US 10,094,087 B2 · Method and apparatus for stabilizing slopes and embankments with soil load transfer plates

Abstract

A system for and method of stabilizing slopes and embankments using one or more soil load transfer elements are disclosed. The present subject matter provides for an efficient method and apparatus for stabilizing shallow landslides and slope instabilities for failing and near-failing soil masses that are underlain by soil materials. The system may include a plurality of load transfer plates affixed to a pile or load transfer section in varying configurations. In one embodiment, one or more upper load transfer plates are preferably used to capture the downslope-moving soil mass and transfer the applied loads to the intermediary pile section. In another embodiment, a plurality of upper load transfer plates can be used to transfer applied loads to a lower pile section.

Claims58

Dependent claims

A soil load transfer element comprising:

a. a load transfer pile comprising a vertical axis, an upper portion, a lower portion, and an intermediary portion between the upper portion and lower portion;
b. two or more upper plates vertically coupled along the upper portion of the load transfer pile where an L-axis of the two or more upper plates is parallel to the vertical axis of the load transfer pile;
and
c. one or more lower plates vertically coupled along the lower portion of the load transfer pile where an L-axis of the one or more lower plates is parallel to the vertical axis of the load transfer pile;
wherein the intermediary portion does not comprise plates.

2 more elements

A method for stabilizing a slope and/or embankment, the method comprising:

a. providing a soil load transfer system comprising one or more load transfer elements wherein the one or more load transfer elements comprise a load transfer pile comprising a vertical axis, an upper portion, a lower portion, and an intermediary portion between the upper portion and lower portion, one or more upper plates vertically coupled along the upper portion of the load transfer pile wherein an L-axis of the one or more upper plates is parallel to the vertical axis of the load transfer pile, and two or more lower plates vertically coupled along the lower portion of the load transfer pile wherein an L-axis of the two or more lower plates is parallel to the vertical axis of the load transfer pile, wherein the intermediary portion does not comprise plates;
and
b. driving the one or more load transfer plate elements through an unstable soil mass into an underlying relatively stable soil mass at a prescribed spacing and depth.

A method for stabilizing a slope and/or embankment, the method comprising:

a. providing a soil load transfer system comprising one or more load transfer elements wherein the one or more load transfer elements comprise a load transfer pile comprising a vertical axis, an upper portion, and a lower portion, two or more upper plates each vertically coupled along the vertical axis of the load transfer pile at the upper portion, wherein each of the two or more upper plates are longitudinally spaced a distance from each other along the load transfer pile and wherein an L-axis of the two or more upper plates is parallel to the vertical axis of the load transfer pile, and one or more lower plates coupled to the lower portion of the load transfer pile;
and
b. driving the one or more load transfer plate elements through an unstable soil mass into an underlying relatively stable soil mass at a prescribed spacing and depth.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for stabilizing slopes and embankments with soil load transfer plates

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for stabilizing slopes and embankments with soil load transfer plates

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims58