Pervious tunnel liner member

Claim 1

A tunnel lining comprising a series of similarly shaped tunnel liner members each being of a similar geometric shape such that when assembled with one another they form a continuous tunnel lining, said members being curved to conform to the shape of the tunnel, said members having exposed exterior and interior surfaces, each member having an edge surface of substantial width extending inwardly substantially orthogonally from said exterior surface, and extending around the periphery thereof to facilitate the coupling of adjacent lining members, in the construction of said lining, at least a portion of said members having a recess formed in the exterior surface of said member, a suitable filter means located in said recess to allow the passage of selected filtrate therethrough, said filter means permitting the passage of water and air therethrough, but preventing the passage of soil particles therethrough, conduit means passing through said member serving to communicate the recess in the exterior surface of said member with the interior surface of said member.

Claim 10

A method of constructing a large subterranean tunnel in locations where the tunnel must pass through regions where the ingress of water and silt would generally present a serious impediment to the construction of a tunnel in such regions, comprising: (a) the constant removal of a material from the tunnel face by suitable means to provide an excavated space, and (b) maintaining the evacuated part of the tunnel a closed plenum, (c) supplying compressed air to the plenum so that the air pressure in the plenum is substantially greater than atmospheric, and (d) constructing a lining in the most recently excavated part of the excavation, said lining being constructed by securing suitable lining members to similarly shaped lining members already installed in the previously excavated part of the tunnel, each lining member having an exterior surface which is an arcuate shape and having edges of substantial width extending substantially orthogonally to and around the periphery of each member to facilitate installation of lining members to previously installed lining members, at least some of the lining members having suitable filter means installed in a depression in the outer surface thereof, and (e) conduit means passing through said some of the lining members serving to connect the depression to a source of air pressure such that the air pressure existing at the depression is substantially less than the pressure existing in said plenum, so that any water passing through said filter will pass into said conduit.

Claim 11

A method of constructing a large subterranean tunnel in locations where the tunnel must pass through regions where the ingress of water and silt would generally present a serious impediment to the construction of a tunnel in such regions, comprising: (a) the constant removal of a material from the tunnel face by suitable means to provide an excavated space, and (b) maintaining the evacuated part of the tunnel a closed plenum, (c) supplying compressed air to the plenum so that the air pressure in the plenum is substantially greater than atmospheric, and (d) constructing a lining in the most recently excavated part of the excavation, said lining being constructed by securing suitable lining members to similarly shaped lining members already installed in the previously excavated part of the tunnel, each lining member having an exterior surface which is an arcuate shape and having edges of substantial width extending substantially orthogonally to and around the periphery of each member to facilitate installation of lining members to previously installed lining members, at least some of the lining members having suitable filter means installed in a depression in the outer surface thereof, and (e) conduit means passing through said some of the lining members serving to connect the depression to a source of air pressure such that the air pressure existing at the depression is substantially less than the pressure existing in said plenum, so that any water passing through said filter will pass into said conduit.