Seal arrangement for tubular tunnel segments

US5888023A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Phoenix, LLC · DE

Inventors

• Werner Grabe · Winsen, DE
• Siegfried Glang · Hamburg, DE
• Holger Gutschmidt · Neu Wulmstorf, DE
• Bruno Haye · Coulommiers, FR

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 15, 1997
• Grant date: Mar 30, 1999
• Expiry date: Aug 15, 2017

Classification

• Technology area (CPC E): Fixed Constructions
• CPC primary: E21D11/385
• WIPO field: Civil engineering
• WIPO sector: Other fields

Abstract

The invention relates to a seal arrangement consisting of two abutting structures of concrete, steel, reinforced concrete, cast iron or other materials and a sealing section of elastomeric material which bridges and seals the gap between the two structures, in which the structures are especially segments assembled to form a tubular tunnel with the formation of transverse and longitudinal seams, where each segment preferably has at least one peripheral recess covering all the mating sides of the segments and there is in each recess a stranded sealing section which especially has strand-shaped grooves on the base side of the sealing section and/or strand-shaped channels, forming a sealing frame with corners, and the back of the sealing section has at least one strand-shaped groove to accept an emergency seal. When the segments are moved in the direction of the arrow, giving rise to gaps, the emergency seal, consisting especially of a water-activatable sealing material, can expand as a result of a swelling process with an increase in volume.