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EP-4100623-B1 - SYSTEM FOR INSTALLING A SERVICE SYSTEM IN ROAD TUNNELS

EP4100623B1EP 4100623 B1EP4100623 B1EP 4100623B1EP-4100623-B1

Inventors

  • PELATI, Francesca
  • ANTONELLI, Gianluca

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20210125

Claims (11)

  1. System (200) for installing a service system in a road tunnel (100); wherein the tunnel comprises a concrete structure (101) with an arc-shaped cross-section provided with two sides (102) and a vault (104); said system (200) comprising a plurality of sections (1) wherein each section (1) of the plurality of sections (1) has a longitudinal axis (L) and a basically "V"-shaped cross-section, and each section (1) comprises a first wing (1a) and a second wing (1b) substantially disposed at 90° and joined in a longitudinal corner (1c); the first and the second wing (1a, 1b) respectively having longitudinal bases (1a', 1b') that lie on the same plane in order to be fixed to the sides of the tunnel; said sections (1) stacked one on top of the other in such a way to generate a duct (c) for the flowing of water, wherein said duct (C) substantially extends in vertical direction on the sides of the tunnel, in projecting position relative to the sides (102) of the tunnel; each one of said sections (1) having a first end (10a) that is cut along an orthogonal plane to the longitudinal axis (L) of the section, wherein each one of said sections (1) has a second end (10b) with a "V"-shaped notch that originates a fork (F); wherein the fork (F) of a first section (1) is suitable for receiving the first end (10a) of a second section, permitting the vertical stacking of the two sections and an inclination of the longitudinal axis of the second section relative to the longitudinal axis (L) of the first section; wherein the fork (F) is formed between the first wing (1a) and the second wing (1b), and the fork (F) has a vertex on said longitudinal corner (1c) between said wings (1a, 1b), wherein, in each section, the first wing (1a) is longer than the second wing (1b).
  2. The system (200) according to claim 1, wherein an angle (α) of approximately 150° - 170° is provided between the first wing (1a) and the longitudinal base (1a'), and an angle (β) of 100°- 130° is provided between the second wing (1b) and the longitudinal base (1b').
  3. The system (200) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said sections (1) are made of a light-reflecting material.
  4. The system (200) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising at least one gutter (2) suitable for being installed on the sides (102) of the tunnel, in such a way to convey the water inside one of said two ducts (C).
  5. The system (200) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising LEDs provided on said sections (1) and power supply cables of the LEDs provided inside said duct (C).
  6. The system (200) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising water-spraying nozzles provided on said sections (1) and water supply pipes of the nozzles provided inside said duct (C).
  7. Method for installing a service system in a road tunnel (100), wherein the tunnel comprises a concrete structure (101) with arc-shaped cross-section with two sides (102) and a vault (104), said method comprising the following steps: - providing a plurality of sections (1) wherein each section (1) has a longitudinal axis (L) and a basically "V"-shaped cross-section, and comprises a first wing (1a) and a second wing (1b) substantially disposed at 90 °and joined in a longitudinal corner (1c); the first and the second wing (1a, 1b) respectively having longitudinal bases (1a', 1b') that lie on the same plane in order to be fixed to the sides of the tunnel, - fixing said sections (1) to the sides (102) of the tunnel, stacked one on top of the other in such a way to generate a duct (C) for the flowing of water, wherein said duct (C) substantially extends in vertical direction on the sides of the tunnel, in projecting position relative to the sides (102) of the tunnel; wherein each section (1) has a first end (10a) that is cut along an orthogonal plane to the longitudinal axis (L) of the section, wherein each section (1) has a second end (10b) with a "V"-shaped notch that originates a fork (F); wherein the fork (F) of a first section (1) is suitable for receiving the first end (10a) of a second section, permitting the vertical stacking of the two sections and an inclination of the longitudinal axis of the second section relative to the longitudinal axis of the first section; wherein the fork (F) is formed between the first wing (1a) and the second wing (1b), and the fork (F) has a vertex on said longitudinal corner (1c) between said wings (1a, 1b), and wherein the sections (1) are fixed to the sides of the tunnel with screw means (V) engaged in the longitudinal bases (1a', 1b') and in the sides of the tunnel, wherein, in each section, the first wing (1a) is longer than the second wing (1b), and wherein the sections (1) are disposed in such a way to direct the first wing (1a) towards the forward travelling direction of the motor vehicles in the tunnel, so that when a motor vehicle moves forward in a lane of the carriageway, with reference to the side of the tunnel on the right side of the motor vehicle, the motor vehicle firstly encounters the first wing and successively the second wing.
  8. The method of claim 7, wherein the sections (1) are inclined mutually in such a way that the duct (C) has a broken line structure.
  9. The method according to claim 7 or 8, comprising the installation of at least one gutter (2) on the intrados (102) of the tunnel, in such a way to convey water inside one of said two ducts (C).
  10. The method according to any one of claims 7 to 9, comprising the installation of LEDs on said sections (1) and the provision of power supply cables of the LEDs inside said duct (C).
  11. The method according to any one of claims 7 to 10, comprising the installation of water-spraying nozzles on said sections (1) and the provision of water supply pipes of the nozzles inside said duct (C).

Description

The present invention relates to a system and a method for installing a service system in road tunnels. As it is known, several measures must be taken in order to ensure an effective, safe use of road tunnels made of reinforced concrete. A first requirement is to guarantee that no water streams are generated in case of rain or water penetration of different kind and origin, especially through the joints of the vault of the tunnel, which may dangerously drip in the center of the carriageway. A second requirement is to periodically inspect the surface of the intrados of the tunnel in order to rapidly check the structural conditions and the presence of cracks and water infiltration points. Another requirement is to ensure the visibility of the walls of the tunnel for the drivers by means of the light emitted by the headlights of the motor vehicles, even when the tunnel is insufficiently and poorly lit. In order to satisfy similar requirements, the walls of a tunnel must be coated, covering the concrete surface of the intrados. Currently, the most popular solution is to cover the two vertical sections of the intrados with a plurality of sheet metal panels, creating two continuous coating surfaces that extend on opposite sides until the base of the vault of the tunnel. Said panels are painted with light-reflecting paints that provide an efficient lighting of the tunnel as soon as they are hit by the light emitted by the headlights of the motor vehicles. Moreover, said panels can hold the water infiltrations in the walls of the intrados and convey the water to the ground, in correspondence of suitable drainage channels provided on the two sides of the carriageway. Nevertheless, such painted panels are not able to satisfy all the aforementioned requirements that are typical of a tunnel. As a matter of fact, the panels are impaired by two considerable drawbacks. The first drawback consists in the fact that the panels do not permit a rapid and frequent check of the structural conditions of the sides of the intrados because the sides are concealed on the back of the panels. The second drawback consists in the fact that the panels are not uniformly capable of receiving and correctly conveying the water streams produced through the vault of the tunnel, especially in correspondence of the joints of the intrados, towards the drainage channels provided in the ground. Moreover, the provision and the installation of the painted panels have a high cost and difficulties may be encountered if said panels are to be mounted on an irregular surface of the intrados, adjusting to the radius of curvature of the intrados. JPS54176223 discloses a system for the installation of a service system in road tunnels. JP2018024978 discloses a concrete piece guard sheet capable of conveying water without freezing water leakage from a wall surface of a tunnel. JP2008019705 discloses a system to enable the easy visible inspection of the inside of a water guiding passage, without removing a leakage receiving plate. JP2016094772 discloses a method for preventing spalling in tunnels, for example in the repair of existing tunnels, which reinforces the inner surface of a lining wall to prevent spalling and also has a water conveying function against water leakage. The purpose of the present invention is to remedy the drawbacks of the prior art by disclosing a system for the installation of a service system in road tunnels that is practical, inexpensive and capable of satisfying the management and maintenance requirements of a road tunnel. Another purpose of the invention is to disclose such a system for the installation of a service system in road tunnels that is reliable and efficient. The invention is as defined in the appended claims. The inventive idea of the present invention is to disclose an especially efficient, inexpensive system for the installation of a multi-functional service system inside road tunnels. Such a system provides for the installation of ducts on each one of the sides of a tunnel, said ducts being open on the back. Each duct can be mounted correspondingly to a joint provided between two portions of the concrete structure of the tunnel. The ducts are advantageously used for collecting and conveying the water leakage from the intrados of the tunnel and for providing an autonomous lighting of the road tunnel from the reflection of the light generated by the motor vehicles. Each duct is mounted in one of the joints of the tunnel, that is to say, in correspondence of an area with rainwater leakage. Therefore, the duct acts as a descending pipe of a gutter because it intercepts the water that leaks from the vault of the tunnel and conveys it by gravity towards an ending section suitably disposed at a slightly higher height than a rainwater drainage channel that is normally provided on each side of the carriageway of the tunnel. The system of the invention also comprises at least one gutter suitable for being disposed between two du