GB2194005A

GB2194005A - Sealing profile of tubular tunnel

Info

Publication number: GB2194005A
Application number: GB08629546A
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: 1988-02-24
Anticipated expiration: 2006-12-10
Also published as: GB8629546D0; DE8712323U1; FR2602544B1; FR2602544A1; GB2194005B

Abstract

A sealing profile of rubber or rubberlike material for segments 1, 2 which are each 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 5 to 8 running in parallel in the longitudinal direction; b) angled flanks at the sides; c) a plane back to the profile; and d) 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 which in its efficacy is not impaired by a longitudinal channel. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Sealing profile for segments of tunnel tubing The invention relates to 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 sides; c) a plane backed profile; and d) channels running in the longitudinal direction.

Sealing profiles of that 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 employment 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 achived 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 in accordance with the invention by a profile in which in the middle region (the centre) of the profile there is at least one continuous web which in its efficacy is not impaired by a longitudinal channel.

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. 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 one central web on the axis of symmetry of the profile. In the case of the arrangement of 4 grooves two further webs are formed, which through channels arranged here are reduced in their supporting action in order to generate a peak stress in the central web.

Preferably through the arrangement of 4 grooves there are formed about one continuous web on the axis of symmetry two further webs which are reduced in their supporting action through channels in the upper region of the profile. The bottom edges of the channel preferably lie above or at the same height as the top edges of the grooves. The profile may exhibit uniform channels and uniform grooves.

In one arrangement the profile may consist of a rubber mixture on a base of polychloroprene, EPDM, nitrile rubber or other types of rubber resistant swelling, weather and chemicals.

Preferably the profile exhibits a Shore A hardness of 35 to 80".

Each segment may receive a fitting frame of 4 sealing profiles joined together, the 4 corners of the frame of the seal being produced by the method of injection moulding. In this case 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 a Figure. The figure shows 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 each one groove 3 and 4. In these grooves are glued two sealing profiles. In the erected state the profiles touch back to back. Each of these profiles exhibits on the side at its base four grooves 5 to 8. The profile further has two channels 9 and 10 as well as one continuous supporting web 11 in the middle.

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 web 11 with the result of high contact stress and sealing action between the profiles.

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 sides; c) a plane back to the profile; and d) 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 efficacy is not impaired by a longitudinal channel.

2. A sealing profile as in Claim 1, in which through the arrangement of 4 grooves there are formed about one continuous web on the axis of symmetry two further webs which are reduced in their supporting action through channels in the upper region of the profile.

3. A sealing profile as in Claims 1 and 2, in which the bottom edges of the channels lie above or at the same height as the top edges of the grooves.

4. A sealing profile as in Claims 1 to 3, in which the profile exhibits uniform channels and uniform grooves.

5. A sealing profile as in Claims 1 to 4, 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.

6. A sealing profile as in Claims 1 two 5, in which the profile exhibits a Shore A hardness of 35 to 80".

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

8. A sealing profile as in Claims 1 and 7, in which the channels are closed with tapered plugs during the injection moulding process.

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