Patent Description:
Fluidial commodity products, particularly oil and gas petroleum products, often transport over long distances by pipeline. The pipelines use pumping stations that cause the fluidial products to flow through the pipeline between, for example, a source supply facility and a use storage facility, for product processing and use and/or distribution of such products to end users.

Pipelines typically extend long distances and routinely are buried within a pipeline right-of-way. Buried pipelines are thereby protected from damage from environmental conditions by the over-burden ground. Often however the pipelines extend outwardly from the ground for a distance before re-entering below grade. For example, pipelines protrude from the ground for extending over rivers or ravines. Also, the pipeline may be exposed above ground for connection to source or use storage facilities.

The river or ravine crossings expose the pipeline to risk of damage from rock falls or land slides. Efforts are made however to protect the pipeline. Frames are placed above and around the pipeline to shield the pipeline. Frames may include backfill materials. While these frames provide some reinforced protection of the pipeline proximate the ground entrance, the frames however are not entirely secure for protection of the portions of the pipeline that are longitudinally outward of the frame. The frames further incur costs to install and maintain.

<CIT> discloses a pipeline weighting device which is filled with crushed rock, cement or sand as weighting fill material. Webs are folded and stitched at the edges in order to form bags. The bags are attached together and positioned around the pipeline.

Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved protective structure for shielding pipelines exposed at river and ravine crossings from damage caused by rock falls and landslides. It is to such that the present invention is directed.

The present invention meets the need in the art for an improved protective structure for shielding pipelines exposed at river and ravine crossings.

In one aspect the invention provides a formwork according to claim <NUM> for a circumferential jacketing surround of a pipe, comprising an envelope having opposing top and bottom layers interconnected by opposing end panels and opposing first and second side edges defining open ends that are configured with opposing mating connectors for joining the first side and the second side edges together. The formwork wraps circumferentially around a pipe, whereby the opposing first and second side edges connect together with the mating connectors and the fluidal curable material received in situ into the envelope for curing the formwork as a circumferential jacketing surround of the pipeline.

The formwork further comprises a plurality of a set of interior linkages between the top layer and the bottom layer, for holding the top and bottom layer in spaced-apart relation upon filling the envelope with the fluidial curable material.

The formwork, wherein said linkages in each set cross medial the top layer and the bottom layer as a crossing support; and further comprising a plurality of circumferential cables extending between the crossing support and the opposing top layer of the envelope from the opposing first side edge to the second side edge sides. The formwork further comprising a plurality of cable clamps, each for securing opposing ends of a respective one of the circumferential cables prior to joining the first and second side edges. The formwork further comprising a plurality of longitudinal cables extending between the circumferential cables and the top layer between the opposing first and second sides.

The formwork, wherein said opposing top and bottom layers of said envelope each formed of a woven sheet. The formwork, wherein the each of said interior linkages in each of the plurality of sets of interior linkages are a pair of interwoven cords. The formwork, wherein each said pair of cords are interwoven in spaced-apart relation in the woven sheet. The formwork, wherein said pair of cords are spaced at least one dent of a fabric weaving loom.

The formwork, wherein said opposing ends formed of fabric sheets.

The formwork, wherein said mating connectors comprises a slide fastener.

The formwork, wherein said mating connector comprises elongated strips of hook-and-loop fabric fasteners.

The formwork, further comprising a plurality of pull cords extending through the envelope between the opposing sides, said pull cords for attaching at one end to a respective cable and removed by pulling thereof from the opposing side for installing said respective cable between.

The formwork, wherein said respective cable comprises one of said circumferential cables.

The formwork, further comprising a fill port in the envelope for receiving fluidal curable material into the envelope.

In yet another aspect, the present invention provides a method according to claim <NUM> for jacketing a pipeline with a circumferential surround, comprising the steps of:.

whereby the formwork wrapped circumferentially around a pipe and closed by connecting together the opposing first and second side edges with the mating connectors, being filled with the fluidal curable material received into the envelope for curing as a circumferential jacketing surround of the pipeline.

The method of jacketing, further comprising the step of defining a plurality of a series of spaced-apart crossing supports medial the opposing top and bottom layers, each one of said series of spaced-apart crossing supports between the opposing end panels and said plurality of said series spaced-apart between the first and second side edges.

The method of jacketing, further comprising the step of positioning in a respective one series of the plurality of series of crossing supports a respective one of a plurality of circumferential cables between the crossing support and the top layer.

The method of jacketing, further comprising the step of connecting opposing ends of each respective one of the circumferential cables with a respective one of a plurality of cable clamps before joining the first and second side edges.

The method of jacketing, further comprising the step of positioning a plurality of longitudinal cables extending transverse to the circumferential cables between opposing end panels.

The method of jacketing, further comprising the step of positioning a plurality of a set of interior linkages between the top layer and the bottom layer, said interior linkages defining the crossing supports by crossing medial the top layer and the bottom layer.

The method of jacketing, wherein the top and bottom layers are woven fabric sheets and further comprising interweaving the plurality of sets of interior linkages with at least a first cord and a second cord woven in alternating respective opposing top sheet and bottom sheet for a respective predetermined length, whereby said interior linkage comprises a portion of the cord transition between the top and bottom layer and said respective portions defining the crossing support.

The method of jacketing, wherein the curable fluidable material fills the envelope through a fill port.

In yet another aspect, the present invention provides a method according to claim <NUM> of forming a jacketing surround for a pipeline, comprising the steps of:.

whereby the formwork envelope being wrapped circumferentially around a pipe, the opposing ends of each respective one of the circumferential cables clamped together, and the opposing first and second side edges connected together with the mating connectors, filling the formwork envelope with a fluidal curable material for curing the formwork envelope as a circumferential jacketing surround of the pipeline.

Objects, advantages, and features of the present invention will be readily apparent upon a reading of the following detailed description in conjunction with the drawings.

With reference to the drawings, <FIG> illustrates in perspective view a formwork <NUM> for wrapping as a protective jacket around a pipe <NUM> of a pipeline. The formwork <NUM> comprises a woven top layer <NUM> and an opposing woven bottom layer <NUM>, with opposing sides <NUM>, <NUM> and opposing longitudinal ends <NUM>. In the illustrated embodiment, the ends <NUM> are defined by baffle fabric members added during assembly discussed below to close the formwork envelope and maintain a predetermined spacing between the layers <NUM>, <NUM>. During installation of the formwork <NUM> wrapping around a pipe, one end <NUM> is positioned on a first portion of the pipe while the opposing end <NUM> is positioned on an up-flow portion relative to the pipe. One layer of the formwork defines an outer or exterior layer when wrapped around the pipe <NUM> while the other layer defines an inner layer adjacent an exterior surface of the pipe. The open sides <NUM>, <NUM> have closure members <NUM>. The closure members are matingly engagable connector members for closing the respective opposing sides <NUM>, <NUM> when the formwork wraps around the pipe <NUM>. In the illustrated embodiment, the closure members <NUM> are elongated slide fasteners having matingly engagable tracks joined by a movable fastener slide <NUM> (shown in <FIG>). <FIG> illustrates in perspective view the side <NUM> of the formwork illustrated in <FIG>, with tracks of the slide fastener type closure member <NUM>. The opposing side <NUM> includes the matingly engagable opposing tracks of the slide fastener type closure member <NUM>. In an alternate embodiment, the closure members <NUM> are elongated strips of hook-and-look fasteners, which strips attach in opposing relation to the fabric for joining the open ends <NUM>, <NUM> when the formwork is wrapped around the circumference of the pipe <NUM>. The closure members <NUM> connect together to join the opposing sides <NUM>, <NUM> for the formwork <NUM> to jacket the pipe <NUM> and define an interior cavity between the layers <NUM>, <NUM> for receiving in situ a curable flowable material therein.

The formwork fabric consists of the double-layer woven fabric layers <NUM>, <NUM> joined together by interior spaced, sets <NUM> of interwoven cords <NUM> of uniform length to form a concrete pipeline cover of a selected specified average thickness. The thickness of the cavity defined by the opposing layers <NUM>, <NUM> is based on engineering design criteria for force and impact resistance to protect the jacketed pipe. The cords <NUM> are intermittently interwoven between the two layers <NUM>, <NUM> of fabric, in multiple spaced parallel sets, so that a group of two (<NUM>) or more cords, of each set, weave together <NUM> into the top layer and a group of two (<NUM>) or more cords, of each set, weave together <NUM> in the bottom layer. There is a narrow lateral distance or gap <NUM> between the grouped top cords and the bottom cords in each set. The gap <NUM> may be equal to one (<NUM>) or more dents in the weaving machines (loom).

<FIG> illustrates a side cross-sectional view of the formwork <NUM> illustrated in <FIG>. At designated spaced-apart intervals, the cords <NUM> in the top layer <NUM> and bottom layer <NUM> of fabric cross to define the plurality of crossing supports <NUM>. The cords <NUM> in the top layer and bottom layer disengage weaving into the respective fabric layer and advance a controlled distance, contained between the top and bottom layers of the fabric, before re-engaging weaving into the opposing fabric with the previously top cords engaging the bottom fabric layer and the previously bottom cords engaging the top fabric layer. The disengagement of the cords in a first layer, advancement, and reengagement in the opposing second layer forms a crisscross or crossing support <NUM> as the two cords exchange places for weaving into the respective layer. The weaving thus forms multiple cord crisscross <NUM> between the two opposing layers of fabric. This procedure continues with the exchange and crisscross of top and bottom cords. The crossing supports <NUM> support respective circumferential cables <NUM> and longitudinal cables <NUM>, as discussed below.

<FIG> illustrates a photograph in perspective view of the open side <NUM> of the formwork illustrated in <FIG>. <FIG> illustrates in perspective view the open side <NUM> of the formwork illustrated in <FIG>. The cords <NUM> in the top layer <NUM> and bottom layer <NUM> of the fabric cross to define the plurality of crossing supports <NUM>. The cords <NUM> in the top layer and bottom layer disengage weaving into the respective fabric layer and advance a controlled distance, contained between the top and bottom layers <NUM>, <NUM> of the fabric, before re-engaging weaving into the respective opposing fabric. Thus, the previously top cords <NUM> cross between the top and bottom fabric layers <NUM>, <NUM> and weavingly engage the bottom fabric layer. The previously bottom cords <NUM> cross from the bottom fabric layer <NUM> to the top fabric layer <NUM> and weavingly engage the top fabric layer. The respective crossings of the opposing cords <NUM> define the crisscross or crossing supports <NUM>. The crossing supports <NUM> support respective circumferential cables <NUM> and longitudinal cables <NUM>. The circumferential cables <NUM> sit on the crossing supports <NUM>. The longitudinal cables <NUM> extend through the gaps <NUM> of the opposing sets of cords <NUM> and sit on the circumferential cables <NUM> supported by the crossing supports <NUM> between the top and bottom layers <NUM>, <NUM> of the formwork <NUM>.

Weft direction pull cords install between the top and bottom layers <NUM>, <NUM> of fabric in such a manner as to "float" between the top and bottom layers, at designated centers, without engaging the woven top or bottom fabric layers. (The weft (lateral) direction in weaving, denotes the direction of the width of the woven fabric.

Warp direction pull cords install between the groups of cords in a set and the top and bottom layers of fabric in such a manner as to "float" between the layers, without engaging the woven top or bottom fabric layers. Warp direction pull cords are installed in such a manner in two (<NUM>) or more sets of cords along the weft direction of the fabric. Warp pull cords are installed in such a manner as to pass over the top of the weft pull cords. (The warp (longitudinal) direction in weaving denotes the direction of the length of the woven fabric.

The fabric formwork <NUM> is cut to a length required for a circumference of the pipe <NUM> plus a length to account for contraction of the formwork during concrete filling of the formwork.

Should the pipeline length require a formwork cover of more than one (<NUM>) width of woven fabric, adjacent panels of the double-layer fabric are separately joined, the bottom layer to bottom layer adjacent edges and the top layer to top layer adjacent edges, by means of sewing thread, glue, hook and loop fastening strips, or heat bonding, to form a multiple fabric width pipeline cover of required length.

Cables <NUM>, <NUM> or flexible wire, such as galvanized aircraft cable, are installed (floated) between the top and bottom layers of the formwork fabric in both the weft and work directions. The cables provide reinforcement for concrete received into the formwork <NUM> between the layers <NUM>, <NUM>, during installation of formwork to the pipe <NUM>. The cables are held between the layers <NUM>, <NUM> by the crossing supports <NUM>. The cables are installed by first connecting the fabric's designated weft pull cords to a respective one of a plurality of specified weft direction cables or flexible wires <NUM>, and pulling the weft pull cords outwardly from one of the open sides in such a manner as to extract the weft pulls cords from between the formwork fabric layers <NUM>, <NUM> and thereby pull and install the weft direction cables <NUM> into the fabric formwork between the fabric layers.

Upon installation of the weft direction cables, designated warp direction cables or flexible wires <NUM> are connected to a respective one of the warp pull cords. The warp pull cords are then pulled out from one of the open ends of the fabric formwork <NUM> in such a manner as to extract the warp pull cords from between the opposing top and bottom layers <NUM>, <NUM> and pullingly install the warp direction cables <NUM> or flexible wires into the fabric formwork, which cables <NUM> pass over the top of the weft direction cables <NUM> or flexible wires.

At the two (<NUM>) ends of the pipeline cover length, the double-layer fabric is joined, top layer to bottom layer, by means of sewing thread, glue, hook and loop fastening strips, or heat bonding, to form a circumferential closing of each formwork end.

Or, alternatively, end fabric baffles <NUM> may be installed at the two (<NUM>) ends of the pipeline cover length by joining the two side edges of a baffle, with a length equal to length of the pipeline cover plus two (<NUM>) times the specified thickness of the concrete pipeline cover , one edge to the top layer and the other edge to the bottom layer of the fabric formwork <NUM>. The baffles maintain a full concrete pipeline cover thickness along the full length of the baffle.

Slide fasteners <NUM> (zippers) or hook and loop strips are installed along the length of the pipeline cover formwork to the edges of the sides <NUM>, <NUM> with one side of the slide fastener to the top layer <NUM> of fabric and the other to the bottom layer <NUM> of the fabric. In an alternate embodiment, opposing hook and loop strips attach for connecting opposing portions. Should the pipeline cover formwork include end fabric baffles, the slide fasteners or hook and loop strips extend the length of the baffles. Alternate closure members include snaps, buttons and opposing slits, and other structures for joining the open sides <NUM>, <NUM> during installation of the formwork <NUM>.

Each fabric formwork pipeline cover may have one (<NUM>) or more filling ports <NUM> and one (<NUM>) or more venting ports (not illustrated). Filling ports <NUM> are designed and arranged in such a manner as to facilitate the insertion of a concrete pumping hose. Filling port constructions include flap valves, fabric or plastic tubes, flange and pipe assemblies, and other fluid communicating passages. The venting ports may be fabric or plastic tubes, flange and pipe assemblies, or other fluid communicating passages. An embodiment however may use a partially closed connection of the opposing sides <NUM>, <NUM> as an alternate to a filling port by in situ insertion of a filling source hose therethrough. The filling source hose is removed upon filing the cavity with the curable flowable material and the partially closed side is closed.

Step <NUM>. The fabric formwork pipeline cover <NUM> with preinstalled warp <NUM> and weft reinforcement cables <NUM> or flexible wires is wrappingly placed over the pipe <NUM>. The opposing ends <NUM> are positioned relative to each other in opposing down-flow and up-flow portions of the pipe. The formwork <NUM> is positioned in such a manner as to have the filling and venting ports along the longitudinal top of a designated length of the pipeline.

The bottom layer of the fabric formwork defines an inside layer of the formwork <NUM> and the top layer of the fabric formwork defines an outside layer of the wrapping formwork.

Step <NUM>. Connect the two (<NUM>) opposing sides of the inside layer of fabric formwork to each other, by zipping the slide fasteners or engaging the hook and loop strips from one end of the fabric formwork to the other end of the fabric formwork.

Step <NUM>. Connect one (<NUM>) end of each warp direction cable or flexible wire to the opposite end of the same cable or flexible wire, for example, by means of a compression swage <NUM> or other like cable connecting device, as shown in <FIG>.

Step <NUM>. Connect the two (<NUM>) opposing sides of the outside layer of fabric formwork to each other, by zipping the slide fasteners or engaging the hook and loop strips from one end of the fabric formwork to the other end of the fabric formwork.

Step <NUM>. Install the discharge end of a concrete pump hose through the first designated filling port, located at the opposite end of the formwork from the venting port, and pump concrete <NUM> into (between the outer and inner layers) the fabric formwork. Continue the concrete filling to the full length of the fabric formwork pipeline cover or a designated distance toward the next, in line, filling port and continue the sequence until filling the full length of the fabric formwork pipeline cover. When concrete rises from the venting port start pumping and close the venting port. In an alternate embodiment, the pump hose inserts through a partially closed side <NUM>, <NUM> for filling the cavity.

During concrete filling of the concrete pipeline cover fabric formwork the outside layer of fabric formwork will be move radially outward from the inner layer of the fabric formwork a distance equal to the specified thickness of the concrete cover. The thickness is regulated by the length of the opposing cords that define interior linkages between the layers <NUM>, <NUM>. As the outside layer of the fabric formwork moves radially outward, the crisscrossed thickness control warp cords <NUM> open to form an X shape (of the crossing warp cords <NUM>) with the intersection of the legs of the X (i.e., the crossing support <NUM>) nominally at half of the X's height, or nominally half of the thickness of the resulting hardened shell of concrete <NUM> upon curing of the cementitious flowable material that fills the cavity of the formwork.

As the X defined by the opposing interior linkages or cords <NUM> opens while the cementitious material fills the space between the opposing layers <NUM>, <NUM>, the weft reinforcement cables or flexible wire lifts along the outer "V" section of the X to a nominal height of half the specified thickness of the concrete cover and the circumferential warp cables or flexible wires will hold (contain) the weft cable or flexible wires at the designated center of the concrete pipeline cover. The crossing support <NUM> supports the cable thereat.

The cementitious material filled in situ into the formwork envelope cures to form a reinforced circumferential surround of the hardened fabric cover shell or enclosure surround around the pipe for resisting damage to the pipe from ambient environment conditions such as rock falls, landslides, or weather events for the portions of the pipeline at above ground exposed areas such as ravines or waterway crossings.

Claim 1:
A formwork (<NUM>) for a circumferential jacketing surround of a pipe, comprising:
an envelope having opposing top and bottom layers (<NUM>, <NUM>) interconnected by opposing end panels (<NUM>) and opposing first and second side edges (<NUM>, <NUM>) defining open ends that are configured with opposing mating connectors (<NUM>) for joining the first side and the second side edges (<NUM>, <NUM>) together;
the formwork for wrapping circumferentially around a pipe, whereby the opposing first and second side edges (<NUM>, <NUM>) connect together with the mating connectors (<NUM>) and fluidal curable material received into the envelope for curing the formwork as a circumferential jacketing surround of the pipeline; and
a plurality of a set (<NUM>) of interior linkages (<NUM>) between the top layer (<NUM>) and the bottom layer (<NUM>), for holding the top and bottom layer in spaced-apart relation upon filling the envelope with the fluidal curable material.