US 5,899,635 AGranted

Transportation underwater tunnel system

OwnerMichael W. Kuja, Thomas M. Colettiinventors

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Abstract

An underwater tunnel system for vehicular traffic flow, including rail, automobile and truck traffic connecting the shores of opposed land masses separated by a body of water draws heavily from submarine, manufacturing and modular construction technology. It is environmentally benign and will not adversely dominate the skyline of the surrounding region. The system of the invention requires minimal, if any, dredging to insure its substantially level installation. A compensating ducting and valve system is utilized for initial tunnel submergence during construction and to provide dynamic stability subsequently during operation. Part of the ducting system utilized during submergence operations is also subsequently used for ventilation airflow throughout the tunnel system during operation. During operation, fresh air is introduced from both shores into the tunnel system and exhaust air may be selectively discharged at both shores or from the tunnel system at a location distant from both shores.

A method of installing an underwater tunnel system for vehicular traffic connecting first and second shores of opposed land masses separated by a body of water, the method, using submarine manufacturing technology, comprising the steps of:

(a) constructing on land a plurality of substantially complete elongated watertight tubular tunnel sections, each of the tubular tunnel sections having a longitudinal axis;
(b) embedding into the first shore a first watertight elongated inclined stationary tubular tunnel section for ingress into and egress from the underwater tunnel system of the vehicular traffic traveling through the underwater tunnel system, the first inclined stationary tubular tunnel section extending transverse of the shoreline and into the body of water and having a land-based proximal end and a distal end immersed in the body of water at a predetermined depth at a location distant from the first shore;
(c) embedding into the second shore a second watertight elongated inclined stationary tubular tunnel section for ingress into and egress from the underwater tunnel system of the vehicular traffic traveling through the underwater tunnel system, the second inclined stationary tubular tunnel section extending transverse of the shoreline and into the body of water and having a land-based proximal end and a distal end immersed in the body of water at a predetermined depth at a location distant from the second shore, the longitudinal axis of the second inclined stationary tubular tunnel section being generally aligned with the longitudinal axis of the first inclined stationary tubular tunnel section;
(d) transporting over land to a transfer location adjacent a waterway a plurality of the mobile tubular tunnel sections taken from the plurality of the tubular tunnel sections constructed in step (a);
(e) transferring the mobile tubular tunnel sections from the transfer location of step (d) into the waterway in a floating condition;
(f) towing the mobile tubular tunnel sections to a location on the body of water distant from the first and second shores;
(g) generally aligning the longitudinal axes of the mobile tubular tunnel sections with each other and with the longitudinal axes of the first and second elongated inclined stationary tubular tunnel sections;
(h) by filling with water the structurally defined fluid tanks within the mobile tubular tunnel sections, submerging each tubular tunnel section substantially to the predetermined depth in the body of water of the distal ends of the first and second inclined stationary tubular tunnel sections;
and
(i) joining the mobile tubular tunnel sections to each other and to the distal ends of the first and second inclined stationary tubular tunnel sections.

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Abstract

Claims51