANDERSSON LARS, ANDERSSON, LARS
Applicants: DYKERI & BAERGNINGS AB, DYKERI & BAERGNINGS AB FLYNKEN
Application year: 1990
Main classification: E02B3
IPC codes: E02D5