HK1227965B - Protective element, concrete element, and method for producing a concrete element - Google Patents

Description

Protective element, concrete element and method for producing a concrete element

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a protective element for connection to a concrete element of a tunnel lining, the protective element comprising at least one protective section, the protective section having a side facing the concrete element, on which side at least one connecting element is provided for establishing a permanent connection between the protective section and the concrete element, the protective section comprising a base section and/or a wall section and at least one region composed of at least one plastic, the protective element comprising at least one seal, the seal being integrally connected to the protective section in a gas-tight and liquid-tight manner, the integral connection of the seal to the protective section being established by injection molding with the at least one plastic and thereby forming a first section of the base section and/or the wall section of the protective section. The invention also relates to a concrete element for producing a tunnel lining and a method for producing such a concrete element.

Background Art

This type of concrete element or protective element is known from WO 2011/085734 A1. Such concrete elements are also known in technical terms as "Cubine tubes" and are used, for example, in mechanical tunnel construction using shield tunneling. For example, a tunnel boring machine is used, which comprises a drill bit, behind which is a cylindrical shield with a shell and a tail. The shield has a smaller outer diameter than the drill bit, eliminating direct contact between the tunnel wall and the shield. When the tunnel boring machine advances a certain distance, concrete elements are positioned in the tail against the shield edge. These concrete elements are pressed against the adjacent, last-applied concrete elements in the opposite direction of advancement and connect with them. Together, these concrete elements form a ring around the entire circumference of the tunnel. The gap between the ring and the tunnel wall is filled with mortar, for example, to prevent subsidence.

This type of tunnel construction is also used for constructing drainage pipes, particularly large mains. Here, as with other possible applications, increased demands are placed on the density of the tunnel lining. The inner side of the Chubin tube is sealed with the lining so that no wastewater or gases arising from the wastewater can reach the concrete via the tunnel wall and damage (corrode) it.

WO 2005/024183 A1 and JP 2004132002 disclose prefabricated Cupin tubes for tunnel lining. During the manufacture of the Cupin tubes, an inner lining is already applied to the inner side. This inner lining seals the tunnel wall against water and gas when the individual Cupin tube rings are assembled. In this case, a protective layer is applied to the concrete element, covering the inner surface of the Cupin tube opposite the convex outer surface. According to WO 2005/024183 A1, the protective layer is made of glass fiber reinforced plastic or polyethylene (PE), or according to JP 2004132002, of a synthetic resin, particularly polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride, polyester, or vinyl ester. The protective layer is firmly anchored in the concrete by mechanical anchoring, thereby creating an inseparable connection between the protective layer and the concrete. In this case, the protective layer is designed such that only the inner side of the Chubin tube element is covered (JP 2004132002) or the side surfaces of the concrete element are also partially surrounded (WO 2005/024183 A1).

According to WO 2005/024183 A1, a seal is provided adjacent to the side surface, which seal projects beyond the protective layer and is made of an elastic material so that when individual cupines for tunnel lining are assembled, the seal seals the joints between adjacent concrete elements.

The concrete element of WO 2005/024183 A1 is produced using a formwork. A protective layer is applied to the formwork base. Protective layer elements are also applied to the side walls of the formwork. The formwork also has recesses into which seals are inserted. Concrete is then introduced into the formwork, connected to the reinforcement bars. After the concrete has hardened, the Chubin tube serves as a tunnel lining.

WO 2011/085734 A1 describes an improvement in this regard. In practice, it has been found that in the device according to WO 2005/024183 A1, leaks can occur in the transition between the protective layer and the seal if insufficient care is taken when inserting the seal into the formwork and/or positioning the seal relative to the protective layer during the production of the concrete element. As a solution to this problem, WO 2011/085734 A1 describes producing the protective element in an injection mold, inserting the seal into the mold, and surrounding it with the plastic used, thereby creating a liquid-tight and gas-tight connection between the seal and the protective element. Polydicyclopentadiene (pDCPD) is disclosed as a particularly advantageous plastic for surrounding the injection-molded seal.

Summary of the Invention

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a production method for producing a concrete element and an improved protective layer, wherein the protective element is improved with regard to material usage while maintaining sufficient adhesion.

With respect to the protective layer element, the object according to the invention is achieved as follows: the concrete element connection according to the invention for use with a tunnel lining comprises at least one protective section, the protective section having a side facing the concrete element, on which side at least one connecting element is provided for establishing a permanent connection of the protective section to the concrete element, wherein the protective section comprises a bottom section and a wall section and at least one region made of at least one plastic, and the protective element comprises at least one seal, which is integrally connected to the protective section, the connection being gas-tight and liquid-tight, the integral connection of the seal to the protective section being established by injection molding with the at least one plastic and thereby forming a first section of the protective section, wherein part of the protective section is at least one second section, the second section being a planar element, the second section being connected to the first section by injection molding, and the second section being composed of a thermoplastic material.

While searching for improvements to the aforementioned protective element, it was surprisingly discovered that it is possible to connect at least one prepared section of the protective element to an injection-moldable plastic in such a way that sufficient sealing of the protective element is achieved. At the same time, this can easily reduce the production costs of the protective element, since the injection molding volume can be reduced, thereby simplifying production and the injection mold.

In this case, "injection molding" is understood to mean all methods that can be included in injection molding, i.e. methods in which one or more thermoplastics/thermosetting plastics/elastomers, for example as polymers or monomers, are introduced directly into the mold individually, individually, successively or simultaneously (e.g. overmolding or multi-component injection molding), or in which monomers are processed which only form the polymer in the injection mold (e.g. reactive overmolding).

A further teaching of the invention provides that the second section consists essentially of a film, a plate or a strip, which is preferably connected to the connecting element, and/or that the second section consists of another plastic.

A further teaching of the present invention provides that the base section of the protective segment essentially consists of the second segment, and/or the connection between the first segment and the second segment is a butt joint, or the first segment at least partially surrounds the second segment. This allows the injection molding to be essentially limited to the direct connection of the base segment to the seal. The one-piece connection of the seal and the connecting element to the protective segment creates a fluid-tight and gas-tight connection in a particularly simple manner. Injection molding ensures that the protective element is produced with consistently high quality, resulting in a particularly high protective effect relative to the finished concrete element and a consistently high quality, regardless of the concrete element's manufacturing process. The protective element is shaped so that the sealing material is surrounded by the injection molding material on at least three sides relative to the seal.

A further teaching of the present invention provides that the connecting element is a honeycomb structure, a web, a pin, and/or a planar element with openings. Furthermore, it is advantageous if the protective segment is integrally connected to the at least one connecting element, wherein the integral connection is preferably established by injection molding of plastic. In particular, planar elements (e.g., honeycomb structures or planar segments with continuous openings) allow for particularly good anchoring of the protective element to the concrete element over the entire surface of the protective element. The additional provision of pins or the like, which may extend further into the concrete of the concrete element, allows for an increased point-by-point retention force. Since it is required that the protective element be fully able to withstand water pressure in the event of damage to the concrete element and, therefore, in the event of possible external water pressure, it is also particularly advantageous if the connecting element is freely available in terms of shape and material selection and can be provided by injection molding, particularly in the case of connecting elements not made of plastic, to provide a corresponding connection between the connecting element and the protective segment. Furthermore, if the connecting element of the injection-molded section of the protective segment is also made of the same plastic as the protective element, injection molding offers a particularly high degree of shape diversity for the connecting element. Furthermore, it is possible to produce the connecting element by extrusion during the production of the corresponding section of the protective section.

In this regard, a further teaching of the invention provides that a cover element is also provided, thereby creating a hollow body into which concrete is then subsequently introduced and, if necessary, reinforcements are already introduced into the concrete during injection molding. Such a cover element is advantageous when the concrete element also needs to be protected on its outer side from corrosive water in the rock.

A further teaching of the present invention provides that the plastic is polydicyclopentadiene (pDCPD) or a resin, preferably in a high-temperature-resistant form, with the plastic resin optionally containing reinforcing elements such as glass fibers. This plastic enables high production speeds due to its fast processing properties. At the same time, it offers particularly high resistance during use.

A further teaching of the present invention provides that the plastic of the planar element is a thermoplastic, preferably polyethylene. This is a particularly low-cost plastic. Components made of this plastic (e.g., plates, strips, or films) can be manufactured directly on-site in a decentralized manner, thus eliminating the considerable transportation costs and possibly also the storage costs of the finished products.

In the concrete element for producing a tunnel lining, the teaching of the present invention provides for the use of the above-mentioned protective element. Such a protective element can produce sufficient joint sealing, which provides the corresponding tightness of the protective lining of the tunnel relative to liquids and gases.

With regard to the manufacturing method according to the present invention, the solution provides for manufacturing the aforementioned protective element from plastic using an injection molding process, inserting the finished protective element into a mold so that it connects to the concrete, and removing the protective element from the mold after hardening. Prefabricating the protective element using injection molding provides a simple manufacturing method, achieving a one-piece connection between the retaining element and the seal and the protective section of the protective element. This eliminates the aforementioned potential sources of defects in the manufacture of concrete elements, as only a single component must be introduced into the formwork, thereby eliminating defects at the transition from the protective layer to the seal. At the same time, a connection with high retention force between the protective element and the concrete element is easily achieved. This advantageously provides a sufficient, consistent protective effect for the concrete element even when the concrete element is manufactured on-site at the location of the Cupin cylinder.

In addition, it may be advantageous that the upper side of the concrete element is also provided with a protective element or a protective layer. Here, this protective element or protective layer can be provided before concrete is transported in the formwork, or after this, for example by painting or similar methods.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be described in more detail below with the aid of the accompanying drawings.

FIG1 shows a first perspective view of a concrete element according to the invention;

FIG2 shows a second perspective view of a concrete element according to the invention;

FIG3 shows a side view of a concrete element according to the invention;

FIG4 shows a cross-sectional view of a concrete element according to the invention;

FIG5 shows an enlarged fragmentary view of the cross-sectional view of the corner region according to FIG4 ;

6 to 9 show different embodiments of the protective element according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The concrete element 10 according to the present invention (Figures 1 to 3) is a segment of a tunnel lining (Cubine tube). This segment has a convex upper side 11 and an underside 12 located opposite the upper side (covered by a protective element 20 in Figures 1 to 3). The protective element 20 is arranged on the inner side 12 of the concrete element. The protective element 20 has a bottom section 21 and wall sections 22 and 23. A receiving area 29 is provided on the wall sections 22 and 23, in which a seal 30 is arranged. The connection between the seal 30 and the protective element 20 is achieved by injection molding.

The protective element 20 has a first section 25 made of injection-moldable plastic on its wall sections 22 , 23 . The bottom section 21 has a second section 28 with a flat extension.

Figure 4 shows a cross-section of a concrete element 10 having a first embodiment of a protective element 20 according to the invention. Figure 5 shows an enlarged detail of a corner region of Figure 4. Figures 6 to 9 show further embodiments of the protective element 20.

As shown in FIG. 4 , the protective element 20 has a base section 21, on the outside of which wall sections 22 and 23 are arranged substantially at right angles (although any other arrangement is also possible). To establish a permanent connection between the protective element 20 and the concrete element 10, the inside of the base section 21 has a pin element 17. Alternatively, and not shown, a tab parallel to the outer wall and a tab 28 parallel to the outer wall arranged at right angles thereto can also be provided. These tabs can, for example, be provided with openings through which the concrete 16 can pass, thus creating a particularly good and permanent connection after hardening. To provide a permanent connection between the wall sections 22 and 23, a projection 27 is provided. This projection engages the wall sections 22 and 23 at an angle of 45° to 90° and is also provided with an opening 26 for establishing a permanent connection.

A seal 30 is arranged in the receiving area 29. The seal 30 is made of an elastomer. The seal 30 has a sealing surface 31, which contacts other concrete surfaces or other sealing surfaces 31 of the seal 30 when the concrete elements 10 are assembled. Inside, the seal 30 has a chamber 32. When the concrete elements 10 are assembled, the elastomer of the seal 30 deforms, and the chamber 32 is compressed. Opposite the sealing surface 31, a retaining projection 33 is arranged, which engages in the plastic of the side walls 22, 23 of the protective element 20. This side wall of the seal 30 and adjacent side walls are connected to the plastic of the protective element during injection molding or are surrounded by this plastic in a gas-tight manner.

In the embodiment of the protective element 20 shown in FIG4 , a honeycomb structure 24 is provided on the inner side of the bottom section 21 of the protective element 20. This honeycomb structure can, for example, be glued or otherwise anchored to the bottom section 21. When concrete 16 is introduced into the protective element 20, it can be forced into the honeycomb structure 24 and harden there. Due to the high surface area of the honeycomb structure 24, there is a large contact area between the honeycomb structure 24 and the concrete 16, resulting in a high holding force after the concrete 16 has hardened. Further connecting elements are provided supporting the honeycomb structure 24, these further connecting elements also being tabs (not shown) or pin elements 17. It is possible to mold the tabs and/or pins 17 from the plastic of the protective element 20 or, alternatively or additionally, to manufacture them from another material, such as metal.

In FIG4 , in addition to the connecting elements in the form of pins 17, reinforcing ribs 15 are provided. As shown in FIG4 , these ribs are located on the connecting elements 17 or, alternatively, on the honeycomb structure 24 or the base section 21. FIG5 shows a cross-sectional view of a concrete element according to the invention. Here, the reinforcing ribs 15, like the honeycomb structure 24 and the webs or pins 17, are surrounded by concrete 16.

As shown in FIG4 , the protective element has a first section 25 , which is produced by injection molding and surrounds the seal 30 . This first section is made of an injection-moldable material during the injection molding process. Furthermore, the base section 21 has a second section 28 of the protective element 20 . This second section is a planar element 34 , which can be in the form of a strip, film, or plate, for example. In this embodiment of the second section 28 , the integrated component is the T-shaped pin elements 17 . These pin elements are arranged on the planar element or are made of the same material as the planar element 34 . The connection of the planar element 34 is achieved by injection molding the first section 25 .

Figures 6 to 9 show different exemplary types of connections between the second segment 28 and the first segment 25. This connection can be realized in a butt-jointed manner (Figures 6, 7, and 9), or the second segment 28 can be surrounded by the first segment on one side (not shown) or on both sides (Figure 8). In Figure 9, the planar element forming the second segment 28 is provided not only as a component of the base segment 21 but also as a component of the wall segments 22 and 23. As shown in Figures 6, 7, and 9, a butt-jointed connection has surprisingly proven sufficient, particularly when connecting polyethylene as the planar element 34 and polydicyclopentadiene as the injection-moldable plastic of the first segment 25. Depending on the requirements of the protective element, it is also possible to provide multiple planar segments 34, possibly made of different materials, which are then connected to each other via multiple first segments 25 using one or more different injection-moldable plastics. This applies not only to the base segment 21 and the wall segments 22 and 23, but also to the cover segment.

The concrete element 10 according to the present invention is manufactured by providing a formwork that takes the shape of the subsequent concrete element. Depending on the shape of the individual tunnel lining element 10, the outer shape can be a circular arc segment. The top view can be rectangular or trapezoidal, for example. A prepared protective element 20 is inserted into the formwork, which is integrally connected to the seal 30 during manufacture. After the protective element 20 has been inserted, the reinforcement 15 is inserted into the formwork, and concrete 16 is poured.

As an alternative, the protective element 20 can be configured such that it is a hollow body into which concrete is introduced, thus eliminating the need for a formwork. The reinforcement 15 is then already introduced into the hollow body during its manufacture or is introduced together with the concrete (fiber reinforcement).

The protective element 20 is manufactured by creating an injection mold that reflects the shape of the protective element 20. A seal 30 is then placed in the injection mold on the receiving area 29 provided for this purpose. Furthermore, a planar segment 34 is inserted in the form of the base segment 21 or as part of the base segment 21 and/or as part of the wall segments 22, 23. If the connecting means and/or reinforcing ribs are to be made of a different material than the protective element itself, additional connecting means and/or reinforcing ribs 15 can also be introduced into the injection mold. Next, an injectable plastic is introduced into the injection mold. After the plastic has hardened, the protective element 20 can be removed from the mold and used to produce the concrete element 10.

Each side wall 13 of the concrete element 10 has a cavity (not shown) into which a bow (not shown) is inserted. Pegs (not shown) are arranged in these bows to connect the concrete elements 10 to one another in a ring. The seals 30 of the concrete elements 10 connected to one another via the pegs abut against one another and are pressed together, completely sealing the gap or joint between two concrete elements 10. Therefore, when lining a tunnel with the concrete elements 10 according to the present invention, sealing the joints between the concrete elements 10 is unnecessary.

Furthermore, guide holes (not shown) are provided into which guide rods (not shown) can be inserted. These guide holes are arranged in the side walls 14 of the concrete element 10 or as half-elements in the side walls 13. When two concrete elements are joined together via bolts, the half-sections then form the guide holes. These guide rods make it easy to precisely position the concrete elements 10 of the subsequent lining rings of the tunnel lining, as these elements also have guide holes, which are then inserted into the guide rods.

Reference Signs List

10 Concrete elements

11 upper side

12 lower side

13 Sidewall

14 Sidewall

15 reinforcement

16 Concrete

17 Pin element

20 Protection components

21 bottom section

22 wall segments

23 Wall Segment

24 Honeycomb structure

25 First Section

26 Opening

27 protrusion

28 Second Section

29 Accommodation Area

30 seals

31 Sealing surface

Room 32

33 Retaining protrusion

34 Surface elements

Claims (16)

1. A protective element for connection with a concrete element (10) of a tunnel lining, the protective element having at least one protective section (21, 22, 23) having a side facing the concrete element (10), on which at least one connecting element is provided for establishing a permanent connection between the protective section (21, 22, 23) and the concrete element (10), wherein the protective section (21, 22, 23) includes a bottom section (21) and/or a wall section (22, 23), the protective element having at least one seal (30) integrally connected to the protective section (21, 22, 23), the connection being airtight and liquid-tight. The seal (30) is tightly sealed, and the one-piece connection between the seal (30) and the protective section is established by injection molding of at least one first plastic, and the first section of the bottom section (21) and/or the wall section (22, 23) of the protective section (21, 22, 23) is established by injection molding of the at least one first plastic, characterized in that the bottom section (21) and/or the wall section (22, 23) of the protective section (21, 22, 23) has at least one second section, the second section being formed of another plastic, the second section being a planar element, and the second section being connected to the first section by injection molding of the at least one first plastic. 2. The protective element according to claim 1, wherein the second segment is made of a membrane, plate or strip. 3. The protective element according to claim 2, wherein the membrane, plate or strip is connected to the connecting element. 4. The protective element according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the bottom section (21) of the protective section (21, 22, 23) is composed of a second section. 5. The protective element according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the connection between the first segment and the second segment is a butt connection. 6. The protective element according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the first segment at least partially surrounds the second segment. 7. The protective element according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the connecting element is a honeycomb structure (24), a tab, a pin (17), or a planar element having an opening (26). 8. The protective element according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the protective section (21, 22, 23) is integrally connected to the at least one connecting element. 9. The protective element according to claim 8, wherein the one-piece connection is established by injection molding of the at least one first plastic. 10. The protective element according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the first injection-moldable plastic is polydicyclopentadiene or a resin. 11. The protective element according to claim 10, wherein the polydicyclopentadiene is heat-resistant. 12. The protective element according to claim 10, characterized in that glass fiber is introduced into the resin. 13. The protective element according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the plastic of the planar element is a thermoplastic. 14. The protective element according to claim 13, wherein the thermoplastic is polyethylene. 15. A concrete element for producing tunnel lining, the concrete element having a convex outer surface (11) and an opposing inner surface (12), wherein a protective element (20) is connected to the inner surface (12) via at least one connecting element, characterized in that the protective element (20) is a protective element according to any one of claims 1 to 14. 16. A method for manufacturing a concrete element according to claim 15, wherein the protective element (20) according to any one of claims 1 to 14 is manufactured from plastic by injection molding, the manufactured protective element (20) is placed into a mold, the protective element (20) is attached to concrete (16), and the protective element is removed from the mold after hardening.