Hydraulic and earth engineering – Earth treatment or control – Shoring – bracing – or cave-in prevention
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-29
2002-04-16
Will, Thomas B. (Department: 3673)
Hydraulic and earth engineering
Earth treatment or control
Shoring, bracing, or cave-in prevention
C052S605000, C052S606000, C052S607000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06371700
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a segmental retaining wall system comprised of units and specifically to a segmental retaining wall system comprised of multiple units having a planter compartment with a drainage channel and a hydro-drainage compartment.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Retaining wall systems are often comprised of multiple units planted into a hillside or embankment in layers to form a retaining wall system to prevent erosion of the hillside or embankment.
Typically, the individual units forming the retaining wall system are substantially rectangular in shape, however, other shapes including substantially triangular or substantially oval are also known in the art. The units are often comprised of four walls and a bottom forming a single compartment that is open on its top, and may be filled with gravel, soil, and/or vegetation. Vegetation is sometimes planted to provide a natural appearance and/or to partially cover the wall. Often the units have a decorative front face that has a greater height than the other three walls.
To build a retaining wall system with said units, the units are laid side-by-side and placed in layers. Layers may be laid in different angles and depths within the hillside or embankment such that different layers within a wall may have different angles of repose and different face setbacks. Walls may be built in patterns such as staircase, slope or curve pattern. Geogrid, which is a woven synthetic fiber, is often placed between layers to extend into the hillside or embankment behind the wall to give the wall sufficient strength to be built above a height of approximately three to four feet, which is typically the maximum wall height that may be built without geogrid. The units also typically contain lips or other interlocking means to aid in unit placement in building the wall and aid in preventing unit slippage over time.
However, retaining wall systems in the prior art often erode due to hydrostatic forces causing unit slippage. Precipitation from natural or artificial sources may accumulate within units, exerting outward lateral forces upon the walls of the units, causing the units to erode from their places within the retaining wall system. Increasing the angle of repose and face setback between layers of units increases wall failure when combined with hydrostatic forces.
Another problem with the retaining wall systems in the prior art is that when building a wall it is difficult to position units with the proper side-to-side distance between units, face setback, and angle of repose. It is also difficult to maintain proper side-to-side distance, face setback, and angle of repose over time. Prior art units often have lips or other interlocking means to connect units, or are affixed together with mortar in an attempt to prevent unit slippage. However, without interlocking means or mortar, unit slippage commonly occurs.
In view of the foregoing limitations and shortcomings of the prior art, as well as other disadvantages not specifically mentioned above, it should be apparent that there exists a need for a segmental retaining wall system, comprised of units containing draining means to prevent large hydrostatic pressure from building within the units, thereby minimizing unit slippage.
There exists a need for a retaining wall system having units of sufficient strength to allow a wall of more than three to four feet in height to be built without the use of geogrid and allow for a greater allowable angle of repose and face setback between layers of units.
There exists a need for units that contain means for easily positioning the units with proper side-to-side distance, face setback, and angle of repose.
There also exists a need for units that contain means for maintaining proper side-to-side distance, face setback, and angle of repose, and which resist slippage without the use of interlocking means or mortar.
These and other objects are met by the present invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Briefly described, the retaining wall system of the present invention is comprised of units having a front planter compartment with a drainage channel, and a rear hydro-drainage compartment. The front planter compartment accepts soil and vegetation therein, and the drainage channel drains water and other fluids from the front compartment into the rear compartment to prevent hydrostatic pressure from building up within the front compartment and causing the units to erode. The rear hydro-drainage compartment is open on its bottom for draining and may be filled with angular gravel or other hydro-drainage aggregate to properly weight units to maintain unit placement in the hillside or other embankment. The units contain angle of installation guides that aid in vertically aligning the units to achieve a desired face setback, and angularly aligning the units to achieve a desired angle of repose between layers of units. The units contain horizontal alignment guides to aid in side-to-side unit placement. The units are of a sufficient weight that the unit weight along with the angle of installation guides and horizontal guides reduces unit slippage without the use of interlocking means or mortar. A wall of up to eight feet tall may be built without the use of geogrid in accordance with the present invention.
Additional benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art to which the present invention relates from the subsequent description of the preferred embodiment and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanied drawings.
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