Earthen work with wire mesh facing
AssigneeThe Reinforced Earth Company
InventorsPeter L. Anderson, Michael J. Cowell, Dan J. Hotek
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An earthen work bulk form construction has a wire mesh facing and granular compactable fill with stabilizing members projecting horizontally into the fill from the front facing. The front facing is comprised of modular shaped panels which form a mosaic pattern that enables construction of the wall with non-adjacent panels serving to facilitate and support adjacent panels. Connection of the stabilizing members to the front panels is effected through a quick engagement and locking handle bar connector. A version of a handle bar connector is disclosed for connecting a cast in place front wall to the front panels and bulk form.
Claims20
A wall construction having a wire mesh facing, said construction comprising, in combination:
- a granular, compactable fill defining a three dimensional earthen work bulk form having a generally planar front face extending upwardly from a datum plane,
- said earthen work bulk form including a plurality of earth stabilizing members dispersed throughout the bulk form, said stabilizing members extending generally horizontally from the front face into the bulk form, at least some of said stabilizing members comprising first and second tensile members extending from the front face into the bulk form;
- a plurality of generally vertical, planar wire mesh panels on the front face, said panels defining vertical courses of connected panels, having generally horizontal side edges and vertical side edges, the vertical side edges being generally aligned and the horizontal side edges of adjacent panels being offset;
- means for connecting the tensile members to the panels, said means also projecting from the panels and from the front face;
- and
- cast in place facing material over the means for connecting the tensile members to the panels.
The wall construction of claim I wherein the means for connecting the tensile members to the panels comprise a handle bar construction coacting with tensile members and including at least one leg projecting outwardly from the wire mesh panels into the cast in place facing material.
A method for construction of an earthen work bulk form wall construction having a wire mesh facing, comprising the steps of:
- (a) forming a datum plane for the earth work bulk form;
- (b) laying a course of wire mesh base members having a generally vertical panel and a connected horizontal panel, said vertical panel generally defining a front face of the earthen work bulk form;
- (c) attaching horizontally alternating height facing panels of wire mesh continuously along the vertical panel of the base members generally along the front face to define a first course of facing panels;
- (d) back filling granular material behind the front face to a first level;
- (e) attaching a plurality of earth stabilizing members by means of connector members to the facing panels for extending into the earthen work and over the first layer of granular material, at least some of the said connector members projecting outwardly from the facing panels;
- (f) attaching vertical wire mesh facing panel members to the alternating lower height facing panel members of the first course;
- (g) back filling granular material behind the front face;
- (h) attaching a plurality of earth stabilizing members to the facing over the back fill;
- and
- (i) casting in place an aggregate material wall against the facing panels.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.