METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION OF UNDERWATER TUNNELS Russian patent published in 2018 - IPC E02D29/77 

FIELD: construction.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to hydrotechnical construction, mainly to technology of constructing a road tunnel under the river bed or under the bottom of another water area. Method of constructing underwater tunnels includes digging a trench at the bottom of the water area, laying the reinforced concrete support blocks on the bottom of the trench, manufacturing concrete sections of the tunnel on the shore, transport floating sections with positive buoyancy to the floating place, lowering the sections to support blocks at the bottom of the trench, joining the lowered section with the previously installed section, connection of the lowered section with support blocks, dismantling of diaphragm-sealing sections on the side of the joint, concreting and waterproofing joints sections, filling the trench with gravel, sand to the bottom of the water area. Bottom sections are made cylindrical with a bell at one end and with a taper at the other end, covered with a layer of rubber seal near the end of the section with a constriction, and at the end of the section with a bell it is carried out the thrust rings, necessary for tightening the sections during joining. Before transporting afloat to the end of the section on the bell side, a removable sealing diaphragm is mounted, withstanding the water pressure on the surface of the water area, and a detachable collapsible sealing diaphragm of spherical shape is installed on the end from the narrowing side, which maintains the water pressure at the bottom of the trench. Before lowering to bottom on the section from the bell side behind the thrust ring, a removable coupling device is installed, remove sealing diaphragm from the side of the socket of the section and transport the diaphragm to the shore, where it will be installed on the subsequent lowering section, then lower the water-filled section to the support blocks on the bottom of the trench with a bell to the end with a spherical diaphragm of the previously installed section. At time of joining, funnels of joining section are injected into the end of the previously installed section, and its tapered end and spherical diaphragm serve as a catcher, then using a jointing device, the sections are tightened up to provide pre-sealing of the butt cylindrical surface, fixing the anchoring anchors of the connecting device, remove the coupling device and lift it to the surface, attach the section to the support blocks, and then pump the water out of the attached section, providing additional sealing of the butt surface. Then, underwater concreting of the outer joint of the sections between the thrust rings is performed, after which the detachable sealing diaphragm of the previously shaped section is dismantled, the elements of which are delivered to the shore through the tunnel, where they are installed on the next section ready for transport. After concreting and waterproofing, joints from the inside of the tunnel are poured into the bottom of the attached section of ballast from gravel and sand and laid asphalt covering of the roadway. Process is repeated until final construction of the tunnel.

EFFECT: technical result consists in simplifying the technology of production and, as a result, reducing construction time, ensuring the strength and reliability of the butt joints during the operational period.

1 cl, 4 dwg