Berm and method of construction thereof

A system for strengthening a sloped structure, the system comprising:

• first and second opposing sides, the second side being adjacent the sloped structure;
• a bottom side adjoining bottom edges of the first and second sides, thereby forming a cavity within the first, second, and bottom sides;
• fill material disposed within the cavity;
• a plurality of facing baskets adjacent the first side, each facing basket comprising a substantially horizontal portion and a substantially vertical portion;
• a plurality of substantially horizontal reinforcing members disposed within the fill material, each of the plurality of reinforcing members associated with a corresponding facing basket, each of the plurality of reinforcing members comprising an inner end, an outer end, a top surface, and a bottom surface, the outer end of each reinforcing member being adjacent the substantially vertical portion of the corresponding facing basket and above the substantially horizontal portion of the corresponding facing basket;
• and
• an impermeable membrane encapsulating at least a portion of the fill material and one or more of the reinforcing members;
• wherein the facing baskets and the reinforcing members are positioned in a plurality of layers, with each layer comprising one facing basket and one corresponding reinforcing member;
• wherein the impermeable membrane is positioned to uninterruptedly span two or more layers of the plurality of layers;
• wherein at each of one or more layers, different portions of the impermeable membrane are positioned (a) between the substantially horizontal portion of the facing basket and the bottom surface of the corresponding reinforcing member, (b) around the outer end of the corresponding reinforcing member, (c) along the top surface of the substantially horizontal portion of the facing basket, and (d) angled upward toward an adjacent layer.

A system for reinforcing and facing a wall, the system comprising:

• a plurality of facing baskets adjacent a first side of the wall, each facing basket comprising a substantially horizontal portion and a substantially vertical portion;
• a plurality of substantially horizontal reinforcing members disposed within the wall, each of the plurality of reinforcing members associated with a corresponding facing basket, each of the plurality of reinforcing members comprising an inner end, an outer end, a top surface, and a bottom surface, the outer end of each reinforcing member being adjacent the substantially vertical portion of the corresponding facing basket and above the substantially horizontal portion of the corresponding facing basket;
• and
• an impermeable membrane;
• wherein the facing baskets and the reinforcing members are positioned in a plurality of layers, with each layer comprising one facing basket and one corresponding reinforcing member;
• wherein the impermeable membrane is positioned to uninterruptedly span two or more layers of the plurality of layers;
• wherein at each of one or more layers, different portions of the impermeable membrane are positioned (a) between the substantially horizontal portion of the facing basket and the bottom surface of the corresponding reinforcing member, (b) around the outer end of the corresponding reinforcing member, (c) along the top surface of the substantially horizontal portion of the facing basket, and (d) angled upward toward an adjacent layer.

A method for laying sheet material, the method comprising:

• positioning a first portion of the sheet material in a substantially planar arrangement;
• positioning an elongated spacer element at a position on the sheet material at which a second portion of the sheet material is to be folded back onto the first portion;
• and
• folding the second portion of the sheet material around the spacer element and back onto first portion.