GB2349664A

GB2349664A - Connecting dry laid block and metallic soil reinforcing strip

Info

Publication number: GB2349664A
Application number: GB9902985A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Christopher Martin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-02-11
Filing date: 1999-02-11
Publication date: 2000-11-08
Also published as: GB9902985D0

Abstract

A tie or connection 1 provides the link between dry laid concrete block walling and long metallic soil reinforcing strips that allow vertical movement, due to soil settlement, to be accommodated by a compressible filler 2 eg foam plastic or other low density material. The compressible filler also serves to prevent the ingress of any fill material during the placement and compaction of the blocks in the ground. The connection distributes any imposed load between the reinforcing strips and connector through the surrounding and inter-connecting blocks 3. The connection may be provided in horizontal or vertical slots moulded into the concrete blocks, with the moulding either in the centre of the blocks or at the ends of adjacent blocks, figure 3.

Description

SPECIFICATION This invention applies to methods of the securing of metallic soil reinforcing strips to dry laid modular I segmental block retaining walls.

The technique of using metallic strips in compacted granular fill behind a iight-weight reinforced concrete panel retaining wail is well-known and has been practised for many years. There are also Patent Applications granted which cover various methods of securing these strips to the walling. These methods are only practicable when used with large blocks or panels and often include steel reinforcement in the concrete.

According to the present invention, novel methods of providing anchorage in light-weight dry laid plain concrete blocks is provided for metallic reinforcing strips. Moreover, each of the methods illustrated on the enclosed drawings 1 to 9 also show methods of compensating for settlement of the granular fill behind the wall such no undue forces are placed on the connection or the modular block wall. Two methods are illustrated on the enclosed drawing providing vertical slot connection and a horizontal connection, in which continuous load distribution is made along the whole course of blocks. It is also an important part of this Patent that use is made of a previously known feature in which location of the courses of blocks is made by the use of a tongue and groove running parallel to the wall on the top and bottom faces of the blocks. This feature allows loads applied to the wall through the strips to be distributed vertically and horizontal across the wall.

Specific embodiments of the invention Mil now be described by way of example with reference to the corresponding drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a cross section through a watl in which the tie or connection is located in a vertical slot and which provides for the soil reinforcing strip to be bolted to it Figure 2 is a scrap view taken from above the block showing the tie located in its slot Figure 3 shows how such a system would be generally assembled into a retaining wall along with a drawing of a block in isolation with a locating groove alternatively positioned in the centre of the block.

Figure 4 shows a view looking down on top of the wall illustrating horizontat connection by way of bolted together staggered strips, locating in a groove parallel to the wall, to which are bolted the connection or the tie pieces.

Figure 5 is a section through the wall illustrated in Figure 4 through C-C.

Figure 6 is a detail block design showing the horizontal strip connection facility in the centre of the block top face as illustrated on Figure 4 Item 5.

Figure 7 Item 1 shows a block similar to Figure 6 but with the horizontal connecting facility moved to the ends of the block. Item 2 Figure 7 shows the slots and relieved ends of the block used for vertical reinforcement connection illustrated on Figures 1,2 and 3 and Figure 8 item15.

Referring to Figure 1. Item 1 is the connection or tie which connects the reinforcing strip to the block walling. This shows a simple T-shape connection which is twisted through 90 at a position outside the back face of the block. In this illustration means is provided for connecting the long reinforcing strip to the connection or tie by simple bolting means. Item 2 on this illustration is a block of foam plastic or similar low density material. Its purpose is to prevent the ingress of fill material into the vertical slot during placement and compaction, but is readily compressible should there be settlement in the fill causing a downward movement of the connection or tie in the slot. Item 3 shows a typical cross section through the concrete block through the section BB on Figure 3. Figure 2 is a view on Arrow A of Figure 1 showing the fabricated T-section of the tie located in a T-shaped slot which is produced in two halves by the opposite ends of adjacent blocks. Figure 3 shows the soi reinforcing strips. Item 4 bolted to the ties in position to the rear of the retaining wall. The top course of blocks clearly shows the T-slot facility running vertically through the ends of the block. Item 9 on Figure 3 shows an alternative embodiment of the same principle but with the connection slot through the centre of the block rather than in the ends of the block as previously described. An alternative method of making a connection with the blocks is illustrated in Figure 4 which shows the reinforcing strips 4 connected to a short inter-connecting piece 10 which in turn is bolted between longitudinal bars 7 and 8 running parallel with the wall. The bars 7 and 8 are located in a slot in the top of the blocks and are of the same length but staggered and bolted together as shown at point 11. Blocks illustrated as Item 12 on Figure 4 show the tie exiting the rear of the wall at a position at the opposing ends of adjacent blocks, Item 5 shows the tie exiting the rear of the wall alternatively positioned in the centre of the block. Figure 6 shows such a block in isolation and clearly iliustrates the slot running parallel to the wall and the recess in the centre of the top face for the tie or connection. Figure 5 shows a cross section through Figure 4 along C-C showing the longitudinal bars 7 and 8. The tie piece Item 10 and a plastic foam strip Item 6 placed beneath the tie in the recess provided for them in the block. As in the previous embodiment this foam strip is provided to prevent the granular fill material entering the space below the tie whilst allowing the tie and its reinforcing strip to move vertically downwards compressing the foam should settlement of the granular fil take place thus avoiding any additional stress where the tie exits the rear of the wall. It should be noted that sufficient depth is allowed in the slot 13 in the block for this vertical movement to take place. Figure 7 shows more detail of the block design illustrated in Figure 4 Item 12 and Figure 8 Item 15. Figure 8 shows three further methods of connecting soil reinforcing strips to segmental block walling. Item 15 shows a pin which may be floating or welded to the reinforcing strip located in a slot in either end of the blocks in the space created between the blocks to allow vertical movement of the reinforcing strip such a block is already described in my other Patent No. 9815221.8 for connecting anchors to segmental block walls.

Item 16 on Figure 8 shows a fabricated T-piece which would typically connect several blocks via the female slot in the top of the block and in the bottom of the block with the short end exiting through the slot in the top of the block in this application the soil reinforcing strip would be bolted to this T-piece.

Item 17 on Figure 8 shows the end of the metallic soil reinforcing strip bent over at right-angles and welded to a short piece of metallic rod for stiffening located in a slot in front of the rib of the lower block.

The steel strip exiting the rear of the block through either a slot in the centre of the block as illustrated in Figure 6 or through a similar slot formed in each end of adjacent blocks. Item 18 on Figure 9 shows a similar formed end to that illustrated in Figure 8 Item 17 except in this illustration the tongue and groove blocks are inverted. Item 19 on Figure 9 shows a similar end formed in the reinforcing strip as illustrated in Item 17 Figure 8 and in Item 18 Figure 9 except that in this case the end of the strip is located in slot formed in the lower block and this time rather than having a tongue and groove formation to interlock the blocks these blocks are a simple single step block.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. Methods of connecting metallic soil reinforcing strips to small element dry laid block walling.
2. A method of connecting metallic soif reinforcement strips as claimed in paragraph 1 where a connection or tie allows free vertical movement in a horizontal or vertical slot provided for it in the concrete blocks.
3. A method of connecting metallic soil reinforcement strips as claimed in paragraph 1 and 2 where a connection or tie where a means is provided in the concrete block for a compressible filler to be housed below the tie or connection whose main purpose is to prevent the ingress of granular fill material into the space between the tie or connection block. This allows vertical movement of the tie or connection which might otherwise be prevented if this space were obstructed by the ingress of the fillmaterial.
4. A method of connecting metallic soil reinforcement strips as claimed paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 above with a connection or tie in which the method of connection can be varied to suit the position at which the strip exits from the centre of a block to the ends of adjacent blocks.
5. Methods of connecting metallic ties or soil reinforcement strips as claimed in paragraphs 1, 2, 3, and 4 above horizontally or vertically to segmental retaining wall blocks in which the block design distributes horizontally and vertical y throughout the wall the stresses caused by the reaction between the reinforcing strips and the soil.
6. A method of connecting metallicsoii reinforcementstripsasclaimed in paragraphs 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 where the end of the soil reinforcing strip is formed or fabricated to locate directly in the vertical or horizontal slot formed in the blocks.
7. A method of connecting metallic soil reinforcement strips as claimed in paragraphs 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 but where the end of the soil re-inforcing strip is bolted directly to a transverse bar or bars located in a slot in the top or bottom bed-faces of the blocks.
8. Modular concrete retaining watl blocks which have features that are described in paragraphs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 either singly or in combination allow the connection of metallic soil reinforcement strips or ladder reinforcement or combined strip and ladder reinforcements.