Modular Tunnel Support Segments with Butt Plate Connections
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional tunnel support systems in underground tunneling and mining operations are labor-intensive and time-consuming, requiring significant manpower for rebar installation, which affects installation efficiency, quality control, and job site safety.
Innovation Solution
A tunnel support system comprising prefabricated structural segments with butt plates and knuckle components, allowing for off-site welding and precise on-site assembly, reducing labor requirements and enhancing safety, with a moisture barrier system between initial and final reinforcement systems encapsulated in concrete or cement material.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional hand-tied rebar is used for tunnel support, then the structural connection quality can be maintained through manual tying, but the labor intensity and installation time increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The rebar structure is divided into modular segments with standardized butt plates at each end. Each segment can be independently fabricated with precise welding of bars to plates, then assembled on-site by connecting butt plates together. This segmentation enables pre-fabrication of high-quality connections while reducing on-site labor intensity and installation time.
2Adaptability or versatility
If hand-tied rebar installation is performed manually, then flexibility in adaptation to different tunnel configurations is maintained, but the time consumption and labor requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Rebar segments are pre-fabricated off-site with bars welded to butt plates in controlled environments, allowing for precise adaptation to specific tunnel configurations before installation. This preliminary action enables complex adaptations to be made during manufacturing rather than during time-consuming on-site installation, reducing installation time while maintaining flexibility.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional rebar systems are used without encapsulation, then the installation process is simpler, but the durability and protection against environmental degradation are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The rebar segments are encapsulated within concrete or cementitious material, merging the metal reinforcement structure with the surrounding tunnel substrate. This encapsulation protects the rebar from corrosion and environmental degradation, significantly improving durability and reliability while the overall system remains integrated with the tunnel structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A tunnel reinforcement system having a plurality of structural supports positioned at spaced intervals along the length of a tunnel. Each structural support has a plurality of structural segments connected in an end to end relationship. Each structural segment has a plurality of bars connected to a first end and a second end, in which the first end comprises a first butt plate having one or more apertures, and the second end comprises a second butt plate having one or more apertures. The one or more apertures of the first butt plate or the second butt plate of a structural segment are coaxially aligned with the one or more apertures of the first butt plate or the second butt plate of another structural segment in an end to end relationship. The first butt plate or the second butt plate of a structural segment is attachable to the first butt plate or the second butt plate of another structural segment in an end to end relationship. Each structural support defines a geometric supporting framework.