Ground stabilization apparatus and method for installing an enlongated post

A combination of a post positioned in a ground strata and a stabilizing apparatus positioned around said post and in said ground strata, said combination comprising:

• a) said post having a lower base portion positioned in the ground strata, and an upper portion extending upwardly from the ground strata;
• b) said stabilizing apparatus comprising:
• i. a collar means having a center opening with a width dimension at least as great as a width dimension of the post;
• ii. a plurality of stabilizing arms positioned at angularly spaced locations around the collar means each of said arms having a radially inward end portion connecting to said collar means and an radially outward portion extending radially outwardly from said collar means;
• iii. each of said arms having at the outer portion stabilizing wall means having a substantial alignment component transverse to a radial axis of its related arm;
• c) radially inward port ions of said apparatus engaging said post in a manner to permit at least limited relative rotational movement of the post relative to a horizontal plane occupied by the apparatus, said apparatus being positioned in the earth strata so that the apparatus is in contact with an upper part of the base portion of the post or in close proximity thereto, and said apparatus is located in an upper portion of the earth strata at the same level as the upper part of the base part of the post, so that force loads imposed on said post are reacted laterally from the post into the apparatus and thus into the surrounding earth strata at the same level as the upper part of the base portion of the post substantially as lateral loads into the earth strata that is at the same level as the upper part of the base portion of the post.

A stabilizing apparatus, adapted to be positioned in a soil strata surrounding an upper part of a base portion of a post that is positioned in the ground strata, said apparatus comprising:

• a) a central collar means having a center opening with a width dimension at least as great as a width dimension of the post;
• b) a plurality of stabilizing arms positioned at angularly spaced locations around the collar means, each of said arms having a radially inward end portion connecting to the collar means and a radially outer portion extending radially outward from the collar means;
• c) each of said arms having at the outer portion stabilizing wall means having a substantial allignment component transverse of the radial axis of its related arm;
• and
• d) said apparatus having radially inward means positioned to engage the post or be closely adjacent thereto in a manner to permit at least limited rotational movement of the post relative to a plane occupied by the apparatus,
• whereby lateral rotational movement of the post relative to the ground strata in which the apparatus is embedded is resisted with the apparatus exerting substantially lateral force components to resist such movement, and alleviate rotational force components that may otherwise be imparted from the post to the apparatus.

A method of installing a post into a ground strata, said method comprising:

• a) providing in the ground strata a post hole having a post hole depth dimension;
• b) inserting a lower end portion of the post into the post hole to position the post in an upstanding position;
• c) excavating channels in an upper portion of the ground strata surrounding the post hole in a pattern where the channels extend outwardly from the post hole at regularly angularly spaced locations;
• d) locating a central collar means having a center opening with a width dimension at least as great as a width dimension of said post around said post;
• e) locating a plurality of stabilizing arms in said channels so as to be positioned at angularly spaced locations around the collar and selectively attaching each of the arms to the collar at a related one of a plurality of connecting locations so that with each of said arms has a radially inward end portion connecting to said collar with a radially inward end of each arm being sufficiently close to the post to resist a lateral force applied by the post to tilt the post laterally and a radially outer portion of the arm is extending outwardly from said collar means;
• f) locating at an outer portion of each arm a stabilizing wall so that each wall has a substantial alignment component transverse to a lengthwise axis of its related arm;
• g) filling the channels with a fill material to embed the arms and the walls in an upper portion of the ground strata.

A stabilizing apparatus, adapted to be positioned in a soil strata surrounding an upper part of a base portion of a post that is positioned in the ground strata, said apparatus comprising:

• a) central collar having a center opening with a width dimension at least as great as a width dimension of the post;
• b) plurality of stablizing arms positioned at angularly spaced locations around the collar, each of said arms having a radially inward end portion connecting to the collar and a radially outer portion extending outward from the collar;
• c) each of said arms having at the outer portion a stabilizing wall having a substantial alignment component transverse of the radial axis of its related arm;
• d) said apparatus further comprising releasable connecting means by which said arms are releasedly connected to the collar, said releasable connecting means being arranged to be adjustably connect the related arms, so that the arms can be positioned by the connecting means so as to be in contact with, or closely adjacent to, said post,
• whereby said apparatus can be utilized to stabilize posts having different width dimensions.