GB2199063A

GB2199063A - Retaining wall system

Info

Publication number: GB2199063A
Application number: GB08630269A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Neil Glickman
Original assignee: McCauley Corp Ltd
Current assignee: McCauley Corp Ltd
Priority date: 1986-12-18
Filing date: 1986-12-18
Publication date: 1988-06-29
Anticipated expiration: 2006-12-18
Also published as: GB2199063B; GB8630269D0

Abstract

A retaining wall has a number of similar units (30, 32...) placed one on top of the other, the units being so shaped as to be inter-engageable with one another in a chosen one of several selected stable positions. The wall is anchored to the fill material (26) by a sheet or strip material (102) having an enlarged end which can be engaged with one or more units of the wall. The enlarged ends may be formed by forming a loop (106) at one end of the sheet around a rod, cable or rope (108). A loop (110) may be formed at the other end of the sheet for anchoring around a suitable map e.g. a block (112) The sheet material may be kevlar (R.T.M.) or canvas for example and it may be wide enough to span more than one unit. <IMAGE>

Description

RETAINING WALL SYSTEM This invention relates to a retaining wall system. The invention is equally applicable to a noise barrier or baffle, or to a planter wall, or to a "Bund" wall. For brevity of description in this specification, the term "retaining wall system" is considered to include these possibilities.

There have been proposals for wall systems for retaining soil or earth or other material, e.g. landfill. Retaining wall systems have also been proposed for use in landscaping and terracing so that better use can be made of hilly sites, and are needed for embankments used in highway construction.

Among the more desirable qualities of a retaining wall system are firstly that it should be capable of resisting substantial lateral forces; and secondly that it should not require complex methods or equipment to anchor or tie the wall units back into the fill material.

According to the present invention, in a retaining wall system having a number of similar units placed one on top of the other, the units being shaped to be capable of inter-engaging one another in one or a plurality of selected stable positions, there is provided a means of anchoring the wall to the fill material which includes sheet or fabric material whose thickness is enlarged at one end so that the end can be engaged with any one or more units of the wall.

As is disclosed in our U.K. Patent Application No. 86 01425, a retaining wall system includes a plurality of blocks laid one upon another, the upper surface of each block being of substantially convex configuration and the lower surface of each block being of substantially complementary concave configuration, the arrangement being such that the blocks engage complementarily in more than one possible relative position and resist being displaced therefrom by lateral forces.

Further, in a particular embodiment of the present invention, a unit or block for a retaining wall system is symmetrical about a fore and aft vertical plane and is elongated on either side of said plane and has respectively substantially complementary convex and concave upper and lower surfaces as seen in a cross-section taken in said plane. In such a unit, each upper surface may have a plurality of alternating ribs and grooves over at least a part thereof, and each concave surface has at least one (and preferably two or three) ribs or grooves of a size and shape complementary to the grooves or ribs as the case may be on its upper surface.

The word "complementary" when applied to the concave and convex surfaces referred to is intended to imply a sufficient similarity of shape that one unit can rest upon one below it in more than one possible relative position.

When applied to the ribs and grooves referred to, it is intended to imply a structure that permits an interdigitating arrangement having the ribs of one unit within the grooves of the other without there being a precise and exact snug fit or an exact geometric correspondence of shape. In other words, there may be tolerance in the dimensions of the ribs and grooves.

Retaining wall systems according to this invention may be of the drystack wall type or of the mortar-bedded type.

In one practical embodiment of the invention, each block or unit is made of concrete. The ribs (if present) may be substantially flat-sided and flattopped, with the sides inclined towards each other so that the base of the rib is wider than its top surface.

As an optional variation, useful in certain circumstances but usually not preferred, a recess may be provided within the block or in the undersurface of the block if it is desired to reduce the weight of the block. Such a recess preferably extends completely across the width of a unit or block. Such a recess may also be useful as a location for lifting especially when mechanical lifting equipment is being used to move the units or construct the wall system.

Preferred anchoring means according to the present invention is formed by a strip or sheet of hiah-strenath aeo-stabilisina material, e.g. that known by the Trade Name

KEVLAFu or canvas, to the front end of which there is attached a rope, cable or rod of a diameter chosen to be snugly received in a groove or channel in an upper or a lower surface of a unit of the wall. The geostabilising material could be any flexible material of suitable strength e.g. a reinforced synthetic plastics material. The front end referred to may be turned over and secured to itself to form a loop into which the rope, cable or rod may be fixed or loosely inserted so providing an enlarged end of the sheet or strip of geo-stabilising material .If desired, the other (rear) end of the length or strip of material may be formed in a loop large enough to receive an anchoring block; alternatively the rear end may be attached to a suitable anchor. With a sheet or strip of sufficient area, a special anchor will not be needed.

The geo-stabilising material may be in the form of a strip, e.g. of a width approximately equal to the width of one of the blocks making up the retaining wall. However, installation may be made easier by using sheets of geo-stabilising material of substantial width, each co-operating with several -adjacent blocks.

It is presently preferred to include a rope to provide the enlarged end of the geo-stabilising material, and this rope may be housed in a tubular structure formed by wrapping over an end portion of the material and securing the edge of the wrapped over portion to the remainder. In other words, the structure (and method of manufacture) of the enlarged end of the geo-stabilising material may resemble the luff rope arrangement of a sail of a sailing vessel.

The invention will be better understood from the following non-limiting description of an example thereof -given with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows one exåmple of block usable in a retaining wall system according to the invention; Figure 2 shows one example of an anchoring means usable in a retaining wall system according to the invention; Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the anchoring means shown in Figure 2 and additionally showing its attachment to an anchoring block; and Figure 4 illustrates the use of two anchoring means according to the invention to tie back a wall made from blocks (wall units) of the kind shown in Figure 1.

The blocks illustrated in Figures 1 and 4 are more fully described in our U.K. Patent Application No. 86 01425 to which attention is directed. To the extent necessary for comprehension of the present disclosure, the contents of the said Application No. 86 01425 are expressly incorporated by reference in the present text. In the interest of brevity, the contents of the prior application will not be repeated herein. The reference numerals used on Figures 1 and 4 in relation to the blocks are those used in the said prior application.

The anchoring means 100 illustrated in Figures 2-4 is made from a strip or length 102 of suitable sheet material, e.g. KEVLAR synthetic plastics material. At its front end a loop 104, is formed, e.g. by stitching 106, or an adhesive may be used to fasten the free end in the manner illustrated. A rope or cable 108 is received in the loop 104, the length of the rope being substantially equal to the width of the strip 102. The rope may be of circular or other cross-section. Its function is to enlarge the front end of the strip so that it can be securely trapped in a groove or channel extending across an upper (or a lower) surface of the block. As seen in Figure 4, the end enlarged by the rope 108 is trapped in channel 30c of block 30.When the upper block (e.g. 32, Figure 4) is placed on a lower block (e.g. 30), the ribs 32a, 32b, 32c, depress the sheet material 102 into the counterpart recesses of the lower block. This causes the sheet material 102 to take up a sinuous or zig-zag configuration as it is in effect crimped between the upper and the lower blocks. This conFiguration, taken together with the entrapment of the enlarged end containing rope 108 in a channel, has the effect that the material 102 is very securely attached to the wall; that is, its attachment to the retaining wall is such that it is easily able to resist the forces arising in practice.

As seen in Figure 3, the rear end of the strip 102 has a loop 110 which can receive a block or mass of concrete or stone or other material 112. The block 112 is surrounded with fill material 26 (Fig. 4) during the building of the retaining wall and anchors the rear end of the strip 102 against movement in a horizontal direction. As the strip 102 is firmly connected to the retaining wall, this wall is held by the anchoring means against outward movement despite any pressure arising from the fill material. This connection is, however, temporary, and by dis-assembling the blocks 30, 32 etc. the anchoring means can be recovered if desired.

It is not essential to provide a loop 110. By using a long strip, its rear end portion can be wound around any suitable anchoring point, e.g. a boulder.

Fill material placed on top of this renders the tie back arrangement structurally stable.

An advantage of the retaining wall system disclosed is that attachment of the front ends of the anchoring means to the wall is extremely simple, and yet once the wall is erected, it is extremely strong.

Claims

1. A retaining wall system includes a number of similar units placed one on top of the other, the units being shaped to be capable of inter-engaging one another in one or a plurality of selected stable positions, and is characterised by a means of anchoring the wall to the fill material which includes sheet or fabric material whose thickness is enlarged at one end so that the enlarged end can be engaged with any one or more units of the wall.

2. A retaining wall system according to claim 1 and which includes a plurality of blocks laid one upon another, the upper surface of each block being of substantially convex configuration and the lower surface of each block being of substantially complementary concave configuration, the arrangement being such that the blocks engage complementarily in more than one possible relative position and resist being displaced therefrom by lateral forces.

3. A retaining wall system according to claim 2 and which is symmetrical about a fore and aft vertical plane and is elongated on either side of said plane and has respectively substantially complementary convex and concave upper and lower surfaces as seen in a cross-section taken in said plane.

4. A retaining wall system according to any one of claims 1-3 in which the enlarged end of the sheet or fabric material includes a rope or cable.

5. A retaining wall system according to any one of claims 1-3 in which the enlarged end of the sheet or fabric material includes a rod.

6. A retaining wall system according to any one of claims 1-3 in which the sheet or fabric material is of a width to span a plurality of units of the wall.

7. A retaining wall system according to any preceding claim in which the sheet material is that known by the Trade Name KEVLAR.

8. A retaining wall system according to any preceding claim in which the free end (remote from the wall) of the sheet or fabric material is looped around or anchored toa suitably massive item.

9. A retaining wall system substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

10. Any novel combination or sub-combination disclosed and/or illustrated herein.