Method and device for burying a conduit under water

• US 6,095,721 A
• Filed: 07/20/1998
• Issued: 08/01/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Geoteknisk Institut
• Original Assignee: Geoteknisk Institut
• Inventors: Von Benzon, Ernst
• Primary Examiner(s): Bagnell, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, JONG SUK
• Application Number:
  US08/983,395
• Time in Patent Office: 743 Days
• Field of Search: 405/158, 405/159, 405/160, 405/161, 405/162, 405/163, 405/164, 405/165, 405/174, 405/175, 405/179, 405/180, 405/182, 37/142.5, 37/905, 37/367, 37/380, 37/344, 37/347
• US Class Current: 405/180
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 5/105 self-propulsed units moving on the underwater bottom
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 5/106 using ploughs, coulters, rippers
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 5/107 using blowing-effect devices, e.g. jets digging devices using a blowing effect per se E02F3/9206

Abstract

A method for the penetration of a body (8), having a leading edge (21) and an inclined ground contacting surface (C, D, E) extending upwardly therefrom, into a porous ground material, the pores of the ground material being at least partially filled with water. The method comprises applying a driving force to the penetrating body in the direction of penetration, and discharging from the penetrating body (8) at least one flow of high-pressure gas to the inclined surface so as to facilitate the penetration of the body. Moreover, a penetrating body (8) and a plough assembly both of which can be used in the method. The method and equipment may e.g. be used for embedding drain tubes, pipes, cables or similar objects into a ground material also at a relatively great depth larger than 100 cm. Moreover, the embedding can be performed by employing a relatively high speed and can be performed at a relatively low energy consumption.

Claims

1. A method for use of a penetrating body having a leading edge and an inclined ground contacting surface extending upwardly therefrom, into a porous ground material with pores being at least partially filled with water, said method comprising the steps of applying a driving force to said penetrating body in the direction of penetration, and discharging from said penetrating body at least one flow of gas to said inclined surface so as to facilitate the penetration of the body, the gas having a pressure adapted to exceed the pressure of the surrounding environment.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the penetrating body comprises a plough blade for embedding elongated members selected from the group consisting of drain tubes, cables and pipes.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the ground material comprises at least one of the substances, soil, sand, peat, clay, rock, seafloor, seabed and ground fill.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein high-pressure gas is supplied to at least one recess formed in the inclined ground contacting surface.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least part of the gas is discharged at a location of the inclined ground contacting surface spaced from the leading edge of the body such that the cross-sectional area of the body at said location is substantially larger than the cross-sectional area closely adjacent to the leading edge.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the driving force is a percussive force.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the driving force is an oscillating force.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the pressure of the gas being discharged is in a range from 1 to 100 bar.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the pressure of the gas being discharged is in a range from 5 to 50 bar.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the pressure of the gas being discharged is in a range from 5 to 20 bar.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the flow of high-pressure gas discharged is pulsating.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the flow of high-pressure gas discharged in a pre-determined sequence of varying pulses.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the pressure of the gas is varying.

14. A body for penetrating into a porous ground material and comprising a leading edge and an inclined ground contacting surface extending upwardly therefrom, means for receiving a driving force so as to cause the penetration, means for supplying a pressurized gas to a cavity defined within the body, and gas discharging means communicating with the cavity for discharging the pressurized gas to at least one opening defined in the ground contacting surface and into the ground material surrounding the body so as to facilitate the penetration.

15. The body according to claim 14, wherein the gas discharging means comprises means for distributing the gas over a substantial part of an outer side of the inclined ground contacting surface of the body.

16. The body according to claim 15, wherein the gas distributing means comprises at least one recess defined in the outer side of the ground contacting surface of the body and communicating with said cavity within said body.

17. The body according to claim 16, comprising at least two recesses extending substantially parallel in the direction of movement of the body.

18. A plough assembly including a plough having a penetrating body according to claim 14, further comprising guiding means arranged at the trailing side of the plough for guiding an elongated body to be embedded in the ground material.

19. The plough assembly according to claim 18, further comprising means for discharging a flow of pressurized gas in a direction substantially opposite to the direction of moving the assembly so as to counteract collapse of a furrow formed by the plough.

20. The plough assembly according to claim 19, further comprising means for supplying a particulate material into the furrow and into contact with the elongated body being laid down therein.