The present disclosure pertains to gaskets or seals for sealing concrete structures, for example, the joints of tunnel segments.
In the construction of tunnels, the contact surfaces of two abutting tunnel segments, which are generally made of precast concrete, must be sealed against the inflow or outflow of liquids, most frequently water. Such tunnels may be subway tunnels, river crossing tunnels, road and railway tunnels, cable tunnels, waste water and water supply tunnels, among other types. As a general rule, the water pressure against which the seal is provided can be in the range of between 1 and 4 bar. But water pressures are site specific and dependent on geological conditions. Reliable sealing should be insured between tunnel segments so as to prevent or retard the ingress and egress of liquids, such as water.
The current art in the field of segmented tunnel construction utilizes two basic types of gaskets. The first of these employs glued-on gasket segments. Glued gaskets are the traditional kind of installation. In this type of gasket, the concrete tunnel segment is precast with a groove being defined in the segment. The gasket is then installed in the groove with an adhesive to keep the gasket in place. If a defect is found in a glued-in gasket, either at the manufacturing facility or in the field, the gasket needs to be removed and another gasket glued into the groove in place of the removed gasket. Also, if the groove has been damaged during the removal of a defective gasket, the groove itself must be repaired first. Such repair may be problematic in the field.
Another type of segmented tunnel construction employs a gasket having anchor legs. In other words, the gasket segment is held in place as the concrete member is cast. With this type of construction, the gasket is preinstalled in a concrete form or mold and the concrete is then poured around the gasket so that the legs or anchors of the gasket are trapped in the concrete segment being formed. After curing, the segment is demolded and removed with the anchored gasket embedded into the concrete segment. Thus, the gasket is anchored in the concrete member by anchoring legs which provide a positive locking fit. For example, the anchoring legs can have a dove-tailed configuration or be provided with a cross-section that increases towards the bottom or distal face of the anchoring leg or foot. Alternatively, or additionally, the anchoring foot can be provided with a barb or undercuts and the like.
With anchored gaskets, if the gasket is damaged, then the concrete segment may need to be discarded because there is no easy way of removing such an embedded gasket from the concrete member so as to replace it with another one. If a defect is found in the anchored gasket during inspection at the manufacturing facility, current art requires significant effort to remove the gasket from the concrete segment. Such removal may render the segment unusable. This is because the segment groove must be repaired for it to be useable again. Then, a different type of gasket can perhaps be glued into the concrete segment to make the segment useable. However, if a gasket is damaged in transit or during installation of the concrete member, for example in a tunnel, there is no quick or easy way in the field to make the concrete member or segment useable again.
Another gasket design which has been recently developed, in addition to glued and feet-anchored gaskets, is a design which it is claimed anchors a gasket bottom face into a groove in a concrete segment with thousands of fibers that are disposed on a bottom face of the gasket. Such fiber anchored gaskets are said to be easily removable from the concrete segment. However, this type of gasket has its own disadvantages, a significant one being its cost. Replacement of such a gasket would necessitate using adhesive to secure a replacement gasket in the groove of the concrete segment or member, in addition to the possibly significant effort involved in cleaning the groove which may be needed before a replacement gasket can be installed.
Tunnel gasket designs are based on balancing the closure forces on the tunnel with the stress created to produce the necessary sealing capability required by particular project specifications. A constant balanced tension is required on the gaskets in order to achieve a reliable seal. Industry experts have voiced some concern regarding the potential effects of the Poisson coefficient on concrete when the closure forces allow the gasket material to flow to a point where there is a concentrated load on the corner of the last tunnel segment being installed to create the tunnel ring.
The Poisson coefficient or Poisson ratio is the negative ratio of transverse strains to axial strains on a material. When a compressive force acts on concrete, two types of strains will crop up. A first strain acts along the horizontal axis, and a second strain acts along the vertical axis. For static loads, such as in concrete, the coefficient should be about 0.20.
It would be desirable to provide a gasket which, through the function of its attachment to the concrete of the tunnel segment, precludes or minimizes the effects of the Poisson coefficient on the concrete tunnel segment by reducing the flow characteristic of the anchored gasket, versus present gasket designs used in the construction of tunnels.
It would also be advantageous to reduce labor costs that need to be incurred for field removal and replacement of gaskets because labor costs are a major component of construction project budgets. These project costs are typically cost-shared by local, state and national funding programs that are driven by tax and bond revenues.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a gasket which functions as an anchored gasket during the manufacture of concrete segments whereby an anchor element or elements act to attach or mount the gasket to the concrete segment, but which anchor element or elements allow the gasket to be removed and replaced in an economical manner if the gasket becomes damaged. It would also be desirable to provide a gasket construction which can be replaced with another gasket at the casting plant, in the storage yard, or on the job site without the need for extraordinary efforts or equipment, particularly as to field removal and replacement of the gasket. Also desirable would be the utilization of an identical replacement gasket which maintains the design criteria of the project without fear of violating any approved design parameters.
According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a selectively detachable gasket for a concrete structure comprises a body including in cross-section a base wall, a first side wall, a second side wall and a top wall. A first anchor member extends from the gasket body adjacent the first side wall and the base wall. A second anchor member extends from the gasket body adjacent the second side wall and the base wall. The first and second anchor members each comprise protrusions which in cross-section have at least one of planar and rounded faces. A gasket body comprises a resilient material and the first and second anchor members are sized such that the gasket body is selectively detachable from a groove defined in an associated concrete structure.
According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a cast-in-place gasket for an associated concrete structure, the gasket comprising a gasket body formed from a resilient material, the body including in cross-section a base wall, a first side wall, a second side wall and a top wall. A first anchor member protrudes from the first side wall of the gasket body and is located adjacent the base wall. A second anchor member protrudes from the second side wall of the gasket body and is located adjacent the base wall. A face of the first and second anchor members is at least one of planar and rounded. The first and second anchor members are sized such that the gasket body is selectively detachable from a groove defined in the associated concrete structure.
According to still another embodiment of the present disclosure, a cast-in-place gasket for an associated concrete structure comprises a gasket body formed of a resilient material, the gasket body having a longitudinal axis and including in cross-section a base wall, a first side wall, a second side wall and a top wall. A first anchor member protrudes radially from the first side wall of the gasket body and is located adjacent the base wall and runs along the longitudinal axis of the gasket body. A second anchor member protrudes radially from the second side wall of the gasket body and is located adjacent the base wall and runs along the longitudinal axis of the gasket body. The first and second anchor members include a face which is at least one of planar and rounded. The first and second anchor members are sized such that the gasket body is selectively detachable from a groove defined in the associated concrete structure.
According to a further embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for replacing a defective gasket in a concrete structure comprises providing a gasket body including first and second anchor members extending, respectively, from the gasket body on opposed side walls of the gasket body adjacent a base wall thereof. The concrete structure is cast around the gasket body. A groove is formed in the concrete structure by the gasket body. Side channels are formed in the groove by the first and second anchor members. Removing the gasket body from the groove and the anchor members from the side channels, wherein the gasket body comprises a resilient material and the first and second anchor members are so sized that the gasket body is detachable from the concrete structure in an intact manner. Providing a replacement gasket body including first and second anchor members and inserting the gasket body into the groove and the anchor members into the side channels of the concrete structure.
The disclosure may take physical form in certain gasket designs and arrangements, several embodiments of which will be described in detail in the specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof and wherein:
It should be understood that the description and drawings herein are merely illustrative and that various modifications and changes can be made to the gaskets disclosed herein without departing from the present disclosure. In the drawings, the showings illustrate several embodiments. Several gasket designs according to the prior art and according to the instant disclosure are discussed but the instant disclosure is not intended to be limited to the disclosed embodiments.
With reference to
With reference now to
The gasket body 40 also includes opposed first and second lips 50 and 52 which can extend from the two opposed side walls 48. As is evident from
It should be apparent that one or more bores 62 of varying shapes in cross-section, including, triangular, semi-circular, bell-shaped or U-shaped, among others, can extend longitudinally through the gasket body 40 as is known in the art.
As mentioned, the gasket D is selectively secured to or mounted to a concrete segment 70, namely, the gasket is positioned in a groove 72 defined in the segment. The gasket D is held in place while the concrete member is cast around the gasket. Thus, the gasket defines or forms a groove in the concrete which flows around it. The first and second anchor members 44 and 46 extend into side channels 74 defined in the groove 72 of the concrete segment 70. It should be apparent from
Should the original gasket in the concrete member or segment require replacement, the original or old gasket can be removed by simply pulling the gasket out of the groove and a replacement or new gasket can be snapped into place. The gasket can be pulled out of the groove due to the inherent resiliency of the material from which the gasket is manufactured. The first and second anchor members 44 and 46 are sized such that the gasket body is selectively detachable from the groove 72 defined in the concrete segment 70. The side channels 74 are located adjacent the side edges of the groove 72 such that the apexes of the V-shaped channels 74 defined in this embodiment are located above a base surface of the groove 72. Due to the resilient nature of the material from which the gasket is made, the gasket body 40 is able to flex enough so that a damaged gasket is removable and replaceable when that becomes necessary. The first and second lips 50 and 52 are positioned at a surface 76 of the concrete segment as is evident from
With reference now also to
An interference fit is provided between the groove 72 of the concrete segment 70 and the gasket body 40 such that the anchor members 44 and 46 can snap into and be pulled out of the side channels 74. One advantage of the gasket D is that it can be removed from groove 72 without the need for extraordinary effort or equipment. The reason why the gasket D can be selectively removed from its groove 72 without extraordinary effort is that the anchor members are so sized, and the gasket is comprised of an elastomeric material which allows the gasket body to be selectively detachable from the groove 72. This construction allows a defective gasket to be replaced in the field if that becomes necessary.
The gasket D may be made from a suitable elastomeric material such as, for example, ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber. Alternatively, one or more other elastomers having a Shore A hardness in the range of 30 to 75 can also be used. As such, many elastically deformable synthetic materials are useable for the material of the several gasket embodiments disclosed herein. Also, dual hardness gasket constructions are contemplated which can include a harder anchor section (i.e. the two anchor members being of a greater durometer) and a softer sealing section, i.e., the remainder of the gasket body being of a lesser durometer, or at least selected portions thereof can be of a lesser durometer. A co-extrusion of two different durometer elastomeric materials is thus contemplated in this embodiment. Alternatively, the body can be stiffer and the anchor sections softer under some circumstances.
With this design, the gasket D functions as an anchored gasket for concrete segment manufacturing. Yet, the gasket can be removed if it becomes damaged and replaced with another gasket either at the casting plant, in the storage yard, or on the job site. No extraordinary efforts or equipment are required for field removal and replacement of the gasket D. In this way, labor costs are greatly decreased, positively affecting project budgets. Moreover, no additional material, such as adhesive or fibers (which can be costly), is necessary to mount the gasket D to a concrete segment and secure it in place.
In one embodiment, the gasket can have a thickness of about 0.7 inches (1.8 cm) and a width of about 1.21 inches (3.07 cm) at the tips of the anchor members 44 and 46. The fins or lips 50 and 52 may protrude outwardly from the body 40 of the gasket such that the complete width of the gasket can be about 1.425 inches (3.62 cm). The width of the gasket at the first and second protrusions 54 and 56 can be about 1.152 inches (2.93 cm) if so desired. It should be appreciated that the lips 50 and 52 can be so located on the side surfaces of the gasket that the top surface of the lip is about 0.382 inches (0.97 cm) below the top surface of the gasket.
The anchor tip area of the gasket D basically needs to provide an inset recess which allows the concrete to enclose or trap the gasket base. Dimensionally, the anchor tip dimension can range from 0.060 to 0.200 inches (0.15 to 0.51 cm) per side depending upon the size of the gasket profile. Gasket profiles can range from 0.095 to 1.750 inches wide (0.24 to 4.45 cm). Since the gasket body “hinges” during its removal or replacement, the extension dimension of the anchor tips into the concrete will be altered as necessary based on the profile's overall width.
With reference now to the embodiment illustrated in
With reference now to
With reference now to
With reference now to
As previously noted, the material of the gasket body in the embodiments of
Disclosed has been a tunnel segment gasket which includes first and second anchor members that protrude from opposed side edges at the base of the gasket. The anchor members are configured to attach the gasket to a concrete tunnel segment during the casting of the pre-cast concrete tunnel segment. As the tunnel segment is being cast from concrete, the gasket forms a groove in the concrete, including forming side channels in the groove, the side channels being defined by the anchor members of the gasket. Should a defect be found in the gasket which has been cast-in-place in the concrete tunnel segment or like concrete member, such a defective gasket can be removed from the groove relatively easily. A replacement gasket can then be snapped into the groove in place of the original gasket. The replacement gasket will have corresponding anchor members which will extend into the side channels defined in the groove of the associated concrete member.
If a cast-in-place gasket according to the present disclosure has become defective, either at the manufacturing plant or in the field, it can be removed and replaced with an intact gasket in an economical and time efficient manner. More particularly, because the gasket when it was cast-in place formed not only a groove in the concrete structure but also first and second side channels extending from the groove due to the presence of the anchor members, the gasket body can be removed in an intact manner from the groove such that the anchor members are pulled out of the side channels. This is possible because the gasket body comprises a resilient material and the first and second anchor members are so sized that the gasket body is detachable from the concrete structure in an intact manner thereby simplifying its removal. A replacement gasket body could also include first and second anchor members of the same size as the one which was removed. The replacement gasket body can be inserted into the groove such that the anchor members are inserted into the side channels of the concrete structure. In this way, a replacement gasket can be installed in the field eliminating the need for the use of glue or adhesive, as well as the potential need for returning the concrete member (such as a tunnel segment) from the field back to the factory for the installation of such a replacement gasket.
The present disclosure has been described with reference to several embodiments. Obviously, modifications and alterations will occur to others upon a reading and understanding of the preceding detailed description. It is intended that the present disclosure be construed as including all such modifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.
This application claims the benefit of Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/619,399 which was filed on Jan. 19, 2018. The entire content of that application is incorporated hereinto by reference.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20190226340 A1 | Jul 2019 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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62619399 | Jan 2018 | US |