US20200248426A1 - Retaining Wall with Reinforced Soil - Google Patents
Retaining Wall with Reinforced Soil Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20200248426A1 US20200248426A1 US16/481,941 US201716481941A US2020248426A1 US 20200248426 A1 US20200248426 A1 US 20200248426A1 US 201716481941 A US201716481941 A US 201716481941A US 2020248426 A1 US2020248426 A1 US 2020248426A1
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- facing element
- embankments
- reinforced soil
- grid
- excavation faces
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Pending
Links
- 239000002689 soil Substances 0.000 title claims abstract description 40
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 26
- 238000009412 basement excavation Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 22
- 230000003014 reinforcing effect Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 14
- 239000002131 composite material Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 12
- 229920000747 poly(lactic acid) Polymers 0.000 claims abstract description 10
- 239000004626 polylactic acid Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 10
- 239000002023 wood Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 5
- 239000000835 fiber Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 4
- 229920002678 cellulose Polymers 0.000 claims abstract description 3
- 239000001913 cellulose Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 3
- 230000002787 reinforcement Effects 0.000 claims description 7
- 229920002994 synthetic fiber Polymers 0.000 claims description 4
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- 239000005445 natural material Substances 0.000 claims 1
- 238000005728 strengthening Methods 0.000 claims 1
- 229920001222 biopolymer Polymers 0.000 abstract description 5
- 229910000831 Steel Inorganic materials 0.000 description 10
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- 238000009415 formwork Methods 0.000 description 7
- 238000010276 construction Methods 0.000 description 6
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 6
- 238000005260 corrosion Methods 0.000 description 5
- 230000007797 corrosion Effects 0.000 description 5
- XEEYBQQBJWHFJM-UHFFFAOYSA-N Iron Chemical compound [Fe] XEEYBQQBJWHFJM-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 4
- 238000003900 soil pollution Methods 0.000 description 4
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- 239000012620 biological material Substances 0.000 description 3
- 238000006065 biodegradation reaction Methods 0.000 description 2
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- 238000006731 degradation reaction Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000007613 environmental effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000009434 installation Methods 0.000 description 2
- 229910052742 iron Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- CNQCVBJFEGMYDW-UHFFFAOYSA-N lawrencium atom Chemical compound [Lr] CNQCVBJFEGMYDW-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 239000007769 metal material Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000011150 reinforced concrete Substances 0.000 description 2
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- 241000196324 Embryophyta Species 0.000 description 1
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- HCHKCACWOHOZIP-UHFFFAOYSA-N Zinc Chemical compound [Zn] HCHKCACWOHOZIP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
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- 230000003116 impacting effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000002452 interceptive effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- JEIPFZHSYJVQDO-UHFFFAOYSA-N iron(III) oxide Inorganic materials O=[Fe]O[Fe]=O JEIPFZHSYJVQDO-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
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- GOLXNESZZPUPJE-UHFFFAOYSA-N spiromesifen Chemical compound CC1=CC(C)=CC(C)=C1C(C(O1)=O)=C(OC(=O)CC(C)(C)C)C11CCCC1 GOLXNESZZPUPJE-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 238000003892 spreading Methods 0.000 description 1
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Images
Classifications
-
- 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
- E02D29/0225—Retaining or protecting walls comprising retention means in the backfill
- E02D29/0241—Retaining or protecting walls comprising retention means in the backfill the retention means being reinforced earth elements
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E02—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
- E02D—FOUNDATIONS; EXCAVATIONS; EMBANKMENTS; UNDERGROUND OR UNDERWATER STRUCTURES
- E02D17/00—Excavations; Bordering of excavations; Making embankments
- E02D17/20—Securing of slopes or inclines
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E02—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
- E02D—FOUNDATIONS; EXCAVATIONS; EMBANKMENTS; UNDERGROUND OR UNDERWATER STRUCTURES
- E02D17/00—Excavations; Bordering of excavations; Making embankments
- E02D17/20—Securing of slopes or inclines
- E02D17/202—Securing of slopes or inclines with flexible securing means
-
- 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
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E01—CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS, RAILWAYS, OR BRIDGES
- E01F—ADDITIONAL WORK, SUCH AS EQUIPPING ROADS OR THE CONSTRUCTION OF PLATFORMS, HELICOPTER LANDING STAGES, SIGNS, SNOW FENCES, OR THE LIKE
- E01F8/00—Arrangements for absorbing or reflecting air-transmitted noise from road or railway traffic
- E01F8/02—Arrangements for absorbing or reflecting air-transmitted noise from road or railway traffic specially adapted for sustaining vegetation or for accommodating plants ; Embankment-type or crib-type noise barriers; Retaining walls specially adapted to absorb or reflect noise
- E01F8/027—Arrangements for absorbing or reflecting air-transmitted noise from road or railway traffic specially adapted for sustaining vegetation or for accommodating plants ; Embankment-type or crib-type noise barriers; Retaining walls specially adapted to absorb or reflect noise with external support, e.g. wall facing
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E02—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
- E02D—FOUNDATIONS; EXCAVATIONS; EMBANKMENTS; UNDERGROUND OR UNDERWATER STRUCTURES
- E02D17/00—Excavations; Bordering of excavations; Making embankments
- E02D17/18—Making embankments, e.g. dikes, dams
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E02—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
- E02D—FOUNDATIONS; EXCAVATIONS; EMBANKMENTS; UNDERGROUND OR UNDERWATER STRUCTURES
- E02D2200/00—Geometrical or physical properties
- E02D2200/13—Geometrical or physical properties having at least a mesh portion
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E02—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
- E02D—FOUNDATIONS; EXCAVATIONS; EMBANKMENTS; UNDERGROUND OR UNDERWATER STRUCTURES
- E02D2300/00—Materials
- E02D2300/0084—Geogrids
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E02—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
- E02D—FOUNDATIONS; EXCAVATIONS; EMBANKMENTS; UNDERGROUND OR UNDERWATER STRUCTURES
- E02D2600/00—Miscellaneous
- E02D2600/20—Miscellaneous comprising details of connection between elements
Definitions
- the invention is applicable in the field of retaining structures, known as “reinforced soil”, and, more specifically, it refers to a structure for reinforcing slope, embankments and excavation faces, made up of a facing element that is made of a natural and biodegradable material, and a reinforcement element placed in horizontal layers, consisting of a double twisted wire mesh and/or a synthetic geogrid, possibly combined with an anti-erosion component.
- the reinforced soil is an engineering solution which allows to combine the soil features with those of the reinforcing elements so obtaining a composite structure capable of resisting to tensile stress so expanding the scope of earthworks. Reinforced soil structures and their applications currently represent a key point in the field of the geotechnical engineering because they make it possible to reinforce the soil structure while respecting the natural and environmental aspects of the sites.
- Reinforced soil structure applies to several areas, as for example road and railway infrastructures, soil protection, mitigation of the hydrogeological instability, hydraulic constructions, river works or rockfall protection works, bridge abutments retaining walls, green elements for street furniture and industrial complexes, noise barriers.
- Reinforced soil walls or embankments bring wider benefits than the traditional gravity retaining walls or reinforced concrete retaining walls, mainly because they imply a simple technique which does not need any specialised equipment or staff. For doing this works it is in fact only necessary to use an excavator, a compactor and little skilled labour. It is furthermore possible to easily construct very high retaining works able to take significant deformations before reaching their serviceability limit state, so needing no deep foundations and so being particularly suitable for stabilizing landslides. If compared to the rigid concrete structures, they can better bear earthquakes, dynamic traffic loads and impacting loads on them.
- reinforced soil instead of a traditional reinforced concrete wall has a lower environmental impact, especially in consideration of the green grass growing on the front side, and makes it possible to use filling material collected right there as a result of excavation, so considerably reducing the construction costs.
- reinforced soil structures are made of three elements:
- the principal aim of the present invention is to provide a reinforced soil structure, embankments and excavation faces comprising a facing element made of a biodegradable and natural origin material in order to avoid the risk of soil and groundwater pollution deriving from the steel degradation and corrosion (the systems currently in use include in fact facing elements, connecting parts and stiffening elements made of iron).
- Another aim of the present invention is to provide a structure for reinforced soil and excavation faces comprising a facing element, made of natural and biodegradable material, which can preserve the initial shape of the work even after the facing element progressive biodegradation.
- a further aim of the invention is to provide a structure for reinforced soil and excavation faces which can be quickly sited and laid and which can be done by unskilled staff.
- FIG. 1 an axonometric view of the facing element provided for in the present invention
- FIG. 2 an axonometric view of a first embodiment of a retaining structure including a facing element provided for in the present invention
- FIG. 1 illustrates the facing element referenced in the present invention in a first embodiment.
- the facing element is made of natural origin and biodegradable material. More specifically, said material may be a composite, biological or natural origin material, or, alternatively, synthetic material or a biopolymer.
- the facing element 1 is therefore biodegradable and the material which it is made of can also render it suitably rigid, so that the proper shape of the external face of the work is assuredly preserved. If the facing element 1 is made of a natural biological material, the latter is a unique natural origin element naturally occurring in the form used, for example wood.
- the natural origin material is made of a synthetic one deriving from natural elements, it is a biopolymer.
- a biopolymer shall be understood as a synthetic material, in most cases biodegradable and non-toxic, obtained from renewable natural sources, either produced from biological systems (plants, animals, microorganisms) or chemically synthesized from molecules of biological origin (sugars, starch, oils, fats).
- the biopolymer making the facing element 1 is polylactic acid 100 percent genuine (PLA) or, alternatively, bonded with other natural elements.
- the natural origin material is a composite one
- the latter shall be understood as any material variously obtained by combining in different percentages elements of natural origin (synthesized and non-synthesized) with other elements which improve the properties of said materials.
- the material of the facing element 1 may be a fibre composite material containing cellulose, as for example WPC wood, or a composite PLA, made of PLA bonded with other elements in different percentages.
- the facing element 1 in a first embodiment it is made of a rectangular grid 2 , having for example a 2 metres frontal width, so that it can be easily shaped into a curved frame, whereas the commonly known facing elements usually have a 3 to 4 metres width.
- the grid 2 may have a thickened square shape or an oval shape, like a river stone.
- the facing element 1 includes a secondary grid 3 —generally smaller in size than the grid 2 —hinged to the grid 2 in correspondence of its side 21 .
- Grids 2 and 3 are reciprocally hinged by means of binding elements 4 made of a suitably resistant string or natural fibre cord, or other equivalent means, as for example a series of rings, suitable for fastening the grid 2 to the grid 3 in correspondence of the side 21 and for allowing both grids to freely rotate around the axis defined by side 21 .
- a different embodiment includes the use of clatches between grids 2 and 3 .
- Another embodiment involves the use of tightening brackets 5 to be interposed between grid 2 and 3 .
- the tightening brackets 5 make it possible to rapidly set and keep the designed inclination of the work planned for the facing element.
- the tightening brackets 5 have a triangular section and are made of the same natural—composite or biological—material of the facing element 1 , namely of the grids 2 and 3 .
- the tightening brackets 5 are fastened to the grid 2 through suitable means 6 , for example rings, binding elements or clips, and they are secured to the soil and/or to the secondary grid 3 by means of stakes 7 .
- spacer devices are included as an alternative to the tightening brackets 5 , said spacers having a length suitable for rapidly setting and keeping the designed inclination of the facing element.
- the facing element 1 does not include any steel parts, generally used in the known facing elements, because the facing element 1 , any tightening brackets 5 (or any struts), the linking elements 4 , the fastening means 6 and the stakes 7 are all made of biodegradable material. Furthermore, considering that the facing element is a formwork to be only used for shaping the work and not having any structural purpose, it is actually not necessary to aim at a higher resistance deriving from the use of a metallic material; lower resistance materials are therefore fittingly used as long as they are suitably rigid in order to keep the soil during the spreading and compaction phases and to help to hold the front anti-erosion element up to when vegetation grows up. From that moment onwards, the facing element no longer has any purpose.
- the reinforcing structure will keep its initial shape, which will be overtime ensured by the structural reinforcements.
- the facing element provided for in the present invention and removable formwork soil reinforcement techniques, the latter involve the use of the formwork only during the construction operations in order to shape the work and it is then rapidly removed before constructing the upper reinforcing layer. This happens because the same formwork is used more than once and the use of iron is avoided.
- This technique is much slower than the one using a non-removable welded steel mesh formwork in terms of the extent of work surface done in a day and it also needs at least two types of highly specialised staff: the material positioner and the excavator operator, who carefully removes the formwork trying to avoid deforming or damaging the structure.
- This technique has been almost completely abandoned in recent years because of its expensive labour requirements and it has been replaced by the technique using a non-removable welded steel mesh formwork, which involves the additional cost of the steel but also a strong labour reduction and which nonetheless has the pollution related disadvantages as above indicated. Therefore, the use of a facing element 1 made of natural, composite, synthetic or biological material firstly does not generate the soil pollution, it has reduced construction times and it does not need any highly specialised staff.
- the grid 2 and the secondary grid 3 as shown in FIG. 1 , have standard size square meshes.
- a facing element 1 including grids 2 and 3 having thickened meshes so that it is not necessary to use an anti-erosion bionet or mat combined with the facing element 1 . Costs are this way reduced and since it is less necessary to use metallic clips in order to join the various elements, corrosion and the release of pollutants into soil are restricted.
- a structure 100 for reinforced soil and excavation faces includes a facing element 101 , an anti-erosion net 102 and a reinforcing element 103 , the latter being alternatively made of a double twisted wire mesh or a geo-synthetic net.
- the facing element 101 , the anti-erosion net 102 (if any) and the reinforcing net can be positioned as it follows: facing element—anti-erosion net—reinforcing net or, rather, reinforcing net—facing element—anti-erosion net, or in any different sequence. All will depend on the landscape visual requirements as chosen by the work designer, but it will change nothing in terms of reducing soil pollution.
- the structure 100 for soil reinforcement made as described above, may be found in a pre-assembled condition so as to facilitate the installation operations by unskilled staff and the folding lines are made in order to help transporting and unfolding said structure in the construction site.
- the invention here provided for it is possible to overcome the difficulties deriving from the currently known pre-assembled elements having a fixed height, which means a variation in the height of the reinforced soil layer according to the change of the external facing element inclination, since the facing element is in a standard size welded steel mesh.
- the facing element in natural biodegradable material as here proposed may be differently sized.
- each facing element 100 having a standard width, is assembled to the reinforcing element 103 , having a greater width or at least a lateral extension 104 , the latter being as wide as the length of 1 or 2 meshes (for a double twisted wire mesh) or at least 10 to 15 centimetres wide (for a geogrid). It is so possible to join distinct structures by simply overlapping two adjacent elements.
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Paleontology (AREA)
- Civil Engineering (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Structural Engineering (AREA)
- Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
- Pit Excavations, Shoring, Fill Or Stabilisation Of Slopes (AREA)
- Piles And Underground Anchors (AREA)
Abstract
The invention is applicable in the field of retaining structures, known as “reinforced soil. More specifically, it refers to a facing element for reinforced soil structures and excavation faces and to a structure for reinforcing slope and excavation faces made with the facing element provided for in the present invention. The facing element for reinforced soil structures and excavation faces provided for in the present invention is made of a natural origin material, composite, biological or synthetic, for example a biopolymer such as polylactic acid 100 percent genuine (PLA) or polylactic acid bonded with other elements (composite PLA), composite with a fibre material containing cellulose, such as WPC wood, or natural wood.
Description
- The invention is applicable in the field of retaining structures, known as “reinforced soil”, and, more specifically, it refers to a structure for reinforcing slope, embankments and excavation faces, made up of a facing element that is made of a natural and biodegradable material, and a reinforcement element placed in horizontal layers, consisting of a double twisted wire mesh and/or a synthetic geogrid, possibly combined with an anti-erosion component.
- “The reinforced soil” is an engineering solution which allows to combine the soil features with those of the reinforcing elements so obtaining a composite structure capable of resisting to tensile stress so expanding the scope of earthworks. Reinforced soil structures and their applications currently represent a key point in the field of the geotechnical engineering because they make it possible to reinforce the soil structure while respecting the natural and environmental aspects of the sites.
- Reinforced soil structure applies to several areas, as for example road and railway infrastructures, soil protection, mitigation of the hydrogeological instability, hydraulic constructions, river works or rockfall protection works, bridge abutments retaining walls, green elements for street furniture and industrial complexes, noise barriers.
- Reinforced soil walls or embankments bring wider benefits than the traditional gravity retaining walls or reinforced concrete retaining walls, mainly because they imply a simple technique which does not need any specialised equipment or staff. For doing this works it is in fact only necessary to use an excavator, a compactor and little skilled labour. It is furthermore possible to easily construct very high retaining works able to take significant deformations before reaching their serviceability limit state, so needing no deep foundations and so being particularly suitable for stabilizing landslides. If compared to the rigid concrete structures, they can better bear earthquakes, dynamic traffic loads and impacting loads on them. Using reinforced soil instead of a traditional reinforced concrete wall has a lower environmental impact, especially in consideration of the green grass growing on the front side, and makes it possible to use filling material collected right there as a result of excavation, so considerably reducing the construction costs. As is well known, reinforced soil structures are made of three elements:
-
- a reinforcing element (usually a geogrid or an hexagonal double twisted wire mesh, having different levels of corrosion protection)
- a facing element (usually a welded wire steel mesh having a variable spacing and cross section diameter usually about 7 to 8 millimetres, mostly having no corrosion protection, combined with a natural or synthetic anti-erosion component
- structural soil (that is the filling material of the structure)
- Though widely used, this standard type of reinforced structure has got some drawbacks. One of them is the risk of soil pollution due to the degradation and corrosion of the metallic material making up the facing element. This also applies to the zinc-coated facing elements which nonetheless release harmful particles of rust into the soil, though later than the classic black facing elements (without zinc-coating).
- It is worth considering that many countries have laws which forbid (or guidelines suggesting to avoid) the use of steel in certain areas, such as for example some natural parks, rivers and seas, areas in which slowly it will no longer be possible to use the reinforced earth technique, as it is known today, notwithstanding the aforementioned advantages.
- Accordingly, in consideration of the growing worldwide trend towards maximising the respect for the environment and reducing the various forms of pollution, the principal aim of the present invention is to provide a reinforced soil structure, embankments and excavation faces comprising a facing element made of a biodegradable and natural origin material in order to avoid the risk of soil and groundwater pollution deriving from the steel degradation and corrosion (the systems currently in use include in fact facing elements, connecting parts and stiffening elements made of iron).
- Another aim of the present invention is to provide a structure for reinforced soil and excavation faces comprising a facing element, made of natural and biodegradable material, which can preserve the initial shape of the work even after the facing element progressive biodegradation.
- A further aim of the invention is to provide a structure for reinforced soil and excavation faces which can be quickly sited and laid and which can be done by unskilled staff.
- Through the present invention the so far described (and further) aims are achieved; they are hereinafter illustrated in a preferred embodiment, but further improvements are still possible, by means of the attached drawings which show:
-
FIG. 1 , an axonometric view of the facing element provided for in the present invention; -
FIG. 2 , an axonometric view of a first embodiment of a retaining structure including a facing element provided for in the present invention; -
FIG. 1 illustrates the facing element referenced in the present invention in a first embodiment. The facing element, indicated as a whole with thereference number 1, is made of natural origin and biodegradable material. More specifically, said material may be a composite, biological or natural origin material, or, alternatively, synthetic material or a biopolymer. - The facing
element 1 is therefore biodegradable and the material which it is made of can also render it suitably rigid, so that the proper shape of the external face of the work is assuredly preserved. If the facingelement 1 is made of a natural biological material, the latter is a unique natural origin element naturally occurring in the form used, for example wood. - Alternatively, if the natural origin material is made of a synthetic one deriving from natural elements, it is a biopolymer. A biopolymer shall be understood as a synthetic material, in most cases biodegradable and non-toxic, obtained from renewable natural sources, either produced from biological systems (plants, animals, microorganisms) or chemically synthesized from molecules of biological origin (sugars, starch, oils, fats). In a first embodiment, the biopolymer making the facing
element 1 ispolylactic acid 100 percent genuine (PLA) or, alternatively, bonded with other natural elements. - Furthermore, if the natural origin material is a composite one, the latter shall be understood as any material variously obtained by combining in different percentages elements of natural origin (synthesized and non-synthesized) with other elements which improve the properties of said materials. In another embodiment, the material of the facing
element 1 may be a fibre composite material containing cellulose, as for example WPC wood, or a composite PLA, made of PLA bonded with other elements in different percentages. - As to the shape of the facing
element 1, in a first embodiment it is made of arectangular grid 2, having for example a 2 metres frontal width, so that it can be easily shaped into a curved frame, whereas the commonly known facing elements usually have a 3 to 4 metres width. As an alternative, thegrid 2 may have a thickened square shape or an oval shape, like a river stone. - In a different embodiment of the invention, the facing
element 1 includes a secondary grid 3—generally smaller in size than thegrid 2—hinged to thegrid 2 in correspondence of its side 21.Grids 2 and 3 are reciprocally hinged by means of binding elements 4 made of a suitably resistant string or natural fibre cord, or other equivalent means, as for example a series of rings, suitable for fastening thegrid 2 to the grid 3 in correspondence of the side 21 and for allowing both grids to freely rotate around the axis defined by side 21. A different embodiment includes the use of clatches betweengrids 2 and 3. Another embodiment involves the use of tighteningbrackets 5 to be interposed betweengrid 2 and 3. As a consequence, the tighteningbrackets 5 make it possible to rapidly set and keep the designed inclination of the work planned for the facing element. In a first embodiment the tighteningbrackets 5 have a triangular section and are made of the same natural—composite or biological—material of the facingelement 1, namely of thegrids 2 and 3. The tighteningbrackets 5 are fastened to thegrid 2 throughsuitable means 6, for example rings, binding elements or clips, and they are secured to the soil and/or to the secondary grid 3 by means of stakes 7. - In a different embodiment spacer devices (or struts) are included as an alternative to the tightening
brackets 5, said spacers having a length suitable for rapidly setting and keeping the designed inclination of the facing element. - All that is outlined above clearly shows that the facing
element 1 does not include any steel parts, generally used in the known facing elements, because the facingelement 1, any tightening brackets 5 (or any struts), the linking elements 4, the fastening means 6 and the stakes 7 are all made of biodegradable material. Furthermore, considering that the facing element is a formwork to be only used for shaping the work and not having any structural purpose, it is actually not necessary to aim at a higher resistance deriving from the use of a metallic material; lower resistance materials are therefore fittingly used as long as they are suitably rigid in order to keep the soil during the spreading and compaction phases and to help to hold the front anti-erosion element up to when vegetation grows up. From that moment onwards, the facing element no longer has any purpose. - Lastly, when biodegradation of the facing
element 1 starts, the reinforcing structure will keep its initial shape, which will be overtime ensured by the structural reinforcements. From the comparison between the facing element provided for in the present invention and removable formwork soil reinforcement techniques, the latter involve the use of the formwork only during the construction operations in order to shape the work and it is then rapidly removed before constructing the upper reinforcing layer. This happens because the same formwork is used more than once and the use of iron is avoided. This technique is much slower than the one using a non-removable welded steel mesh formwork in terms of the extent of work surface done in a day and it also needs at least two types of highly specialised staff: the material positioner and the excavator operator, who carefully removes the formwork trying to avoid deforming or damaging the structure. This technique has been almost completely abandoned in recent years because of its expensive labour requirements and it has been replaced by the technique using a non-removable welded steel mesh formwork, which involves the additional cost of the steel but also a strong labour reduction and which nonetheless has the pollution related disadvantages as above indicated. Therefore, the use of a facingelement 1 made of natural, composite, synthetic or biological material firstly does not generate the soil pollution, it has reduced construction times and it does not need any highly specialised staff. Thegrid 2 and the secondary grid 3, as shown inFIG. 1 , have standard size square meshes. In a different embodiment it is anyway possible to use a facingelement 1 includinggrids 2 and 3 having thickened meshes so that it is not necessary to use an anti-erosion bionet or mat combined with the facingelement 1. Costs are this way reduced and since it is less necessary to use metallic clips in order to join the various elements, corrosion and the release of pollutants into soil are restricted. - As it can be seen in
FIG. 2 , the facingelement 1 is used in the construction ofstructures 100 for reinforced soil and excavation faces. In a first embodiment astructure 100 for reinforced soil and excavation faces includes a facingelement 101, ananti-erosion net 102 and a reinforcingelement 103, the latter being alternatively made of a double twisted wire mesh or a geo-synthetic net. - The facing
element 101, the anti-erosion net 102 (if any) and the reinforcing net can be positioned as it follows: facing element—anti-erosion net—reinforcing net or, rather, reinforcing net—facing element—anti-erosion net, or in any different sequence. All will depend on the landscape visual requirements as chosen by the work designer, but it will change nothing in terms of reducing soil pollution. - The
structure 100 for soil reinforcement, made as described above, may be found in a pre-assembled condition so as to facilitate the installation operations by unskilled staff and the folding lines are made in order to help transporting and unfolding said structure in the construction site. By means of the invention here provided for, it is possible to overcome the difficulties deriving from the currently known pre-assembled elements having a fixed height, which means a variation in the height of the reinforced soil layer according to the change of the external facing element inclination, since the facing element is in a standard size welded steel mesh. The facing element in natural biodegradable material as here proposed may be differently sized. - Finally, as for joining
distinct structures 100 so as to make a single reinforcing structure, in the present invention all the lateral junctions are eliminated. More specifically, each facingelement 100, having a standard width, is assembled to the reinforcingelement 103, having a greater width or at least alateral extension 104, the latter being as wide as the length of 1 or 2 meshes (for a double twisted wire mesh) or at least 10 to 15 centimetres wide (for a geogrid). It is so possible to join distinct structures by simply overlapping two adjacent elements. In this case elements are joined due to the resistance transfer among them, without interfering with the thickness of the facingelement 1 and without having therefore to secure each mesh by means of steel clips or steel wire along the entire length of the reinforcing elements. These are often overlooked details because they take a long time to be performed, so elements are left with no junction. If two adjacent elements do not come in direct contact, there will be no resistance progression and no strain transfer. Each single element will separately work and will not co-operate with the adjacent elements. This is something which does not benefit the final result of the whole work. The solution as here proposed much facilitates the production process and it can ensure the resistance continuity and the strain transfer among the various reinforcing elements. It is worth considering that the phases of material filling and compaction are executed by heavy means such as (crawler type) excavators and compact rollers which often cause the reinforcement elements to be moved by few millimetres if they are not properly joined, so rapidly losing the lateral co-operation effect. Overlapping 1 or 2 meshes (for a double twisted wire mesh) or at least 10 to 15 centimetres (for a geogrid) therefore ensures the strain transfer among the elements since, even though they are moved by few millimetres during the installation operations, they lay several centimetres overlapped.
Claims (11)
1. Facing element (1) for reinforced soil structures, embankments and excavation faces made of a biodegradable material, wherein the material being a composite, biological or synthetic material having natural origin, wherein the facing element (1) is a grid (2).
2. Facing element for reinforced soil structures, embankments and excavation faces according to claim 1 , in which the biodegradable material is pure polylactic acid or polylactic acid bonded with other elements.
3. Facing element for reinforced soil structures, embankments and excavation faces according to claim 1 , in which the biodegradable material is wood.
4. Facing element for reinforced soil structures, embankments and excavation faces according to claim 1 , in which the biodegradable material is a fibre composite material containing cellulose.
5. Facing element for reinforced soil structures, embankments and excavation faces according to claim 1 , in which the facing element (1) further includes a second grid (3) which is smaller in size than the grid (2), and wherein the grid (2) and the second grid (3) being reciprocally hinged in correspondence of a side (21).
6. Facing element for reinforced soil structures, embankments and excavation faces according to claim 1 , in which the facing element (1) further includes a second grid (3) , the grid (2) and the second grid (3) being reciprocally joined by interlocking elements in correspondence of a side(21).
7. Facing element for reinforced soil structures, embankments and excavation faces according to claim 5 , further comprising tightening brackets (5), said brackets (5) having a triangular shape and being fastened to the grid (2) and to the secondary grid (3) so as to keep the designed inclination of the work planned for the facing element, said brackets (5) being made of the same natural material as the facing element (1).
8. Facing element for reinforced soil structures, embankments and excavation faces according to claim 5 , further comprising spacer devices having a length suitable for keeping the designed inclination of the facing element (1).
9. Structure for reinforced soil, embankments and excavation faces (100) comprising a facing element (101) as claimed in claim 1 and a strengthening net (103) having a greater width or at least a lateral extension (104), said elements being reciprocally fastened so as to set up a single reinforcing structure for soil, embankments and excavation faces.
10. Structure for reinforced soil, embankments and excavation faces (100) according to claim 9 , in which the reinforcement element (103) is a double twisted wire mesh.
11. Structure for reinforced soil, embankments and excavation faces (100) according to claim 9 , in which the reinforcement element (103) is a geo-synthetic material.
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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IT102016000127800 | 2017-01-31 | ||
IT102016000127800A IT201600127800A1 (en) | 2017-01-31 | 2017-01-31 | Facing for reinforcement structures for soils, embankments and excavation fronts. |
PCT/IT2017/050004 WO2018142433A1 (en) | 2017-01-31 | 2017-12-12 | Retaining wall with reinforced soil |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
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US20200248426A1 true US20200248426A1 (en) | 2020-08-06 |
Family
ID=58609784
Family Applications (1)
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US16/481,941 Pending US20200248426A1 (en) | 2017-01-31 | 2017-12-12 | Retaining Wall with Reinforced Soil |
Country Status (5)
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US (1) | US20200248426A1 (en) |
EP (1) | EP3577280A1 (en) |
CN (1) | CN110234813A (en) |
IT (1) | IT201600127800A1 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2018142433A1 (en) |
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US11071256B2 (en) | 2017-04-17 | 2021-07-27 | Grostructures Llc | Earth wall having a pocket structure for receiving vegetation |
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Also Published As
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CN110234813A (en) | 2019-09-13 |
EP3577280A1 (en) | 2019-12-11 |
WO2018142433A1 (en) | 2018-08-09 |
IT201600127800A1 (en) | 2018-07-31 |
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