A method for applying a ground anchor into the ground, and anchor to be used therewith

Abstract: A Method for introducing a ground anchor into the ground, comprising the step of screwing an elongate anchor body (1) into the ground by means of an extension rod (5) that is to be connected to the proximal end of said anchor body (1). The distal end of a pulling line (9) is connected to the anchor body (1) at a distance from the proximal end of said body (1). A pipe sleeve (6) is slided onto the extension rod (5), while guiding said line (9) via an eyelet (7) at said pipe sleeve (6) adjacent the distal end of said pipe sleeve (6), from the anchor body (1) along said pipe sleeve (6). The anchor body (1) is then screwed downwardly by turning the extension rod (5) and the pipe sleeve (6) jointly to the desired depth. Finally the pipe sleeve (6) together with with the line (9) extending there along are rotated around the stationary anchor body (1)/extension rod (5) assembly.

Description: The invention relates to a method as defined in the first part of claim 1. Such a method is well-known and is applied e.g. for stabilizing permanent or temporary sheet-pile walls that are driven into the ground at a distance from the anchor body. In a frequently and succesfully applied embodiment of the well-known method an anchor body having a hollow core and screw blades is used and after this anchor body has been screwed into the ground a settable mortar is introduced. The mortar is pressed through the extension tube and the hollow space of the anchor body into the earth between the screw blade turns to form together with said earth a solid mass, in which the anchor body becomes fixedly anchored. The extension tubes form a permanent part of the anchor and are attached to the sheet-pile wall with the proximal end extending through a hole in the sheet-pile wall and with the intermediary of an anchoring support. In general the introduction of the ground anchors into the ground is started only after the sheet-pile wall is completed. The introduction of the individual sheet-piles involves powerful vibrations, which are transmitted through the earth. If one would start the introduction of the ground anchors, while continuing driving or vibrating further sheet-piles into the ground, these vibrations would prevent an effective setting process of the settable mortar, so that the required resistance to pull out would not be obtained. It is an object of the invention to improve the wellknown method in the sense, that the introduction of the ground anchors may be started without objection already before the structure to be stabilized (i.e. sheet-pile wall) has been completed, and if desired immediately upon the introduction of each next sheet-pile or group of sheet-piles, so that the overall time required for driving constructions, such as sheet-pile walls, into the ground and anchoring the same, may be substantially reduced. According to the invention this aim is achieved by the features defined in the second part of claim 1. The effect of the improved method is, that when rotating the pipe sleeve about the stationary extension rod the line will be gradually pulled inwardly and downwardly through the interior of the pipe sleeve and upon leaving through the guiding eyelet wind itself to a coil on the proximal end portion of the anchor body and/or the distal end portion of the extension rod connected thereto. This causes the anchor body to increase both in mass and in diameter, resulting in a corresponding improvement of the resistance to pull out. It should be noted that the soil around the coil is displaced and compressed by said coil while being wound. The use of a settable mortar, as with the well-known method above referred to, is omitted and this fullfills the condition, under which it is allowed to place the anchors each time immediately after the last sheet-pile is driven into the ground. By placing a ground anchor into the ground at the location of each sheet-pile use can be made of ground anchors having a relatively low tensile-strength, while it is no longer required to place supporting beams along the outer side of the sheet-pile wall, as is required when using ground anchors the mutual spacing of which is many times larger than the width of a sheet-pile. It is to be noted that US-A 2 603 319 discloses an auger type ground anchor, with which the distal end of a line is fastened to a laterally extending eyelet of a sleeve that is rotatably mounted about either an upper smooth section of the shaft of the anchor body or about an extension of the latter. When in the process of screwing the anchor into the ground the anchor has lowered to the extent that the desired location of the sleeve is about to enter the ground, the sleeve is placed and the line is fastened. The lowering (by screwing) of the anchor may then be continued, whereby the sleeve will swivel upon the rotating anchor shaft (extension) and the line will cut its way downwards through the ground. In this case the line is forming the object that has to be anchored. There is no question of a line that is coiled upon the anchor body to increase both the mass and diameter of the latter. The invention also relates to a ground anchor as defined in the first part of claim 2, as is well-known per se. The improved ground anchor according to the invention is characterized by the features defined in the second part of claim 2. Claims 3 and 4 define features of a preferred embodiment of the anchor according to the invention. The invention will be hereinafter further explained by way of example with reference to the diagrammatic drawing. The anchor shown in the drawing has to be driven into the ground under an elevational angle α of e.g. 25-40°. It comprises an anchor body 1 in the form of a core rod 2 that is provided with a screw blade 3 in a well-known manner and ends at its distal end into a bevelled frog 4. An extension rod 5 is connected to the proximal end of the anchor body 1. In the example shown the extension rod is indicated as integrally formed with the core rod 2. The extension rod 5 is surrounded by a pipe sleeve 6, that has a guiding eyelet 7 at its distal end. A flange 8 is provided on the core rod 2 at the transition between said core rod and the extension rod 5. The distal end of a steel wire cable 9 is anchored on the side of the flange that is turned away from the frog 4. When the anchor is ready for being driven into the ground the cable 9 extends from the anchoring point 10 straight through the guiding eyelet 7 and the clearance space between the exten-sion rod 5 and the pipe sleeve 6 towards the anchor end turned away from the frog 4. In this condition the anchor is screwed into the ground in a well-known manner, under the desired elevational angle α, by rotating the extension rod 5 and the pipe sleeve 6 jointly in the arrow direction A. When the ground anchor has arrived at the desired depth, the extension rod 5 is disconnected from the driving device (not shown) positioned above ground level after which the pipe sleeve is further rotated around the stationary extension rod 5. This causes the line 9 to be gradually pulled through the alter tube 6 downwardly, while being guided through the guiding eyelet 7, and to wind itself to a coil 11 that bears against the flange 10. Upon completion of the winding of the line, resulting in an increased anchor mass and an inherently increased resistance to pull out, the tube 6 is stopped and locked against further rotation, after which the anchor may be connected with its upper projecting end to the structure to be stabalized.

Claims: A method for introducing a ground anchor into the ground, comprising the step of screwing an elongate anchor body (1) into the ground by making use of an extension rod (5) that is connected to the proximal end of the anchor body and then rotated until the anchor body has reached a desired depth, characterized by the additional steps of connecting one end of a line (9) of sufficient tensile strength to the anchor body at a location spaced from the proximal end of said anchor body, sliding a pipe sleeve (6) over said extension rod, while threading said line through an eyelet (7) that is fixed adjacent the distal end of said pipe sleeve and guiding said line along said pipe sleeve upwardly, rotating said extension rod and said pipe sleeve jointly until the anchor body has reached the desired depth, holding said extension rod to prevent further rotation of the same while continuing rotation of said pipe sleeve so as to cause said line to be gradually pulled out through said pipe sleeve downwardly and wind itself to a coil on the proximal end portion of the anchor body and/or the distal end portion of the extension rod. A ground anchor for use with the method according to claim 1, comprising an elongate anchor body (1) having a distal end and a proximal end, and an extension rod (5) having a distal end that is connected to the proximal end of the anchor body and a proximal end adapted to be connected to rotating means for driving said anchor body into the ground, characterized in that one end of a line (9) of sufficient tensile strength is connected to said anchor body at a location spaced from the proximal end of said body, and in that said extension rod is surrounded by a pipe sleeve (6) having distal and proximal ends, said pipe sleeve having a guiding eyelet (7) adjacent its distal end, said line being threaded through said guiding eyelet and guided along said pipe sleeve towards and beyond the proximal end of the latter, and said pipe sleeve being adapted to be connected also to said rotating means so as to be selectively rotated by said driving means either independently or in unison with the extension rod, the guidance of the line being such that upon rotation of the pipe sleeve only, said line is pulled out through said pipe sleeve downwardly and winds itself to a coil on the proximal end portion of the anchor body and/or the distal end portion of the extension rod. A ground anchor according to claim 2, characterized in that the anchor body (1) has a supporting flange at the line connection location. A ground anchor according to claims 2-3, characterized in that said line (9) of sufficient tensile strength is guided through the clearance space between the pipe sleeve and the extension rod.

Inventors: VAN HALTEREN TIJMEN, VAN HALTEREN, TIJMEN
Applicants: HALTEREN TIJMEN VAN, VAN HALTEREN, TIJMEN
Application year: 1996
Main classification: E02D5
IPC codes: E02D5