Method for building dry land maintenance environment in ship lock drainage tank culvert

Abstract

The invention provides a method for constructing a dry land maintenance environment in a ship lock drainage tank culvert, belongs to the technical field of water conservancy projects, and can solve the technical problem that the ship lock drainage tank culvert is difficult to maintain. According to the technical scheme, the method comprises the steps that S1, a floating type blocking door installation environment is prepared, wherein the step of locally cutting off a splayed wing wall, the step of arranging a ship lock drainage tank culvert outlet bottom sill and the step of leveling a vertical face are included; s2, a floating type blocking door descending step: the balance of the left side and the right side of the floating type blocking door is adjusted by filling water into a shoulder water filling cabin of the floating type blocking door, and the floating type blocking door is prevented from inclining leftwards and rightwards; s3, adjusting the position of the floating plugging door; and S4, sealing the floating type blocking door, namely adjusting the position of the floating type blocking door in the upstream direction by using the jacks, respectively mounting one jack in the middle and at the two ends of the floating type blocking door, fixing a jack stress support at the tail part of each jack by using an expansion bolt, and tightly jacking the floating type blocking door on the vertical concrete surface and the bottom sill by using the jacks.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of water conservancy engineering technology, and in particular relates to a method for creating a dry maintenance environment inside a lock spillway culvert. Background Technology

[0002] Due to the constant erosion from high-speed water flow, the concrete surface of the lock's spillway culvert develops cracks and craters, requiring regular maintenance. However, the entire spillway culvert is underwater, making maintenance extremely difficult. Furthermore, the spillway culvert is quite long, typically exceeding 400 meters. While divers can inspect and repair the outlet section, they cannot carry a 400-meter-long air hose for inspection. Therefore, inspection of the deeper parts of the spillway culvert by divers is impossible, and concrete repairs requiring divers to enter the culvert are also out of the question.

[0003] Currently, underwater robots equipped with underwater cameras and sonar are commonly used to inspect the interior of lock spillway culverts. The comprehensiveness and accuracy of the inspection depend heavily on the performance of the underwater robot and its equipment, often resulting in incomplete or inaccurate inspections. Repairing lock spillway culverts requires grouting and concrete pouring, which are complex processes that cannot be performed by underwater robots. Creating a dry area within the lock spillway culvert could involve draining the water, but this would require significantly lowering the downstream water level or even cutting off the downstream flow, which is usually prohibitively costly. While some methods exist for creating a dry area by sealing the gates, these are not suitable for the environment of lock spillway culverts.

[0004] Therefore, there is a need for a dry-land construction method suitable for lock spillway culverts to facilitate the maintenance of lock spillway culverts. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This invention addresses the aforementioned technical problem of difficult maintenance of lock spillway culverts by proposing a method that creates a dry maintenance environment inside the lock spillway culvert without requiring reference points above the water surface, simultaneously sealing two adjacent openings, eliminating the need for manual guidance inside the culvert, and ensuring good sealing.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows: a method for creating a dry maintenance environment in a lock spillway culvert, comprising the following steps: S1 Floating sealing gate installation environment preparation step, including: partial cutting of the wing wall, setting of the bottom sill at the outlet of the lock spillway culvert, and leveling of the facade. The steps for partial removal of the figure-eight wing wall include: measuring the distance between the wing walls on both sides of the lock's spillway culvert outlet; according to the design dimensions of the floating sealing gate, the width of the floating sealing gate extending beyond the spillway culvert outlet on both sides is B; when the distance X1 between the wing wall and the lock's spillway culvert outlet is less than B+10 cm, the figure-eight wing wall is partially removed, with a removal thickness D=10+B-X1 and a removal width L≤thickness of the floating sealing gate. The steps for setting the bottom sill at the outlet of the lock spillway culvert include: the outer facade of the bottom sill is flush with the outer concrete facade of the lock spillway culvert outlet. The steps for leveling the facade include: measuring the flatness of the concrete surface, filling in the pits, leveling the protrusions, and then applying a layer of plastic putty to the installation area and outer ring of the floating sealing door. The S2 floating gate lowering procedure includes: adjusting the balance of the left and right sides of the floating gate by filling the shoulder water tank with water to prevent the floating gate from tilting to the left or right; when the floating gate gets stuck, the crane hook is used to hook the guide device on the floating gate to lift the lower side of the floating gate upward, adjust it to a horizontal state and then continue to lower it. The steps for adjusting the position of the S3 floating sealing gate include: after the floating sealing gate is lowered to the bottom, its position shifts to the left or right, and the gap between one side of the floating sealing gate and the "eight"-shaped wing wall becomes smaller. A wedge is inserted into the smaller gap, and the wedge is held in place by a jack. The jack support is fixed at the tail of the jack with an expansion bolt. The jack pushes the wedge forward, moving the floating sealing gate to the other side to reach the designed position. The sealing steps for the S4 floating sealing gate include: adjusting the position of the floating sealing gate upstream by using jacks; installing one jack in the middle and one at each end of the floating sealing gate; fixing the jack support at the tail of the jack with expansion bolts; and using the jacks to press the floating sealing gate tightly against the concrete surface and the bottom sill.

[0007] Preferably, before the preparation steps for the installation environment of the floating sealing gate, the following steps are also included: The measurement steps for the outlet of the lock spillway culvert include: measuring the outlet size of the lock spillway culvert, measuring the flatness of the concrete facade of the lock spillway culvert outlet, measuring the concrete strength of the facade of the lock spillway culvert outlet, and measuring the maximum water depth at the installation location. The design and manufacturing steps of the floating sealing gate include: determining the size of the floating sealing gate based on the outlet size and the maximum size of the external concrete surface of the outlet; and performing strength calculations and size verification of the floating sealing gate based on the maximum water depth and concrete strength. The floating sealing gate is a sealed, hollow, flat-plate steel structure. The interior of the floating sealing gate is divided into independent water-filled chambers, including: a bottom water-filled chamber, an upper water-filled chamber, a left shoulder water-filled chamber, and a right shoulder water-filled chamber. The bottom water-filled chamber is located at the bottom of the floating sealing gate; the upper water-filled chamber is located above the bottom water-filled chamber and in the middle of the upper part of the floating sealing gate; the left shoulder water-filled chamber is located above the bottom water-filled chamber and on the left side of the upper part of the floating sealing gate; and the right shoulder water-filled chamber is located above the bottom water-filled chamber and on the right side of the upper part of the floating sealing gate. The water-filled chambers are not interconnected. Each floating sealing gate... Each water tank is equipped with a filling / draining valve and a filling / airing valve. When both valves are opened simultaneously, the water tank can be filled with water and vented, or filled with air and drained. The floating sealing gate is equipped with a pressure equalization pipe that runs through the entire floating sealing gate. The pressure equalization pipe is not connected to the water tank. A pressure equalization valve is installed on the pipe, and an air pipe is connected to the pressure equalization valve. The air pipe opening is fixed above the water surface. Guide devices are installed at the four corners of the floating sealing gate. Lifting lugs are installed on the upper part of the floating sealing gate for hoisting. Water-stop rubber is installed at the contact point between the floating sealing gate and the concrete surface for sealing.

[0008] Preferably, after the preparation step for the installation environment of the floating sealing gate, the process also includes: a float setting step, which includes: bringing the underwater installation position of the floating sealing gate to the surface through a float and marking it; Preferably, after the floating sealing door sealing step, the following steps are also included: The drainage procedure involves removing the water from the lock's spillway culvert. The sealing effect inspection steps include: using inkjet printing to check for leakage around the floating sealing door; if serious leakage is found, one or more of the following should be used for sealing: cotton quilt, cloth strips, cotton quilt wrapped in steel pipe, or cotton quilt wrapped in steel plate.

[0009] Preferably, the preparation steps for the installation environment of the floating plug gate also include closing the upstream gate of the lock spillway culvert to cut off the water flow and provide a calm water environment for the subsequent installation of the floating plug gate.

[0010] Preferably, the step of setting the bottom sill at the outlet of the lock spillway includes installing and fixing the steel structure bottom sill by embedding chemical anchor bars.

[0011] Preferably, the step of setting the bottom sill at the outlet of the lock spillway culvert includes pouring a concrete bottom sill.

[0012] Preferably, the facade leveling step includes: the plastic mortar is applied within a 5cm radius outward from the floating sealing door, and the plastic mortar is 1cm thick.

[0013] Preferably, the floating blocking gate position adjustment steps include: when the floating blocking gate is lowered to the bottom and its position shifts to the left or right, the gap between one side of the floating blocking gate and the "eight"-shaped wing wall becomes smaller. A screw with a turnbuckle is inserted into the gap, and the screw is stretched by tightening the turnbuckle to move the floating blocking gate to the other side to reach the designed position.

[0014] Preferably, the floating blocking gate position adjustment steps include: when the floating blocking gate is lowered to the bottom and its position shifts to the left or right, the gap between one side of the floating blocking gate and the "eight"-shaped wing wall becomes smaller. The force point is fixed on the "eight"-shaped wing wall, and the force point of the guide device is connected by a chain hoist. The chain hoist is tightened to adjust the floating blocking gate to the designed position. To prevent the chain hoist from pulling the floating blocking gate downstream, the force point fixed on the "eight"-shaped wing wall must be flush with the guide device.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the advantages and positive effects of the present invention are as follows: 1. The present invention provides a method for creating a dry maintenance environment within a lock spillway culvert. Through steps such as preparing the environment for the installation of a floating sealing gate, lowering the floating sealing gate, adjusting the position of the floating sealing gate, and sealing the floating sealing gate, this method does not require reference points above the water surface, can simultaneously seal two adjacent openings of the lock spillway culvert, does not require manual guidance within the opening, and provides good sealing performance, thus solving the technical problem of difficult maintenance of lock spillway culverts. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the floating sealing gate structure provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the bottom threshold provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the installation of a floating sealing gate provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the elevation of the floating sealing gate provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the construction site according to an embodiment of the present invention; In the above figures: 1. Bottom water filling chamber; 2. Upper water filling chamber; 3. Left shoulder water filling chamber; 4. Right shoulder water filling chamber; 5. Lifting lug; 6. Guide device; 7. Pressure equalizing valve; 8. Inflation and exhaust valve; 9. Inflation and drainage valve; 10. Bottom sill; 11. Anchor bar holes; 31. V-shaped wing wall; 32. Floating sealing gate. Detailed Implementation

[0017] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0018] like Figure 3 This invention provides a method for creating a dry maintenance environment inside a lock spillway culvert, including the following steps: S1 Floating sealing gate installation environment preparation step, including: wing wall cutting step, lock spillway culvert outlet bottom sill setting step, and facade leveling step. The steps for removing the figure-eight wing wall include: measuring the distance between the wing walls on both sides of the lock's culvert outlet; based on the design dimensions of the floating sealing gate 32, the width of the floating sealing gate 32 extending beyond the culvert outlet on both sides is B; when the distance X1 between the wing wall and the lock's culvert outlet is less than B+10 cm, the figure-eight wing wall is partially removed, with a removal thickness D=10+B-X1, and a removal width L determined according to the actual situation, not exceeding the thickness of the floating sealing gate 32; the width of the floating sealing gate 32 extending beyond the opening is determined by the design based on the strength calculation; if the distance of the floating sealing gate 32 extending beyond the opening is too small, the structural safety and sealing effect cannot be guaranteed; when the distance between the wing wall and the lock's culvert outlet is less than B+10 cm, the figure-eight wing wall 31 needs to be partially removed, to a range of B+10 cm or more, to prevent the figure-eight wing wall 31 from obstructing the installation of the floating sealing gate 32.

[0019] The steps for setting the bottom sill at the outlet of the lock spillway culvert include: the outer facade of the bottom sill 10 is flush with the outer concrete facade of the lock spillway culvert outlet; to prevent the installation plane of the floating sealing gate 32 from being uneven and affecting the sealing effect.

[0020] The facade leveling steps include: measuring the flatness of the concrete surface, filling in the pits, leveling the protrusions, and then applying a layer of plastic putty to the installation area and outer ring of the floating sealing door 32 to prevent the installation surface of the floating sealing door 32 from being uneven and affecting the sealing effect.

[0021] The S2 floating gate descent procedure includes: adjusting the left and right balance of the floating gate 32 by filling the shoulder water tank with water to prevent the floating gate 32 from tilting left and right; the floating gate 32 is rectangular, and its diagonal distance is greater than its side length. When the floating gate 32 tilts too much, the width occupied by the floating gate 32 in the lateral direction becomes wider, which will cause obstruction between it and the V-shaped wing wall 31. Adjusting the left and right balance of the floating gate 32 by filling the shoulder water tank with water can save effort and quickly adjust the descent state of the floating gate 32 by using the buoyancy of water, and prevent serious obstruction.

[0022] When the floating blocking gate 32 gets stuck, use the auxiliary hook of the crane or the hook of another crane to lift the lifting lug 5 or guide device 6 on the floating blocking gate 32 to lift the lower side of the floating blocking gate 32 upward, adjust it to a horizontal state, and then continue to lower it. The S3 floating blocking gate position adjustment steps include: after the floating blocking gate 32 is lowered to the bottom, its position shifts left and right, reducing the gap between one side of the floating blocking gate 32 and the "V"-shaped wing wall. A wedge is inserted into the reduced gap, and a jack holds the wedge in place. Expansion bolts are used to secure the jack's support at the tail end. The jack pushes the wedge forward, moving the floating blocking gate 32 to the other side to its designed position. When the floating blocking gate 32 reaches the bottom, position adjustment is difficult due to gravity and friction with the bottom. However, [the following steps are taken]... Since the distance between the wing wall 31 and the floating sealing gate 32 is very small, the required adjustment distance is also small. Therefore, this adjustment method was chosen. This method is simple and efficient. The traditional method uses a steel wire rope combined with a fixed pulley for guidance. This method is applicable upstream of the floating sealing gate 32, but due to the closed structure of the culvert, it can only be moved downstream. Using a pulling method would inevitably cause the floating sealing gate 32 to move downstream, requiring jacks to push it back. Due to the cumbersome process, the pulling method is avoided. If the displacement space is small and the distance between the floating sealing gate 32 and the two wing walls is small, it is recommended to use jacks combined with wedges to push the floating sealing gate 32 to the other side. If the distance between the floating sealing gate 32 and the two wing walls is small, it is recommended to use a screw rod combined with turnbuckles to push the floating sealing gate 32 to the other side.

[0023] The sealing procedure for the S4 floating sealing gate includes: adjusting the floating sealing gate 32 upstream using jacks; installing one jack in the middle and at each end of the floating sealing gate 32; fixing the jack support with expansion bolts at the tail of the jacks; and using the jacks to press the floating sealing gate 32 firmly against the vertical concrete surface and the bottom sill 10. Traditional sealing gate sealing involves divers using steel cables as guides inside the tunnel, then tightening the cables to secure them to the tunnel wall for traction and fixation, ensuring the sealing gate is flush against the vertical concrete surface at the tunnel entrance. Because the lock's spillway culvert is a long, enclosed tunnel, personnel cannot enter the culvert after the floating sealing gate is sealed; operations must be performed outside. Using the same steel cable method would only pull the sealing gate further away from the tunnel entrance. Therefore, a jack-push method is chosen to press the sealing gate firmly against the vertical concrete surface at the tunnel entrance.

[0024] The present invention discloses a method for creating a dry maintenance environment inside a lock spillway culvert. Through steps such as preparing the environment for the installation of a floating sealing gate, lowering the floating sealing gate, adjusting the position of the floating sealing gate, and sealing the floating sealing gate, this method solves the technical problem of difficult maintenance of lock spillway culverts by eliminating the need for reference objects above the water surface, allowing simultaneous sealing of two adjacent openings of the lock spillway culvert, eliminating the need for manual guidance inside the opening, and ensuring good sealing performance.

[0025] In a preferred embodiment, prior to the preparation step for the installation environment of the floating sealing gate, the following steps are also included: The measurement steps for the outlet of the lock spillway culvert include: measuring the outlet size of the lock spillway culvert, measuring the flatness of the concrete facade of the lock spillway culvert outlet, measuring the concrete strength of the facade of the lock spillway culvert outlet, and measuring the maximum water depth at the installation location. The design and manufacturing steps of the floating sealing gate include: determining the size of the floating sealing gate 32 based on the outlet size and the maximum size of the external concrete surface of the outlet; and performing strength calculations and size verification of the floating sealing gate 32 based on the maximum water depth and concrete strength. like Figure 1 The floating sealing gate 32 is a sealed, hollow, flat steel structure. The interior of the floating sealing gate 32 is divided into independent water-filled chambers, including: a bottom water-filled chamber 1, an upper water-filled chamber 2, a left shoulder water-filled chamber 3, and a right shoulder water-filled chamber 4. The bottom water-filled chamber 1 is located at the bottom of the floating sealing gate 32; the upper water-filled chamber 2 is located above the bottom water-filled chamber 1, in the middle of the upper part of the floating sealing gate; the left shoulder water-filled chamber 3 is located above the bottom water-filled chamber 1, on the left side of the upper part of the floating sealing gate; and the right shoulder water-filled chamber 4 is located above the bottom water-filled chamber, on the right side of the upper part of the floating sealing gate. The water-filled chambers are not connected. Each water tank of the plugging gate is equipped with a filling / draining valve 9 and a filling / airing valve 8. When the filling / draining valve 9 and the filling / airing valve 8 are opened simultaneously, the water tank can be filled with water and vented or filled with air and drained. The floating plugging gate is equipped with a pressure equalization pipe that runs through the entire floating plugging gate. The pressure equalization pipe is not connected to the water tank. The pipe is equipped with a pressure equalization valve 7, and the pressure equalization valve 7 is connected to an air pipe. The air pipe opening is fixed above the water surface. The floating plugging gate is equipped with guide devices 6 at the four corners. The floating plugging gate is equipped with lifting lugs 5 at the top for hoisting. The part of the floating plugging gate that contacts the concrete surface is equipped with water-stop rubber for sealing.

[0026] like Figure 2In a preferred embodiment, the bottom of the floating sealing gate is provided with an L-shaped component, which serves as the bottom load-bearing structure, equivalent to the bottom sill 10. One side of the L-shaped component is welded to the floating sealing gate, and the other side has anchor holes 11 for inserting chemical anchors into the bottom concrete panel. The chemical anchors firmly fix the L-shaped plate and the floating sealing gate to the bottom concrete panel, serving as the bottom load-bearing structure. After the floating sealing gate is in place, the steel plate with the anchor holes 11 is first underwater welded to the steel plate welded to the floating sealing gate. By inserting chemical anchors, the floating sealing gate can be fixed to the bottom concrete surface. The L-shaped component can provide support for the bottom of the floating sealing gate. In addition, mortar is filled at the bottom of the steel plate with the anchor holes 11, and the welds of the L-shaped component itself and the welds between the L-shaped component and the floating sealing gate are fully welded and sealed to prevent water leakage. Therefore, this L-shaped component provides both support and sealing for the floating sealing gate. Compared to adding a concrete sill 10, adding an L-shaped component has higher strength, simpler process, and saves construction time; and adding an L-shaped component in combination with pouring concrete is suitable for situations with higher load-bearing capacity.

[0027] In a preferred embodiment, after the preparation step for the installation environment of the floating sealing gate, the method further includes: a float setting step, which includes: a diver drilling a hole at the positioning point underwater using a pneumatic drill / hydraulic drill, inserting an expansion bolt or a top bolt, the expansion bolt or the top bolt being a threaded rod, and then screwing in a lifting nut. A float with a buoyancy of not less than 18 kg is used as a float, and a rope is tied to the bottom of the float. The length of the rope is the same as the water depth, and the other end of the rope is tied to the lifting nut by the diver. The diver tightens the rope so that at least half of the float's volume sinks into the water, and the underwater installation position of the floating sealing gate is brought to the surface through the float and marked.

[0028] In a preferred embodiment, after the floating sealing gate sealing step, the method further includes: The drainage procedure involves removing the water from the lock's spillway culvert. The sealing effect inspection steps include: using inkjet printing to check for leakage around the floating sealing door; if serious leakage is found, it is necessary to seal it with cotton quilts, cloth strips, cotton quilts wrapped in steel pipes, or cotton quilts wrapped in steel plates.

[0029] In a preferred embodiment, the preparation step for the installation environment of the floating plug gate further includes closing the upstream gate of the lock spillway culvert to cut off the water flow and provide a calm water environment for the subsequent installation of the floating plug gate 32.

[0030] In a preferred embodiment, the step of setting the sill at the outlet of the lock spillway culvert includes installing and fixing the steel sill 10 by embedding chemical anchor bars. Traditional floating blocking gates 32 have concrete surfaces on all four sides capable of bearing loads. The blocking gate is tightly attached to the concrete surfaces around the opening. When the water in the opening is pumped out, the water pressure on the water-facing side of the blocking gate presses it firmly against the surrounding concrete surfaces, so the blocking gate bears load from all four sides. However, the bottom of the lock spillway culvert outlet is a horizontal structure, so the bottom of the blocking gate has no vertical concrete surface for adhesion; it can only be attached to the concrete surfaces around the opening on three sides, resulting in unreasonable structural stress. Therefore, the addition of the sill 10 is used to make the blocking gate bear load from all four sides, thus making the structural stress more reasonable. The sill 10 can be made of steel, concrete, or a combination of both.

[0031] In a preferred embodiment, the step of setting the bottom sill 10 at the outlet of the lock culvert includes pouring concrete for the bottom sill 10.

[0032] In a preferred embodiment, the facade leveling step includes: the plastic mortar is applied to the contact area between the floating sealing door 32 and the facade concrete, and extends outwards by 5cm; the plastic mortar is 1cm thick. After the floating sealing door 32 is in place, a jack is used to press the floating sealing door 32 firmly against the facade concrete, squeezing the plastic mortar out from all sides. The unsqueezed plastic mortar fills the gap between the floating sealing door 32 and the facade concrete, providing a good seal.

[0033] In a preferred embodiment, the floating blocking door position adjustment step includes: when the floating blocking door 32 is lowered to the bottom and its position shifts to the left or right, the gap between one side of the floating blocking door 32 and the "eight"-shaped wing wall becomes smaller. A screw with a turnbuckle is inserted into the gap, and the screw is stretched by tightening the turnbuckle to move the floating blocking door 32 to the other side to reach the designed position.

[0034] In a preferred embodiment, the floating blocking door position adjustment step includes: when the floating blocking door 32 is lowered to the bottom and its position shifts to the left or right, the gap between one side of the floating blocking door 32 and the "eight"-shaped wing wall becomes smaller. A force point is fixed on the "eight"-shaped wing wall, and a chain hoist is used to connect the force points of the guide device 6. The chain hoist is tightened to adjust the floating blocking door 32 to the designed position. To prevent the chain hoist from pulling the floating blocking door 32 downstream, the force point fixed on the "eight"-shaped wing wall must be flush with the guide device 6.

[0035] To provide a clearer and more detailed description of the method for creating a dry maintenance environment within a lock spillway culvert provided by the embodiments of the present invention, specific embodiments will be described below.

[0036] Example 1 Measurement of the elevation dimensions of the lock's spillway culvert outlet, measurement of the flatness of the concrete surface of the lock's spillway culvert outlet → Design and fabrication of the floating sealing gate 32, leveling of the concrete surface of the lock's spillway culvert outlet → Addition of a bottom sill 10 → Closing the upstream gate of the lock's spillway culvert → Installation of the floating sealing gate 32 → Pumping out water from the lock's spillway culvert → Internal inspection and construction of the lock's spillway culvert in dry conditions, acceptance → Filling the lock's spillway culvert with water → Removal of the floating sealing gate 32, etc. Figure 5 .

[0037] (1) Floating sealing gate structure like Figure 4 The dimensions of the downstream outlet of the lock's spillway culvert, the maximum dimensions of the concrete surface, the concrete strength, and the maximum water depth at the installation location were measured. Based on the outlet dimensions and the maximum dimensions of the external concrete surface, the dimensions of the floating sealing gate 32 were determined. Strength calculations and dimensional verification of the floating sealing gate 32 were performed based on the maximum water depth and concrete strength. Since this lock's spillway culvert has two outlets separated only by a circular arc-shaped central pier, a single floating sealing gate 32 was designed to simultaneously seal both outlets.

[0038] After the floating sealing gate 32 is installed and the water in the lock's spillway culvert is pumped out, the inside of the lock's spillway culvert is filled with air. The air pressure inside the lock's spillway culvert is the same as the air pressure on the water surface. Since there is water downstream of the floating sealing gate 32, it needs to be able to withstand the downstream water pressure. It is precisely because of the water pressure that the floating sealing gate 32 can be pressed tightly against the concrete surface at the outlet of the lock's spillway culvert. The floating sealing gate 32 is equipped with water-stopping rubber, which ensures a good seal between the floating sealing gate 32 and the concrete surface, achieving a good water-stopping effect.

[0039] The floating gate 32 is a hollow flat steel structure made of steel plates and structural steel. The steel plates allow the six sides of the floating gate 32 to be sealed, forming an internal cavity. The buoyancy of the floating gate 32 is greater than its weight, and its thickness is less than its length and width. When the cavity of the floating gate 32 is filled with air, its buoyancy is greater than its weight, and it floats on the water surface. When the cavity of the floating gate 32 is filled with water, its weight is greater than its buoyancy, and it sinks to the bottom. The structural steel serves as the main beam and secondary beam of the floating gate 32. The secondary beams transfer the forces on the steel plates to the main beams, which in turn transfer the forces on the floating gate 32 to the concrete surface of the lock's spillway culvert outlet. The floating gate 32 is internally divided into multiple independent water chambers to control its attitude in the water. Water is added to the bottom water chamber 1 to make the gate stand upright, and water is added to the upper water chamber 2 to suspend it. Continued water filling ensures that the gate's weight slightly exceeds its buoyancy, allowing it to be lowered into position by a crane. Compared to ordinary steel gates, the floating gate 32 is more flexible in water and easier to install. If the gate is unbalanced, water can be added to the shoulder water chamber to adjust its balance. Water-stop rubber is installed at the contact points between the floating gate 32 and the concrete surface to ensure a good seal and effective water prevention.

[0040] Each water tank of the floating sealing door 32 is equipped with a filling and draining valve 9 and a filling and venting valve 8. When both are opened at the same time, the water tank can be filled with water and vented or filled with air and drained. The floating plug gate 32 is equipped with a pressure equalization pipe that runs through the entire floating plug gate 32. A pressure equalization valve 7 is installed on the pipe, and an air pipe is connected to the pressure equalization valve 7. The air pipe opening is fixed above the water surface. When the floating plug gate 32 is installed and water is about to be pumped out of the lock's drainage culvert, the pressure equalization valve 7 is opened. This allows air to be introduced into the lock's drainage culvert simultaneously with the pumping out of water, preventing a vacuum from forming inside the culvert. When maintenance is completed inside the lock's drainage culvert and water is being added, the pressure equalization valve 7 allows the air inside the culvert to be expelled, thus filling the culvert with water.

[0041] To facilitate precise positioning of the floating gate 32 during installation, and because divers cannot enter the lock's spillway culvert during closure, the traditional method of upstream lateral pulling for fixation is not feasible. Therefore, a guide device 6 is installed on the downstream side of the floating gate 32. For upstream and downstream adjustments, jacks are used to push the gate from the downstream side; for adjustments on either bank, steel cables are fixed to the floating gate 32, combined with a fixed pulley for guidance.

[0042] The floating sealing gate 32 is equipped with lifting lugs 5 for self-lifting.

[0043] The floating sealing gate 32 is equipped with water-stopping rubber at the contact point with the concrete surface for sealing and water-stopping purposes.

[0044] (2) Construction steps 1) Measure the downstream outlet dimensions of the lock's spillway culvert, the maximum dimensions of the external concrete surface at the outlet, the concrete strength, and the maximum water depth at the installation location. Design the floating sealing gate based on these measurement results.

[0045] 2) Design and fabrication of the floating gate. The floating gate is made of steel plates and structural steel. The steel plates allow the six sides of the floating gate to be sealed, forming an internal cavity. The buoyancy of the floating gate is greater than its weight, and its thickness is less than its length and width, allowing it to float on the water surface after being submerged. Structural steel serves as the main and secondary beams of the floating gate. The secondary beams transfer the forces on the steel plates to the main beams, which in turn transfer the forces on the floating gate to the concrete surface of the lock's spillway culvert outlet. The interior of the floating gate is divided into multiple independent water chambers to control its upright, suspended, rising, and falling motion in the water.

[0046] When the cavity of the floating gate is filled with air, its buoyancy exceeds its weight, causing it to float on the water surface. When the cavity is filled with water, its weight exceeds its buoyancy, causing it to sink to the bottom. The floating gate's compartmentalized design allows for better control of its attitude in the water; filling a compartment with water allows the gate to stand upright, suspend, sink, or rise. Water-stop rubber is installed at the points where the floating gate contacts the concrete surface to ensure a good seal. The concrete surface in contact with the floating gate is leveled to ensure good flatness and a good seal after installation.

[0047] The floating gate extends 20cm beyond the opening width on all four sides. A 4cm thick rubber pad is installed within this 20cm area, and during installation, the 20cm perimeter is pressed firmly against the concrete surface. The rubber pad serves to evenly distribute force and provide a seal. The design strength of the floating gate is calculated based on water depth, length, and width. After the water in the lock's spillway is pumped out, the floating gate bears the downstream water pressure. The floating gate must evenly transfer the water pressure within the opening area to the 20cm wide concrete surface around the opening. The maximum downstream water depth of the Datengxia Lock is 17m, and the dimensions of the floating gate are 18m * 4.8m * 1m (length * width * thickness).

[0048] 3) Measure the flatness of the concrete surface to determine if it is level. Fill any depressions and smooth any protrusions to create a smooth surface, ensuring a good seal after the floating gate is installed. On the leveled concrete facade and the bottom sill 10, apply a 1cm thick layer of plastic putty (like putty) to the area within 5cm of the floating gate. This putty will be squeezed out during installation, sealing any uneven areas. Measure the width of the concrete facade on both sides of the lock's spillway outlet to assess the rationality of the floating gate installation space. If the dimensions of the "V"-shaped wing wall affect the installation of the floating gate, partially cut off the "V"-shaped wing wall. The angle between the "V"-shaped wing wall 31 and the water flow direction is 13°.

[0049] 4) Close the upstream gate of the lock spillway culvert to cut off the water flow and provide a calm water environment for the subsequent installation of the floating sealing gate.

[0050] 5) At the outlet of the lock's spillway culvert, a steel sill 10 is installed and fixed by embedding chemical anchor bars, and concrete is poured to serve as the load-bearing structure at the bottom of the floating sealing gate.

[0051] For the fixing of the sill 10 steel component, the spacing and shape of the three gate piers were first measured in detail. Based on the measurement results, the sill 10 steel component was designed. The sill 10 steel component is made of angle steel or welded steel plate, and is L-shaped. The bottom of the sill 10 steel component has anchor holes 11 and stiffening ribs. Near the installation location, divers used tools such as ropes, steel rulers, and rectangular tubes to accurately position the sill 10 steel component underwater, and temporarily fixed it with quick-setting cement. Divers use pneumatic or hydraulic drills underwater to drill anchor holes 11 through the anchor holes in the steel sill 10 and into the concrete base slab. The anchor holes 11 are at least 30cm deep. After drilling, the anchor holes 11 are cleaned with a high-pressure water gun and epoxy anchoring agent is injected. After the anchoring agent reaches the design strength, thick washers and nuts are installed to firmly connect and fix the steel sill 10 to the concrete base slab. To further enhance the strength of the steel sill 10, additional anchor bars are inserted on the downstream side of the steel sill 10. Steel mesh is installed on the steel sill 10 and its downstream side, formwork is installed, and underwater non-dispersible concrete is poured.

[0052] 6) The underwater installation position of the floating gate is brought to the surface and marked with a buoy. The floating gate is then transported to the buoy position on the surface. The lifting lug 5 of the floating gate is connected to the ship's crane with a steel wire rope. Water is filled into the water tank of the floating gate and air is vented. The floating gate first stands upright in the water. After continuing to fill with water and vent air, it gradually sinks and is gradually pulled to the installation position by the ship's crane.

[0053] 7) When the floating sealing gate reaches the vicinity of the installation position, the diver checks its actual position and uses tools such as jacks, wedges, screws with turnbuckles, and guide chains to move the floating sealing gate to the vicinity of the final installation position, and notifies the ship crane operator to lower the floating sealing gate into place.

[0054] 8) Four guide devices 6 are installed on the downstream plane of the floating sealing gate, which also serve as lifting lugs 5. Method for adjusting the left and right positions of the floating sealing gate after it has been lowered to the bottom: If the floating sealing gate is tilted to the right, the gap between the right side of the floating sealing gate and the "V"-shaped wing wall will become smaller. At this time, a wedge is inserted into the gap, and a jack is used to hold the wedge in place. An expansion bolt is used to fix the jack's load-bearing support at the tail of the jack. The jack pushes the wedge forward, moving the floating sealing gate to the other side to reach the designed position.

[0055] 9) The floating sealing gate is adjusted upstream by jacks. One jack is installed in the middle and at both ends of the floating sealing gate. The load-bearing support of the jack is fixed with expansion bolts at the tail of the jack. The jacks are used to press the floating sealing gate tightly against the concrete surface of the facade and the bottom sill 10.

[0056] 10) Check the sealing around the floating sealing door and seal any suspected leaks.

[0057] 11) Install underwater cameras and establish reference points, reference lines, and reference objects to monitor the floating sealing gate in real time, including its deformation, displacement, and leakage.

[0058] 12) Open the pressure equalization valve 7 on the floating sealing gate (which can be inflated to equalize pressure when pumping water out of the lock culvert), and then pump out the water inside the lock culvert.

[0059] 13) During the process of pumping water out of the lock's spillway culvert and after it has been completely pumped out, the floating sealing gate is observed in real time through a camera to check its deformation, displacement and leakage, and to confirm that everything is normal.

[0060] 14) After all the water in the lock's spillway culvert has been pumped out, and after the camera checks to ensure everything is normal, the divers check the deformation and displacement of the floating sealing gate on the downstream side of the lock's spillway culvert outlet. By observing the deformation and displacement, the safety status of the floating sealing gate after installation is confirmed.

[0061] 15) Use inkjet printing to check for leakage around the floating sealing door. If serious leakage is found, secondary sealing is required.

[0062] 16) Inspect the fixing device of the floating sealing gate, and tighten or pull up any loose parts.

[0063] 17) Inspect the leakage situation inside the lock's spillway culvert. Since the floating sealing gate is located underwater, the water pressure can press the floating sealing gate tightly against the concrete surface. The water-stop rubber on the floating sealing gate can play a good sealing role, so the sealing of the floating sealing gate can be watertight. If leakage exists, assess whether the amount of leakage will affect the construction inside the lock's spillway culvert. If it will not affect the construction, leakage plugging is not necessary.

[0064] 18) At this time, a dry environment was formed inside the lock's spillway culvert, and workers carried out maintenance inside the culvert. During construction, workers used underwater cameras to monitor the displacement and deformation of the floating sealing gate in real time, and observed changes in leakage inside the lock's spillway culvert. This was a necessary step to ensure safe construction.

[0065] 19) After the maintenance of the lock's drainage culvert is completed and passed the inspection, confirm that the pressure equalization valve 7 is in the open position, fill the lock's drainage culvert with water, and release the air from the pressure equalization valve 7 until the lock's drainage culvert is full of water.

[0066] 20) Close the pressure equalization valve 7 and disconnect the pipe connected to the pressure equalization valve 7.

[0067] 21) The crane lifts the lifting lug 5 on the floating sealing gate, connects the upper water filling tank 2 of the floating sealing gate to inflate and deflate it, and if necessary, fills the shoulder tank with water so that the weight of the floating sealing gate is slightly greater than the buoyancy.

[0068] 22) Remove the jacks and wire ropes from the floating sealing gate.

[0069] 23) Use a crane to slowly lift the floating sealing gate to the water surface.

[0070] 24) Continue to inflate and depress other water-filled chambers to allow the floating sealing gate to slowly lower to the water surface.

[0071] 25) Transport the floating blocking gate to the hoisting position, where a crane will lift it off the water and transport it to the designated location. This completes all the work.

[0072] This project has the following advantages: (1) Traditionally, the hydraulic structures that are exposed above the water surface are used as reference objects and lifting platforms. The sealing gate is lifted by a truck crane or the existing crane of the hydraulic structure. However, the hydraulic structures at the lock outlet are all underwater, so an innovative construction method is required. The positioning coordinates are drawn from underwater to the water surface, and the ship crane is positioned on the water surface according to these positioning coordinates. The floating sealing gate is then lifted by the ship crane.

[0073] (2) The lock's drainage culvert has two outlets, as shown in the attached diagram. Traditional underwater sealing involves sealing each opening individually. However, the lock's drainage culvert in this project has two outlets, with an arc-shaped central pier between them. Since the central pier is arc-shaped and not flat, the two openings cannot be sealed individually. Therefore, this project uses a floating sealing gate to seal the two adjacent openings simultaneously.

[0074] (3) Traditional floating sealing gates have concrete surfaces on all four sides that can bear the load. The sealing gate is tightly attached to the concrete surfaces around the opening. When the water in the opening is pumped out, the water pressure on the water-facing side of the sealing gate presses it tightly against the surrounding concrete surfaces. Therefore, the sealing gate is stressed from all four sides. However, the bottom of the outlet of the lock's spillway culvert is a horizontal structure. Therefore, there is no vertical concrete surface for the sealing gate to adhere to. It can only adhere to the concrete surfaces around the opening on three sides. Thus, the structural stress is unreasonable. Therefore, a bottom sill 10 is added to make the sealing gate bear the load from all four sides, making the structural stress reasonable. The bottom sill 10 can be made of steel structure, concrete structure, or a combination of steel structure and concrete.

[0075] (4) Traditional sealing gate sealing involves divers guiding the gate with steel wire ropes inside the tunnel, then tightening the steel wire ropes to fix them to the tunnel wall for traction and fixation, so that the sealing gate is close to the concrete facade at the tunnel entrance. Since the lock spillway culvert is a long tunnel and a closed space, personnel cannot enter the lock spillway culvert to operate after the floating sealing gate is completed. They can only operate from outside the tunnel. If the same method of pulling steel wire ropes is used, the sealing gate will only be pulled further away from the tunnel entrance. Therefore, the method of using jacks to push the sealing gate is chosen to make it close to the concrete facade at the tunnel entrance.

[0076] (5) When the traditional sealing gate is used for sealing, the concrete facade around the opening is an open space. When the sealing gate is lowered, its position deviation is not limited. After the sealing gate is lowered to the vicinity of the installation position, the position of the sealing gate can be adjusted by the guide device 6. However, the left and right sides of the outlet of the lock spillway culvert only have partial concrete facades. The two sides of the concrete facades are "eight" shaped concrete wing walls, which extend downstream. The concrete width of the facades on both sides of the lock's spillway culvert outlet is relatively small. After deducting the width of the sealing gate pressing against the facade concrete, the distance between the two ends of the sealing gate and the "eight"-shaped concrete wing wall is less than 10cm. However, the floating sealing gate itself is very large. If the sealing gate tilts to the left or right during the lowering process, it will get stuck on the "eight"-shaped concrete wing wall and cannot be lowered further. Therefore, a floating sealing gate is used for this sealing. There is a water-filling chamber (i.e., "shoulder water-filling chamber") at each end of the upper part of the sealing gate. The balance of the two sides of the floating sealing gate is adjusted by filling the shoulder water-filling chamber. In addition, a ship crane with double hooks is used. When the floating sealing gate gets stuck, the lower side of the floating sealing gate is lifted upward with the small hook to adjust it to a horizontal state before continuing to lower it.

[0077] (6) Plastic putty is used as the sealing intermediate material for the first time. Plastic putty is like clay. When the floating sealing door presses the concrete facade and the bottom sill facade, the plastic putty is squeezed out. For local uneven parts, the putty will remain in place and play a good sealing role.

[0078] (7) The complex environment of the lock, with the upstream of the lock at a depth of 72 meters underground, the downstream at a depth of 17 meters, and a tunnel length of nearly 400 meters and limited by moisture, created conditions for parallel construction of multiple working faces, greatly improving construction efficiency, and eliminating the need for turbine generator units to be shut down during the maintenance period.

[0079] (8) It ensured the accuracy of defect repair and the reliability of construction quality; (9) Overcame multiple challenges such as tight schedule (15 days), heavy workload and large amount of work (more than 100 defects to be repaired).

[0080] This project marks the first time in China that structural repair work has been carried out in a long underwater tunnel and confined space, providing successful experience for similar projects in the country.

Claims

1. A method for creating a dry maintenance environment within a lock spillway culvert, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: The preparation steps for the installation environment of the S1 floating sealing gate include: partial cutting of the wing wall, setting of the bottom sill at the outlet of the lock culvert, and leveling of the facade. The steps for removing the figure-eight wing wall include: measuring the distance between the wing walls on both sides of the outlet of the lock's drainage culvert; according to the design dimensions of the floating sealing gate, the width of the floating sealing gate extending beyond the outlet of the drainage culvert on both sides is B; when the distance X1 between the wing wall and the outlet of the lock's drainage culvert is less than B+10 cm, the figure-eight wing wall is partially removed, with a removal thickness D=10+B-X1 and a removal width L≤thickness of the floating sealing gate. The steps for setting the bottom sill at the outlet of the lock spillway culvert include: the outer facade of the bottom sill is flush with the outer concrete facade of the lock spillway culvert outlet. The facade leveling steps include: measuring the flatness of the concrete surface, filling in the pits, and leveling the protrusions, with the flatness controlled within ±15mm. Then, a layer of plastic mortar is pasted on the installation area and outer ring of the floating sealing door. The S2 floating gate lowering procedure includes: adjusting the balance of the left and right sides of the floating gate by filling the shoulder water tank with water to prevent the floating gate from tilting to the left or right; when the floating gate gets stuck, the crane hook is used to hook the guide device on the floating gate to lift the lower side of the floating gate upward, adjust it to a horizontal state and then continue to lower it. The steps for adjusting the position of the S3 floating sealing gate include: after the floating sealing gate is lowered to the bottom, its position shifts to the left or right, and the gap between one side of the floating sealing gate and the "eight"-shaped wing wall becomes smaller. A wedge is inserted into the smaller gap, and the wedge is held in place by a jack. The jack support is fixed at the tail of the jack with an expansion bolt. The jack pushes the wedge forward, moving the floating sealing gate to the other side to reach the designed position. The sealing steps for the S4 floating sealing gate include: adjusting the position of the floating sealing gate upstream by using jacks; installing one jack in the middle and one at each end of the floating sealing gate; fixing the jack support at the tail of the jack with expansion bolts; and using the jacks to press the floating sealing gate tightly against the concrete surface and the bottom sill.

2. The method for creating a dry maintenance environment within a lock spillway culvert according to claim 1, characterized in that, Before the preparation steps for the installation environment of the floating sealing gate, the following steps are also included: The measurement steps for the outlet of the lock spillway culvert include: measuring the outlet size of the lock spillway culvert, measuring the flatness of the concrete facade of the lock spillway culvert outlet, measuring the concrete strength of the facade of the lock spillway culvert outlet, and measuring the maximum water depth at the installation location. The design and manufacturing steps of the floating sealing gate include: determining the size of the floating sealing gate based on the outlet size and the maximum size of the external concrete surface of the outlet; and performing strength calculations and size verification of the floating sealing gate based on the maximum water depth and concrete strength. The floating sealing gate is a sealed, hollow, flat steel structure. The interior of the floating sealing gate is divided into independent water-filled chambers, including: a bottom water-filled chamber, an upper water-filled chamber, a left shoulder water-filled chamber, and a right shoulder water-filled chamber. The bottom water-filled chamber is located at the bottom of the floating sealing gate; the upper water-filled chamber is located above the bottom water-filled chamber and in the middle of the upper part of the floating sealing gate; the left shoulder water-filled chamber is located above the bottom water-filled chamber and on the left side of the upper part of the floating sealing gate; and the right shoulder water-filled chamber is located above the bottom water-filled chamber and on the right side of the upper part of the floating sealing gate. The water-filled chambers are not connected. Each floating sealing gate... Each water tank is equipped with a filling / draining valve and a filling / airing valve. When both valves are opened simultaneously, the water tank can be filled with water and vented, or filled with air and drained. The floating sealing gate is equipped with a pressure equalization pipe that runs through the entire floating sealing gate. The pressure equalization pipe is not connected to the water tank. A pressure equalization valve is installed on the pipe, and an air pipe is connected to the pressure equalization valve. The air pipe opening is fixed above the water surface. Guide devices are installed at the four corners of the floating sealing gate. Lifting lugs are installed on the upper part of the floating sealing gate for hoisting. Water-stop rubber is installed at the contact point between the floating sealing gate and the concrete surface for sealing.

3. The method for creating a dry maintenance environment within a lock spillway culvert according to claim 1, characterized in that, After the preparation steps for the installation environment of the floating sealing gate, the method further includes: a float setting step, which includes: bringing the underwater installation position of the floating sealing gate to the surface through a float and marking it.

4. The method for creating a dry maintenance environment within a lock spillway culvert according to claim 1, characterized in that, After the floating sealing door sealing step, the method further includes: The drainage procedure involves removing the water from the lock's spillway culvert. The sealing effect inspection steps include: using inkjet printing to check for leakage around the floating sealing door; if serious leakage is found, one or more of the following should be used for sealing: cotton quilt, cloth strips, cotton quilt wrapped in steel pipe, or cotton quilt wrapped in steel plate.

5. The method for creating a dry maintenance environment within a lock spillway culvert according to claim 1, characterized in that, The preparation steps for the installation environment of the floating sealing gate also include closing the upstream gate of the lock's spillway culvert to cut off the water flow and provide a calm water environment for the subsequent installation of the floating sealing gate.

6. The method for creating a dry maintenance environment within a lock spillway culvert according to claim 1, characterized in that, The steps for setting the bottom sill at the outlet of the lock spillway include installing and fixing the steel structure bottom sill by implanting chemical anchor bars.

7. The method for creating a dry maintenance environment within a lock spillway culvert according to claim 1, characterized in that, The steps for setting the bottom sill at the outlet of the lock culvert include pouring a concrete bottom sill.

8. The method for creating a dry maintenance environment within a lock spillway culvert according to claim 1, characterized in that, The facade leveling step includes: the plastic mortar is applied within a range of 0.5cm to 20cm outward from the floating sealing door, and the plastic mortar thickness is 0.5cm to 10cm.

9. The method for creating a dry maintenance environment within a lock spillway culvert according to claim 1, characterized in that, The steps for adjusting the position of the floating blocking gate include: when the floating blocking gate is lowered to the bottom and its position shifts to the left or right, the gap between one side of the floating blocking gate and the "eight"-shaped wing wall becomes smaller. A screw with a turnbuckle is inserted into the gap, and the screw is stretched by tightening the turnbuckle to move the floating blocking gate to the other side to reach the designed position.

10. The method for creating a dry maintenance environment within a lock spillway culvert according to claim 1, characterized in that, The steps for adjusting the position of the floating blocking gate include: when the floating blocking gate is lowered to the bottom and its position shifts to the left or right, the gap between one side of the floating blocking gate and the "V"-shaped wing wall becomes smaller. Fix the stress point on the "V"-shaped wing wall, use a chain hoist to connect the stress point of the guide device, tighten the chain hoist to adjust the floating blocking gate to the designed position. To prevent the chain hoist from pulling the floating blocking gate downstream, the stress point fixed on the "V"-shaped wing wall must be flush with the guide device.

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