Back to results
US 12,320,090 B2Granted
Methods and apparatuses for compacting soil and granular materials
AssigneeGeopier Foundation Company, Inc.
InventorsDavid J. White, Kord J. Wissmann
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for densifying and compacting granular materials comprising a drive shaft having a first diameter and a compaction end, and a set of one or more diametric expansion elements attached to an exterior of the compaction end of the drive shaft, wherein the one or more diametric expansion elements, in their expanded state, form compaction surfaces having a second diameter greater than the first diameter of the drive shaft.
Claims10
An apparatus for densifying and compacting granular materials comprising:
- a drive shaft having a first diameter and a compaction end;
- and
- a set of one or more diametric expansion elements attached to an exterior and at the bottom of the compaction end of the drive shaft,
- wherein the one or more diametric expansion elements, in their expanded state, form compaction surfaces having a second diameter greater than the first diameter of the drive shaft.
1 more element
A method of densifying and compacting granular materials, comprising:
- providing a compaction apparatus comprising a drive shaft having a first diameter and a compaction end, and a set of one or more diametric expansion elements attached to an exterior and at the bottom of the compaction end of the drive shaft, wherein the one or more diametric expansion elements, in their expanded state, form compaction surfaces having a second diameter greater than the first diameter of the drive shaft;
- driving the compaction apparatus into free-field soils to a specified depth;
- lifting the compaction apparatus a specified distance such that the exterior diametric expansion elements move downward relative to the compaction apparatus to hang from connections to the compaction apparatus;
- re-driving the apparatus downwardly into the free-field soils causing the exterior diametric expansion elements to bunch-up forming compaction surfaces;
- and
- repeating the driving and lifting of the compaction apparatus.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.