Low profile mine shaft liner plate system and method

Abstract

A liner plate system for lining shafts or tunnels is provided. The system includes a plurality of curved liner plate units and a plurality of line lock plates. Each curved liner plate unit includes a radially outer side and a radially inner side, the radially inner side including a peripherally extending seal recess having a seal material thereon. Each liner lock plate has an inner side and an outer side, the outer side including a seal recess formed therein, the seal recess having a seal material thereon. The curved liner plate units and the liner lock plates arranged to form a curved wall structure.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of rehabilitating a vertical mine shaft bounded by a concrete wall structure, the method comprising:
 removing an interior portion of the concrete wall structure;   installing a liner plate system adjacent the concrete wall structure including:
 utilizing a plurality of arcuate liner plate units, each arcuate liner plate unit including a radially outer side and a radially inner side, the radially inner side including a peripherally extending seal recess having a seal material thereon, the seal material having an uncompressed radial thickness greater than a radial depth of the seal recess so as to protrude beyond a primary inner surface of the radially inner side; 
 utilizing a plurality of liner lock plates, each lock plate having an inner side and an outer side, the outer side including a seal recess formed therein, the seal recess having a seal material thereon, the seal material having an uncompressed thickness greater than a depth of the seal recess so as to protrude beyond a primary outer surface of the outer side; 
 arranging the arcuate liner plate units and the liner lock plates to form a cylindrical wall structure, with a first set of arcuate liner plate units forming a first ring and a second set of arcuate liner plate units forming a second ring, the first ring having a top edge, bottom edge and multiple vertical edge joints, the second ring having a top edge, bottom edge and multiple vertical edge joints, the top edge of the first ring abutting a bottom edge of the second ring to form a lateral edge joint, the vertical edge joints of the first ring circumferentially offset from the vertical edge joints of the second ring, the liner lock plates positioned along an inner side of the cylindrical wall structure with the seal material of the liner lock plates in contact with the seal material of the arcuate liner plate units; and 
 utilizing threaded members to hold the liner lock plates adjacent the arcuate liner plate units, such that the cylindrical wall structure formed by the combination of the liner lock plates and the arcuate liner plate units is a rigid, unitary structure. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein each lock plate includes a plurality of openings therein, the threaded members are either mount studs welded to the radially inner side of the arcuate liner plate unit or bolts threadedly inserted into threaded openings at the radially inner side of the arcuate liner plate unit, in either case each threaded member passes through a respective one of the lock plate openings. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the liner lock plates include multiple T-shaped lock plates, where the ends of the T-shape are spaced apart from each other when the T-shaped lock plates are joined to the arcuate liner plate units. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the liner lock plates include multiple splice plates interconnecting the T-shaped lock plates, the splice plates including vertically oriented splice plates and laterally oriented splice plates. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein:
 each end of each T-shaped lock plate includes a recessed mating region at its radially inner side, 
 each end of each splice plate includes a recessed mating region at its radially outer side, 
 and the recessed mating regions of the T-shaped lock plates overlap the recessed mating regions of the splice plates. 
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein:
 the seal recess of each T-shaped lock plate extends to each end thereof; 
 the seal recess of each splice plate extends from one recessed mating region of the splice plate to the other recessed mating region of the splice plate, 
 the ends of the T-shaped lock plate seal recesses are adjacent the ends of the splice plate seal recesses. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 3  wherein:
 the liner lock plates include multiple intermediate plates connected between spaced apart T-shaped lock plates, the intermediate plates including vertically oriented intermediate plates and laterally oriented intermediate plates, each end of each T-shaped lock plate is positioned proximate to or in abutment with an end of an adjacent intermediate plate without any overlap between the T-shaped lock plates and the intermediate plates. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 3  wherein each T-shaped lock plate covers a portion of one of the vertical edge joints and a portion of the lateral edge joint. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  including the further step of applying a chemical weld activator coating to seal members of the arcuate liner plate units and/or seal members of the locking plates so that when two seal members engage each other they become welded together. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further including performing a backgrouting operation at the radially outer side of the liner plate system to provide continuity between the liner plate system and the concrete wall structure. 
     
     
         11 . A liner plate system for lining shafts or tunnels, the system comprising:
 a plurality of curved liner plate units, each curved liner plate unit including a radially outer side and a radially inner side, the radially inner side including a peripherally extending seal recess having a seal material thereon;   a plurality of liner lock plates, each liner lock plate having an inner side and an outer side, the outer side including a seal recess formed therein, the seal recess having a seal material thereon;   the curved liner plate units and the liner lock plates arranged to form a curved wall structure, wherein with the curved liner plates forming multiple rings, each ring having a first end edge, a second end edge and multiple interior edge joints, the rings arranged end to end such that abutting end edges form multiple end edge joints, wherein the interior edge joints of each ring are circumferentially offset from the interior edge joints of each adjacent ring, wherein the liner lock plates are secured along an inner side of the curved wall structure with the seal material of the liner lock plates pressed into contact with the seal material of the curved liner plate units in order to seal both the end edge joints between adjacent rings and the interior edge joints of each ring.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein a plurality of threaded members secure the liner lock plates to the curved liner plate units, wherein each liner lock plate includes a plurality of openings therein and through which a respective one of the threaded members extends. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the threaded members are formed by threaded mount studs extending inwardly from the radially inner sides of the curved liner plate units and nuts on the mount studs hold the liner lock plates adjacent the curved liner plate units and compress the seal material therebetween. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12  wherein each of the curved liner plate units includes a plurality of threaded holes and the threaded members are formed by bolts, each bold extending through a respective one of the liner lock plate openings and into a respective one of the threaded holes to hold the liner lock plates adjacent the curved liner plate units and compress the seal material therebetween. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the seal material of the curved liner plate units is chemically welded to the seal material of the liner lock plates. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the seal recess of each liner lock plate aligns with side by side seal recesses of the curved liner plate units such that the seal material of the seal recess of each liner lock plate is pressed into contact with seal material of at least two curved liner plate units. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the liner lock plates include multiple T-shaped lock plates, where ends of the T-shape are spaced apart from each other when the T-shaped lock plates are joined to the curved liner plate units. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17  wherein:
 the liner lock plates include multiple splice plates interconnecting the T-shaped lock plates, 
 each end of each T-shaped lock plate includes a recessed mating region at its radially inner side, 
 each end of each splice plate includes a recessed mating region at its radially outer side, 
 and the recessed mating regions of the T-shaped lock plates overlap the recessed mating regions of the splice plates. 
 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17  wherein:
 the liner lock plates include multiple intermediate plates connected between spaced apart T-shaped lock plates, 
 each end of each T-shaped lock plate is positioned proximate to or in abutment with an end of an adjacent intermediate plate without any overlap between the T-shaped lock plates and the intermediate plates. 
 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19  wherein multiple seal joints are formed between ends of the T-shaped lock plates and adjacent ends of the intermediate plates, at each seal joint seal material of the T-shaped lock plate and seal material of the intermediate plate is compressed to create an abutting and sealing contact therebetween. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 17  wherein each T-shaped lock plate covers a portion of one of the interior edge joints and a portion of one of the end edge joints.