GB2366305A

GB2366305A - Earthen sound absorbing decorative external wall

Info

Publication number: GB2366305A
Application number: GB0115633A
Authority: GB
Inventors: William Joseph Speak
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-06-28
Filing date: 2001-06-27
Publication date: 2002-03-06
Anticipated expiration: 2021-06-27
Also published as: GB2366305B; GB0115633D0; GB0015660D0

Abstract

Earthen sound absorbing wall comprising clay or concrete spine 1, layer of compacted earth 13 retained by plastic or galvanised metal mesh 3 and bracing meshes 7, 9 and 11, vegetation or turf 15 retained by fine net or mesh 17. Stones 19 may be added for decoration, precast concrete base (34) may be used.

Description

<Desc/Clms Page number 1> CONSTRUCTION OF WALLS The present invention relates to the construction of walls and is concerned with a wall and with a method of constructing the wall.

Historically, it has not proved Possible to construct walls covered in foliage, grass etcetera due to the effects of the weather and other natural factors. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of constructing a wall, covered for example with shrubs, turf or grass and made largely of natural materials such that the wall is self-supporting and impervious to the elements. A watering system may be incorporated, as may stone or floral features, and the wall may have vertical or sloping sides angled, chamfered, radiused or curved at its crown and may be curved, straight or rectilinear in plan.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a wall comprising a reinforcing spine, a surface layer comprising turf or a layer of clay and diatomaceous earth planted with shrubs, grass or like seed, and an intermediate layer of earth.

The intermediate layer of earth may incorporate or may be provided with a retaining mesh, typically of metal having a 50mm. lattice. Where a retaining mesh is provided on both sides of the reinforcing spine, the retaining meshes may be interconnected by

means of one or more bracing meshes. A bracing mesh may pass underneath the wall. One or more of the bracing meshes may pass through the spine.

The surface layer may be covered with a metal or plastic mesh or netting of a suitable lattice size over an erosion mat as used in the construction industry. Said mesh or netting may be secured to the wall through the surface layer, for example by pegs. and may be secured to the retaining mesh and/or the bracing mesh. Where the surface layer comprises grass or like seed, the layer may incorporate a binder and/or a fertiliser. The reinforcing spine may comprise clay, earth, concrete, rubble or the like. Where the surface layer comprises clay and diatomaceous earth in the proportion typically of 80:20 as a barrier to insects etcetera, shrubs such as cotoneaster or juniperous may be planted through said surface layer to root in the reinfor i cing spine. The wall may include one or more stones visible at the surface of the wall and extending into the reinforcing spine. The or each stone may be positioned in a pocket of mesh material secured to the retaining mesh or by other known means of forming such pockets in the surface of the wall.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of constructing a wall comprising the steps of: providing and positioning a support of e.g. formwork against which the faces of the wall are to be constructed;

forming at least a part of a reinforcing spine to be j-ncorporated within the wall; arranging earth between at least a part of the reinforcing spine and the support; and when the wall is constructed to the required height removing the support.

With the additional step of forming a pre-ca3t concrete base upon which said support may be erected, said method may be utilised to construct said walls in sections off-site to be lifted in situ when completed and any covering vegetation has grown into place.

The method may also include the additional step of positioning shrubs, turf, moss or similar growing material against the outer faces of the wall so formed.

Alternatively, the method may include the additional step of providing an external coating comprising gra3S or like seed. The external coating may additionally comprise a binder and/or fertiliser. The external coating may be applied to the earth by spraying.

The ground on which the wall is to be built may be excavated to a suitable depth prior to building the wall, which may be constructed by repeating the steps of forming a part of the spine and arranging earth between the part of the reinforcing spine and the support, vertically, one section at a time. The supports are typically held rigid by means of box section steel or wood corner

pieces as later described and may be held together by removable #-ie bars through the spine, sleeved if necessary, until the core is formed.

If the desired height of the wall is greater than the top of the support, the support may be extended by the addition of a further support.

The method may include the step of incorporating one or more retaining meshes into the layer of earth overlaying the core or spine. In addition, one or more laterally arranged bracing meshes may be secured between the retaining meshes. The method may also include the step of arranging an erosion mat and mesh or netting over the surface layer of the wall. After the supports have been removed, the netting may be secured over said surface layer of the wall.

The method may include the step of incorporating one or more decorative stones into the wall, on the top surface or on the sides. The stones may be incorporated into the wall by forming, while the support is positioned against the face of the wall, a pocket attached to a retaining mesh and extending into the reinforcing spine, and subsequently inserting the stone into the pocket after removal of the support.

For a better understanding of the present invention and to show more clearly how it may be carried into effect reference will

now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings in #,nich: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a wall according to the present invention; Figure 2 is an elevational view, partly cut away, of the wall shown in Figure 1; and Figure 3 illustrates a method of construction of a wall according to the present invention.

Figure 4 illustrates an example of a finished wall featuring means of self-watering and pockets for decorative stones or trays of foliage.

Figure 5 shows typical details of a pre-cast concrete base as an alternative to forming the basal section of said spine in situ. Figures 1 and 2 show a wall according to the present invention, the wall comprising a reinforcing spine 1 of compacted clay, concrete or the like extending substantially the entire length of the wall and ideally extending into the ground 5 below ground level beneath the wall by a distance of, for example, 8 inches (200mm.). Extending on both sides of the reinforcing spine 1 is a generally upwardly extending retaining mesh 3, typically having a 2 inch (50mm.) mesh size and made of a plastic or

galvanised metal wire material for example. The lower end of the -etaining mesh 3 may be keyed into the ground 5 at the bottom of the wall in order to assist in retaining the mesh in place.

Extending laterally between the retaining meshes 3 are a number of lateral bracing meshes 7,9 and 11, typically having a inch (6mm.) mesh size and made of a plastics or galvanised metal wire material for example, which are secured to the retaining meshes 3 at each end of the meshes 7, 9 and 11.

The lowest bracing mesh 7 extends beneath the reinforcing spine 1 while the intermediate bracing mesh or meshes 9, which is or are spaced at intervals of about 2 feet (600mm.), extend through the reinforcing spine 1. The upper bracing mesh 11 passes at a level above the reinforcing spine 1.

The retaining meshes 3 and the bracing meshes 7, 9 and 11 support a layer of compacted earth 13 which envelopes the sides and the top of the reinforcing spine 1 to a thickness of, for example 6 inches (150mm.). Covering the earth is a surface layer 15 of clay and diatomaceous earth as a protection against insects, said surface layer 15 being secured in place by means of an erosion mat 16 and a suitable mesh or netting 17, such as a 50mm. steel mesh lattice or fine meshed green plastic netting, the mesh or netting being secured in place by attaching it to the lower end of the retaining mesh 3 and by pegging the said mesh or netting 17 to the remainder of the wall through the surface layer 15 by a variety of means (not shown). If a surface layer 15 of turf is

required, a fertiliser is preferably applied to the reverse side of the turf 15 before it is incorporated into the wall. The top of the wall may be flat as shown or may have shoulders chamfered, radiused or otherwise curved. A wall of the type shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings can be built to any suitable height and shape but for practical purposes a wall with height of about 4 feet (1200mm.), for example, will ideally have a width at its base of some 21-# to 3 feet (750-900mm.) and a width at its top of about 18 inches (450mm.) It has been found practicable to build the wall in this ratio of 4:3 and 2:1. The wall according to the invention is by its nature decorative and forms an attractive ornamental feature. However, the appearance of the wall can be further enhanced by planting flowers or shrubs in the wall or by incorporating decorative stones 19, for example of Westmoreland Green stone, into it as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the stone 19 protruding a short distance beyond the face of the surface layer 15, for example '-,# to 1-4 inch (12-18mm.) A decorative stone 19 is incorporated into the wall by forming a pocket in the reinforcing mesh 3, for example at the level of an intermediate bracing mesh 9, the pocket being shaped and dimensioned so as to receive the stone, and the stone being of a size sufficient to extend into the reinforcing spine 1 of the wall. The wall according to the present invention need not be straight, but can be curved or otherwise shaped to suit the specific site. If desired, the wall can be furnished with a gate

post or the like, and other decorative or functional features may ,e accommodated.

The method of constructing the wall according to the present invention is illustrated in Figure 3. The wall is preferably made by first excavating the ground beneath the proposed wall to a depth of some 6 to 8 inches (150-200mm.). The following steps can then be carried out in a number of different sequences, but the wall is constructed in sections of about 2 feet (600mm.) in height, with each section itself being constructed in sections of about 4 inches (100mm.) Figure 3 shows reinforcing spine 1, earth 13 and surface layer 15 constructed to this first stage. The lowest lateral bracing mesh 7 is positioned in the bottom of the trench with the retaining meshes 3 and the netting 17 being secured to the bracing mesh 7 thus securing the erosion mat 16 in place. The faces of the wall are determined by placing laterally extending shuttering 21 along opposite sides of the trench with the netting 17 running up the inner face of the shuttering 21. For ease of access to the working space between the shuttering 21, the shuttering 21 may be made, for example, of a sheet of plywood or similar, typically 8 feet (2400mm.) in length by 2 feet (600mm.) in height and having a thickness of 3-4 inch (18mm.) borne upon a frame of timber 3 inches by 2 inches (75x5Omm.). The timber preferably overlaps the edges of the plywood on one long side and one short side and is recessed from the edges of the plywood on the other two sides to facilitate slotting additional shuttering 21 to either side in order to extend the length of the wall and

above for increasing the height of the wall. A number of tie bars

are passed through the shuttering 21 so as to hold the shuttering 21 tightly against the wall as the wall is constructed, the tie bars 23 being enclosed within a sleeve, for example of plastics material, to facilitate removal of the tie bars 23 from the wall after construction leaving the sleeve remaining within the wall. The tie bars 23 are threaded at their ends and are secured to the shuttering 21 by means of removable screw fastening flanges 25 and locking nuts 27 to enable the shuttering 21 to be removed once the wall has been completed.

In a desired embodiment said spine will comprise a concrete plinth 34, the construction of which is described with reference to Figure 5, surmounted with earth or similar material compacted within a support adapted to said plinth 34 typically featuring shuttering 21 of plywood or metal of a suitable size held together at the corners by means of wood or steel uprights 22 typically 2-4 inches (50-100mm.) square attached to said shuttering 21 by known conventional means and held together by a number of tie bars 23, flanges 25 and locking nuts 27 as aforesaid. Further sections of shuttering 21 may be superimposed by means of locating bars 24 fitting within said steel uprights 22 leaving some of their length exposed as a guide for additional steel uprights 22 located thereon. Other known means of increasing the height of said shuttering 21 may equally be used.

The reinforcing spine 1 is constructed first in a section about 4 to 6 inches (100-150mm.) in height as previously

indicated, the clay or other material forming the spine 1 being ,-ompacted between two removable boards of plywood 29. Once a section of the reinforcing spine I has been completed the boards 29 are removed and surface layer 15 is positioned, to about the same height as the reinforcing spine 1, against the inside of the shuttering 21 so as to sandwich the mesh or netting 17 between the shuttering 21 and the erosion 16 mat covering the surface layer 15 while earth 13 is compacted into the space between the surface layer 15 and the reinforcing spine I with the retaining meshes 3 being embedded within the compacted earth 13.

When a section of the wall has been completed further boards 29 are placed on top of the completed section of wall and a new section of reinforcing spine 1 is formed from earth, clay or like material being introduced between said boards 29 and compacted. The surface layer 15, erosion mat 16 and earth 13 are then introduced as explained above to complete a further section of the wall. At suitable intervals an intermediate bracing mesh 9 is positioned across the reinforcing spine 1 and secured to the retaining meshes 3 so as to hold the retaining meshes 3 in position relative to the reinforcing spine 1.

When the height of the wall reaches the top of the shuttering 21 a fresh section of shuttering 21 can be positioned and keyed into the top of the existing shuttering 21 due to the arrangement of the framework which is set back along two edges of the plywood

as previously described. When the reinforcing spine 1 has reached -us required height, earth 13 is compacted onto the top of the spine, with an upper bracing mesh 11 being incorporated into the earth, and the earth is covered with surface layer 15 and erosion mat 16. Once the wall has been completed the shuttering 21 can be removed, section by section if necessary, by removing the lock nuts 27 and the flanges 25 and by withdrawing the tie bars 23 from their sleeves, and the netting 17 can be pegged to the wall through the surface layer. If desired, flowers and/or shrubs can be planted into the wall in the normal manner as explained above. If it is desired to incorporate stones 19 into the wall for decorative effect (such as Westmoreland Green Stone), the position of such stones 19 will generally be decided prior to construction of the wall being commenced. A cut-out is made in the reinforcing mesh 3 at the required position in accordance with the size of the stone 19 and when the required height of the wall is attained a suitably size pocket 15 is formed from the bracing mesh 9 in order to receive the stone 19. In order to maintain the integrity of the wall, any such stones 19 and pockets 15 should be dimensioned such that they extend into the reinforcing spine 1. Once the wall has been completed, in the absence of the stone 19 itself, and the shuttering 21 removed, the desired position for the stone 19 can be located, the surface layer 15 cut to reveal the pocket 15, and the stone 19 can be inserted tightly into the pocket. In this way it is possible to have the stone protruding from the face of the wall even though the wall is initially constructed with a

substantially flat face. In a similar manner, pockets 15 can be Lormed to accommodate purpose made trays or baskets of ready grown vegetation although such features will not require to be inserted into the reinforcing spine 1.

Figure 4 shows a wall as constructed by this method featuring a preferred means of self-watering. The reinforcing spine 1 is surrounded by retaining mesh 3 and lateral bracing meshes 7,9 and 11 strengthen the structure while the surface layer 15 of clay, turf, moss etc. is held in place by netting 17 and decorative stones 19 have been formed into pockets in the reinforcing mesh 3, said surface layer 15 being surmounted by an erosion mat 16 and transfixed by the roots of shrubs such as cotoneaster and juniperous all as before described. Pipes 31 are laid into the wall in suitable positions, e.g. at the top and sides, that run the whole length of the wall, being supplied remotely and usually stopped off at the distant end. Said pipes 31 may be of any durable material and are furnished with means of egress of water such as perforations or nozzles or may be of porous material while the supply of water may be operated manually or automatically in response to soil condition. Arranged beneath each pipe and coextensive with it is a layer of impermeable material, the deflector 33, which keeps the moisture in the surface layer 15 near the roots of the vegetation covering the wall. Additional deflectors 33 are positioned within the wall during its creation forming a cascade that tends to keep the water from penetrating to the interior. In similar manner to the pockets formed to

accommodate stones 19 are created pockets to house baskets or ---ays 35 of ready-grown plants intended to give instant cover to areas of said wall. Said trays 35 consist of a layer of earth and clay or diatomaceous earth about 6" (150 mm) in depth bounded by erosion mat and mesh or netting and topped with suitable plants. Said mesh is tied into the existing mesh 3, 7, 9 etc. while root growth takes place to bond the whole structure. It is intended that a standard size or sizes are made available to facilitate their incorporation into the constructed wall. In an alternative form of construction not illustrated the surface layer 15 can incorporate grass or the like seed which is sprayed onto the wall after the shuttering has been removed. The sprayed layer can comprise, for example, a mixture of grass seed, fertiliser and a binder and obviates the need for netting 17 to be pegged to the external surface of the wall. Likewise shrubs, moss, peat or other vegetation may be utilised as surface cover. In an alternative form shown in Figure 5, the basal section of said spine 1 hereinafter known as the plinth 34 may be pre- formed of concrete to a standard pattern or patterns reinforced with steel 35 and ideally provided with means for lifting such as lugs 37 or sleeved holes 39 transfixed across said plinth 34 for the insertion of steel bars 41, drainage holes 43 of any practicable design, pins 45 to locate said section into the ground and locating means 47 to align sections lineally one to another. Said plinth 34 may be formed in any required shape or pattern e.g.

forming a right-angle, or other desired angle, straight or even (_=ved in plan, and may be furnished with right-angled or angled ends. This allows flexibility in alignment of the desired wall.

It is desirable that said plinth 34 should be as light as possible and so would be cast in a lattice-like mould incorporating reinforcing steels 35, bracing mesh 7 and portions of retaining mesh 3 to allow for attachment of retaining mesh 3 within the minimum section of cast material practicable. In this case the drainage holes 43 would be superfluous. Said cast material is not limited to the use of concrete, but may be of any cast material whatsoever, particularly a plastic material having high rigidity and low density.

Plastic sleeve will typically be utilised to form said sleeved holes 39 while said lugs 37 may be formed of curved sections of reinforcing bar or by any other means whatever. Likewise, locating pins 45 may be formed of reinforcing bar or other means whatsoever. Locating means 47 will typically comprise a central extension of the form of the spine at one end and a corresponding rebate in the form at the other end to accommodate said central extension in the manner of a mortice and tenon joint. The piinth thus formed may be coated in bituthene or similar preservative and bracing mesh 7 and retaining mesh 3 may be cast in to aid attachment of reinforcing mesh 3 as hereinbefore described when forming upper sections of the wall.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A method for constructing an external or garden wall having excellent sound absorbing qualities which is permanent, self-supporting and impervious to the elements, incorporating a reinforcing spine, a surface layer of turf, moss, shrubs or other like vegetation, together with an intermediate layer of earth, substantially as described herein.
2. A wall as claimed in Claim 1 incorporating a plinth of reinforced concrete, plastic or other cast rigid medium upon which a spine of compacted earth is formed containing a mesh to retain and brace said spine. Said spine is formed within a removable support. Upon removal of said support a layer of mixed clay and diatomaceous earth is overlaid onto said spine and covered with erosion matting and a layer of wire mesh or plastic netting, through which shrubs such as cotoneaster and juniperous are planted into the earthen spine, the whole structure being capable of being lifted into position or constructed on site.
3. A wall as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said method incorporates a spine formed from compacted clay overlaid with a layer of earth optionally incorporating mesh to retain and brace the construction, the whole being covered in turf or other surface layer of vegetation held in place by a layer of erosion matting, mesh, net or a mixture thereof as required by the specific surface covering.
4. A wall as claimed in Claim 3 featuring a spine formed from spoil and/or concrete.

<Desc/Clms Page number 16>
5. A wall as claimed in Claims 1, 2, 3 or 4 furnished with a means for watering such as a porous or perforated pipe or pipes running lengthways above impermeable membranes placed to divert the water to the external surfaces of the wall.
6. A wall as claimed in Claims 1, 2, 3 or 4 having vertical walls.
7. A wall as claimed in Claims 1, 2, 3 or 4 having inclined walls, ideally in the ratio of 4:3 height to base width and 2:1 base to top width.
8. A wall as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein pockets are fashioned of a corresponding size to accommodate sections of decorative stone or ready grown containers of decorative greenery for instant cover substantially as herein described.
9. A wall as claimed in any preceding Claim and substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1 to 5.