# US 10,501,908 B1 · Membrane-lined wall > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,501,908 B1 - Document ID: US10501908B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 16/220,139 - Filed: 2018-12-14 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2018-12-14 - Assignees: Levee Lock, LLC - Applicants: Levee Lock, LLC - Inventors: James H. Lancaster; Gerald L. Deneal; Eric E. Gregg - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10501908B1 ## CPC - E02D 31/004: {Sealing liners} - E02B 3/10: Dams; Dykes; Sluice ways or other structures for dykes, dams, or the like (making embankments or dams in general E02D17/18) - E02B 3/16: Sealings or joints ({E02B3/12 takes precedence; sealings for specific structural foundation elements, see the relevant groups for those elements; sealings for barrage or lock gates E02B7/54}; joints for foundation structures E02D29/16; sealing joints not restricted to hydraulic engineering work E04B1/68) - E02D 29/0275: {cast in situ} - E02D 2250/0023: Cast, i.e. in situ or in a mold or other formwork - E02D 2300/0032: in sheet form, i.e. bent or deformed plate-material - E02D: FOUNDATIONS; EXCAVATIONS; EMBANKMENTS (specially adapted for hydraulic engineering E02B); UNDERGROUND OR UNDERWATER STRUCTURES {(tunnels, tunnelling, mining E21)} - E02B: HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING (ship-lifting E02C; dredging E02F) ## Abstract A membrane-lined wall for levee reinforcement or leak prevention, prevention of water migration, and pollution control of impoundments. The membrane-lined wall generally includes a cementitious or concrete wall formed within an excavated trench. The concrete may be internally reinforced, and the wall may also comprise a double-layer of impermeable geomembrane liner that forms a barrier between the concrete and the sides and bottom of the trench. The membrane or liner reduces water migration, prevents levee leakage, and prevents the escape of contaminants in impoundments. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of forming a membrane-lined wall, comprising: excavating a trench, the trench having two sides, a bottom, and a length; positioning a roll of a liner above the trench, such that an axis of the roll is oriented along the length of the trench; positioning an edge of the liner above the trench such that the edge is oriented along the length of the trench; forcing a portion of the liner between the edge and the roll into the trench such that the liner is supplied from the roll and extends into the trench to form a continuous, seamless barrier between the two sides and the bottom of the trench and an interior portion of the liner; installing a reinforcement mat within the interior portion of the liner, the reinforcement mat having a length aligned with the length of the trench, and having a height aligned with the two sides of the trench; and filling at least part of the interior portion of the liner with a cementitious material that surrounds the reinforcement mat within the interior portion of the liner; wherein a weight of the cementitious material forces the liner into contact with the sides of the trench; and allowing the cementitious material to harden. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of forming a membrane-lined wall of claim 1, further comprising: applying vibration to the cementitious material before it hardens. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of forming a membrane-lined wall of claim 2, wherein the vibration is applied with an internal vibrator. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of forming a membrane-lined wall of claim 1, wherein the sides of the trench are vertical. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of forming a membrane-lined wall of claim 1, wherein the cementitious material surrounds the reinforcement mat on at least three sides. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of forming a membrane-lined wall of claim 1, wherein the reinforcement mat comprises multiple pieces of reinforcement material joined together at an edge of each piece, wherein each piece is linearly aligned with each adjacent piece. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of forming a membrane-lined wall of claim 1, wherein the liner comprises two layers of a low-permeability membrane, an inner layer adjacent to the interior portion of the liner, and an outer layer adjacent to the sides and the bottom of the trench. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of forming a membrane-lined wall of claim 7, wherein the inner layer of the liner comprises multiple sections, wherein each section forms an overlap with an adjacent section along a first edge, and wherein the cementitious material is added to a section of the inner layer having a vertical edge that is interior to a vertical edge of the adjacent section. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of forming a membrane-lined wall of claim 8, further comprising the step of adding an adhesive layer between each adjacent section of the inner layer of the liner. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of forming a membrane-lined wall of claim 9, wherein the outer layer of the liner comprises multiple sections, and wherein each section of the outer layer forms an overlap with an adjacent section of the outer layer along a second edge; wherein each overlap of the inner layer is spaced apart from each overlap of the outer layer in a direction along the length of the trench. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of forming a membrane-lined wall of claim 10, further comprising: applying vibration to the cementitious material before it hardens. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of forming a membrane-lined wall of claim 1, wherein forcing the portion of the liner between the edge and the roll into the trench comprises lowering a lengthwise weight into the trench along the length of the trench. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of forming a membrane-lined wall of claim 12, further comprising: applying vibration to the cementitious material before it hardens. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of forming a membrane-lined wall of claim 12, wherein the sides of the trench are vertical. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method of forming a membrane-lined wall of claim 12, wherein the cementitious material surrounds the reinforcement mat on at least three sides. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The method of forming a membrane-lined wall of claim 12, wherein the reinforcement mat comprises multiple pieces of reinforcement material joined together at an edge of each piece, wherein each piece is linearly aligned with each adjacent piece. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The method of forming a membrane-lined wall of claim 12, further comprising: positioning a second roll of second liner material over one side of the trench; positioning and clamping a lengthwise edge of the second liner material over a side of the trench opposite the second roll of second liner material; and lowering a lengthwise weight into the trench to cause the liner material and the second liner material to unroll and extend into the trench. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The method of forming a membrane-lined wall of claim 12, wherein the cementitious material comprises concrete. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The method of forming a membrane-lined wall of claim 12, wherein the liner comprises two layers of a low-permeability membrane, an inner layer adjacent to the interior portion of the liner, and an outer layer adjacent to the sides and the bottom of the trench. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of forming a membrane-lined wall of claim 19, wherein the inner layer of the liner comprises multiple sections, wherein each section forms an overlap with an adjacent section along a first edge.