Gradient Stiffness Sealing Means for Irregular Underwater Infrastructure
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing cofferdam sealing technologies face challenges with water pressure displacement and irregular surface sealing, particularly with corrugated infrastructure like sheet piles, where the surface is not flat and may have obstacles such as tie rods, leading to ineffective sealing between the cofferdam and in-pounds.
Innovation Solution
The dry setting equipment employs sealing means with a stiffness gradient, where the securing side is stiffer than the sealing side, allowing the sealing side to conform to irregular surfaces while the stiffer side exerts pressure, and includes sealing shoes with a hard core and layered compounds to resist water pressure and obstacles, wrapped in a flexible sheet for enhanced sealing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the sealing means is made uniformly stiff to resist water pressure, then it can resist water pressure effectively, but it cannot adapt to irregular surfaces of the infrastructure
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing means employs a stiffness gradient where different regions have different stiffness characteristics. The region facing the infrastructure has lower stiffness to conform to irregular surfaces, while the region facing water pressure has higher stiffness to resist the pressure. This local differentiation of material properties resolves the contradiction between adaptability and strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing means changes the physical parameter of stiffness across its structure. By creating a gradient in stiffness from the infrastructure-facing side to the water-facing side, the sealing means can simultaneously achieve surface adaptation and pressure resistance without requiring uniform properties throughout.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the sealing means is made flexible to adapt to irregular surfaces, then it can conform to surface variations, but it cannot resist water pressure effectively
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing means employs a stiffness gradient where different regions have different stiffness characteristics. The region facing the infrastructure has lower stiffness to conform to irregular surfaces, while the region facing water pressure has higher stiffness to resist the pressure. This local differentiation of material properties resolves the contradiction between adaptability and strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing means changes the physical parameter of stiffness across its structure. By creating a gradient in stiffness from the infrastructure-facing side to the water-facing side, the sealing means can simultaneously achieve surface adaptation and pressure resistance without requiring uniform properties throughout.
3Reliability
If the sealing means is made complex in structure to handle irregular surfaces and water pressure, then it can perform both functions, but it becomes difficult to manufacture and install
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing means is constructed as a composite structure combining materials with different stiffness properties in a gradient arrangement. This composite approach allows the single integrated component to exhibit both flexible and stiff characteristics in different regions, achieving reliable sealing without requiring multiple separate components or complex assembly procedures.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration effectively prevents water infiltration by adapting to the infrastructure's surface irregularities and resisting water pressure, ensuring a secure dry working space within the cofferdam, with improved ease of manufacturing and installation compared to prior art solutions.
Implementation Method 1
the stiffness of the side opposite the sealing side of the sealing means is greater than the stiffness of the sealing side of the sealing means
Data Source
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AI summary
Dry setting equipment for isolating an infrastructure at least partly under water and providing a dry working space to the infrastructure. The equipment comprises sealing means (11) secured to the equipment by a securing side (19) and to be applied against surfaces of the infrastructure to be sealed, by a sealing side (17,22). The stiffness of the side (20) opposite the sealing side (17,22) of the sealing means (11) is greater than the stiffness of the sealing side (17,22) of the sealing means (11). Thanks to the invention, the irregular nature of the surfaces to be sealed are taken care of.