Hydraulic and earth engineering – Earth treatment or control – Shoring – bracing – or cave-in prevention
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-12
2001-04-10
Will, Thomas B. (Department: 3673)
Hydraulic and earth engineering
Earth treatment or control
Shoring, bracing, or cave-in prevention
C405S286000, C052S583100, C052S604000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06213689
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a construction member adapted for constructing a retaining wall to keep a bank of earth from sliding or water from flooding. More particularly, the present invention relates to an assembly type construction member as a construction unit composed of a U-shape concrete panel and a concrete shelf plate installed in the rear side of the U-shape panel. Further, the present invention relates to a method for constructing a retaining wall by making use of a plurality of the construction unit.
2. Prior Art
Conventionally, concrete blocks have been commonly used in the construction of low height or small scale retaining wall, but in the case of great scale retaining wall construction, reinforced concrete wall have been built up by pouring concrete into wall-form at its own construction site.
However, such conventional reinforced concrete wall construction require a relatively wide bottom space for its foundation, thereby resulting in disadvantages such as long construction period, higher cost, and inefficient work. In addition to these disadvantages, since conventional reinforced concrete wall is rigid, this wall can not absorb or disperse the vibration energy and impact force caused by earth quake.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to overcome the above described disadvantages, that is, to provide an improved construction unit to construct a retaining wall which is improved in a bottom space, a construction period, and a construction cost.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved construction unit to construct a retaining wall which can withstand earth quake.
Further object of the present invention is to provide an improved construction unit to construct a retaining wall with a drainage structure.
Still further object of the present invention is to provide a method for constructing the above described retaining wall by making use of the improved construction unit.
In order to accomplish the above objects, the present invention provides a construction unit which can be vertically piled and horizontally arranged one by one to construct a retaining wall on a foundation. The construction unit is composed of a U-shape concrete panel having at least one drain, at least two I-shape concrete panels each of which is connected to the rear end of the U-shape panel, and at least one concrete shelf plate both ends of which are received by shelf receiving recesses formed in the inner surfaces of the U-shape panel and the I-shape panels.
The U-shape panel further includes a vertical engagement means to engage with the vertically piled U-shape panels, and connection members to connect to the I-shape panels. This vertical engagement means includes an upper hole formed in the top surface of the lower piled U-shape panel and a lower hole formed in the bottom surface of the upper piled U-shape panel, and a steel bar installed in the upper and lower holes.
The shelf plate is inclined downward at about 20° with respect to the horizontal plane.
The connection members are made of steel belt integrally formed in the rear ends of the U-shape panel and the front and rear ends of the I-shape panel, and are mechanically engaged through commonly used bolt and nut.
The drain is formed in a slit shape along the lower edge of the U-shape panel.
The U-shape panels and the I-shape panels are assembled to build up a retaining wall inclined rearward at about 10° with respect to the vertical plane.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for constructing a retaining wall by making use of the above described construction unit comprises following working steps for;
(1) forming a reinforced concrete foundation;
(2) placing a predetermined number of U-shape panels side by side on the foundation to make the first step face, which U-shape panel has at least one drain;
(3) placing two I-shape panels at the rear end of each the U-shape panel;
(4) mechanically connecting the rear end of the U-shape panel to the front end of the I-shape panel through a connection member;
(5) installing a shelf plate within shelf receiving recesses formed in the inside surfaces of the U-shape panel and I-shape panel so that the shelf plate is inclined downward at about 20° with respect to the horizontal face;
(6) arranging vertical reinforcing rods and horizontal reinforcing rods in the cavity like space defined between two construction units composed of the U-shape panel and I-shape panels;
(7) inserting a steel bar into the upper hole formed in the top surface of the first step U-shape panel;
(8) piling a second step U-shape panel on the first step panel with inserting the steel bar into the lower hole formed in the bottom surface of the second step panel;
(9) repeating the former working steps (2) to (8) up to the top step; and
(10) filling concrete into each of the cavity defined between the horizontally adjacent panels, and packing crushed stones into the inner space defined by the U-shape panel and two I-shape panels.
Thus constructed retaining wall is preferably inclined rearward at 10° with respect to the vertical plane. Since the construction unit according to the present invention is a self-standing structure, the retaining wall can be constructed upright in response to construction situation.
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Hall Priddy Myers & Vande Sande
Pechhold Alexandra K.
Tokusuke Co., Ltd.
Will Thomas B.
LandOfFree
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