Segmental tubes

Abstract

A segmental tube section structure having a length and a circumference, the segmental tube section structure including, a plurality of tube segments extending the length in a longitudinal direction of the segmental tube section structure and extending in a circumferential direction of the segmental tube section structure, wherein each tube segment of the plurality of tube segments extends in the circumferential direction to span an arc of the circumference of the segmental tube section structure, wherein each of the plurality of tube segments is connected to adjacent tube segments of the plurality of tube segments in the circumferential direction to form the segmental tube section structure, wherein at least one of the plurality of tube segments comprises an attachment structure to accommodate a vehicle track assembly, and wherein each of the plurality of tube segments is formed of a steel plate.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A segmental tube section structure having a length and a circumference, the segmental tube section structure comprising,
 a plurality of tube segments extending the length in a longitudinal direction of the segmental tube section structure and extending in a circumferential direction of the segmental tube section structure,   wherein each tube segment of the plurality of tube segments extends in the circumferential direction to span an arc of the circumference of the segmental tube section structure,   wherein each of the plurality of tube segments is connected to adjacent tube segments of the plurality of tube segments in the circumferential direction to form the segmental tube section structure,   wherein at least one of the plurality of tube segments comprises an attachment structure to accommodate a vehicle track assembly, and   wherein each of the plurality of tube segments is formed of a steel plate.   
     
     
         2 . The segmental tube section structure of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of tube segments is connected to respective adjacent tube segments of the plurality of tube segments via welds formed between the adjacent tube segments. 
     
     
         3 . The segmental tube section structure of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of tube segments when welded to the adjacent tube segments of the plurality of tube segments forms an air-tight interior surface. 
     
     
         4 . The segmental tube section structure of  claim 2 , wherein the air-tight interior surface maintains a sub 100 pa pressure environment. 
     
     
         5 . The segmental tube section structure of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of tube segments are nestable with each other when arranged adjacent each other. 
     
     
         6 . The segmental tube section structure of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of tube segments additionally comprises a transportation vehicle track. 
     
     
         7 . The segmental tube section structure of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of tube segments is transportable via a shipping container to a tube assembly location, and assemblable into the segmental tube section structure at the tube assembly location. 
     
     
         8 . The segmental tube section structure of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of tube segments comprise between two and eight tube segments. 
     
     
         9 . The segmental tube section structure of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of tube segments comprise six tube segments each tube segment spanning approximately 60 degrees of the circumference of the segmental tube section structure. 
     
     
         10 . The segmental tube section structure of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of tube segments comprise eight tube segments each tube segment spanning approximately 45 degrees of the circumference of the segmental tube section structure. 
     
     
         11 . The segmental tube section structure of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of tube segments are two tube segments each tube segment spanning approximately 180 degrees of the circumference of the segmental tube section structure. 
     
     
         12 . A method of installing a segmental tube section structure having a length and a circumference, the segmental tube section structure comprising,
 a plurality of tube segments extending the length in a longitudinal direction of the segmental tube section structure and extending in a circumferential direction of the segmental tube section structure,   wherein each of the plurality of tube segments is connected to adjacent tube segments of the plurality of tube segments in the circumferential direction to form the segmental tube section structure,   wherein at least one of the plurality of tube segments comprises an attachment structure to accommodate a vehicle track assembly, and   wherein each of the plurality of tube segments is formed of a steel plate, the method comprising:   arranging the plurality of tube segments at an installation site;   queueing the plurality of tube segments on an assembly conveyor;   conveying the plurality of tube segments from the installation site to a tube manufacturing location; and   connecting the plurality of tube segments to adjacent tube segments of the plurality of tube segments, and connecting the plurality of tube segments to adjacent tube segments of a previously assembled segmental tube section structure.   
     
     
         13 . The method of installing the segmental tube section structure according to  claim 12 , further comprising:
 lowering a tube segment into arrangement on a plurality of expansion bellows;   attaching ends of the tube segment to the plurality of expansion bellows;   rotating the plurality of expansion bellows in a circumferential direction by a distance of the arc;   lowering a next tube segment into arrangement on the plurality of expansion bellows; and   connecting the next tube segment to the tube segment.   
     
     
         14 . The method of installing the segmental tube section structure according to  claim 12 ,
 wherein a plurality of segmental tube section structures are connected with adjacent segmental tube section structures to form a tube extending in the longitudinal direction, and   wherein tube segments are installed in the longitudinal direction prior to or at substantially the same time as installation of tube segments in the circumferential direction, such that the tube is assembled in multiple directions concurrently.   
     
     
         15 . The method of installing the segmental tube section structure according to  claim 12 , wherein the connecting the plurality of tube segments to adjacent tube segments of the plurality of tube segments, and the connecting the plurality of tube segments to tube segments of the previously assembled segmental tube section structure, comprises welding so as to form an air-tight interior surface. 
     
     
         16 . The method of installing the segmental tube section structure according to  claim 12 , further comprising:
 lowering a tube segment into a transfer mechanism to insert a tube segment into a radial fixture spanning from column to column,   lowering a next tube segment into the transfer mechanism, and   rotating the tube segment in a circumferential direction by a distance of the arc, before inserting the next tube segment into the radial fixture.   
     
     
         17 . The method of installing the segmental tube section structure according to  claim 16 , further comprising repeating the lowering and rotating on a plurality of tube segments to fully populate the fixture prior to welding or connecting the adjacent segments together along their longitudinal length. 
     
     
         18 . The method of installing the segmental tube section structure according to  claim 17 , wherein the tube segment is welded along a short edge end to end to incrementally lengthen the segmental tube section structure longitudinally. 
     
     
         19 . The method of installing the segmental tube section structure according to  claim 12 ,
 further comprising attaching at least one of a propulsion track and a levitation track to at least one of the one of the plurality of tube segments.   
     
     
         20 . A segmental tube section structure having a length and a circumference, the segmental tube section structure comprising,
 a plurality of tube segments extending the length in a longitudinal direction of the segmental tube section structure and extending in a circumferential direction of the segmental tube section structure,   wherein each of the plurality of tube segments are welded to adjacent tube segments of the plurality of tube segments in the circumferential direction to form the segmental tube section structure,   wherein each of the plurality of tube segments is formed of a steel plate, and   wherein at least one of the plurality of tube segments is configured to accommodate a track assembly of the segmental tube section structure.