Abstract: The present disclosure provides a device for preventing frost heaving and thawing settlement. The device includes a positioning cylinder, an upper cover, an anti-thawing settlement rod configured to prevent the thawing settlement, and an anti-frost heaving rod configured to prevent the frost heaving. The upper cover is sealingly assembled on a top of the positioning cylinder. A bottom of the positioning cylinder is provided with the anti-frost heaving rod. An upper portion of the positioning cylinder is provided with the anti-thawing settlement rod. The anti-frost heaving rod is provided upwards, and a bottom of the anti-frost heaving rod is rotatably provided on a mounting base of the anti-frost heaving rod through a first connecting screw rod. The anti-thawing settlement rod is provided downwards, and a top of the anti-thawing settlement rod is rotatably provided on a mounting base of the anti-thawing settlement rod through a second connecting screw rod.

Abstract: System and methods for heating boreholes include laser generators to trigger a chemical reaction to break down heavy hydrocarbons in boreholes. The systems and methods use arrays of laser generators at the borehole surface or within the borehole to heat the heavy hydrocarbons. The systems and methods may include hydrocarbon sensors within the borehole to detect gas seepage resulting from heating of the heavy hydrocarbons.

Abstract: Device for severing parts of a concrete work, comprising a container in which an over-pressure is generated by a gas produced by a chemical reaction between a chemical compound and an aqueous solution after a predetermined delay. The container includes the aqueous solution and is attached to a case comprising a first recess for storing the chemical compound. A burst disk is arranged between the first recess and the container for ensuring a total sealing between the chemical compound and the aqueous solution. The case includes a second recess enclosing an electronic trigger, an actuator being controlled by the trigger to cause bursting of the burst disk after a predetermined delay, causing said chemical reaction inside the container.

Abstract: Device for severing parts of a concrete work, comprising a container in which an over-pressure is generated by a gas produced by a chemical reaction between a chemical compound and an aqueous solution after a predetermined delay. The container includes the aqueous solution and is attached to a case comprising a first recess for storing the chemical compound. A burst disk is arranged between the first recess and the container for ensuring a total sealing between the chemical compound and the aqueous solution. The case includes a second recess enclosing an electronic trigger, an actuator being controlled by the trigger to cause bursting of the burst disk after a predetermined delay, causing said chemical reaction inside the container.

Abstract: A cut-off element for concrete structures is formed by a plastic material flask having a flat-closed base and a tapering side envelope forming an acute angle with the base, said angle being between 25° and 60° for generating expansion forces so as to provoke a fracture of the concrete part along the cut-off zone defined by the base, and a lifting movement with slight amplitude of the concrete block after cut-off.

Abstract: A durable frost heave damage preventive structure of underground structures applicable easily and at low cost to many different kinds of underground structures. The frost heave damage preventive structure includes a plate-like reaction member (7) provided at the bottom of an underground structure (1) approximately in parallel to a freezing front in the ground.

Abstract: A tubular piling pipe having a plurality of cantilevered perforations formed in the exterior wall of the pipe defined by individual bendable necks and carrying enlarged-in-cross section tabs at their free extremities to provide foundational support. The bendable necks have elastic limits such that an outward force of sufficient magnitude will permanently force the necks and respective tabs radially outward and into the surrounding soil such that the tabs define anchor fingers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for in-situ solidifying and stabilizing a mass of unstable foundation soil utilizes a plasma arc torch. The torch is inserted into a drilled and cased hole to a selected depth in a subterranean unstable soil layer and the torch is energized. The intense heat generated by the torch melts the soil material close to the hole and forms a pool of melt while more remote sections are baked to a brick-like consistency or dried and strengthened. Upon cooling, the central melted soil material cools to a hard, vitrified column with physical properties equivalent to a hard, dense rock. Variations of the method apply to a variety of construction support problems and landslide remediation problems.

Abstract: For uniformly heating a snow collecting surface on an outdoor structure, e.g., a roadway, a heat exchanging pipe system is embedded in the structure near the surface. The pipe system comprises two sets of parallel, and preferably, interdigitated sets of pipes, and means for pumping heated water in one direction through one of the sets of pipes and for pumping water in the opposite direction through the other set of pipes. Preferably, underground water is used; one well being used from which the underground water is pumped, and another well being into which the water discharged from the heat exchanger is pumped for eventual reheating of the discharged water.

Abstract: Snow lying on a road or building structure is melted and removed without sprinkling water on the snow by pumping up from a well and circulating underground water, which is contained in an underground aquifer and warmed by geothermy of the aquifer utilizing the heat retaining function thereof, through pipe arrangement laid under the surface of the road or building structure. The used and cooled underground water is returned into another artesian well without being wasted and exposed to the atmosphere. Underground water warmed by the solar heat and stored in the aquifer in a hot season may be preferably used in a cold snow season. An antifreezing liquid may be filled and circulate in the pipe arrangement to perform effective heat transfer through a heat exchanger between the antifreezing liquid and the underground water which circulates from one well to the other well. A pipe having excellent crystal structure of the welded joint portion can be used for the pipe arrangement.

Abstract: An underground water warmed by the geothermy in an aquifer is pumped up by a pumping means disposed in a pump-up well and the pumped up underground water is introduced into a heat exchanger located in the pump-up well near the opening thereof. The heat exchanger is connected to a heat radiating pipe laid under a road or a building structure on the ground through feed and return conduits. An antifreezing fluid is filled in the heat radiating pipe and circulates through the heat radiating pipe and the heat exchanger through the conduits. The antifreezing fluid warmed in the heat exchanger by the heat exchanging operation stores the heat in the road and transfers the heat to the snow on the ground during the passing through the heat radiating pipe by the heat radiating operation, whereby snow lying on the road is melted without sprinkling water.

Abstract: A pier adapted to support a load such as a foundation wall comprises a concrete pillar, a support tube oriented substantially perpendicular to and on top of the pier, a pair of threaded rods embedded in the pillar and extending through the support tube, and four threadably mounted on the threaded rods to secure the support tube to the pier. A portion of the support tube extends beyond the periphery of the pillar and is disposed below the load, whereby the load is supported by the extending portion of the support tube. A slippery, plastic liner surrounds the upper portion of the concrete pillar so that swelling of soil surrounding the liner is inhibited by the liner from displacing the concrete pillar.

Abstract: A covering is applied onto the outer surface of a pile including a steel pipe or the like to surround a predetermined length thereof so as to reduce a frost heaving force or negative friction acting on the pile in a frigid area. The covering is closely adhered by an adhesion layer the like to the pile over a given length thereof. This given length is between 0.5 and 5 m. The covering member includes a smooth-surfaced plastic covering or elastic covering. A rugged surface covering may be provided below the smooth surfaced covering.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for increasing the capacity of a tubular driven pile. A refrigeration unit is lowered into the pile and grouted in place above a cement plug. The area between the refrigeration unit and the plug is filled with a secondary refrigerant. Seawater fills the pile above the refrigeration unit and is used for refrigeration unit cooling. The refrigeration unit cools the brine until the soil surrounding the pile is frozen. The adfreeze strength of the frozen soil and the pile increase the pullout resistance of the pile. Further, the end-bearing capacity of the pile is increased as a result of the large frozen mass surrounding the pile.

Abstract: An ice rink for speed competition skating has a rink floor which is divided into longitudinal spans or sections by recesses extending transversely of the freezing zone of the rink. On each span or section, there are disposed side-by-side a large number of freezing pipes extending lengthwise of the freezing zone. Refrigerant supply and return headers are provided in each recess for extending across the recess. The freezing pipes associated with two neighboring spans or sections are introduced into the associated recesses so as to cross one another for connection to the supply and return headers and then to the common freezing unit disposed outside of the recesses. The freezing pipes are retracted into the recesses in the crossing or overlapping portions so that the ice does not become too hard or thick in these portions. The relative height level of the crossing point is also adjustable so as to render the ice layer uniform and smooth in quality.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method of forming a cast-in-place concrete pile. A demolition-facilitating substance is mounted in an open top confined space above a predetermined level. The demolition-facilitating substance is expansible upon lapse of a predetermined period of time. Concrete is poured into the confined space to cover the demolition-facilitating substance to cast a concrete pile, so that the demolition-facilitating substance is expanded to produce cracks in the concrete pile above the predetermined level.

Abstract: A method for the driving of steel profiles into a rock substratum is described, in which, before the driving, holes are drilled into the rock substratum, in which holes explosive charges are detonated. The explosive charge is so constructed and dimensioned that only the shock waves of the explosion act upon the rock, and not the combustion gases, so that the rock is only shattered in its internal structure but is not driven away. In the construction of a sheet pile wall, the holes are provided with explosive in mutually overlapping zones of differing depths, zones of the same depth being detonated at the same time and the charge in each hole being provided at top and bottom with a detonator each.

Abstract: A method for creating an ice-skating rink comprising an excavation in the ground lined with polyethylene and filled with salt water; a pump and sprayer used in the winter to build up a layer of salt ice on top of the salt water and to eventually fill the excavation with frozen salt water in this manner, with the pump drawing salt water from beneath the salt ice as the freezing process progresses; covering the salt ice with a layer of straw or layers of air supported reinforced plastic during the warm weather months; circulating air or water over the salt ice and then through channels cut into the ice of the ice rink; laying aluminum foil on the skating surface and freezing more ice over it; and providing an enclosed air supported bubble over the ice with a secondary air supported inner ceiling having an upper facing aluminum surface thereon to reflect infrared radiation coming from the main outer bubble.

Abstract: A method for removing frost from a selected area of the ground in accordance with one aspect of the invention involves positioning a plurality of hollow pipes over the area to be thawed, each pipe having an exhaust end and an inlet end. These pipes and the immediately adjacent ground areas, save for the inlet and exhaust ends of the pipes, are then covered with a bed of sand, gravel, or like filler material to a selected depth to provide a heat insulating and heat sink effect. Following this, burning gases are directed for a selected period of time along the length of each such pipe from a plurality of burners, each burner being disposed at the inlet end of a respective one of the pipes. The heated gases are allowed to travel along the length of the pipe and to escape from their exhaust ends whereby to effect heating of and thawing of the selected ground area.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for setting pilings, and to apparatus for use in conjunction therewith. More particularly, the invention relates to a new and improved method for temporarily setting and holding a piling in place for subsequent filling, packing and setting of material surrounding the ground imbedded portion of the piling. The present invention finds particular, but not necessarily exclusive utility in connection with setting pilings in frozen ground such as arctic tundra.