Back to results
US 5,826,387 AGranted
Pier foundation under high unit compression
OwnerAllan P. Henderson, Miller B. Patrickinventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Loading patent…
Loading patent…
OwnerAllan P. Henderson, Miller B. Patrickinventors
Estimating the term…
An upright cylindrical pier foundation is constructed of cementitious material. The lower end of the foundation has a plate or circumferential ring fully embedded therein and long circumferentially spaced rods or bolts have their lower ends anchored relative to the ring. The upper ends of the long rods project up outwardly of the top of the foundation. The rods are shielded over substantially their entire length against bonding with the cementitious material to allow the rods, when heavily tensioned, to stretch within the cementitious material. A heavy flange, which may comprise the base flange of a tubular tower, is positioned downwardly upon the upper end of the foundation with the upper ends of the bolts projecting through holes provided therefor in the base flange. Nuts are threaded downwardly upon the upper ends of the bolts and against the base flange under high torque in order to place the bolts in heavy tension and substantially the entire length of the cylindrical foundation under high unit compressive loading. The pier foundation may include a diametrically enlarged upper end shoulder portion whose outer peripheral portion includes additional circumferentiallv spaced heavily tensioned short rods anchored between a second anchor plate or ring embedded in the shoulder portion and a second flange or ring seated downwardly on the shoulder portion upper end. Also, the long rods may include shorter rod sections suitably coupled together and sections of the foundation may be precast with the sheathed rods in place.
In combination, a large tower for support of power lines, street lighting and signals, bridge supports, wind turbines, commercial signs, freeway signs, ski lifts and the like which can be subject to a high torque moment, said tower having a rigid base flange at its lower end, and a pier foundation having a generally cylindrical upright structure of cementitious material, a substantial portion of which is embedded in the ground, said upright structure including a diametrically enlarged upper end section having a top and a bottom, said bottom defining a downwardly facing shoulder extending about a lower end portion of said upright structure, said upright structure being under heavy unit compression loading by a first set of upright tension rods disposed in and extending substantially the entire length of said upright structure and generally spaced about a center axis of said upright structure, a second set of upright tension rods disposed in and extending substantially the entire length of said diametrically enlarged upper end section and generally spaced about said center axis, sheathing surrounding substantially the entire length of the rods of said second set to shield said rods against bonding to said cementitious material, said tension rods of said second set including lower ends affixed to an anchor structure adjacent the bottom of said diametrically enlarged upper end section and exposed upper ends slidingly received through openings in said rigid base flange bearing downwardly upon said diametrically enlarged upper end section and a plurality of tensioning elements connected to said upper ends for placing said rods of said second set under heavy tension and said diametrically enlarged upper end section between where the lower ends of said rods of said second set are affixed to said anchor structure and below said rigid base flange, under heavy unit compression loading so that said upright structure will withstand high torque moments imparted to said tower.
In combination, a large tower for support of power lines, street lighting and signals, bridge supports, wind turbines, commercial signs, freeway signs, ski lifts and the like which can be subject to a high torque moment, said tower having a rigid base flange at its lower end, and a pier foundation having an upright structure of cementitious material, a substantial portion of which is embedded in the ground, said upright structure having at least one set of upright tension rods disposed therein with sheathing surrounding substantially the entire length of said rods to shield said rods against bonding to said cementitious material, said tension rods including lower ends affixed to an anchor structure in a lower portion of said upright structure and exposed upper ends slidingly received through openings in said rigid base flange bearing downwardly upon an upper portion of said upright structure, and a plurality of tensioning elements connected to said rod upper ends for placing said rods under heavy tension and said upright structure, between where the lower ends of said rods are affixed to said anchor structure and below said rigid base flange, under heavy unit compression loading so that said upright structure will withstand high torque moments imparted to said tower.
A tensionless pier foundation including an upright structure of cementitious material and including an upper at least one set of upright tension bolt assemblies disposed in said upright structure and spaced about a center axis thereof, said bolt assemblies including lower ends anchored to an anchor structure embedded in a lower portion of said upright structure and exposed threaded upper ends projecting upwardly adjacent said upper end, said bolt assemblies being shielded against bonding of said cementitious material thereto, a heavy base flange seated upon said upper end of said upright structure and having openings formed therethrough through which said threaded upper ends are slidingly received, and a plurality of nuts threaded on said threaded upper ends and tightened downwardly upon said heavy base flange sufficiently to place said bolt assemblies under heavy tension, to thereby place all of said upright structure, above said anchor structure and beneath said heavy base flange, under a heavy unit compression load extending fully about said center axis.
A tensionless pier foundation including an upright structure of cementitious r al and including upper and lower ends, at least one set of upright tension bolt assemblies disposed in said upright structure and spaced about a center axis thereof, sheathing surrounding substantially the entire length of said bolt assemblies to shield said bolt assemblies against bonding of said cementitious material thereto said tension bolt assemblies including lower ends anchored to an anchor plate embedded in a lower portion of said upright structure and exposed threaded upper ends slidingly received through openings provided therefor in a rigid plate seated tightly upon said upper end of said upright structure, and a plurality of nuts threaded on said threaded upper ends and tightened downwardly upon said rigid plate sufficiently to place said bolts under heavy tension to thereby place all of said upright structure, above said anchor structure and beneath said rigid plate, under a heavy unit compression load extending fully about said center axis.
An upright generally cylindrical pier foundation of cementitious material and including an upright center axis and upper and lower end portions, a heavy lower anchor ring embedded in and extending about said lower end portion adjacent the lower end thereof, a heavy upper base ring seated against the upper end of said upper end portion, a first set of upright tension rods spaced about said center axis, having upper and lower ends anchored relative to said upper and lower rings, respectively, and being heavily tensioned, said rods extending through said cementitious material and being shielded against bonding of said cementitious material thereto, whereby said upper and lower rings distribute the heavy tensional forces of said rods throughout said upright pier foundation between said rings to place said foundation under heavy unit compression loading extending fully about said center axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.