US 4,960,349 AGranted

Woven geotextile grid

AssigneesNicolon Corporation, Georgia Duck and Cordage Mill

InventorsGary L. Willibey, John W. Hawkins, Russell P. Harp, David M. Wilkinson

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Abstract

Woven geotextile grid for earth reinforcement applications. The grid is formed of woven fabric which is coated with a suitalbe polyvinylchloride or other plastic coating. The fabric is formed of a plurality of spaced-apart pick yarn bundles which are interwoven with a plurality of spaced-apart warp yarn bundles. The pick yarn bundles are held in place in the warp yarn bundles with locking yarns which run parallel to the pick yarns and which are positioned adjacent to the edges of the pick yarn bundles. The warp yarns extend between the pick yarn bundles and locking yarns to lock the pick yarn bundles into place. A plurality of pairs of leno yarns oriented parallel to the warp yarns additionally strenghten the fabric by interlocking with one another in the spaces between pick yarn bundles and locking yarns. The result is a grid which has wide lateral and longitudinal members that lock together to form large interstices through which soil and water may penetrate. Strength of the grid may be adjusted laterally or longitudinally by varying (1) the number, size and composition of pick yarns and warp yarms; (2) the spacing between pick yarn bundles and warp yarn bundles and (3) the number, position and composition of the leno yarns. Coatings may be independently formulated to suit particular applications without detracting from strength properties of the grid.

Claims6

Dependent claims

A method of reinforcing earth, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a woven grid, comprising:
(i) a plurality of spaced-apart bundles of pick yarns positioned adjacent to one another and forming a first and a second side of the grid;
(ii) a plurality of pairs of locking yarns oriented parallel to the pick yarns, each yarn in a locking yarn pair positioned adjacent to an edge of a pick yarn bundle;
(iii) a plurality of spaced-apart bundles of warp yarns positioned adjacent to one another, alternately positioned on the first and second sides of the pick yarn bundles and extending between each pick yarn bundle and its corresponding locking yarns;
(iv) a plurality of pairs of leno yarns oriented parallel to the warp yarns, the leno yarns in each pair positioned on opposite sides of the pick yarn bundles and interlocking with each other between each pick yarn bundle and its corresponding locking yarns;
and
(v) a plastic coating covering the yarns;
(b) grading to a predetermined height and slope an area of substrate that will support the reinforced earth;
(c) placing a layer of the woven grid on the graded fill in a direction such that the pick yarn bundles and locking yarns are oriented substantially perpendicular to the direction of the grade, the pick yarn bundles acting as anchors and the locking yarns helping lock the pick yarn bundles and the warp yarn bundles into place, and the warp yarn bundles and leno yarns are oriented substantially parallel to the direction of the grade, the warp yarn bundles acting as strength members and the leno yarns helping lock the pick yarn bundles and the warp yarn bundles into place;
(d) placing a layer of fill on the grid;
and
(e) grading the layer of fill to a predetermined height and slope.

9 more elements

A method of forming an embankment, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a woven grid, comprising:
(i) a plurality of spaced-apart bundles of pick yarns positioned adjacent to one another and forming a first and a second side of the grid;
(ii) a plurality of pairs of locking yarns oriented parallel to the pick yarns, each yarn in a locking yarn pair positioned adjacent to an edge of a pick yarn bundle;
(iii) a plurality of spaced-apart bundles of warp yarns positioned adjacent to one another, alternately positioned on the first and second sides of the pick yarn bundles and extending between each pick yarn bundle and its corresponding locking yarns;
(iv) a plurality of pairs of leno yarns oriented parallel to the warp yarns, the leno yarns in each pair positioned on opposite sides of the pick yarn bundles and interlocking with each other between each pick yarn bundle and its corresponding locking yarns;
and
(v) a plastic coating covering the yarns;
(b) grading to a predetermined height and slope an area of substrate that will support the embankment;
(c) placing a layer of the woven grid on the graded substrate in a direction such that the pick yarn bundles and locking yarns are oriented substantially perpendicular to the direction of the grade, the pick yarn bundles acting as anchors and the locking yarns helping lock the pick yarn bundles and the warp yarn bundles into place, and the warp yarn bundles and leno yarns are oriented substantially parallel to the direction of the grade, the warp yarn bundles acting as strength members and the leno yarns helping lock the pick yarn bundles and the warp yarn bundles into place;
(d) placing a layer of fill on a portion of the woven grid corresponding to the cross-sectional area of the embankment to be formed by the fill, but leaving a predetermined portion of the woven grid uncovered;
(e) grading the layer of fill to a predetermined height, slope and area;
(f) wrapping the uncovered edges of the woven grid up around the fill from which the grid extends;
(g) placing an additional layer of the woven grid on the graded fill in a direction such that the pick yarn bundles and locking yarns are oriented substantially perpendicular to the direction of the grade, the pick yarn bundles acting as anchors and the locking yarns helping lock the pick yarn bundles and the warp yarn bundles into place, and the warp yarn bundles and leno yarns are oriented substantially parallel to the direction of the grade, the warp yarn bundles acting as strength members and the leno yarns helping lock the pick yarn bundles and the warp yarn bundles into place;
(h) placing an additional layer of fill on a portion of the woven grid corresponding to the cross-sectional area of the embankment to be formed by the additional layer of fill, but leaving a predetermined portion of the additional layer of woven grid uncovered;
(i) grading the additional layer of fill to a predetermined height, slope and area;
(j) wrapping the uncovered portions of the woven grid up around the fill from which the grid extends;
(k) placing an additional layer of fill on the embankment;
and
(l) grading the additional layer of fill on a predetermined height, slope and area.

16 more elements

A method of forming an earth retaining wall, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a woven grid, comprising:
(i) a plurality of spaced-apart bundles of pick yarns positioned adjacent to one another and forming a first and a second side of the grid;
(ii) a plurality of pairs of locking yarns oriented parallel to the pick yarns, each yarn in a locking yarn pair positioned adjacent to an edge of a pick yarn bundle;
(iii) a plurality of spaced apart bundles of warp yarns positioned adjacent to one another, alternately positioned on the first and second sides of the pick yarn bundles and extending between each pick yarn bundle and its corresponding locking yarns;
(iv) a plurality of pairs of leno yarns oriented parallel to the warp yarns, the leno yarns in each pair positioned on opposite sides of the pick yarn bundles and interlocking with each other between each pick yarn bundle and its corresponding locking yarns;
and
(v) a plastic coating covering the yarns;
(b) providing a plurality of retaining wall elements, each element having at least one fastener for attachment to a length of woven grid;
(c) grading to a predetermined height and slope an area of substrate that will support the wall and the earth it retains;
(d) placing a layer of retaining wall elements on the graded substrate;
(e) placing a layer of fill on the substrate;
(f) grading the layer of fill to substantially the height of the lowest fasteners on the retaining wall elements;
(g) attaching at least one length of woven grid to at least one lowest fastener on each retaining wall element in a direction such that the pick yarn bundles and locking yarns are oriented substantially perpendicular to the retaining wall, the pick yarn bundles acting as anchors and the locking yarns helping lock the pick yarn bundles and the warp yarn bundles into place, and the warp yarn bundles and leno yarns are oriented substantially parallel to the retaining wall, the warp yarn bundles acting as strength members and the leno yarns helping lock the pick yarn bundles and the warp yarn bundles into place;
(h) placing an additional layer of fill on the lengths of woven grids;
(i) grading the additional layer of fill to substantially the height of the next-higher fasteners on the retaining wall elements;
(j) attaching at least one length of woven grid to at least one next-higher fastener in a direction such that the pick yarn bundles and locking yarns are oriented substantially perpendicular to the retaining wall, the pick yarn bundles acting as anchors and the locking yarns helping lock the pick yarn bundles and the warp yarn bundles into place, and the warp yarn bundles and leno yarns are oriented substantially parallel to the retaining wall, the warp yarn bundles acting as strength members and the leno yarns helping lock the pick yarn bundles and the warp yarn bundles into place;
(k) placing an additional layer of retaining wall elements on the highest layer of retaining wall elements in place;
(l) placing an additional layer of fill on the lengths of woven grids;
(m) repeating steps f-l at least once;
and
(n) grading the additional layer of fill to a predetermined height and slope.

18 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 07/387,653Filed 31 Jul 1989 · division
Priority: 5 Dec 1988
Granted: 2 Oct 1990
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

D03D 13/006
Woven fabrics characterised by the special disposition of the warp or weft threads, e.g. with curved weft threads, with discontinuous warp…: with…
D03D 15/283
Characterised by the material of the fibres or filaments constituting the yarns or threads: synthetic polymer-based, e.g. polyamide or polyester…
D03D 15/573
Characterised by the properties of the yarns or threads: tensile strength
E02D 29/0241
Comprising retention means in the backfill: the retention means being reinforced earth elements