TITLE "TESTING FOR WATER LEAKS IN SEALED JOINTS" FIELD OF THE INVENTION THIS INVENTION relates to testing for water leaks in sealed joints, such sealed joints may be present in structures which may include water storage structures inclusive of reservoirs, dams and culverts and building structures which may temporarily contain water, such as commercial buildings, factories, gutters, hospitals or car parks.
BACKGROUND ART Reference may be made to International Publication
No WO 01/06072, which describes a sealed joint or joint sealing system which includes application of a layer of debonding material across a gap between a pair of concrete slabs or walls each having an upper or external surface. There is also applied to the debonding material a filler cord to provide an elevated or raised joint and finally a coat of elastomer is applied to the joint to provide an external seamless covering. The elastomer may be applied by use of a spray gun, brush or roller.
In the joint sealing system described in WO 01/06072, there are provided air gaps between the filler cord and layer of debonding material and air gaps are also present in the conventional joint sealing system described in FIG. 1 of WO 01/06072, which is used commercially under the
SIKADUR-COMBIFLEX trade mark.
In relation to water storage structures, if water leakage was occurring, the conventional method to locate the source of such leaks was to
send a diver into the water storage structure and apply a vegetable dye along sealed joints of the water storage structure. When the dye was drawn by suction into the sealed joint, the source of the water leakage was then located. Alternatively, a diver moved along the length of the joint looking for the source of water leakage by visual inspection. Another method was to empty the reservoir and visually inspect the sealed joints. However, it was to be appreciated that such methods were time consuming, expensive and inefficient in that, often, the source of the water leakage was not found.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION It has now been realised, during the advent of the present invention, that air gaps present in sealed joints in water storage structures, which were previously not used for any useful purpose, may provide a novel method of testing sealed joints for water leakages of water containing structures. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention therefore provides a method of testing for water leakage in a sealed joint in a structure which contains water, said sealed joint having one or more air gaps, which includes the steps of:
(i) connecting the sealed joint to a source of pressurised air so as to pressurise the air gap(s);
(ii) disconnecting the sealed joint from the source of pressurised fluid; and
(iii) assessing the sealed joint for location of water leakage by the presence of air bubbles issuing from the pressurised joint.
After step (iii), if the sealed joint is found to have water leakage, it is then marked or identified in a suitable manner and subsequently repaired after draining of water from the water storage structure if it is a water storage structure, for example. It will be appreciated that, in most cases, water storage structures will have a plurality of spaced sealed joints and, in accordance with the method of the invention, each of the sealed joints may be provided with a pneumatic valve having a valve cap similar to pneumatic valves of vehicle tyres. Such a pneumatic valve may be located at spaced intervals along the length of each sealed joint. During step (i) above, each valve may have the cap removed and connected to a compressor or pump by an air hose for supply of pressurised air to the sealed joint for pressurisation of the sealed joint. Alternatively, a diver may carry an air tank containing pressurised air having a short length of air hose for connection to an adjacent pneumatic valve after removal of the valve cap.
Following on from the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the invention, in another aspect, provides a sealed joint having a valve connected thereto for pressurisation of air gap(s) of the sealed joint after opening of the valve. Such sealed joints may be located between concrete slabs or walls as described above in WO 01/06072 or be provided between walls made of other material, such as metal, including steel or timber.
In another aspect of the invention, there is provided a structure, inclusive of a water storage structure, having one or more sealed joints
wherein the or each of the sealed joints is provided with the valve as described above at spaced intervals along the length of each sealed joint.
The pneumatic valve, for use in the method of the invention, may comprise a valve of conventional type as discussed above already in use with vehicle tyres. Alternatively, any conventional check valve may be used. Such a valve may incorporate a valve body, a valve cap, and a valve chamber having a valve member movable therein from an open position allowing pressurised air to gain access to the valve chamber and, thus, to the interior of the sealed joint to a closed position preventing air gaining access to the valve chamber. Usually, the valve member may comprise a pin or ball movable from the open to the closed position or vice versa under the influence of a spring. However, it will be appreciated that the valve need not be restricted to this particular construction and any other pneumatic valve may be used. Examples of other pneumatic valves include those described in US Patent Nos 6,357,468 and 6,408,913, which are incorporated herein by reference.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Reference may now be made to a preferred embodiment of the invention as shown in the drawings attached hereto wherein: FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a sealed joint of a water storage structure having a pneumatic valve in accordance with the invention;
FIG.2 is a similar view to FIG. 1 showing an assembled view of the sealed joint and the pneumatic valve;
FIG. 3 is a variation of the assembly shown in FIGS. 1 to 2 using a support block or plate;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a reservoir having a plurality of pneumatic valves attached to each sealed joint thereof for use in the method of the invention wherein step (i) is carried out;
FIG. 5 is a similar view to FIG. 4 after steps (ii) and (iii) have been carried out;
FIG.6 is a similar view to FIG.4 with a modification that the air hose shown in FIG. 4 connected to an air supply tank of a swimmer is now attached to a compressor located externally of the reservoir; and
FIGS.7 and 8 are sectional views of a pneumatic valve for use in the method of the invention in both the open and closed positions, respectively.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings in FIG. 1 , there is shown sealed joint 10 having opposed concrete slabs or walls 11 , gap 12, upper surfaces 13 of slabs 11 and filler cord 14, which elevates debonding material or layer 15 above upper surfaces 13. Debonding material 15 may have applied thereto elastomer 16. There is also present air gaps 17 in joint 10. In accordance with the invention, aperture 18 is made in debonding layer 15 and a pneumatic valve 19 is attached thereto having a valve cap 20, valve body 22 and base 23 which has a peripheral flange 24. When valve 19 is attached to aperture 18, flange 24 makes sealing engagement with peripheral edge 25 of aperture 18.
FIG. 2 shows valve 19 incorporated in aperture 18 with valve cap 20 fitted to valve stem 22.
In FIG.3, there is shown a variation of the arrangement shown in FIGS. 1 to 2, wherein there is provided a mounting block or plate 26 having a curvature or configuration complementary to debonding layer 15. Valve 19 is attached to an aperture 27 in mounting block 26 which is co- aligned with aperture 18. Again, flange 24 makes sealing engagement with a peripheral edge (not shown) of aperture 27.
In FIG. 4, there is shown reservoir 28 having a peripheral wall 29 and floor 30. Reservoir 28 is filled with water 31 to an upper level
32A. Floor 30 is provided with a plurality of sealed joints 10 located at spaced intervals as shown. Also located along the length of each sealed joint 10 are pneumatic valves 19. As shown in FIG. 4, diver 32 has an air tank 33 strapped to him by harness 34. He also has an air hose 35 which he has inserted into valve 19A after removal of cap 20 so that the valve 19A may be pressurised to thereby pressurise sealed joint 10A. Thus, diver 32 is carrying out step (i) of the method of the invention. Also in FIG. 5, the diver has now disconnected air hose 35 from valve 19A and it is noted that air bubbles 36 have now risen from sealed joint 10A showing that joint 10A has a water leakage with the bubbles showing the location of the leak at 21. If no bubbles are detected, then joint 10A would not have a water leakage.
In an alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the diver 32 connects an air hose 35 which is connected to air compressor 37 at connection point 38. Compressor 37 has air supply tank 39, wheels 40 and
support 41.
FIGS. 7 and 8 show a detailed view of a conventional pneumatic valve 19 which has valve cap 20 having internal screw thread 20A. There is also shown pin 45 which can be directly attached to or integral with a longitudinal extension 45A of pin 45. Preferably however, longitudinal extension 45A is indirectly attached to pin 45 via a ball joint or universal joint (not shown) in core structure 53 which functions as a housing for the ball joint or universal joint. Upon depression of valve member or pin 45, as shown in FIG.7, this enables sealing member 46 to move away from engagement with mating member 47 to thereby allow air to pass into bore 48 as shown by the arrows in full outline. If valve pin 45 remains depressed, air may also escape from bore 48. Depression of pin 45 takes place against the restoring force of spring 49 which is compressed between member 46 and bottom retainer 50.
In the operational or open position, guide member 51 for pin 45 is retained in position by support or sealing member 52 which is screw threadedly engaged with internal screw thread 53A. Pin 45 extends through a mating passage (not shown) in sealing member 52. Sealing members 52 and core structure 53 have hollow passage(s) (not shown) to allow for passage of air. Thread 20A of valve cap 20 is screw threadedly engageable with external screw thread 54. In the depressed position, the bottom end 55 of longitudinal extension 45A extends beyond member 50, as shown in FIG.7, to allow air to enter passage 57 of insert structure 58 as shown by the arrows
in full outline. There is also provided valve body 59. Insert structure 58 is provided with a retaining passage or groove 60 which engages with aperture 25 of external layer 15 of sealed joint 10. Insert 59 is provided with a enlarged resilient base portion 61 which locates below aperture 25, as shown. This is an alternative to the use of base 23 and flange 24 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3.
It will also be noted in FIG. 7 that nozzle 62 having internal air passage 63 of an air hose 35 connected to compressor 37 (alternatively a pump may be used) has member 64 for depression of valve pin 45 to facilitate opening of valve 19.
It therefore will be appreciated from the foregoing that the method of the invention is extremely efficient in relation to testing for leaks in water structures, such as reservoirs or dams, facilitating prompt repair. The method of the invention may also be used for initial testing of reservoirs and dams with water only filled to a minimal height before complete filling takes place.