GB2193541A

GB2193541A - Sealing element for tunnel tubing

Info

Publication number: GB2193541A
Application number: GB08629547A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Siegfried Glang; Werner Grabe
Original assignee: Phoenix AG
Current assignee: Phoenix AG
Priority date: 1986-08-08
Filing date: 1986-12-10
Publication date: 1988-02-10
Anticipated expiration: 2006-12-10
Also published as: GB8629547D0; FR2602543A1; FR2602543B1; GB2193541B

Abstract

A sealing profile of rubber or rubberlike material for segments 1, 2 which are provided with a circumferential recess 3, 4 and which are assembled into a tubular tunnel, where the profile exhibits: a) on the side at its base grooves 6-8 running in parallel in the longitudinal direction; and, b) angled flanks (3, 4) at the sides; and, c) channels 9, 10 running in the longitudinal direction; in which in the middle region (the centre) of the profile there is at least one continuous web 11, 12 which in its supporting action is not impaired by a longitudinal channel and exhibits a back to the profile which is not plane. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Sealing profile for segments of tunnel tubing This invention relates to a sealing profile of rubber or rubber like material for segments which are provided with a circumferential recess and which are assembled into a tubular tunnel, where the profile exhibits: (a) On the side at its base grooves running in parallel in the longitudinal direction; (b) Angled flanks at the sides; and (c) Channels running in the longitudinal direction.

Sealing profiles of this kind are known (DE-PS 28 33 345, DE-GM 85 02 036, DE-GM 85 21 068, DE-GM 85 32 264) and have stood the test for the construction of tunnels in the case of the application of segments (tubbings) of concrete, cast iron or steel.

The essential requirements of such a profile are: (1) The lowest possible forces to be overcome in screwing the segments together.

(2) Secure retention within the groove in the segments.

(3) The highest possible contact stress and thereby equivalently high sealing power even in the case of incomplete compression of the profiles.

(4) Lowest possible relaxation of stress over the planned period of use of the tunnel construction.

In recent years it has been mainly the fulfillment of the requirements 1 and 2 that has stood at the centre of the activity in development and also of the practical application, which has led to the arrangement of grooves and channels in the cross-section of the profile in a particular geometric arrangement, with the result of a very uniform distribution of the stiffness across the width of the profile.

Such profiles do not satisfy increased requirements for the sealing action which is to be guaranteed over long periods because of too low contact stress and too high a tendency to relaxation of stress, since the force of reaction available upon pressing the profiles together is distributed throughout the whole width of contact and thus a low contact stress is achieved and in addition the relaxation of stress is accelerated through the arrangement of numerous channels.

It is therefore the problem of the invention to develop a sealing profile for segments of tunnel tubing which whilst taking into consideration the requirements 1 and 2, in particular solves the requirements 3 and 4 in a satisfactory way in order to seal securely over long periods even tunnels having a depth of lay of more than 100m.

The problem may be solved according to the present invention in that in the middle region bracket (the centre) bracket of the profile there is at least one continuous web which in its supporting action is not impaired by a longitudinal channel and exhibits a back to the profile which is not plane.

The continuous web leads to a concentration upon this web of the force of reaction mobilized upon compression of the profile, with the result of a concentration of stress and thereby increased sealing action. Through the arrangement of the non-plane back the width of contact between two opposing profiles is further reduced, in particular when in the case of unavoidable inaccuracies of erection an offset occurs between the two axes of the profiles.

In the case of this web the relaxation of stress furthermore occurs to a considerably reduced extent without weakening by holes.

What is particularly advantageous is the arrangement of the elevation in the back of the profile on the line of action of the force from the continuous web.

It is also particularly advantageous to arrange one continuous web with associated elevation of the back of the profile, distributed on each side of the axis of symmetry of the profile. Double sealing security is thereby achieved.

In one arrangement the elevation in the back of the profile is arranged in the direction of action of the force from one continuous web.

One continuous web and elevation of the back of the profile may be arranged distributed on each side of the axes of symmetry of the profile.

The rise to the elevation in the back may exhibit the same angle as the flanks at the side of the profile, and three uniform groves and two uniform channels may be arranged.

The centres of the channels arranged in the edges at the sides of the profile may lie at the level of the top edges of the grooves. The profile may consist of a rubber mixture on a base of polychloroprene, EPDM, nitrile rubber or other types of rubber resistant to swelling, weather and chemicals.

The profile conveniently exhibits a Shore A hardness of 35 to 80 .

Each segment may receive a fitting frame of four sealing profiles joined together, the four corners of the frame of the seal being produced by the method of injection moulding.

The channels may be closed with tapered plugs during the injection moulding process.

The invention is now described by way of example in connection with two Figures. The Figures show a cross-section through two segments in the grooves in which are arranged annular sealing profiles in accordance with the invention in the still uncompressed state.

The two segments 1 and 2 have grooves 3 and 4. In these grooves are giued two sealing profiles. In the erected state the profiles touch back to back at 5. Each of these profiles exhibits on the side at its base three grooves 6 to 8. The profile further has two channels 9 and 10 as well as two continuous webs 11 and 12 in the middle (Fig. 1).

When the profiles are pressed against one another by screwing up the segments 1 and 2, the force of reaction generated in doing so is concentrated in the solid continuous webs 11 and 12 with the result of high contact stress and sealing action between the profiles.

In the case of an offset 13 between the profiles (Fig. 2) the contact width is reduced and the stress is further increased.

Claims

1. A sealing profile of rubber or rubberlike material for segments which are provided with a circumferential recess and which are assembled into a tubular tunnel, where the profile exhibits: (a) on the side at its base grooves running in parallel in the longitudinal direction; (b) angled flanks at the sidles; and, (c) channels running in the longitudinal direction; in which in the middle region (the centre) of the profile there is at least one continuous web which in its supporting action is not impaired by a longitudinal channel and exhibits a back to the profile which is not plane.

2. A sealing profile as in Claim 1, in which the elevation in the back of the profile is arranged in the direction of action of the force from one continuous web.

3. A sealing profile as in Claims 1 and 2 in which one continuous web and elevation of the back of the profile is arranged distributed on each side of the axis of symmetry of the profile.

4. A sealing profile as in Claims 1 to 3, in which the rise to the elevation in the back exhibits the same angle as the flanks at the sides of the profile.

5. A sealing profile as in Claims 1 to 4, in which three uniform grooves and two uniform channels are arranged.

6. A sealing profile as in Claims 1 to 5, in which the centres of the channels arranged in the edges at the sides of the profile lie at the level of the top edges of the grooves.

7. A sealing profile as in Claims 1 to 6, in which the profile consists of a rubber mixture on a base of polychloroprene, EPDM, nitrile rubber or other types of rubber resistant to swelling, weather and chemicals

8. A sealing profile as in Claims 1 to 7, in which the profile exhibits a Shore A hardness of 35 to 80 .

9. A sealing profile as in Claim 1, in which each segment receives a fitting frame of four sealing profiles joined together, the 4 corners of the frame of the seal being produced by the method of injection moulding.

10. A sealing profile asin Claims 1 and 9, in which the channels are closed with tapered plugs during the injection moulding process.

11. A sealing profile of rubber or rubberlike material substantially as described herein with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.