Tunnels: Manufacturing of Tunnel Segment Gaskets

· ALGAHER is specialized in manufacturing tunnel segment gaskets (TSG).
· ALGAHER offers a variety of different models of gaskets to meet the needs of each project.
· All our gaskets are manufactured according to the EN 681-1 standard and STUVA Recommendations.

We have 4 families of gaskets:

Glued gaskets

Anchored gaskets

Hydrophilic cord integrated

Co-extrusion with hydrophilic

No solid corners

A system developed by ALGAHER controls the injection parameters in order to reduce the quantity of injection material in the corners and to avoid material invasion inside the geometry of the profile.

Thanks to this system, we achieve to facilitate the installation of the segments and to reduce the possibilities of spalling effect.

Drawing of ALGAHER corner in anchored gasket

Image of ALGAHER corner in anchored gasket

Drawing of ALGAHER corner in glued gasket

Example of spalling effect caused by a gasket with solid corner

Corner adapted for each angle

We produce our corners according to each segment through injection moulds of 80, 90 and 100 degrees. Besides, our corner system is capable of performing twisted angles.

Our corners are aligned regarding to each segment angle. This fact achieves to optimize the water tightness properties.

Image of ALGAHER corner

Oblique angle (twisted angle) of ALGAHER corner (DV9IS profile)

Ring design with oblique angle in K segment and S4 and S5 counter keys

Corner with sharp edge

We design and manufacture all our corners through an accurate system, which achieves very sharp edges. Due to our sharp edges, our gaskets reach great values in T joints point.

Detail of ALGAHER corner with sharp edge

Detail of corner with rounded edge

Example of T joint in concrete segment

Special coating (K and Counter keys)

All the ALGAHER profiles and corners regarding to K segment and its counter keys, carry a special coating which reduces the friction coefficient between the gaskets in the moment of the installation.

Water Tightness TESTS

Thanks to the design of our profiles and corners, we are able to achieve high performance gaskets which reach high values of water tightness depending on the OFFSET and GAP.

All the ALGAHER tests are made according to STUVA Recommendations.

Water Tightness values obtained from a test made and certificated by STUVA for our DV7 gasket.

Water Tightness graphic of ALGAHER gasket.

Bedplate for the test of glued gaskets (up image) and anchored gaskets (down image).

Compression TESTS

We perform compression tests according to STUVA Recommendations and European Standard 681- 1:1996 in all our gaskets:

Load Deflection / Restoration capacity / Relajación a esfuerzos

Pictures of tools for compression tests in corners.

Pictures of tools for compression tests in profiles.

Analysis by FEM

Thanks to our engineering department, we can perform FEM analytics in order to study the behavior of the profiles and to achieve more functional geometries.