Inlet of diversion tunnel
By constructing a support system consisting of steel interlocking piles and concrete grid beams at the inlet of the water diversion tunnel, the problem of high construction difficulty under complex geological conditions was solved, the stability and safety of the tunnel inlet were achieved, construction costs were reduced, and water flow control was ensured.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- GUANGDONG ELECTRIC POWER PLANNING SURVEY & DESIGN INST
- Filing Date
- 2025-04-25
- Publication Date
- 2026-04-28
AI Technical Summary
In the construction of water diversion tunnels, especially under complex geological conditions or when the site is limited, traditional tunnel entry methods face problems such as high construction difficulty, high cost, and significant environmental impact.
A support system consisting of side steel interlocking piles, water-retaining steel interlocking piles, imported support piles, steel pipes, concrete grid beams, and pipe sheds is adopted to form a complete inclined support. Combined with cap beams, transverse support beams, and waist beams, the stability and safety of the tunnel entrance are ensured.
It effectively maintains slope stability, reduces settlement, ensures safe road passage, lowers construction costs, improves tunnel excavation efficiency, and ensures smooth water flow control and diversion.
Smart Images

Figure CN224173266U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This application relates to the field of water conservancy and water diversion engineering, specifically to a water diversion tunnel inlet. Background Technology
[0002] In the construction of water diversion tunnels, the tunnel entry stage is one of the key aspects. Since tunnel entrances are typically located on the banks of rivers or reservoirs, the construction environment is complex, involving factors such as water level control, geological conditions, and mountain stability. While traditional tunnel entry methods are feasible under certain conditions, they often face challenges such as high construction difficulty, high costs, and significant environmental impact in complex geological conditions or when site constraints exist. Utility Model Content
[0003] The present invention aims to overcome at least one of the defects of the prior art and provide a water diversion tunnel entrance to solve the problem of water diversion tunnels with limited shoreline space.
[0004] This utility model provides a water diversion tunnel inlet, applicable to situations with limited land on the shore, including a body of water and a water diversion channel. The water diversion tunnel inlet includes:
[0005] Side steel interlocking piles are located on both sides of the water diversion channel to support the soil on both sides of the water diversion channel. The pile tops rise with the original sloping terrain to form vertical inclined support.
[0006] The water-retaining steel interlocking pile is located on the side of the water diversion channel close to the water body. The two ends of the water-retaining steel interlocking pile are chamfered and are used to block the water body during the construction of the water diversion tunnel. The two ends of the water-retaining steel interlocking pile are respectively connected to the side steel interlocking pile.
[0007] Imported support piles, wherein the imported support piles are steel interlocking piles, one end of the imported support piles is connected to the side steel interlocking piles, and the other end extends into the soil to form a groove shape;
[0008] The steel pipe is installed on the inclined surface of the tunnel entrance face of the water diversion tunnel;
[0009] A concrete grid beam is located on the inclined surface above the tunnel face of the water diversion tunnel, and the concrete grid beam and the steel pipe form an inclined surface support.
[0010] A pipe roof is provided at the entrance of the water diversion tunnel, and the side steel interlocking piles, the pipe roof and the inclined support of the concrete grid beam form a whole support.
[0011] Furthermore, the water diversion tunnel inlet also includes:
[0012] After the side steel interlocking piles, water-retaining steel interlocking piles and imported support piles are driven, the pile heads are broken and concrete is poured to form the crown beam, which connects the pile bodies into a whole.
[0013] A transverse support beam, wherein the transverse support beam is a support beam between the side steel interlocking piles;
[0014] The waist beam is a beam at the middle height used to connect the steel interlocking piles on both sides after the soil between the side steel interlocking piles and the water-retaining steel interlocking piles is excavated, forming a force-bearing system with the transverse support beam.
[0015] Furthermore, after the water diversion tunnel is excavated, the middle part of the water-retaining steel interlocking pile is cut underwater.
[0016] Furthermore, the water diversion tunnel entrance also includes a gate system, which includes a gate, a gate chamber, and a control device for controlling the water flow in the water diversion tunnel.
[0017] The main advantages of this utility model are as follows:
[0018] First, this application forms a complete support system, which mainly functions to retain water from the reservoir during construction, maintain slope stability, reduce settlement, ensure safe passage of the road above, and facilitate tunnel excavation.
[0019] Secondly, the tops of the side steel interlocking piles are not horizontal; they rise with the original terrain, forming an inclined support. Their main function is to form a complete support system with the pipe roof and concrete grid beams at the tunnel entrance, a critical point in this system, ensuring that the two supports form a unified whole. This guarantees that the soil on both sides of the entrance and above the tunnel is not disturbed by the entrance construction. Simultaneously, grouting at the pipe roof location reinforces the soil around the tunnel, ensuring that road settlement during tunnel excavation remains within a controllable range.
[0020] Third, the water-retaining steel interlocking piles are used to retain water during tunnel construction. After the tunnel construction is completed, some piles need to be cut underwater to form an inlet to guide water into the tunnel.
[0021] Fourth, the location and structure of the imported support piles enable the underwater cutting and dredging of the upstream side excavation to form an open channel after the tunnel excavation is completed, and the imported support piles play a role in maintaining the stability of the bank soil. Attached Figure Description
[0022] Figure 1 This is a plan view of the water inlet of this utility model.
[0023] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of the present invention.
[0024] The reference numerals in the accompanying drawings of this utility model are as follows: 1: side steel interlocking pile; 2: water-retaining steel interlocking pile; 3: inlet support pile; 4: inclined surface; 5: steel flower pipe; 6: pipe shed; 7: crown beam; 8: support beam; 9: waist beam; 10: pile bottom; 11: concrete grid beam. Detailed Implementation
[0025] The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting the scope of this invention. To better illustrate the following embodiments, some components in the drawings may be omitted, enlarged, or reduced, and do not represent the actual dimensions of the product. It is understandable to those skilled in the art that some well-known structures and their descriptions may be omitted in the drawings.
[0026] In actual water diversion tunnel construction projects, many tunnel inlet sections are located in areas with complex geological conditions or limited space, for example:
[0027] Complex geological conditions: The tunnel entrance may pass through weak rock layers, fracture zones or high slope areas, where the mountain stability is poor and large-scale excavation may lead to mountain instability.
[0028] Site constraints: Some projects are located in steep river valleys or reservoir banks, with narrow construction sites, or in areas with dense buildings, heavy traffic, or sensitive ecological environments, making large-scale excavation or cofferdam construction impossible.
[0029] High water level environment: For areas with deep reservoir water levels, the difficulty and cost of constructing large-volume cofferdams increase significantly.
[0030] The above scenarios are not applicable to traditional water diversion tunnel implementations. This application provides a water diversion tunnel inlet, such as... Figure 1 and Figure 2 This method is applicable to situations with limited land on the shore, including bodies of water and water diversion channels. The entrance to the water diversion tunnel includes:
[0031] Side steel interlocking piles 1 are located on both sides of the water diversion channel to support the soil on both sides of the water diversion channel. The top of the piles rises with the original slope 4 terrain to form a vertical inclined support.
[0032] The water-retaining steel interlocking pile 2 is located on the side of the water diversion channel near the water body. The two ends of the water-retaining steel interlocking pile 2 are chamfered and used to block the water body during the construction of the water diversion tunnel. The two ends of the water-retaining steel interlocking pile 2 are respectively connected to the side steel interlocking pile 1. In this embodiment, after the water diversion tunnel is excavated, the middle part of the water-retaining steel interlocking pile 2 is cut underwater to introduce water into the tunnel.
[0033] Imported support pile 3, wherein the imported support pile 3 is a steel interlocking pile, one end of the imported support pile 3 is connected to the side steel interlocking pile 1, and the other end extends into the soil to form a groove shape;
[0034] Steel pipe 5, the steel pipe 5 is installed on the inclined surface 4;
[0035] The concrete grid beam 11 is located on the inclined surface 4 above the tunnel face of the water diversion tunnel. The concrete grid beam 11 and the steel pipe 5 form the inclined surface 4 for support.
[0036] Pipe shed 6 is provided at the entrance of the water diversion tunnel, and the side steel interlocking pile 1 and the pipe shed 6 form a complete system.
[0037] The foundation pit is a prerequisite for the construction of the water diversion tunnel. Forming a safe and effective foundation pit between the entrance of the water diversion tunnel and the water body can ensure the efficient progress of the subsequent water diversion tunnel project.
[0038] In this embodiment, two rows of lateral steel interlocking piles 1 are driven side-by-side on both sides of the water diversion channel, with one end extending to the water body and the other end extending to the entrance of the water diversion tunnel. As the terrain gradually rises from the water body towards the entrance of the water diversion tunnel, the pile heads of the lateral steel interlocking piles 1 are inclined, forming two rows of inclined supports. This support extends all the way to the tunnel entrance and forms a complete support system with the pipe roof 6 and the concrete grid beam 11.
[0039] In the longitudinal direction of the water diversion channel, a structure of water-retaining steel interlocking piles 2 and inlet support piles 3 is proposed. The water-retaining steel interlocking piles 2 are initially used to block water, and later, after underwater cutting, they are used as the water diversion passage. The beveled ends of the water-retaining steel interlocking piles 2 enhance the support force against the water, while the water-retaining steel interlocking piles 2 connect with the side steel interlocking piles 1 to form a stable foundation pit environment. Furthermore, the groove-shaped inlet support piles 3 further reinforce the stability of each pile and, after cutting the water-retaining steel interlocking piles 2, stabilize the soil on both sides of the water diversion channel.
[0040] The aforementioned horizontal and vertical directions form a more complete system, further enhancing the safety and stability of the water diversion tunnel entrance.
[0041] In some embodiments, the tunnel intake is located in the reservoir area, with a relatively deep water level of approximately 30-40m before the intake. Above the intake is an existing highway with a steep terrain, a height difference of approximately 20m, a complex surrounding environment, poor geology, and a thick loose colluvial slope. During intake construction, disturbance to the surrounding slopes should be minimized to ensure the safety of the road above. This embodiment proposes a structure mainly composed of three steel interlocking piles, one concrete lattice beam 11, and a pipe roof 6, forming a complete support system. The side steel interlocking piles 1 support the soil on both sides, maintaining its stability; the water-retaining steel interlocking piles 2 retain reservoir water during tunnel construction, and after tunnel construction, a portion of the piles is cut to form the intake for water to enter the tunnel; the intake support piles 3 primarily maintain the stability of the intake bank soil, facilitating dredging of the intake channel and cutting of the water-retaining steel interlocking piles 2 after tunnel construction. During the construction of the water intake, the road above must be kept open to ensure normal traffic flow, and the lower slope of the road must remain stable. Therefore, the side steel interlocking pile 1 differs from ordinary piles in that the pile top rises with the original terrain to form an inclined support. Ultimately, on the plane, it forms a complete support system with the pipe roof 6 and the concrete grid beam 11 at the tunnel inlet, ensuring that the soil on both sides of the inlet and above the tunnel is not disturbed by the inlet construction. At the same time, grouting at the pipe roof 6 reinforces the soil around the tunnel, ensuring that road settlement is within a controllable range during tunnel excavation. After the tunnel excavation is completed, in order to introduce water from the reservoir, the water-retaining steel interlocking pile 2 needs to be cut underwater, and the upstream side needs to be dredged to form an open channel. The groove shape of the inlet support pile 3 helps to intercept the water flow and prevent it from flowing to both sides. One end of the inlet support pile 3 is connected to the side steel interlocking pile 1, making the piles more secure. The inlet support pile 3 plays a role in maintaining the stability of the bank soil.
[0042] In some embodiments, to make the construction environment at the entrance of the water diversion tunnel more stable, multiple crown beams 7, support beams 8, and waist beams 9 are added.
[0043] After the side steel interlocking piles 1, the water-retaining steel interlocking piles 2 and the imported support piles 3 are driven, the pile heads are broken and concrete is poured to form the cap beam 7. The cap beam 7 forms a complete support system by connecting all the pile foundations together, which helps to prevent the collapse of the top edge, similar to holding hands or putting shoulders together, thus enhancing the overall stability.
[0044] The support beam 8 includes a transverse support beam, which is the support beam 8 between the upper ends of the side steel interlocking piles 1, and strengthens the stability of the side steel interlocking piles 1 and the water-retaining steel interlocking piles 2 from a horizontal dimension.
[0045] The waist beam 9 is formed by excavating the soil between the side steel interlocking pile 1 and the water-retaining steel interlocking pile 2, and is used at the middle height to connect the side steel interlocking pile 1 on both sides.
[0046] In some embodiments, the cap beam 7 has a cross-section of 1000*800mm, and the support beam 8 has a cross-section of 600*800mm.
[0047] In some embodiments, the water diversion tunnel inlet further includes a pile bottom 10, which is sealed to the side steel interlocking piles 1 and the water-retaining steel interlocking piles 2. The pile bottom 10 is constructed of concrete. To prevent water seepage or collapse of the pile bottom 10, a stable and dry environment must be ensured. The pile bottom 10 is reinforced with concrete, and waterproofing treatment is applied at the contact points with the side steel interlocking piles 1 and the water-retaining steel interlocking piles 2.
[0048] In some embodiments, the water diversion tunnel inlet further includes a gate system, which includes a gate, a gate chamber, and a control device for controlling the water flow in the water diversion tunnel.
[0049] Obviously, the above embodiments of this utility model are merely examples for clearly illustrating the technical solution of this utility model, and are not intended to limit the specific implementation of this utility model. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the claims of this utility model should be included within the protection scope of the claims of this utility model.
Claims
1. A water diversion tunnel inlet, applied in situations where the site is confined on the bank, comprising a body of water and a water diversion channel, characterized in that, The water diversion tunnel inlet includes: Side steel interlocking piles are located on both sides of the water diversion channel to support the soil on both sides of the water diversion channel. The pile tops rise with the original sloping terrain to form vertical inclined support. The water-retaining steel interlocking pile is located on the side of the water diversion channel close to the water body. The two ends of the water-retaining steel interlocking pile are chamfered and are used to block the water body during the construction of the water diversion tunnel. The two ends of the water-retaining steel interlocking pile are respectively connected to the side steel interlocking pile. Imported support piles, wherein the imported support piles are steel interlocking piles, one end of the imported support piles is connected to the side steel interlocking piles, and the other end extends into the soil to form a groove shape; The steel pipe is installed on the inclined surface of the tunnel entrance face of the water diversion tunnel; A concrete grid beam is located on the sloping surface above the tunnel face of the water diversion tunnel. The concrete grid beam and the steel pipe form a sloping support. A pipe roof is provided at the entrance of the water diversion tunnel. The side steel interlocking piles, the pipe roof, and the sloping support of the concrete grid beam form a support system.
2. The water diversion tunnel inlet according to claim 1, characterized in that, The water diversion tunnel entrance also includes a cap beam. After the side steel interlocking piles, water-retaining steel interlocking piles and inlet support piles are driven, the pile heads are broken and concrete is poured to form a cap beam, which connects the pile bodies into a whole. A transverse support beam, wherein the transverse support beam is a support beam between the side steel interlocking piles; The waist beam is a beam at the middle height used to connect the steel interlocking piles on both sides after the soil between the side steel interlocking piles and the water-retaining steel interlocking piles is excavated, forming a force-bearing system with the transverse support beam.
3. The water diversion tunnel inlet according to claim 1, characterized in that, After the water diversion tunnel is completed, the middle part of the water-retaining steel interlocking pile is cut underwater.
4. The water diversion tunnel inlet according to claim 1, characterized in that, The water diversion tunnel entrance also includes a gate system, which includes a gate, a gate chamber, and a control device for controlling the water flow in the water diversion tunnel.