METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR UNDERGROUND DEPLOYMENT OF MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT

Abstract

Grouting involves injecting grout into the geological material to improve its quality; however, its use is limited to situations where the grouting systems can be located relatively close to the area to be improved. This can be impractical (e.g., in densely built-up areas, rugged terrain, or under the seabed) or inconvenient (e.g., when a tunnel needs to be sealed). The present invention allows deployment equipment 41 to be inserted into a borehole to deploy material and / or equipment through an opening in the casing of a borehole 43 into the underlying geology. In this way, underground assets can be repaired from a location external to the asset, enabling repairs in situations where it would be impossible or costly to do so using conventional ground treatment techniques.

Description

The present invention relates in general to a method and system for the underground deployment of materials and equipment and finds particular, though not exclusive, utility in the stabilization of geological material adjacent to underground structures and assets. Background of the Invention Pressure grouting and jet grouting are well-known techniques in which grout is injected into geological material (e.g., soil, sand, and / or rock) to improve its quality, for example, to correct defects, enhance its strength, and / or reduce water flow through it. These injection techniques are often used in the foundations of large structures (buildings, bridges, etc.) and in underground structures, such as large pipelines and tunnels. Typically, in pressure grouting, the grout is injected into the geological material to fill interconnected pores and voids, stabilizing it without disturbing the existing material. In contrast, jet grouting is usually performed with a jet of grout at a relatively high velocity, which is used to significantly erode and mix the geological materials in situ, often to create specific shapes (e.g., columns and / or platforms). However, the use of jet injection is limited to situations where the injection systems can be placed relatively close to the area to be improved. This can be impractical (for example, in densely built-up areas, rugged terrain, or under the seabed) or inconvenient (for example, when a tunnel would need to be closed). Summary of the Invention According to a first aspect of the present invention, a method of underground deployment is provided, the method comprising the steps of: drilling an underground hole through the underlying geology; lining the borehole with a pipe; passing the deployment equipment through the pipe to a predetermined location; and deploying material and / or equipment through a hole in the pipe into the underlying geology. Qcnrnn / rznz / Β / γΐΛΐ - 2In this way, underground assets can be repaired from a location external to the asset, allowing for repairs in situations where it would be impossible or costly to do so using conventional soil treatment techniques. In particular, columns of grout composite can be injected to form a stabilized, interlocking structure around an asset, thus achieving sufficient stability for subsequent operations. Furthermore, equipment such as monitoring devices can be deployed alongside an asset, again, where it would be impossible or prohibitive to do so with conventional soil treatment techniques. In the context of the present invention, "underground" may mean any underground location. The surrounding geology may refer to the geological material adjacent to the predetermined location and may be within the underlying geology. On the other hand, "deploy" can mean to move something into position, and can include the deployment of materials and / or equipment. Deployment may include injection. The materials may include grouts and / or repair substances, such as epoxy resin, polyurethane foam, polyurethane resins, acrylic resins, cementitious grouts, and aqueous solutions. The grout may be a cementitious, resinous, or solution-based chemical mixture. The deployment may include treatment, which can involve stabilizing the underlying geology. In cases where the material outside the borehole is relatively weak, contains voids, is unstable, or is waterlogged, the material can be stabilized. Equipment can be placed at the bottom of the borehole to stabilize the underlying geology outside the pipe. The deployment may include the deployment of materials and / or equipment. The deployment may include the injection of materials. The materials may include grout and / or repair substances. The grout may be a cementitious or resinous mixture, or a chemical solution. The repair substances may include epoxy resin, polyurethane foam, polyurethane resins, acrylic resins, cementitious grouts, and aqueous solutions. Stabilization can be achieved using soil freezing techniques, for example, by pumping coolant through the pipe bore. Freezing techniques can be temporary. Permanent stabilization can be achieved by injecting chemical stabilizer, for example, using chemical delivery nozzles (e.g., within telescopic booms). The quantity and type of stabilizer used will be determined by the geology to be stabilized and can be controlled as needed. This may include cement or any other suitable material, such as microcements, mineral grouts (known as colloidal silica), water-sensitive polyurethanes (fast-reacting foaming resin to combat water ingress), and fast-reacting and non-water-sensitive polyurea silicate systems. Qcnrnn / rznz / B / YiAi - 3al water (expansive foam for filling gaps), acrylic resins, jet injection, i.e., in situ construction of a solidified ground, in situ construction of solidified soil with a designed characteristic; often known as Soilcrete (RTM), etc. Stabilizing the underlying geology can greatly reduce, if not completely prevent, new water inflows. Drilling an underground well through the underlying geology can be accomplished using directional drilling techniques, as employed in the mining, oil and gas, and construction sectors. For example, horizontal directional drilling (HDD) is used for pipeline installation. HDD can drill wells up to 800 m long with diameters ranging from 100 mm to 1,200 mm. Directional drilling, on the other hand, is used in the oil and gas industry and allows for the drilling of much longer wells. The pipe may include a casing to line the borehole. This protects the integrity of the borehole. The casing may cover the entire borehole or only a portion of it. The casing may consist of a solid wall. There can be one or more holes. The hole or holes can have any shape, such as a circular through hole, a slot, etc. The method may further comprise the steps of: passing equipment (for example, drilling equipment or other form of hole-making equipment) through the hole to the predetermined location along the predetermined path; and / or using the equipment to make the hole or holes at least partially through the pipe at the predetermined location or locations. The hole or holes may be made by drilling, boring, milling, punching, grooving, cutting, and / or any other suitable method. This creates a pathway for the material / equipment to be deployed through the pipeline. The equipment may consist of a carriage on which a drill or other type of device for making the hole or holes is mounted. The drill / device may be retractable (e.g., telescopically, longitudinally, and / or rotary). The device may include, for example, a milling head that moves around and can be configured to create a hole of one or more shapes in the pipe. The method may further include the step of: using the equipment to make the hole almost completely or only partially through the pipe at the predetermined location. This prevents foreign material and / or water from entering the hole uncontrollably. Specifically, the holes can extend almost completely through the pipe wall (for example, to within 2 mm, and particularly within 1 mm, of the outer surface of the pipe wall). Qcnrnn / rznz / Β / γΐΛΐ - 4In alternative arrangements, the drill / device may be configured to drill completely through the pipe, and may even be configured to drill, etc. into the surrounding geology. The tube may include holes before its insertion into the hole. For example, the pipe can be pre-drilled. This way, in situations where the underlying geology is well known, time and costs can be saved on-site. The pre-drilled casing can include an outer sleeve that covers the perforations; this prevents uncontrolled entry of foreign material and / or water into the borehole. The deployment of material and / or equipment through the borehole may involve extending a probe through the borehole so that it passes outside the pipe. In some cases, the probe may extend into the surrounding geology. The probe can be configured to pierce the pipe wall; in particular, the probe can be configured to pierce the small amount of pipe wall that remains after drilling, etc., or the sleeve of a pre-perforated pipe. The probe may have a needle. The needle may be configured to allow material to flow through it. Alternatively, the needle may be configured to retract, and material may be injected directly through the hole. The tube and / or the casing can be made of plastic material, as is well known in the art. Various pieces of equipment (including drilling and / or deployment equipment) can be run through the pipe in the conventional manner to perform operations at any desired location. For example, trolleys can be provided on which specific equipment is mounted or which form part of the equipment itself. A trolley train can be arranged to run different pieces of equipment through a pipe to a predetermined location as a single train. For example, a single train might have a first trolley configured to determine the location along the pipe, a second trolley configured to drill through the pipe, and a third trolley configured to inject grout through the hole. As can be seen, multiple pieces of equipment can be mounted on a single trolley, so the above effects, similar effects, or different effects can be achieved with fewer (or more) trolleys. More than one wagon and / or train can pass through the same pipeline to perform similar tasks and / or in collaboration, for example at the same time in different predetermined locations along the pipeline, or sequentially at different times. Similarly, multiple wagons and / or trains can cooperate with each other, either by acting simultaneously or sequentially at different times, and can even cooperate in different pipes / holes, similar to any cooperation that occurs by being in the same pipe / hole. For example, if several holes are drilled and lined around Qcnrnn / rznz / Β / γΐΛΐ - 5 of a single asset, a respective car / train can be passed through each borehole (e.g., to inject grout simultaneously), and / or more than one car / train can be passed through a single borehole / pipe (e.g., to provide monitoring of an asset from more than one predetermined location along the single borehole / pipe). A car / train can be configured to rescue a disabled car / train, for example by supplying it with power, or coupling it to pull it out of the well / pipe. For the sake of clarity in this description, the default location may comprise a single location or a plurality of locations. Deployment equipment can be configured to deploy monitoring equipment outside the borehole, outside the pipe, outside the pipe, and / or into the surrounding geology. This can be in addition to or as an alternative to material deployment. The monitoring equipment can be configured to provide information (e.g., back to the pipe, continuously, or intermittently) on ground conditions around an asset and / or adjacent to the pipe. The pipe installed in the ground surrounding the asset can remain intact and usable after the repair work is completed. The pipe can be used for subsequent verification of the results (using remote sensing technologies), for monitoring the asset throughout its lifespan (by installing sensor networks within or adjacent to the work area), as water drainage channels, or filled with concrete and / or steel reinforcing bars, etc., to provide additional structural strength. The data obtained from drilling can be recorded and used to inform operators about the types of material they will be excavating through. This provides a more complete picture of the underlying geology. Drilling operations can be carried out from the entrance and / or exit of a pre-built tunnel, from a well located at an intermediate point and / or from the surface. The borehole may consist of a hole and / or a shaft with a substantially circular cross-section and a length several orders of magnitude greater than its diameter. For example, each hole may have a diameter of between 100 mm and 1,200 mm; each hole may have a length of at least 25 m, at least 50 m, at least 100 m, at least 200 m, or more. The method may include determining the first predetermined path (and, optionally, the second predetermined paths); however, this will be done by conventional methods. The borehole may be at least 25 m long, or less than 25 m. For example, the first hole may be at least 5 m, 10 m, 15 m, or 20 m long. However, other characteristics of the second aspect may be common to those of the first aspect. According to a second aspect of the present invention, a system is provided for carrying out the underground deployment method according to any claim Qcnrnn / rznz / Β / γΐΛΐ - 6. As previously stated, the system comprises: a directional drilling apparatus for drilling an underground borehole through the underlying geology; a pipe for lining the borehole drilled by the directional drilling apparatus; pipe lining equipment for lining the borehole with the pipe; and deployment equipment configured to pass through the pipe to a predetermined location, and configured to deploy material and / or equipment through an opening in the pipe into the underlying geology. The foregoing and other features, functionalities, and advantages of the present invention will become clearer from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the present invention. This description is given solely by way of example and does not limit the scope of the present invention. The reference figures cited below refer to the accompanying drawings. Brief Description of the Figures Figure 1 is a perspective view of an environment where a system and method of underground deployment according to the present invention can be employed. Figure 2 is a schematic view of an underground deployment system used in conjunction with an underground asset. Figure 3 is a partially sectioned perspective view of equipment located at the bottom of a casing pipe. Figure 4 is a partially sectioned perspective view of a piece of deployment equipment located at the bottom of a casing pipe. Detailed Description of the Invention The present invention will be described with reference to the drawings; however, the invention is not limited to them, but rather to the appended claims. The described drawings are schematic only and are not limiting. Each drawing may not include all the features of the invention and, therefore, should not necessarily be considered an embodiment of the invention. In the drawings, the size of some elements may be exaggerated and not drawn to scale for illustrative purposes. The dimensions and relative measurements do not correspond to actual reductions in the practice of the invention. Furthermore, the terms first, second, third, and similar terms in the description and claims are used to distinguish between similar elements and not necessarily to describe a sequence, whether temporal, spatial, classificatory, or otherwise. It should be understood that the terms thus used are interchangeable in appropriate circumstances and that operation is possible in sequences other than those described or illustrated. Qcnrnn / rznz / Β / γΐΛΐ - 7 in this document. Similarly, the steps of the method described or claimed in a particular sequence may be understood to operate in a different sequence. Furthermore, the terms above, below, on top of, under, and similar terms in the description and claims are used for descriptive purposes and not necessarily to describe relative positions. It should be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable in appropriate circumstances and that operation is possible in orientations other than those described or illustrated herein. It should be noted that the term "comprising," as used in the claims, should not be interpreted as being restricted to the means listed below; it does not exclude other elements or steps. Therefore, it should be interpreted as specifying the presence of the mentioned features, whole numbers, steps, or components, but not excluding the presence or addition of one or more additional features, whole numbers, steps, or components, or groups thereof. Thus, the scope of the expression "a device comprising means A and B" should not be limited to devices consisting solely of components A and B. It means that, with respect to the present invention, the only relevant components of the device are A and B. Similarly, it should be noted that the term "connected," as used in the description, should not be interpreted as restricted solely to direct connections. Thus, the scope of the expression "a device A connected to a device B" should not be limited to devices or systems in which an output of device A is directly connected to an input of device B. It means that there is a path between an output of A and an input of B, which may be a path that includes other devices or media. "Connected" can mean that two or more elements are in direct physical or electrical contact, or that two or more elements are not in direct contact with each other but still cooperate or interact. For example, wireless connectivity is considered. Reference throughout this specification to a modality or aspect means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in relation to the modality or aspect is included in at least one modality or aspect of the present invention. Therefore, occurrences of the phrases "in a modality" or "in an aspect" in various places throughout this application do not necessarily refer to the same modality or aspect, but may refer to different modalities or aspects. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics of any modality or aspect of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner with any other particular feature, structure, or characteristic of another modality or aspect of the invention, as would be evident to a person skilled in the art from this description, in one or more modality or aspects. Similarly, it should be noted that in the description several features of the invention are sometimes grouped into a single embodiment, figure or description of it in order to streamline the present invention and aid in the understanding of one or more of the various Qcnrnn / rznz / Β / γΐΛΐ - 8. Inventive aspects. However, this method of disclosure should not be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed invention requires more features than are expressly stated in each claim. Furthermore, the description of any single drawing or feature should not necessarily be considered an embodiment of the invention. Rather, as reflected in the appended claims, the inventive aspects lie in fewer than all the features of a single embodiment previously described. Therefore, the claims following the detailed description are expressly incorporated into this detailed description, each claim being a separate embodiment of this invention. Furthermore, while some embodiments described herein include features found in other embodiments, combinations of features from different embodiments are understood to be within the scope of the invention and constitute other embodiments, as will be understood by those skilled in the art. For example, in the following claims, any of the claimed embodiments may be used in any combination. This description sets forth numerous specific details. However, it is understood that embodiments of the invention can be implemented without these specific details. In other cases, well-known methods, structures, and techniques have not been shown in detail so as not to diminish the clarity of this description. In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise indicated, the detailing of alternative values ​​for the upper or lower limit of the allowable range of a parameter, together with an indication that one of said values ​​is more preferred than the other, shall be construed as an implicit statement that each intermediate value of said parameter, situated between the most preferred and the least preferred of said alternatives, is itself preferred to said less preferred value and also to each value situated between said least preferred value and said intermediate value. The use of the term "at least one" can mean only one in certain circumstances. The use of the term "anyone" can mean all and / or each one in certain circumstances. The principles of the invention will be described below by means of a detailed description of at least one drawing relating to exemplary features. It is evident that other arrangements may be configured according to the knowledge of those skilled in the art without departing from the underlying concept or technical teaching, the invention being limited only by the terms of the appended claims. Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bridge 1 crossing a river 3. The bridge 1 has a first strut 5 on a first bank 7 and a second strut 9 on a second bank 11 on the opposite side of the river 3. The first strut 7 is partially cut at line 13 to show the lower portion of the first strut 5 underground. The first bank 7 is Qcnrnn / rznz / Β / γΐΛΐ - Partially cut off at line 13 to show the bottom of the first upright 5 underground. Two tubes 15 are shown inside directionally drilled holes (not shown), extending from the surface and terminating adjacent to the first upright 5. The deployment equipment (not shown) can be passed through each pipe 15 until it is adjacent to the first upright 5, and then used to deploy the material and / or equipment. This avoids the need to excavate next to the first upright 5, which could cause problems such as subsidence and / or water ingress. Figure 2 shows an underground asset 21 in relation to a surface facility 23 25. A borehole 27 has been formed by directional drilling from facility 23 to the area adjacent to asset 21. Borehole 27 has been lined, but is not clearly shown. A deployment device 29 is located within borehole 27 and is controlled by the surface installation 23 via means 30. The deployment device 29 is configured to move along borehole 27. The figure shows seventeen locations where material 31 has been deployed adjacent to asset 21. The trajectories 33 of the material at the seventeen locations are also shown. The trajectories 33 of the material at the seventeen locations from the deployment devices ten separate locations within borehole 27 are also shown. Figure 3 is a partially sectioned perspective view of a piece of drilling equipment 41 located at the bottom of a casing pipe 43. The drilling equipment 41 has connections at an upward drilling end 45 and a downward drilling end 47, and comprises a drill bit 49 shown extending through the wall of the pipe 43. The drill bit 49 is retractable within the casing of the drilling equipment to allow the drilling equipment to pass through the casing pipe 43. Figure 4 is a partially sectioned perspective view of a deployment unit 51 located inside a casing pipe 53. The deployment unit 51 has connections at the ends 55 and 57 of the casing pipe. The deployment unit 51 has connections at one end 55 at the top of the pipe and at one end 57 at the bottom, and comprises an articulated probe 59 extending through an opening 61 in the pipe 53. The probe may comprise a conventional material injection apparatus, or it may be configured to deploy the unit outside the pipe 53. Deployment equipment 51 also includes drilling equipment 63 as part of it, and in particular has a retractable drill bit 65. Deployment equipment 51 could be maneuvered into position inside pipe 53 so that drill bit 65 can bore hole 61, and then the equipment Qcnrnn / rznz / Β / γΐΛΐ deployment 51 could be moved further to allow probe 59 to extend through hole 61.

Claims

1. A method of underground deployment, the method comprising the steps of: drilling an underground borehole through the underlying geology; lining the borehole with a pipe; passing equipment through the borehole to a predetermined location; using the equipment to bore almost completely or only partially through the pipe at the predetermined location; passing deployment equipment through the pipe to the predetermined location; extending a probe through the borehole, wherein the probe is configured to bore through the remaining pipe at the predetermined location; and deploying material and / or equipment through the borehole of the pipe into the underlying geology.

2. A system for carrying out the underground deployment method according to claim 1, the system comprising: a directional drilling apparatus for drilling an underground borehole through the underlying geology; a pipe for lining the borehole drilled by the directional drilling apparatus; pipe lining equipment for lining the borehole with the pipe; equipment configured to pass through the pipe to a predetermined location, and configured to make a hole almost completely or only partially through the pipe at the predetermined location; and deployment equipment configured to pass through the pipe to a predetermined location, and a probe configured to extend through the borehole and drill the remaining pipe at the predetermined location, and configured to deploy material and / or equipment through a hole in the pipe into the underlying geology.

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