Geo-grid anchor
OwnerThomas P. Taylor, William K. Hilfikerinventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A flexible plastic soil reinforcing element is secured to the retaining face for an earthen formation by folding an end portion of the element upon itself and then securing the end portion to the face. An anchor extends rearwardly from the face and a retaining rod is engaged with the end portion of the soil reinforcing element and the anchor to secure the reinforcing element against separation from the anchor. In one embodiment, the end portion of the reinforcing element is folded upon itself multiple times to increase the shear strength of the element to either side of the anchor. In another the end portion of the reinforcing element is folded back over the reinforcing element for embedment in the earthen formation.
Claims31
In combination with a flexible plastic soil reinforcing geo-grid having spaced tension members extending into an earthen formation and transverse members extending across the tension members at spaced intervals to tie the tension members together and define apertures extending through the geo-grid between the tension members, an improved connection for securing the geo-grid to a retaining face for the earthen formation, said connection comprising:
- a) an end portion of the geo-grid folded back upon itself a plurality of times adjacent the face so as to provide a grid section comprised of a sandwich of juxtaposed layers of geo-grid having continuous overlapping tension members and aligned apertures defining an opening extending therethrough between transverse members with multiple layers of transverse members on at least one side of the opening;
- b) an anchor secured to and extending rearwardly from the face, said anchor having a protruding section extending through the opening from one side of the grid section;
- and,
- c) a retaining rod secured to the anchor to a side of the grid section opposite said one side to secure the geo-grid to the anchor rearwardly of the face.
In combination with a flexible plastic soil reinforcing geo-grid having spaced elongate tension members extending into an earthen formation and transverse members extending across the tension members at spaced intervals to tie the tension members together and define apertures extending through the geo-grid between the tension members, an improved connection for securing the geo-grid to a retaining face for the earthen formation, comprising:
- a) an end portion of the geo-grid folded back upon itself adjacent the face to provide a sandwich of superimposed layers of grid with generally aligned apertures defining an opening extending therethrough between the transverse members;
- b) an anchor secured to and extending rearwardly from the faces, said anchor having a protruding section extending through the opening in the superimposed layers of grid;
- and,
- c) a retaining rod extending through the protruding section of the anchor to one side of the superimposed layers to clamp the elongate tension members in compression.
In combination with a flexible plastic soil reinforcing geo-grid having spaced elongate tension members extending into an earthen formation and transverse members extending across the tension members at spaced intervals to tie the tension members together and define apertures extending through the geo-grid between the tension members, an improved connection for securing the geo-grid to a retaining face for the earthen formation, comprising:
- a) a horizontal retaining rod disposed rearwardly of the face;
- b) an end portion of the geo-grid having tension members wrapped around the rod and extending therefrom over the tension members of the geo-grid extending into the formation;
- c) an anchor secured to and extending rearwardly from the face and through an aperture in the geo-grid;
- and,
- d) means securing the anchor to the rod to clamp the end portion of the mat wrapped around the rod to the face.
In combination with a generally horizontally disposed flexible plastic soil reinforcing geo-grid having spaced tension members extending into an earthen formation and transverse members extending across the tension members at spaced intervals to tie the tension members together and define apertures extending through the geo-grid between the tension members, an improved connection for securing the geo-grid to a retaining face for the earthen formation, said connection comprising:
- a) an end portion of the geo-grid folded back upon itself a plurality of times adjacent the face so as to provide a grid section comprised of a sandwich of juxtaposed layers of geo-grid having continuous overlapping tension members and aligned apertures defining transversely spaced openings extending therethrough with multiple layers of transverse members on at least one side of the openings;
- b) a generally horizontally disposed elongate anchor secured to and extending across the face, said anchor having protruding sections fixed thereto at spaced intervals and protruding, respectively, through transversely spaced openings in the grid section from one side of the grid section;
- and,
- c) a retaining rod extending through the protruding sections to a side of the grid section opposite said one side to secure the geo-grid to the anchor rearwardly of the face.
In combination with a flexible plastic soil reinforcing geo-grid having spaced tension members extending into an earthen formation and transverse members extending across the tension members at spaced intervals to tie the tension members together and define apertures extending through the geo-grid between the tension members, an improved method for securing the geo-grid to a retaining face for the earthen formation, said method comprising:
- a) folding an end portion of the geo-grid back upon itself a plurality of times adjacent the face so as to provide a grid section comprised of a sandwich of juxtaposed layers of geo-grid having continuous overlapping tension members and aligned apertures defining an opening extending therethrough between transverse members with multiple layers of transverse members on at least one side of the opening;
- b) securing an anchor to the face so as to extend rearwardly therefrom with a protruding section of the anchor extending through the opening from one side of the grid section;
- and,
- c) securing a retaining rod to the anchor to a side of the grid section opposite said one side to secure the geo-grid to the anchor rearwardly of the face.
In combination with a flexible plastic soil reinforcing geo-grid having spaced elongate tension members extending into an earthen formation and transverse members extending across the tension members at spaced intervals to tie the tension members together and define apertures extending through the geo-grid between the tension members, an improved connection for securing the geo-grid to a retaining face for the earthen formation, comprising:
- a) a retaining rod extending generally horizontally rearwardly of the face;
- b) an end portion of the geo-grid wrapped around the rod;
- c) an anchor secured to and extending rearwardly from the face, said anchor having a protruding portion extending through the retaining rod and the end portion of the geo-grid wrapped therearound;
- and,
- d) means engaged with the protruding portion to secure the retaining rod to the anchor.
In combination with a flexible plastic soil reinforcing geo-grid having spaced tension members extending into an earthen formation and transverse members extending across the tension members at spaced intervals to tie the tension members together and define apertures extending through the geo-grid between the tension members, an improved connection for securing the geo-grid to a retaining face for the earthen formation comprised of open-celled concrete blocks having grooves extending transversely thereof, said connection comprising:
- a) an end portion of the geo-grid folded back upon itself adjacent the face so as to provide a grid section with continuous overlapping tension members and an opening extending therethrough between transverse members;
- b) an anchor including a transverse section engaged with the grooves to secure the anchor against separation from the blocks, said anchor extending rearwardly from the face and having a protruding section extending through the opening from one side of the grid section;
- and,
- c) a retaining rod secured to the anchor to a side of the grid section opposite said one side to secure the geo-grid to the anchor rearwardly of the face.
In combination with a flexible plastic soil reinforcing geo-grid having spaced tension members extending into an earthen formation and transverse members extending across the tension members at spaced intervals to tie the tension members together and define apertures extending through the geo-grid between the tension members, an improved connection for securing the geo-grid to a welded wire gridwork face for the earthen formation having spaced elements, said connection comprising:
- a) an end portion of the geo-grid folded back upon itself adjacent the face so as to provide a grid section with continuous overlapping tension members and an opening extending therethrough between transverse members;
- b) an anchor of a generally Z-shaped configuration having a bight portion spanning spaced elements of the welded wire gridwork face, end portions extending over and under said elements to secure the anchor to the gridwork face, and a protruding section extending through the opening from one side of the grid section;
- and,
- c) a retaining rod secured to the anchor to a side of the grid section opposite said one side to secure the geo-grid to the anchor rearwardly of the face.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.