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US 5,507,599 AGranted
Modular block retaining wall construction and components
AssigneeSociete Civile des Brevets Henri C. Vidal
InventorsPeter L. Anderson, Michael J. Cowell, Dan J. Hotek
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A modular block wall includes dry cast, unreinforced modular wall blocks with anchor type, or frictional type or composite type soil stabilizing elements recessed therein and attached thereto by vertical rods which also connect the blocks together. The soil stabilizing elements project into the compacted soil behind the courses of modular wall blocks from counterbores or slots in the blocks.
Claims46
An improved wall construction comprising, in combination:
- a plurality of facing block members arrayed in overlapping courses one upon the other, each block member having a generally planar front face, a back face, first and second sides connecting the front face to the back face and generally parallel top and bottom surfaces;
- each block member also including at least two, generally parallel throughbores extending from the top surface through the bottom surface, each throughbore including a counterbore in one of the parallel top and bottom surfaces, each of said counterbores extending from around each of the throughbores through the back face to define a channel in the top or bottom surface of the block;
- stabilizing elements comprising a tension arm positioned in selected counterbores of selected block members, each tension arm terminating in a loop having an opening generally congruent and overlying with a throughbore for said counterbore to define a pathway, said tension arms being generally parallel, and at least some of said tension arms connected together adjacent the back face of the block members;
- vertical rods extending through the pathway defined by each loop opening and the associated throughbores of vertically adjacent block members;
- the stabilizing elements including soil engaging means extending therefrom, said stabilizing elements projecting away from the back face of each block member;
- and
- compacted soil for receipt of the soil engaging means of the stabilizing elements.
4 more elements
An improved block member for construction of mechanically stabilized earth structures comprising, in combination:
- a cast member having a front face defining parallel side edges, and a top edge and a bottom edge connecting the side edges, a back face, side walls extending from the from face and connected with the back face, a top surface and a bottom surface generally parallel to the top surface;
- and
- first and second parallel throughbores from the top surface through the bottom surface, said throughbores generally parallel to the side edges of the front face, each of said throughbores having a centerline axis, each of said throughbores defining an elongated profile in a plane transverse to the centerline axis, said elongated profile having a major dimension extending toward the side walls, and said block also including a counterbore for each throughbore in at least one of the top or bottom surface, each counterbore overlying a throughbore and dimensioned to receive or loop member with a center opening over the throughbore, each counterbore section also including a connected channel extending through the back face for receipt of an elongated tensile arm connected to a loop.
An improved stabilizing element for use in combination with a block having counterbores in a surface of the block, said counterbores comprising first and second generally parallel channels in the surface of the block extending from one face of the block toward an opposite face and terminating within the block as a counterbore section, said stabilizing element comprising, in combination:
- first and second generally planar tensile members, each tensile member having an internal end formed as a generally horizontal loop, said loops being coplanar and each loop lying in generally the same plane, each loop shaped to provide an opening to at least partially surround a vertical throughbore and to receive a vertical rod, each loop sized to fit into a counterbore;
- and said stabilizing element further comprising at least one transverse cross member connecting the parallel tensile members and maintaining the loops spaced from one another by a fixed distance.
An improved wall construction comprising, in combination:
- a plurality of facing block members arrayed in overlapping courses one upon the other, each block member having a generally planar front face, sides, a back face, and generally parallel top and bottom surfaces, each block member also including at least two generally parallel throughbores from the top surface through the bottom surface, each throughbore including a counterbore extending along a surface from over the throughbore and through the back face to define a channel in the block member and a recess which surrounds the throughbore;
- a stabilizing element mounted in selected counterbores, said stabilizing element including tension arms, each one of said tension arms generally congruent with and positioned in a channel of a counterbore, said tension arms generally parallel and extending from the back face of the block members;
- generally vertical rods extending through the throughbores of adjacent overlying courses of block members engaging the stabilizing elements to retain the tension arms in the counterbores and simultaneously retaining vertically overlapping blocks connected together;
- said stabilizing elements including soil engaging means extending and projecting away from the back face of block members;
- and
- compacted soil for receipt of the soil engaging means.
3 more elements
An improved wall construction comprising, in combination:
- a plurality of facing block members arrayed in overlapping courses one upon the other, each block member having a generally planar front face, side faces, a back face, and generally parallel top and bottom surfaces, each block member also including at least two generally parallel throughbores from the top surface through the bottom surface, each throughbore including a counterbore extending along one surface, said counterbore overlaying and surrounding the throughbore and including a channel extending through the back face, said counterbores connected by a cross counterbore in said one surface;
- a stabilizing element mounted in selected counterbores, said element including a tension arm located within selected counterbores, said tension arms in said counterbores generally parallel and some pairs of tension arms connected together by a connection member extending through the cross counterbore;
- generally vertical rods extending through the throughbores and associated counterbores of adjacent overlying courses of block members connecting with the vertically adjacent blocks to hold them together, said vertical rods also engaged with tension arms in the associated counterbores;
- said stabilizing elements including soil engaging means extending and projecting away from the back face of block members;
- and
- compacted soil for receipt of the soil engaging means.
3 more elements
An improved wall construction comprising, in combination:
- a plurality of facing block members arrayed in overlapping courses, one upon the other, each block member having a generally planar front face, a back face, opposite side faces connecting the front face and back face, and generally parallel top and bottom surfaces;
- each block member also including two, generally parallel, vertical throughbores extending from the top surface through the bottom surface, each of said two throughbores including a counterbore in one of the parallel top and bottom surfaces, said counterbores extending from around the throughbore and in a generally straight channel through the back face;
- a stabilizing element comprising a tension arm positioned in selected counterbores of selected block members, each tension arm terminating in a loop which surrounds, at least in part, the throughbore of the selected counterbore, said tension arms being generally parallel and extending from the block members beyond the back face thereof;
- vertical rods extending through each loop and through the associated throughbores of vertically adjacent blocks;
- said stabilizing elements further including soil engaging components projecting away from the back face;
- and
- compacted soil for receipt of the soil engaging components.
4 more elements
An improved wall construction comprising, in combination:
- a plurality of facing block members arrayed in overlapping courses one upon the other, each block member having a generally planar front face, side faces, a back face, and generally parallel top and bottom surfaces, each block member also including at least two generally parallel throughbores from the top surface through the bottom surface, each throughbore including a counterbore extending along one surface overlaying and around the throughbore and extending through the back face, said counterbores connected by a cross counterbore in said one surface;
- a stabilizing element mounted in selected counterbores, said stabilizing element including a tension arm generally congruent and located within the counterbore, said tension arms in said counterbores being generally parallel;
- said stabilizing elements further including a loop member at least partially surrounding a throughbore;
- generally vertical rods extending through the throughbores of adjacent overlying courses of block members and connecting with the vertically adjacent block members to hold them together and coacting with a loop member of the stabilizing element in the associated throughbore to retain said element in the block member;
- said stabilizing elements including soil engaging means extending from and projecting away from the back face of each block member;
- and
- compacted soil for receipt of the soil engaging means.
4 more elements
A stabilizing element for use in combination with a facing member of a mechanically stabilized earthen work, said stabilizing element adapted for interaction with compacted particulate, said stabilizing element comprising:
- a first tensile member including a horizontal loop at one end and a reinforcing bar extending from the loop;
- a second tensile member also including a horizontal loop at one end and also including a reinforcing bar extending from the loop, said loops lying in the same horizontal plane, said bars being generally parallel and also lying in the same horizontal plane as the loops, said bars extending a sufficient distance for frictional interaction, at least in part, with particulate material, said bars and loops being separated from one another and maintained in such separation by at least one cross member connecting the bars, said cross member attached to the bars and spaced from the loops by a distance which maintains the cross member in particulate material when the element is combined with a facing member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.