Classifications

• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E02—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
  • E02B—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING
  • E02B3/00—Engineering works in connection with control or use of streams, rivers, coasts, or other marine sites; Sealings or joints for engineering works in general
  • E02B3/04—Structures or apparatus for, or methods of, protecting banks, coasts, or harbours
  • E02B3/06—Moles; Piers; Quays; Quay walls; Groynes; Breakwaters ; Wave dissipating walls; Quay equipment
  • E02B3/066—Quays
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E02—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
  • E02D—FOUNDATIONS; EXCAVATIONS; EMBANKMENTS; UNDERGROUND OR UNDERWATER STRUCTURES
  • E02D29/00—Independent underground or underwater structures; Retaining walls
  • E02D29/02—Retaining or protecting walls
  • E02D29/025—Retaining or protecting walls made up of similar modular elements stacked without mortar

Definitions

• An object of the present invention is to provide an improvement over other prefabricated modules presently used for wall structures of this type, since the modules described in this invention are configured in such a manner as to be able to accept shelf-like members resting on their partition means. These shelf-like members, in addition to acting as a sheartransfer key, have the capacity to capture the beneficial weight of the fill material within the modules. By engaging more resistive mass, the stability of the composite wall structure is increased, and it is able to accomodate more efficiently the loads imposed upon it. Moreover the physical sizes of the individual modules are reduced.
• This invention describes an improved cellular module and separate keying elements which provide several advantages over other cellular modules in current use.
• the spacing of the keying elements at repetitive intervals and the fact that they are separate pieces allow extreme versatility in the use of the modules.
• Standard modules of any size fit above or below modules of any different size, in any sequence. This provides extreme simplicity in the number of different types which must be formed and carried in inventory.
• a major advantage of the system described by the invention is provided by one particular type of keying element, a slab, which may be placed wherever it can be the most effective. This slab substantially increases the weight of fill captured inside the cells formed by the modules. This additional weight of fill material contributes to the restraining action of the wall, and therby increases the stability of the wall.
• Fig. 1 is a cross sectional view of an assembly of cellular modules arranged with notched-out partition means and with vertically adjacent cellular modules being joined by special keying blocks or slabs, according to the invention.
• Figs. 2 and 3 are fragmentary views in vertical cross section illustrating advantageous arrangements for keying together vertically adjacent cellular modul es for resi stance to shear.
• Fig. 4 is a front elevational view of a retaining wall or the like, constructed with cellular modules according to the invention.
• Fig. 5 is a top plan view of a cellular module and the cavities formed between its elements.
• This invention relates generally to specially configured prefabricated cellular modules for employment in the construction of walls. More particularly this invention relates solely to that class of gravity type retaining walls, and the like, wherein the structural elements of the module form interior cavities or cells in which granular material is deposited. This enclosed granular material, through the action of friction against the generally upright walls of the cells, adds its own weight to that of the structural parts to form a more effective assembly.
• the cellular modules of the present invention are intended to be used in combination with other similar modules arranged in horizontal rows and in additional superposed horizontal rows of modules each properly proportioned to provide adequate stability to the assembled structure.
• This invention specifically does not relate to walls which are anchored or tied back by tension members, nor does it relate to walls constructed by embedding canti levered piles or other canti levered flexural members into the underlying soil strata.
• the present invention relates to an improved prefabricated cellular module of the general type which, when assembled in combination laterally and vertically to form a wall structure, create cellular cavities to contain fill material which acts in consort with the wall modules to form a cellular gravity wall.
• the precast cellular module is configured as follows: a front panel 1 is provided which typically is of generally rectangular configuration when viewed in front or side elevation. A rear panel 2 or 10 is located with its longitudinal axis parallel to that of said front panel, and one or a plurality of partition means 5 connect said front panel with said rear panel.
• a front panel 1 is provided which typically is of generally rectangular configuration when viewed in front or side elevation.
• a rear panel 2 or 10 is located with its longitudinal axis parallel to that of said front panel, and one or a plurality of partition means 5 connect said front panel with said rear panel.
• the front panels and rear panels form two opposite longitudinal sides of a cellular chamber, with each partition means serving to connect the front panel with the rear panel, and further serving to transversely divide the chamber into smaller individual cells.
• Figure 4 shows a front elevation of a wall assembly using modules 11 and canti levered panels 17.
• the modules are arranged to stagger the vertical joints so that each superposed module, where possible, is supported by two different modules in the course below it.
• the partition means are spaced apart at virtually twice the distance from a partition means to the lateral edge of the front panel 1 of modules 11.
• the center lines 35 of a few adjacent partition means are shown. As can be seen, this spacing allows all the partition means to occur in continuous planes from top to base as required in the invention, and also allows the lateral edges of the front panels essentially to touch.
• partition means are spaced apart a distance substantially greater than twice the distance from the partition means to the lateral edge of the front panels, then, when the partition means are erected in vertical alignment with the left partition means of each superposed module 11 supported by the right partition means of the module below it, and the right partition means supported by the left partition means below it, a substantial space is left between adjacent front panels 1, and between adjacent rear panels. This space may be filled by a drop-in face panel between front panels and a drop-in panel at the rear of the space between modules. This arrangment substantially increases the face area of wall per module.
• the partition means are of a pronounced generally rectangular shape when viewed along a horizontal line parallel with the longitudinal axis of the front panel. This rectangular shape is such that, when the module is placed in its final erected position within the assembled wall structure, the upper edge of the rear panel of a module is situated at an elevation essentially within a plane extending from the upper edge of the front panel, at right angles thereto.
• each module beginning with the topmost module is acted upon by its respective overturning and resisting forces and subsequently transmits those forces to the contiguous module (s) below according to the details of the transfer mechanism provided in the design.
• Such mechanisms have heretofore consisted of commonly used interlocking means such as mortise and tenon keys on connecting arms or depended lips on the lower surfaces of the face panels.
• the use of mortise and tenon keys in the partition means results in very complex detailing and extensive inventories of the various key configurations required for different wall geometries.
• the use of depending lips in the face panels results in excessively high shearing stresses and bending in the weaker direction of the panel. This factor seriously limits the useful height of the design since these stresses when high cannot be resisted by any economically practical thickness of face panel or depending lips.
• Figure 1 shows three cellular modules with generally rectangular partition means 5, one superposed upon another. It is not material to the invention whether the modules transmit vertical loads from face panel to face panel or from partition means to partition means. What is provided is a system for the transference of lateral forces between modules which allows any size module to be superposed above any similar module regardless of the supporting module's relative size (smaller or larger) without any change in the location of the mortises 6. This ability permits a type of stacking arrangement where mqdule sizes increase and then decrease progressively at each superpqsed course.
• the rear panel of any module may be either substantially perpendicular to the front panel, substantially parallel with the front panel, as in Figure 1, or inclined at an acute angle with respect to the plane of the front panel, as in Figure 5, depending upon the particular purpose to which it is to be applied.
• a rear panel which is substantially perpendicular to the front panel 1 of the module is especially beneficial.
• the rear panels 1 ⁇ be parallel with the front panel 1 (Fig. 1) so the rear panels can be readily aligned.
• a wall system utilizing modules described in this invention has several advantages: simplification of detailing and manufacturing (mortises are located at uniform, fixed spacing), improved stability (slab-like keys 8 capture more of the fill within the cells), and much simpler inventory requirements (each module is capable of keying with any other module, above or below, regardless, of comparative size).

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Civil Engineering (AREA)
• Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
• Structural Engineering (AREA)
• General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
• Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
• Paleontology (AREA)
• Retaining Walls (AREA)
• Revetment (AREA)
• Purses, Travelling Bags, Baskets, Or Suitcases (AREA)
• Joining Of Building Structures In Genera (AREA)
• Cultivation Receptacles Or Flower-Pots, Or Pots For Seedlings (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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• 1984
  • 1984-02-08 US US06/578,352 patent/US4619560A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
• 1985
  • 1985-02-08 CA CA000473891A patent/CA1237288A/en not_active Expired
  • 1985-02-08 AU AU39966/85A patent/AU3996685A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1985-02-08 EP EP85901193A patent/EP0171432B1/en not_active Expired
  • 1985-02-08 EP EP19850901192 patent/EP0172230A4/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 1985-02-08 JP JP60501008A patent/JPS61501101A/ja active Pending
  • 1985-02-08 WO PCT/US1985/000189 patent/WO1985003535A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1985-02-08 EP EP85900927A patent/EP0171417B1/en not_active Expired
  • 1985-02-08 JP JP60501032A patent/JPS61501102A/ja active Pending
  • 1985-02-08 JP JP60500739A patent/JPS61501160A/ja active Pending
  • 1985-02-08 DE DE8585900927T patent/DE3582761D1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1985-02-08 AU AU38881/85A patent/AU3888185A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1985-02-08 WO PCT/US1985/000191 patent/WO1985003537A1/en active IP Right Grant
  • 1985-02-08 AU AU39968/85A patent/AU3996885A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1985-02-08 WO PCT/US1985/000190 patent/WO1985003536A1/en active IP Right Grant
  • 1985-02-08 DE DE8585901193T patent/DE3579533D1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime

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