DRILLING UNIT AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING A FOUNDATION IN SOIL AND/OR A FOUNDATION UNDER WATER

Abstract

The invention relates to a drilling unit for producing a foundation in a ground and/or a foundation under water, wherein the drilling unit comprises a drive unit and a cutting ring, wherein the cutting ring is rotatably mounted on the drilling unit and can be driven by means of the drive unit, wherein the drilling unit is configured such that it can be arranged and detachably fastened to an end of a bored pile, in particular the end facing the ground, for sinking, preferably vertically, into the ground. The invention further relates to a device comprising such a drilling unit, a cutting ring and a method for producing a foundation in a ground and/or a foundation under water.

Claims

1. A drilling unit (13) for producing a foundation or a shaft in a ground (2) and/or a foundation or a shaft under water, wherein said drilling unit (13) comprises a drive unit (7) and a cutting ring (6), wherein said cutting ring (6) is rotatably mounted on said drilling unit (13) and is drivable by means of said drive unit (7), wherein said drilling unit (13) is arranged to fasten detachably to an end of a drilling pile (1), which in particular faces the ground (2), for sinking into the ground (2).

2. The drilling unit (13) according to claim 1, wherein said drilling unit (13) has at least one motor/gear unit (5) fastened to said drive unit (7).

3. The drilling unit (13) according to claim 1, wherein said drilling unit (13) comprises a feed line (17) and/or a high-pressure feed line (29) which is attached to said drilling unit (13) and/or is configured to be attached to said drilling pile (1) and is or are configured such that drilling fluid can be introduced into an excavation area (18) in order to be able to transport cut material removed by said cutting ring (6) in the ground (2) to a surface of the ground (2) or a water surface.

4. The drilling unit (13) according to claim 1, wherein said drilling unit (13) and/or said drive unit (7) comprises a locking means (12) by means of which said drilling unit (13) and/or said drive unit (7) is detachably attached to said drilling pile (1).

5. The drilling unit (13) according to claim 4, wherein said drilling unit (13) comprises a traction means (10), in particular a traction cable, which are configured such that said drilling unit (13) and/or said drive unit (7) is configured to be recovered to the surface after releasing said locking means (12).

6. The drilling unit (13) according to claim 1, further comprising a conveyor line (16) to convey a drilling fluid together with waste loosened by means of the cutting ring to the surface.

7. A device for producing a foundation or a shaft in the ground (2) and/or a foundation or a shaft under water, comprising a drilling pile (1) and a drilling unit (13) according to claim 1.

8. A cutting ring (6) for producing a foundation or a shaft in the ground (2) and/or a foundation or a shaft under water for use with a device and/or a drilling unit (13) according to claim 1, wherein said cutting ring (6) includes foldable sub-segments (6a, 28).

9. The cutting ring (6) according to claim 8, wherein the sub-segments (6a, 28) are fixed to said cutting ring (6) with retaining bolts (15) and shear bolts (14).

10. The cutting ring according to claim 8, wherein said cutting ring (6) is configured such that its outer diameter and/or inner diameter is configured to be reduced for recovering said drilling unit (13) and/or a drive unit (7) of said drilling unit (13), in particular by shearing off the shear bolts or hydraulically unlocking the shear bolts and folding over the sub-segments (6a, 28).

11. Use of the drilling unit (13) and/or the device and/or the cutting ring according to claim 1 in a sinking process for a drilling pile (1), wherein a motor/gear unit (5) of said drive unit (7) operates under water during the sinking process.

12. A method for producing a foundation or a shaft in a ground (2), wherein, for inserting a drilling pile (1) into a ground (2), a drilling unit (13), in particular according to claim 1, is subjected to an axial force by at least one feed device (4) via at least one fixing device (3), wherein a cutting ring (6) located at the lower end of said drilling pile (1) is rotated by means of a drive unit (7) arranged on an inner or outer side of said drilling pile (1) and creates an annular cut (8), wherein a drilling fluid is pumped into the excavation area (18) of said cutting ring (6) via at least one feed line (17) and/or a high-pressure feed line (29), and wherein the drilling fluid is conveyed to the surface together with waste loosened by said cutting ring (6) by means of a conveying line (16).

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein, in order to fix said drilling pile (1) after reaching the intended depth in the ground (2), a fixing material is pumped into the excavation area (18) through the at least one conveyor line (16) until the rising fixing material has filled the annular cut (8) around said drilling pile (1) and/or in a cavity of said drilling pile (1).

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein after sinking said drilling pile (1), said drilling unit (13) is configured to be recovered by means of a lifting device via traction means (10) to a surface of the ground (2) or a water surface, wherein the inner and/or outer diameter of said drilling unit (13), in particular of said cutting ring (6), is changed.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein said cutting ring (6) comprises sub-segments (6a, 28) which, as long as the sinking process takes place, are fixed to said cutting ring (6) with retaining bolts (15) and shear bolts (14), wherein said shear bolts (14) shear off or are unlocked when said drilling unit (13) is recovered and the sub-segments (6a, 28) fold away around said retaining bolts (15).

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein said drive unit (7), during the creation of the cut (8) is arranged in a cavity of a respective drilling pile (1, 30) on the inside thereof, wherein, after said drilling unit (13) has been recovered, a further drilling pile (30), in particular a telescopic drilling pile, the diameter of which is smaller than the diameter of said drilling pile (1), is introduced into said drilling pile (1) in such a way that said drilling unit (13) is configured to be installed in said further drilling pile (30) in order to drill a particularly deep bore, a replacement bore and/or a drilling pile of very large diameter and/or weight.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0042] Further features and advantages are apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments or embodiment with reference to the figures, the features shown there being exemplary in nature.

[0043] The drawings show at least partially schematically:

[0044] FIG. 1: Preferred embodiment of a device during the insertion process (section through the device).

[0045] FIG. 2: Detail of the device (vertical section through the drilling unit including the pivotable ring segments 6a inside and outside of the cutting ring area).

[0046] FIG. 3: Detail of the device (horizontal sections through the cutting ring area 6).

[0047] FIG. 4: Embodiment of a drilling pile 30 for producing particularly deep foundations/replacement foundations or particularly large foundations.

[0048] FIG. 5: Alternative embodiment of the device during the insertion process (section through the device).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0049] The drilling pile 1 consists of a steel pipe with a small wall thickness compared to the diameter. The length of the drilling pile 1 is shown in shortened form in the example. In practice, the length of the drilling pile must represent at least the penetration depth of the drilling pile in the ground plus the connection piece to the actual structure.

[0050] In the upper area of the drilling pile 1, a feed device 4 which controls the sinking and thus the load application via the fixing device 3 is shown. These components are arranged in such a way that they are above the ground 2 at all times during the insertion and fixing process of the drilling pile 1. The storage of this component on the base platform is not shown.

[0051] The motor/gear unit 5 generates a torque which is transmitted to a cutting ring 6. The drive unit 7 is fixed to the lower end of the drilling pile. The cutting surface of the cutting ring 6 forms an annular cut 8 in the ground 2 into which the drilling pile 1 is sunk.

[0052] The pressing force F for sinking and cutting the ground generates the pressing force for the cutting ring 6 using the dead weight of the device. The force F may assume a positive value (pressing force) or a negative value (pulling force). The cutting ring 6 is equipped with cutting tools 9 that produce the annular excavation of the ground 2. The arrangement is selected such that the excavation work can also be carried out in hard ground or rock.

[0053] The drive unit 7 can be lifted to the surface using the traction means 10 after the sinking process has been completed. The traction means 10 is attached to the locking means 12 of the drive unit by means of a tab 11. By pulling on the traction means 10 after previously releasing the locking means 12, the ring segment 6a of the cutting ring 6 is pressed against the drilling pile tip la until an inner shear bolt 14 fails and the inner and/or outer ring segments 6a and 28 fold down around the retaining bolt 15.

[0054] The conveyor line 16 inside the drilling pile 1 transports the drilling material and the conveyed material to the surface. The cleaned conveyed material is transported back into the excavation space 18 via the feed line 17. The feed line 17 is preferably attached to a traction means 10.

[0055] FIG. 2 shows a vertical section through the cutting ring area and the drive unit 7 of the device. It is apparent that the drive unit 7 is attached to the drilling pile 1 during the sinking process by the form-fitting connection 19 and the locking means 12 with the locking bolt 20.

[0056] By rotating the motor/gear unit 5, the force is transferred to the drive pinion 21 and the teething in the gear ring 22 in the bearing 23 and the cutting ring 6 begins to rotate. The seals 24 seal the rotating part of the cutting ring 6 from the stationary housing of the drive unit 7. Through this rotation, the cutting tools 9 begin the excavation activity on the ground 2 until the final depth is reached.

[0057] The drilling fluid is conveyed into the excavation area 18 through the feed line 17 and transported to the surface by means of the feed/high-pressure feed line 17, 29, mixed with the drilling material, through the feed line 16.

[0058] The retaining bolts 15 and shear bolts 14 of the inner and outer ring segments 28, 6a are shown in the section of the cutting ring 6. As described, after completion of the sinking process, the remaining diameter of the cutting ring 6 may be reduced in order to recover the drive unit 7. After the drive unit 7 has been recovered, the fixing material described above may be introduced, for example through the feed line 16, in order to permanently anchor the drilling pile 1 in the annular cut 8.

[0059] As an alternative to shearing off the shear bolt 14, an activatable fixation of the ring segment 6a, 28 to the cutting ring 6 may be provided. For this purpose, a rotary feedthrough 27 is attached to the lower end of the drive unit 7, which can transmit hydraulic fluid, sensor data or electrical signals from the stationary to the rotating part of the drilling unit 13.

[0060] FIG. 3 shows a top view of the cutting ring 6 as one half of the entire cutting ring 6. The drilling pile 1 with the tip la and the attached conveyor lines 16 is shown in the visible areas. The ring segment 6a, 28 of the cutting ring 6 is a circular segment which is fixed by means of shear bolts 14 and retaining bolts 15 during drilling.

[0061] When recovering the drive unit 7, the shear bolts 14 are destroyed or retracted as described above and the outer and/or inner ring segments 6a and 28 may fold down on the fastening tabs 25 in order to reduce the diameter of the cutting ring 6 so that the entire drive unit 7 can be recovered to the surface.

[0062] The configuration of the ring segment 6a is preferably configured such that the drilling material is transported together with the conveyed material in the direction of the conveying line 16 on the side flanks 26 of said component. The rotation of the cutting ring may be performed clockwise and counterclockwise so that both side flanks 26 of the inner and outer segments of the ring segments 6a and 28 enable this material transport.

[0063] FIG. 4 shows a vertical section through the cutting ring area and the drive unit 7 of the device. It is apparent that the drilling unit 13, after being recovered from the drilling pile 1, is attached to the drilling pile 30 with a smaller diameter than the drilling pile 1, by the locking bolts 20 during the further sinking process. A new ring segment 6b was attached to the cutting ring 6 in order to be able to continue the drilling process after lowering it into the drilling pile 1. This allows particularly deep foundations/replacement piles or piles with a very large diameter to be sunk in a plurality of stages as a so-called telescopic pile.

[0064] FIG. 5 shows an alternative embodiment of the device during the insertion process (side/sectional view) wherein a drilling pile 1 is shown in a ground 2.

[0065] In the upper area of the drilling pile 1, a feed device 4 controlling the sinking and thus the load application via the fixing device 3 is shown. Said components are arranged in such a way that they are above the ground 2 at all times during the insertion and fixing process of the drilling pile 1. The support of this component on the base platform is not shown.

[0066] The motor/gear unit 5 of the drive unit 7, which is arranged outside the drilling pile 1, generates a torque which is transmitted to a cutting ring 6. The drive unit 7 is fixed to the lower end of the drilling pile. The cutting surface of the cutting ring 6 forms an annular cut 8 in the ground 2 into which the drilling pile 1 is sunk.

[0067] The pressing force F for sinking and cutting the ground generates the pressing force for the cutting ring 6 using the weight of the device. The force F may assume a positive value (pressing force) or a negative value (pulling force). The cutting ring 6 is equipped with cutting tools 9 which produce the annular excavation of the ground 2. The arrangement is selected such that the excavation work can also be carried out in hard ground or rock.

[0068] After completion of the sinking process, the drive unit 7 may be lifted to the surface by means of the traction means 10. The traction means 10 are attached to the locking means 12 of the drive unit by means of a tab 11. By pulling on the traction means 10 after previously releasing the locking means 12, the ring segment 6a of the cutting ring 6 is pressed against the drilling pile tip la until an inner shear bolt 14 fails and the inner and/or outer ring segments 6a and 28 fold down around the retaining bolt 15.

[0069] The conveyor line 16 inside the drilling pile 1 transports the drilling material and the conveyed material to the surface. The cleaned conveyed material is transported back into the excavation space 18 via the feed line 17. The feed line 17 is preferably attached to a traction means 10 outside the drilling pile.

It is to be noted that the embodiments are merely examples that are not intended to limit the scope of protection, the applications and the structure in any way. Rather, the preceding description provides the person skilled in the art with a guide for the implementation of at least one embodiment, wherein various changes, in particular with regard to the function and arrangement of the described components, can be made without departing from the scope of protection as apparent from the claims and combinations of features equivalent thereto.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

[0070] 1 Drilling pile [0071] 1a Tip of the drilling pile [0072] 2 Ground [0073] 3 Fixing device [0074] 4 Feed devices [0075] 5 Motor/gear unit [0076] 6 Cutting ring [0077] 6a and 6b Ring segment of the cutting ring [0078] 7 Drive unit [0079] 8 Annular cut [0080] 9 Cutting tools [0081] 10 Traction means [0082] 11 Tab [0083] 12 Locking means [0084] 13 Drilling unit [0085] 14 Shear bolt [0086] 15 Retaining bolt [0087] 16 Conveying line [0088] 17 Feed line [0089] 18 Excavation area [0090] 19 Form-fitting connection [0091] 20 Locking bolt [0092] 21 Pinion [0093] 22 Gear ring [0094] 23 Bearing [0095] 24 Seals [0096] 25 Fastening tab [0097] 26 Side flank [0098] 27 Rotary feedthrough [0099] 28 Inner ring segment of the cutting ring [0100] 29 High-pressure feed line [0101] 30 Telescopic drilling pile