METHOD FOR THE MOUNTING OF UNDERGROUND PIPELINES

Abstract: A method for mounting pipelines (8) or outer walls of a tunnel in the ground where one after another joined polygon or round cylinders are forced to penetrate into the ground when the soil cut by the front edge of the first cylinder (2) moves into the said cylinders during tunnelling. The cylinders (2, 3, 4, 15) containing soil are replaced by the final pipe/piping (8) meant for the ground, by forcing and/or pulling said pipe/piping in the place of said cylinders and the soil excavated from the tunnel is removed from the tunnel inside the said cylinders when said cylinders are forced out of the tunnel.

Description: METHOD FOR THE MOUNTING OF UNDERGROUND PIPELINES An invention relates to a method where pipes are mounted into ground pushing them successively into ground. Beforehand into ground forced excavating pipes are replaced by these final corresponding pipes, which are pulled or pushed into tunnel. The soil is removed from the tunnel inside the first excavating cylinders which are removed, too. An invention is suitable for mounting pipes specially into stoneless fine¬ grained soil, as for leading pipelines under roads. When pipe diameters are small and distances short, it is possible to use soil-displacing methods, where the pipe is thrust into the desired direction applying a sufficient force. A shaped head mounted at the end of the pipe displaces soil as much is required by the cross section of the pipe. Such a device was presented in publications DE-1811421 and FI 51726. According to these methods the soil is forced to pack sidewards and later soil is packed more when enlarging the hole or soil is removed through the hole. The hole can be enlarged if it remains open without collapsing. Swedish publication 446472 represents, how cylindrical parts is forced into ground by adding extra parts successively in starting excavation. The cylindrical parts are filled by soil which is removed by some known methods when the cylinders are in the built tunnel. Methods which need arbor to make hole or to enlarge the hole have defects that holes can easily collapse. For this method is advantageous that the arbor pulls a cable when is forced for example under road. In the method according to Swedish publication 446 472 is used so large diameter of pipe (2 m) that the pipe can be emptied of soil by soil transporting apparatus. The pipe with so large diameter than that cannot be pushed under roads or railways without road damaging movements and displacements. The invented method offer a fundamental improvement on the above-mentioned shortcomings. The invented method is charact¬ erized in the following patent claims. The most important advantages of the invention can be mentioned that during whole tunnelling the collapsing of the road is hindered. When the cylinders are forced into ground by quick impacts of a hammer the soil of road is staying where it is and no displacements are happened. Extra soil or ground material outside the tunnel cannot be removed but only that soil which is placing inside the cross section area of the tunnel. That is why subsidences or depressions are not outlooked afterwards above the tunnel. In the following there is a detailed description of the invention with references to the enclosed drawings. Fig. 1 represents excavating cylinders forced under a road. Fig. 2 represents pushing of final pipes to replace excavating cylinders. Fig. 3 represents pulling of final pipes under a road. Fig. 4 represents a flange between pipings. Fig. 5 represents a pulling/pushing part of final piping. Fig. 6 represents a conical joint of excavating cylinders. In figure 1 the invention is applied for tunnelling under a road 1. The cylinders 2,3,4 are forced to penetrate under the road by hammer 6. The impacts are directed to the rearmost cylinder and a flange 5 transmits the impacts. The first cylinder is abrasion resistant material at least of front end and sharpened. The cylinders are filling of soil and because of quick impacts the soil is not able to move in spite of penetrating of the cylinders. In figure 2 is represented pushing of outer pipes 8 of the tunnel. The pushing can be happened by constant force of hydraulic cylinder 7. The cylinder is supported by a wall 11 of soil with supporting plate 10. The outer pipes 8 are pushed by means of a flange 9, which is leading the pushing force always to the rearmost cylinder. A cable 12 has been fixed to the first cylinder 2 and said cable has been led under the road simultaneously. Inside the cylinders 2,3,4 the excavated soil is removing from the tunnel when the cylinders are replaced by piping 8. In figure 3 is represented the pushing of outer pipes 8 by hydraulic cylinder 7 and simultaneous pulling by means of caterpillar 13. Inside the pipings beforehand pulled cable 12 is fixed to flange 9 and the opposite end of the cable, which coming out of the first cylinder 2, is fixed to caterpillar and the caterpillar can pull the whole piping. The pulling can be carried out only by means of pulling machine but it is very advantageous that the pulling is helped by hammering or pushing or by all presented methods simultaneously. In figure 4 is presented a flange 5 placing between pipings 4 and 8. The flange has shoulders for cylinders 4 as well as for piping 8. The flange has a center hole 18 for the cable. The flange hinders the excavated soil to move into the final pipes 8 and is securing that said soil is removing from the tunnel inside the excavating pipes. The method is very useful when the diameter of final piping 8 is highest the same as the diameter of excavating pipes. In figure 5 is represented a flange 9 of the backmost final pipe 8. The flange is equipped with a fixing means 14 for a puller, as the cable 12. The flange has a shoulder for mounting repeatedly in the end of successive pipes. Fig. 6 shows how a conical end shape 16 is formed by hammer tool 17 in the end of cylinders 15. The hammer 6 is equipped with a conical tool 17 which is transmitting impacts to the cylinder 15. The conical tool 17 penetrates immediately into the cylinder when hammering begins and forges cone-shaped end 16 for the cylinder. At a certain moment after hammering the cone-forging ends and cylinders 15 begin to penetrate into the ground when hammering continues. By this way becomes between cylinders very tight and exellently impacts and force transmitting joint. The cylinders as well the tool part 17 is loosened easiest by deviating them in sidewards or vertical direction and simultaneous pulling the cone joint open. The front edges of cylinders 15 contract in some degree when they are forced inside the previous cylinders. In the loosening and emptying of the cylinders 15 can be used hammer, impacts or vibrations when they are pushed out from tunnel. The most important loosening method is to deviate the loosened cylinder from the direction of the previous cylinder when the cone joint loosens. Also is possible to flatten the cone joint 16 when it may loosen. The invention has been explained above referring to just some favourable examples of embodiment. The invention, however, is in no way restricted to the above example. Modifications can be done within the limits of the invented idea as defined in the following patent claims.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A method for mounting pipelines (8) or outer walls of a tunnel in the ground where one after another joined polygon or round cylinders are forced to penetrate into the ground when the soil cutted by the front edge of the first cylinder (2) moves into the said cylinders during tunnelling c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the cylinders (2,3,4,15) containing soil are replaced by the final pipe/piping (8) meant for the ground, by forcing and/or pulling said pipe/ piping in the place of said cylinders and the excavated soil from the tunnel is removed from the tunnel inside the said cylinders when said cylinders are forced out of the tunnel. 2. A method according to the claim 1 c h a r a c t e r ¬ i z e d in that the successive cylinders (15) which are forced into ground and filled with soil are joined one by one with a conical lap joint. 3. A method according to the claims 1 and 2 c h a r a c t ¬ e r i z e d in that the conical part (16) of the other end of the cylinder (15) is shaped by the impacts of the conical tool (17) in the hammer (6). 4. A method according to the claims 1 - 3 c h a r a c t e ¬ i z e d in that a puller, e.g. a cable (12), is fixed from its other end to the first penetrating cylinder (2), when the said cylinder pulls the puller into the tunnel excavated by the said cylinders and when the opposite end of the puller is fixed to a pulling/pushing flange (9), the pulling of the piping (8) into the tunnel or enforcement of the push is carried out by the said puller. 5. A method according to the claims 1 - 4 c h a r a c t ¬ e r i z e d in that the penetrating of cylinders or pipes (8) into the ground is enforced by puller (12) which is mounted beforehand inside the planned tunnel line. 6. A method according to one or more of the claims 1 - 5 c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the cylinders (2,3,4,15) and/or pipes (8) is forced into the ground by a hammering tool or by a hammering tool and pulling or pushing enforcing apparatus . 7. A method according to the claims 1 - 6 c h a r a c t ¬ e r i z e d in that in the pulling and/or pushing of the cylinders and/or pipes is used a work machine solely or as an auxiliary force source. 8. A method according to the claims 1 - 7 c h a r a c t ¬ e r i z e d in that a flange (5) which is transmitting force and joining cylinders and piping (8) is making a hindrance for soil to move from said cylinders to said piping and that said flange is equipped with a hole for leading puller (12) through said flange. 9. A method according to the claims 1 - 8 c h a r a c t ¬ e i z e d in that into the ground is placed a piping/pipes (8) , which has/have smaller or essential the same outer diameter than the cylinders (2,3,4,15) have. 10. A method according to the claim 1 and one or more of the previous claims 2 - 9 c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the penetrating cylinders (2,3,4,15) as well as the pipes meant to place into the ground are round cylinders or cylinders having four or more sides and the corresponding pipings are formed by placing said cylinders successively. 11. A method according to the claims 1,2 and one or more of the previous claims 3 - 10 c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that high frequence impacts or vibration is directed to the cylinders (2,3,4,15) to make easier the removing of soil from said cylinders or loosening the cone joint between cylinders. 12. A method according to the claim 1 and one or more of the previous claims 2 - 11 c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that concrete pipes are mounted into the tunnel as outer walls of the tunnel.

Inventors: ILOMAEKI VALTO, ILOMAEKI, VALTO
Applicants: ILOMAEKI VALTO, ILOMAEKI, VALTO
Application year: 1990
Main classification: F16L1
IPC codes: E21B7, E21D9, F16L1