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CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
         [0001]    Priority of Dutch patent application No. 1,016,329, filed in the Netherlands on Oct. 4, 2000, is hereby claimed. That patent application is hereby incorporated by reference.  
         STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
         [0002]    Not applicable  
         REFERENCE TO A “MICROFICHE APPENDIX” 
         [0003]    Not applicable  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for consolidating earth strata.  
           [0005]    U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,471,540; 4,643,615; and 6,254,308; International Publication No. WO 00/50696; and Published Japanese patent application No. 10278292, published as publication No. 2000104242 on Apr. 11, 2000, are incorporated herein by reference.  
           [0006]    When the bearing capacity of a soil is insufficient for carrying out a civil engineering project, such as the construction of a rail road or a motorway, it may be increased by forcedly driving out/withdrawing water from the weak earth strata (clay, peat) . By withdrawing water the soil material will be pressed against each other and thus obtain an increased bearing capacity. As a consequence, the volume of soil body will decrease.  
           [0007]    Forced consolidation techniques have been known for a long time. Nowadays drainage ribbons are often used, which are driven vertically into the ground with great force by means of a drive-in lance. On top of the ground level, incorporating the projecting end portions of the ribbons, a sand body is placed over which an airtight membrane is arranged. In the sand body a drainage pipe has been accommodated, to which a pump is connected, with which water and air is withdrawn from the sand body and thus from the drainage ribbons and the areas surrounding it. The weight of the sand body increases the pressure of the water to be withdrawn, in order to accelerate the process.  
           [0008]    However, an objection is that during the forced consolidation process the terrain, due to the presence of the membrane, is not available for (preparations for) construction activities. A membrane moreover has to be bought, arranged and guarded and mostly be removed and discharged in a flow of waste material.  
           [0009]    It is an object of the invention to improve on this. The present invention provides a method for consolidating an earth stratum situated in a subgrade by withdrawing water that is present. The method comprises the stepwise arrangement from the surface of the soil, at some depth, of vertical draining means, such as drainage strips, in the earth stratum, the arrangement of horizontal drainage means, such as drainage pipes, in the upper area of the earth stratum and connecting them to the vertical drainage means for water transfer between them, the arrangement of an air sealing layer directly over the horizontal drainage means and the closing of the surface of the soil, as well as the connection of the horizontal drainage means to a pump for discharge of the water and air. In this way the upper load relatively increases to the atmospheric pressure and the terrain is made available again for other activities. The pump may be very effectively active, as the sealing prevents drawing in of air from above the drainage means, at least reduces it to a large degree.  
           [0010]    Preferably a trench is made from the ground surface and the vertical drainage means are arranged from the bottom of the trench. As a result the drainage means need not be pressed through an upper layer, and their length may be limited to the minimum necessary.  
           [0011]    In an advantageous embodiment the trench is being made by means of a plough that is arranged on a device, a vertical drainage means being arranged by means of said device as well, and the horizontal drainage means are each time arranged after that until the next vertical drainage means has to be arranged. Thus both the vertical and horizontal drainage means are preferably arranged in a continuous progress of a process.  
           [0012]    Preferably simultaneously with the arrangement of the horizontal drainage means or immediately after that, the air sealing layer is being arranged by means of the device as well, as a result of which the time of processing is further minimized.  
           [0013]    Preferably the air sealing layer is being arranged by removing soil material from the trench walls and pressing it on the horizontal drainage means. In this way use is made of sealing material that is already present, which is particularly possible in cases of clay or loamy soil.  
           [0014]    Alternatively the air sealing layer can be arranged by arranging a sealing foil layer or plastic material such as, for instance bentonite, on the horizontal drainage means.  
           [0015]    Preferably the air sealing layer is arranged by means of the device.  
           [0016]    It is further preferred that the trench is finally closed off with soil material up to approximately the original surface. Then as well no supply of extra soil material will be necessary.  
           [0017]    In a further development of the method according to the invention the vertical drainage means are taken from a supply, and after having been arranged are separated by cutting through at a level above the trench bottom, so that the upper portion is available for contact with the preferably elongated or tubular horizontal drainage means. The cutting through preferably takes place in the device, so that a good performance is ensured.  
           [0018]    From another aspect the invention provides an apparatus for use in forced consolidation, comprising a device provided with means for moving them in horizontal direction, over the ground surface, with means for making a trench from the ground surface down to at least just below the upper side of the earth stratum to be consolidated, with means for the stepwise supplying of a vertical drainage ribbon from a supply and driving it into the earth stratum, and means for supplying a horizontal drainage means in the trench bottom.  
           [0019]    Preferably the device is further provided with means for cutting through the drainage ribbon at a level above the trench bottom. The means for cutting through preferably comprises a movable blade and an anvil for said blade, said blade preferably having been arranged on an arm of a lever rotatable about a horizontal center line, the other arm of said lever being connected to a vertically active hydraulic cylinder, preferably accommodated in the trench-making means. In this way a high cutting power can be achieved with low (horizontal) occupation of space, as the stroke length of the cylinder is not limited by horizontal limitations.  
           [0020]    The trench-making means is preferably a plough, which at its rear side is provided with means for removing soil material from the trench walls and for pressing it downward, for forming an air sealing layer over the horizontal drainage means, or with means for arranging foil or bentonite, at least (initially) plastic sealing material.  
           [0021]    Preferably, at its rear side the plough is provided with means for supplying the horizontal drainage means, particularly from a supply roll, in the trench, so that they are situated, as it were, at the free shadow side.  
           [0022]    It is furthermore preferred that means are provided for pivoting the plough about a horizontal axis of rotation, between a trench-making active position and an upwardly tilted moving position and vice versa. On the one hand this facilitates transport, on the other hand it can promote initial penetration of the plough. 
       
    
    
       [0023]    The invention will be elucidated on the basis of an exemplary embodiment shown in the attached drawings, in which:  
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0024]    For a further understanding of the nature, objects, and advantages of the present invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description, read in conjunction with the following drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like elements and wherein:  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 1 is a side view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;  
         [0026]    FIGS.  1 A-C show several possible states of the apparatus according to FIG. 1, amongst others a fully collapsed state (FIG. 1C);  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 2 is a partial side view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention showing the plough part of the apparatus;  
         [0028]    FIGS.  2 A-H show several details and cross-sections, partially and schematically, of the plough part of FIG. 2;  
         [0029]    [0029]FIGS. 3A and 3B schematically show the portion in the plough part of the FIGS.  2 A- 2 C with which a drainage ribbon can be cut through;  
         [0030]    [0030]FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate a possible way of connecting the drainage ribbon to the lance of the apparatus of FIG. 1; and  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 5 schematically shows a project carried out with an apparatus according to the invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0032]    [0032]FIG. 1 shows the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention, designated generally by the numeral  1 . The apparatus  1  can include a hydraulic excavating machine  40  in order to form a kind of driving rig, which is common in driving vertical drainage ribbons into a ground. The hydraulic machine  40  is supported on ground level  41 , and has an arm or boom  110  which is hinged to the machine at  70   a.  At the outer end, the arm  110  is connected to a U-shaped bracket  12  at hinge  71 . A second connection is provided between machine  40  and U-shaped bracket  12  consisting of a piston/cylinder assembly  4   a  that extends between hinge  70   c  on the machine  40  and hinge  73  on the bracket  12 . Hinge  73  is located above hinge  71 . A further connection is provided between the arm  110  and the machine  40  with piston cylinder assembly  4   d,  in order to move the arm  110  up and down. Piston/cylinder assembly  4   d  is connected at hinge  72  to boom  110  and at hinge  70   b  to machine  40 .  
         [0033]    A kings post  2  is connected to both ends of the U-shaped bracket  12  by means of a first connection, consisting of a hinge  75 , a piston/cylinder assembly  4   c,  a hinge  74  and a bracket  3   a,  located at a distance above the lower end of the post  2 , and by means of a second connection, consisting of a hinge  79  and a bracket  3   b  located at the lower end of the post  2 . A lance  5  is supported by the post  2  and can be moved up and down along the post  2  in the directions P by means of means that are known per se and not further shown.  
         [0034]    By way of background information, as illustrated in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the lower end of the lance  5  is connected to an end of drainage ribbon  9 , which is unwound from a supply roll (not shown) arranged on the post  2 . The lower end of the ribbon  9  is passed in the direction J through a U-bracket  38  fixed to a plate  37 , and then the plate  37  is moved against the lower end of the lance  5  in the direction K. When the lance  5  is urged into the ground (direction L) , the plate  37 , which laterally extends from the lance  5 , will bend according to arrows M to form inclined anchoring lips  39 . When a length of drainage ribbon has been pressed into a ground to be consolidated by means of the lance  5 , the lance  5  is lifted again. Due to the anchoring lips  39 , the lower end of ribbon  9  will be held in the ground and stay in its place. The drainage ribbon will be cut through at ground level or above it after letting the lance pass upwards along the kings post, after which the new end of the drainage ribbon is connected again to the lance, for instance by means of an anchor, for a subsequent processing step.  
         [0035]    The U-shaped bracket  12  forms a support for a plough  6  too. This plough  6 , which will be described in detail, is hinged to the bracket  12  at  77 , spaced apart from hinge  79 . In addition, the plough  6  is connected to the bracket  12  by means of a piston/cylinder assembly  4   b,  which is hinged to the bracket  12  at  76  and to the plough  6  at hinge  78 , between hinges  77  and  71 . Hinge  76  is located between hinges  75  and  73 .  
         [0036]    The plough  6  has a front edge  7  and a rear side  8 . At its lower end, the front edge  7  may be provided with a nose, but it is left out in the figures.  
         [0037]    Due to the various hinges  70 - 79  and the piston/cylinder assemblies  4   a - d,  the machine  40 , the arm or boom  110 , the post  2  and the plough  6  may be set at different angles with respect to each other, as illustrated in FIGS.  1 A-C. In the upright position of FIG. 1A the piston/cylinder assembly  4   d  has been extended somewhat, and assembly  4   a  has been operated to maintain the orientation of bracket  12  as compared to FIG. 1. Two other positions have been indicated in FIG. 1A, that is for the post  2  a lying orientation by swinging the post  2  in direction S, realized by extending assembly  4   c,  and for the plough  6  a halfway swung back (direction T) orientation, realized by extending assembly  4   b,  all while maintaining the orientation of bracket  12 . In FIG. 1B the post  2  has been left out, and the plough  6  has been swung to a horizontal orientation, while maintaining the orientation of bracket  12 .  
         [0038]    In FIG. 1C, piston/cylinder assemblies  4   a  and  4   d  have been operated to swing the post  2 , the bracket  12  and the plough  6  as a unity from the orientation of FIG. 1 into a horizontal, transportation orientation.  
         [0039]    Turning now to FIG. 2, at its front edge  7 , the plough has a sharp front edge with flanks  7   a,    7   b.  These flanks merge into side plates  113   a, b,  defining an inner space shielded from the soil and providing strength to the plough  6 . In this inner space, the plough  6  is provided with a vertical passage  15 , at the lower end of which a schematically indicated ribbon cutter  16  has been arranged, which in an exemplary embodiment is shown in detail in the FIGS. 3A and 3B.  
         [0040]    The cutting mechanism  16  shown in FIG. 3A and 3B is arranged to be active at the lower end of vertical passage  15 , near its lower opening  15   a.  FIG. 3A schematically shows a drainage ribbon  9  vertically extending through the passage  15 , at the moment the lance has already been drawn and the drainage ribbon  9  therefore has been inserted into the ground sufficiently deep.  
         [0041]    The ribbon cutting mechanism  16  comprises an anvil  22  attached in a holder  23  fixedly arranged on the plough  6 , against which anvil a blade  21  can be brought with great force for cutting the drainage ribbon  9 . The blade  21  has been attached to a lever  24 , which is hingedly attached in the plough  6  at the location of pivot pin  30 , and which by means of pin  29  has been attached to the end of a piston rod  27  of cylinder  26 , which itself has been attached with the other end to an attachment block  28  fixedly arranged on the plough  6 .  
         [0042]    When a drainage ribbon  9  has to be cut through, the cylinder  26  is excited with means that are not further shown, so that the piston rod  27  is urged downwards in the direction A. As a result the pin  29  is moved downwards, in which as a result of the hinging attachment of the upper end of the cylinder  26  to the block  28  some deflection to the rear is possible, so that a fluent rotational movement about the pivot pin  30  is possible. Thus the lever  24  is rotated anti-clockwise in the direction B, until the blade  21 , as can be seen in FIG. 3B, has separated the drainage ribbon  9  into a portion  9   a  that is left behind in the ground and a portion  9   b  that can be arranged at another location. The arrangement shown with vertical operation cylinder  26  and lever  24  for converting a vertical movement into a more or less horizontal cutting movement is efficient as regards occupation of space and power transmission.  
         [0043]    At its upper side the plough  6  is provided with attachment eyes  77   a  and  78   a,  serving to accommodate hinges  77  and  78 , respectively.  
         [0044]    At the rear side  8 , the plough  6  is provided with a pipe  10 , having an entrance  19  at its upper end and a smoothly curved portion  10   a  at its lower end, which curved portion  10   a  is cut open in the upper portion of its circumference and ends in portion  10   b,  where also the lower portion of its circumference has been cut away (notice the cross sections of FIGS. 2C and 2D) . The end portion  10   b  is horizontally oriented and defines exit  20  which is oriented horizontally rearwards.  
         [0045]    Parallel to pipe  10 , directly rearwards of it, extends a supply for an air-tight sealing foil strip or sheet  99 , when the application of such a foil would be needed. The supply comprises a support  90  for a supply roll  98  of a foil strip  99 . The strip  99  is guided over idle roller  97  into a downward direction, where it engages about a pipe  91  having a circular cross-section. A small distance below pipe  91  a pipe  93  has been arranged about the pipe  91  to form an annular channel therewith for the foil strip  99  (see FIG. 2B).  
         [0046]    As can be seen in FIG. 2A, the lower ends of the circular pipes  91 ,  93  are received in plate  120  which forms a part of bracket  121  that is fixed to the plough  6 . Only the inner pipe  91  continues, and this pipe gradually merges into a U-shaped profile  94  realized at the lower end of bracket  121 , just above the curved track  95 . As can be seen in FIGS. 2A and 2F, the space around profile  94  is sidewardly bounded by plates  14   a, b,  to the rear by plate  14   c  and in front by plate  14   d.  The U-shaped profile  94  has a bottom  80  and two side walls  84   a, b,  as can be seen in the cross-section of FIG. 2C.  
         [0047]    The side walls  14   a, b  are downwardly continued in curved downward extension plates  82   a, b  in curved track  95  to form a U-shaped channel  83  for the foil strip  99 . As can be seen in FIG. 2C, this channel is delimited at its bottom by the pipe  10   a,  or, at pipe  10   b,  by the drainage pipe travelling through pipe  10  at the same speed.  
         [0048]    Thus, in the downward direction of travelling, the foil  99  is transferred from a more or less circular shape into a U-shape, the legs of the U-shaped foil strip  99  being folded about the bottom  80  and the side walls  84   a, b  and being laterally confined by the downward extensions  82   a, b  of the plates  14   a, b.    
         [0049]    As can be seen in FIGS. 2, 2A,  2 E and  2 H, the plough  6  is provided with a pair of scraping blades  101 ,  102 , forming part of an inverted U-shaped scraper  100 , attached to the lower end of the bracket  121  and defining a horizontal, upwardly confined passage Y (FIG. 2E). The scraper  100  has two inclined scraper blades  101 ,  102   a  and  101 ,  102   b  and upper wall  103 / 104 , wherein the blades  102   a, b  and wall  104  converge towards each other and urge the soil flowing rearwards through the scraper  100  downward.  
         [0050]    The scraping blades  101   a, b  have slanted front edges  105   a, b  (FIGS. 2A, 2E,  2 H) which project sidewards from the plates  113   a,    113   b  to cut soil from the walls ( 45   a,    45   b  in FIG. 2E) of the trench made by the plough. This cut out soil will then be able to fall on the foil strip  99  that travels just below it. The scraper  100  may be left out in case no foil strip  99  is applied.  
         [0051]    Below the scraper  100 , the plough  6  is provided with a pair of blades  86   a,    86   b  extending obliquely upwards and sidewards and having front edges  106   a,    106   b  that are inclined upwards and rearwards and upper edges  87   a,    87   b  (FIGS. 2A, 2E and  2 G) . These blades  86   a,    86   b  make a cut into the walls of the trench made by the plough in order to make an incision or discontinuity in these walls, so that the stability of the walls below the incision may not be affected by the soil scraper and presser  11  yet to be described, which is active on the soil above the incision.  
         [0052]    Reference is made to FIGS. 2 and 2A, in which the soil scraping and pressing and soil filling blades  11  attached to the rear  8  of the plough  6  has been illustrated. The soil scraper/presser  11  is positioned behind the scraper  100  and the blades  87   a,    87   b.  It regards a substantially inverted U-shaped pressing profile  60 , which at its front at the location of hinge  53  is hingedly attached to the plough  6 , in particular bracket  121 . At its upper side, the profile  60  is provided with a block  50  with stop  51  which abuts against a stop bolt  52  threadingly attached to bracket  121  by means of a pair of nuts  54 . By adjusting the nuts  54  the length of projection of bolt  52  can be adjusted, and therewith the angle of orientation of the profile  60  with respect to the plough  6 . The profile  60  has two legs  61   a,    62   a  and  61   b,    62   b  and an upper wall  66 , wherein the upper wall  66  is inclined rearwards and downwards, and the leg portions  62   a,    62   b  converge to each other, so as to define a narrowing passage or tunnel for the soil. As can be seen in FIGS. 2A and 2E, the edges  64 ,  65  of the legs  61 ,  62  are downwardly and rearwardly inclined. The level of the edges  65   a, b  is just below the level of the lower edges of blade legs  101 ,  102 . The wall  66 , and therewith the legs  61 ,  62 , however, extend laterally beyond the blade legs  101 ,  102  and the blades  86   a,    86   b.  Moreover, the level of the edges  65   a,    65   b  is slightly higher than the level of the upper edges  87   a,    87   b  of the blades  86   a,    86   b.    
         [0053]    In FIG. 5 a picture at a given moment is given of a project in which the apparatus according to the invention is being used. The excavating machine  40  holds the kings post  2  straight up and provides the necessary power and operation lines. The project was started on the left-hand side in the drawing. The hydraulic machine  40  has moved itself over the ground level  41 , underneath which a sand layer  42  is situated. At larger depth a sand layer  44  is situated between relatively weak-for instance clay or loamy-earth strata  43  and  45 . In order to be able to carry out a project, such as the construction of a rail road or motorway, at the ground level it is necessary to reinforce the earth stratum  43 , which takes place by accelerated consolidation, by letting water present in the layer  43  escape from it. This technique is known per se.  
         [0054]    One starts by rotating (direction T) the plough  6  from the position shown left in FIG. 1B to a vertical position, during which movement the plough is able to penetrate the soil. A plough nose may be an aid here. If required a small excavation may be made locally. The plough  6  may have a height of several meters (for example, 2 meters or more), in any case sufficient to amply extend into the earth stratum  43 .  
         [0055]    When the plough  6  has been brought on the right location for arranging a vertical drainage ribbon, the apparatus is operated to press a drainage ribbon  9   a  in the earth stratum  43  by means of lance  5 , down to the wanted depth. The lance  5  need not penetrate the sand layer  42  here, but instead easily penetrates the free passage  15  within the plough  6 . After the lance  5  has been lifted again and the drainage ribbon  9  has been cut through by the cutting mechanism at about the level of line X in FIG. 5, the machine  40  is driven one step backwards, in which the plough  6  is pulled along in the direction D, while making a trench. During that movement a bendable drainage pipe  36  is supplied from a supply that is not further shown on king post  2 , in which the pipe moves through the passage  10 ,  10   a,    10   b  and exits from the horizontally oriented opening  20  in the direction H (see FIG. 2A). The end of the perforated drainage pipe  36  is connected to an unperforated pipe portion  36   a,  which leads to a deep well pump  31  above ground level, which later on is able to discharge water (and air) in the direction F. The supplying of the drainage pipe  36  at the rear side of the plough  6  is relative: the drainage pipe that is already in the trench remains there, and the plough moves in the direction D.  
         [0056]    At the next location where a drainage ribbon has to be arranged, one proceeds as with drainage ribbon  9   a  and thus the drainage ribbons  9   b,    9   c,    9   d,    9   e  etc. are arranged stepwise. With all interim movements in the direction D the horizontal drainage pipe  36  is extended stepwise, until the situation shown in FIG. 4 has been reached. During the movements, the part of the drainage ribbon that extends between the cutting mechanism  16  and the lower side of the plough  6  is horizontally spread on the trench bottom as a result of engaging against the outer bend  10   a  of the passage  10 , and on the thus horizontally turned portion  9   a ′ (see FIG. 5) the horizontal drainage pipe  36  has come down, as a result of which a direct contact between both drainage elements is possible for quick passing on of water. When the wanted end of the horizontal extension of the pipe  36  has been reached, the pipe can be cut at depth and sealed at the end or connected to a perforated pipe portion that is connected to a second pump, so that in case of larger drainage lengths water can be discharged in two directions.  
         [0057]    Alternatively this connection can be realised in a casing of granular material. To that end, simultaneously with either the drainage pipe or with a separate pipe, a granular material is supplied via pipe  10  to a space formed by lower side plough, bend  10   a  and the vertical ribbon.  
         [0058]    In order to let the drainage arrangement be as efficient as possible, use is made of an underpressure system in which according to the invention it is prevented that false air is being drawn in, particularly in the area above the drainage pipe. In order to let the drainage pipe be active as much as possible in downward direction, the contact area with the drainage ribbons, first an incision is made in the trench wall by means of the blades  86   a, b,  after which the U-blade  60  extends with horizontal portion  66  in those incisions made and soil material below there in the trench wall is cut vertically by the legs  61   a, b  and after that is removed from the trench wall by the converging legs  62   a,    62   b  and urged downwards by wall  66 . During the movement steps in the direction D of the plough  6 , the material is thus pressed and compacted on and around the upper half of the circumference of the horizontal drainage pipe  36  by the pressing blade  60 , so that an as it were airtight layer  46  is situated on the pipe  36 . The reversed U-shape of blade  60  and the stop  52  here promote the realization of the airtight sealing.  
         [0059]    When the work has been completed the plough  6  can be removed from the trench by tilting about hinge  77 . alternatively, the assembly of plough  6 , bracket  12  and post  2  can be lifted. In that case, the hinged connection of the scraper/presser  11 ,  60  at  53  permits the scraper/presser  11 ,  60  to rotate towards a more vertical orientation in which the lifting movement is facilitated. In addition, by such an orientation it is avoided that the walls of the trench are severely damaged, which would otherwise result in local collapse of these walls and loosened soil falling on the drain, due to which a leakage path might be realized.  
         [0060]    In case the type of soil is less cohesive or substantially granular, the foil  99  can be used to provide an air tight seal on the pipe  36 . Here, the scraper  100  and the parts for the supply of the foil strip  99  are used, the strip  99  being supplied at the same speed as the drainage pipe  36  in the direction I and H, respectively (FIG. 2 and  2 A) . The scraper cuts the soil from the trench walls, crumbles it and urges it downwards to let it fall on the foil strip  99  which is then already more or less horizontal. Thus it is ensured that the strip has a proper position on the upper side of the drainage pipe before the pressing and filling blade  60  becomes active in the area concerned. The foil  99  used can be a composite one, such as a sandwich foil of an upper layer and a lower layer of polypropylene for strength, and an air tight foil in between these layers.  
         [0061]    When making the trench the plough can be hindered by high density types of soil, or by obstacles of a natural or artificial nature. In order to remove or minimize that hinder the plough can be equipped with means known per se for breaking off the cohesion of the soil and/or obstacles or displacing them. In one embodiment the plough at its front edge  7  is provided with one or several blades that are vertically movable over the entire height of the cut surface. When necessary these blades make an upward and downward movement.  
         [0062]    Alternatively for making the trench, the trench-making device can be provided with a ground cutter in the portion in front of a vertical passage of the lance/the ribbon. It strongly resembles a chain saw and may consist of an endless chain which may or may not be provided with teeth and/or scrapers. A chain here runs in the centre of the device about a drive wheel at the upper side of the device to a turn wheel at the lower side of the device. The shafts of the chain wheels are perpendicular to the direction of travel of the device whereas the chain runs in the plane of the direction of movement of the device. Here the device is furthermore provided with the means described earlier on for supplying the pipe and possibly the U-shaped soil closing blades.  
         [0063]    The movement of the chain may take place in continuous rotating movement or in an up and downwardly oscillating movement. In a special embodiment several chains may run side by side possibly having an opposing direction of movement.  
         [0064]    Alternatively the plough can be provided with one or several vibrating mechanisms to let the plough make a pulsating movement in the propelling movement as well as transverse to it.  
         [0065]    It is noted that the methods discussed can also be used from a pontoon on a subaqueous soil.  
       PARTS LIST  
       [0066]    The following is a list of suitable parts and materials for the various elements of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
                                                   PART NO.   DESCRIPTION                            1   apparatus            2   kings post            3a   bracket            3b   bracket            4a   piston ylinder ssembly            4b   piston cylinder assembly            4c   piston cylinder assembly            4d   piston cylinder assembly            5   lance            6   plough            7   front edge            7a   flank            7b   flank            8   rear side            9   drainage ribbon            9a   ribbon            9a′   horizontally turned portion            9b   ribbon            9c   ribbon            9d   ribbon            9e   ribbon            10   pipe            10a   curved pipe portion            10b   pipe end portion            11   soil scraper/presser            12   u-shaped bracket            14a   plate            14b   plate            14c   plate            14d   plate            15   vertical passage            15a   lower opening            16   ribbon cutting mechanism            19   entrance            20   exit            21   anvil blade            22   anvil            23   holder            24   lever            26   cylinder            27   piston rod            28   attachment block            29   pin            30   pivot pin            31   deep well pump            36   drainage pipe            36a   unperforated portion            37   plate            38   u-shaped bracket            39   anchoring lips            40   excavating machine            41   ground level            42   sand layer            43   earth stratum            44   sand layer            45a   wall            45b   wall            46   airtight layer            50   block            51   stop            52   stop bolt            53   hinge location            54   nut            60   presser            61   leg            61a   leg            61b   leg            62   leg            62a   leg            62b   leg            64   edge            65   edge            65a   edge            65b   edge            66   upper wall            70a   hinge            70b   hinge            70c   hinge            71   hinge            72   hinge            73   hinge            74   hinge            75   hinge            76   hinge            77   hinge            77a   attachment eye            78   hinge            78a   attachment eye            79   hinge            80   bottom            82a   curved downward extension plate            82b   curved downward extension plate            83   u-shaped channel            84a   side wall            84b   side wall            86a   blade            86b   blade            87a   upper edge            87b   upper edge            90   support            91   inner pipe            93   pipe            94   u-shaped profile            95   curved track            97   idle roller            98   supply roll            99   foil strip           100   scraper           101   scraping blade           101a   scraping blade           101b   scraping blade           102   scraping blade           102a   scraping blade           102b   scraping blade           103   wall           104   wall           105a   slanted front edge           105b   slanted front edge           106a   front edge           106b   front edge           110   boom           113a   side plate           113b   side plate           120   plate           121   bracket           A   direction arrow           B   direction arrow           D   direction arrow           F   direction arrow           H   direction arrow           J   direction arrow           K   direction arrow           L   direction arrow           M   direction arrow           P   direction arrow           S   direction arrow           T   direction arrow           X   line           Y   passage                      
 
         [0067]    The foregoing embodiments re presented by way of example only; the scope of the present invention is to be limited only by the following claims.

Summary:
Method for consolidating an earth stratum situated in a subgrade by withdrawing water that is present in there from it, comprising the stepwise arrangement from the surface of the soil, at some depth, of vertical draining means, such as drainage strips, in the earth stratum, the arrangement of horizontal drainage means, such as drainage pipes, in the upper area of the earth stratum and connecting them to the vertical drainage means for water transfer between them, the arrangement of an air sealing layer directly over the horizontal drainage means and the closing of the surface of the soil, as well as the connection of the horizontal drainage means to a pump for discharge of the water.