Inflatable Water Gate Anchor Load Path Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inflation operated water control gates face increased stresses with gate height, leading to heavy and costly anchor bolts and potential concrete cracking due to horizontal loads, which are difficult to manage effectively, especially in taller systems.
Innovation Solution
A separate load path for horizontal loads is provided using a flexible sleeve around anchor bolts, combined with a tri-axial compressive stress state in the concrete foundation, and corrosion protection measures like compressible seals and water-displacing substances, reducing the need for expensive stainless steel and minimizing concrete cracking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If anchor bolts are scaled with gate height to maintain constant stress levels, then the gate system can support taller structures, but the large diameter-to-spacing ratio results in heavy large diameter anchor bolts, nuts and washers and heavy clamp castings
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the load path into two separate components: anchor bolts carry only vertical tensile loads, while a reinforced concrete embed carries horizontal shear and bending loads. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function, enabling taller gates without proportionally increasing anchor bolt diameter and weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts horizontal load resistance from the anchor bolt system and transfers it to the reinforced concrete embed. By removing the horizontal loading function from the anchor bolts, the bolts can be smaller in diameter while still supporting tall gate structures, directly addressing the weight problem.
2Strength
If anchor bolts are sized to resist bending moments from horizontal loads, then the gate can withstand horizontal forces, but the cost of using stainless steel for anchor bolts and associated nuts and washers increases with damming height
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the horizontal load resistance function from the expensive stainless steel anchor bolts and transfers it to the reinforced concrete embed. This allows the use of less expensive non-stainless steel anchor bolts that only need to resist vertical tensile loads, significantly reducing material costs for taller gates.
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforced concrete embed acts as an intermediary element that takes over the horizontal load resistance function. This mediator allows the anchor bolts to be simpler and less expensive while the overall system maintains the required strength through the embed's horizontal load capacity.
3Strength
If a separate load path for horizontal loads is provided using a flexible sleeve around anchor bolts, then bending moments in anchor bolts are eliminated, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible sleeve acts as an intermediary element between the anchor bolt and the concrete embed, allowing relative movement and eliminating bending moments. While this adds a component, the sleeve is a simple flexible element that facilitates the separate load path without significantly complicating the overall system.
Solution Approach 2:
The system combines the flexible sleeve material with the concrete embed to create a composite load path system. The sleeve's flexibility complements the concrete's strength, creating an effective separation of load paths that protects the anchor bolts from bending while maintaining structural integrity.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to inflatable bladder actuated water control gates for control of open channels such as rivers and canals and for control of dam spillways without the need for intermediate piers. The air bladder and hinge flap wedge clamping system includes hinged engagement of the upstream edge of the clamps to the foundation so as to prevent the application of bending and shear loads to the anchor bolts. The resulting configuration facilitates the use of high strength alloy steel anchor bolts in a corrosion protected environment and also prevents tensile loading of the concrete foundation and associated cracking of the concrete foundation.