Patent Publication Number: US-6213688-B1

Title: Earth retaining wall

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates generally to structures for retaining earth to prevent erosion or to function as a sea wall or dam, and more particularly, to such a structure which is formed of replaceable panels that are held in assembled condition using retaining bars that rest in a ball socket footing positioned in the earth. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Various forms of earth retaining structures or walls are known in the art to prevent erosion and/or to function as a sea wall or dam. Certain characteristics of such walls are desirable to enhance the structure and facilitate assembly and repair thereof. 
     For example, it is known to utilize a plurality of interconnecting panels to form such a retaining wall so that selected panels can be removed and repaired or replaced if they become damaged. Also, it is known to use reinforcing rods to facilitate support and connection of such panels when they are assembled as an earth retaining or sea wall. 
     Generally, the earth retaining or sea walls known in the art are positioned to rest on a foundation construction without any contemplation of, or provision for, movement of the wall with respect to the foundation. Such constructions have the disadvantage of possibly failing when the earth retained by the wall shifts during forces of nature such as earthquakes or slides, or the force of crashing water waves, thereby causing the wall to move off of the foundation and possibly collapse under the force of the earth or water. 
     The present invention provides an earth retaining wall which is positioned on a foundation footing with a mating ball and socket construction that permits the wall to flex or move at least a limited amount when the earth retained thereby shifts, but without resulting in the wall moving off of the foundation footing. Thereby, the earth retaining wall of the invention will not collapse and fail under the force of such earth movement, but continues to retain the earth as intended. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is characterized by a wall formed of a plurality of panels which are matingly stacked together in Jigsaw puzzle like fashion against an earth embankment. The panels can be pre-formed concrete, or the like. The panels are arranged one above another and are held together by vertical bars which pass through hollow pipes or conduits formed in peripheral portions of each panel. Each bar is formed at a terminal end with a semicircular ball foot formation which rests in a matingly engageable ball socket foundation plate or footing positioned in the embankment. The upper terminal end of the assembled wall is capped by a concrete patio member or plate. Wave breakers can be installed on the faces of the panels when the wall is employed as a sea wall. 
     The earth retaining wall of the invention is advantageous in that it is somewhat flexible by reason of connections of adjacent panels along vertical bars. Such connections enable adjacent panels along the horizontal direction to move or flex one with respect to another as the retained earth moves in normal course. Also, the flexibility of the adjacent panel connections permits such panels to be assembled initially along an arc in the horizontal direction to form a water dam having generally convex configuration to resist the force of water pressure upstream of the dam. Further, the ball and socket interconnection of the wall with its foundation footing enables the wall to move somewhat in the vertical plane as the earth moves, but without the wall collapsing or crumbling when there is such earth movement. 
     The wall of the invention also has the advantageous characteristic in that it can be assembled from the top of an earth embankment by sliding panels down the vertical retaining bars and thereby the panels are stacked one above another, to the desired elevation of the wall. By reason of such assembly, panels which may become damaged after installation of the wall are separately replaceable by reversing the assembly procedure, thus obviating the need to replace the entire wall if a portion only becomes damaged. 
     Various objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent in accordance with the above and ensuing disclosure in which the preferred embodiments are described in detail in the specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It is contemplated that minor variations may occur to the skilled artisan without departing from the scope or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an earth retaining wall constructed in accordance with the invention, with portions thereof shown broken away and other portions shown in phantom outline to illustrate details of the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line  2 - 2  of FIG. 1, in the direction indicated generally, with the wall shown installed as a sea wall; 
     FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the manner of assembly of the various parts of the earth retaining wall of the invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a corner panel used in assembly of the wall of the invention, which constructional features of said panel being shown in phantom outline; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view similar to that of FIG. 4, but showing an end panel; 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view similar to that of FIGS. 4 and 5, but showing a central panel; 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a wave breaker installed on the sea wall of the invention; 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a wave breaker; 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of a wave breaker; 
     FIG. 10 is a fragmentary perspective view of a vertical panel-retaining bar of the invention, showing the top cap member in position thereon, with constructional portions of the cap member being shown in phantom outline; 
     FIG. 11 is a fragmentary view of a vertical panel-retaining bar of the invention, showing the bottom semi-circular ball foot formation in position thereon, with constructional portions of the ball foot formation being shown in phantom outline; 
     FIG. 12 is a view similar to that of FIG. 11 but illustrating an alternate construction of the semi-circular ball foot formation of the invention; 
     FIG. 13 is a fragmentary perspective view of the top patio member or plate installed on the wall of the invention, with constructional portions thereof being shown in phantom outline; 
     FIG. 14 is a fragmentary perspective view of the ball socket foundation plate or footing of the invention, with constructional portions thereof being shown in phantom outline; 
     FIG. 15 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the earth retaining wall of the invention, the same being shown with two such walls installed in cooperative fashion to function as a water dam; 
     FIG. 16 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line  16 - 16  of FIG. 15, in the direction indicated generally; and 
     FIG. 17 is a top plan view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 15, with representative ones only of the panels thereof being shown. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to FIGS. 1-14, the retaining wall  10  of the invention is formed of a plurality of assembled panels, indicated by the general reference numeral  12 , which are matingly stacked or arranged together in jigsaw puzzle fashion against an earth embankment  14 . 
     Panels  12  are pre-cast in one of three specific configurations: a generally cross-shaped mid-location panel  16 , a generally L-shaped corner-location panel  18 ; and a generally T-shaped edge-location panel  20 . Each panel  12  preferably is formed of concrete with reinforcing metal bars  22  in accordance with known techniques to form pre-cast concrete members. Tubular hollow pipes or conduits  24  are formed in portions of each panel  12  to facilitate assembly thereof in the manner described below. Cross-shaped panel  16  is formed with two such pipes  24 A,  24 B, one in each oppositely-disposed leg  26 ,  28 ; T-shaped panel  20  also is formed with two such pipes  24 C,  24 D, one in each oppositely disposed leg  30 ,  32 ; and L-shaped panel  18  is formed with one such pipe  24 E in leg  34 . Each of the pipes  24  opens to oppositely disposed edge surfaces of each panel  12  to provide passageways through said panels for receipt therethrough of bars  36  as described below. For example, pipe  24 A of panel  16  opens at locations  17 ,  19  on edge surfaces  21 ,  23 , and similarly for the other pipes formed in the other panels. 
     A plurality of bars  36  are provided to retain panels  12  assembled together to form the retaining wall  10 . Each bar  36  preferably is solid core metal of diameter dimension appropriate to pass through pipes  24  formed in panels  12 . A ball foot formation  38  is provided for positioning at the lower terminal ends  40  of each bar  36 . Each ball foot formation  38  preferably is formed of pre-cast concrete with a reinforcing plate  42  having a socket  43  for secure receipt therein of a terminal end  40  of a bar  36 . Alternatively, as seen in FIG. 12, ball foot formation  38 ′ is provided formed as a metal channel member with reinforcing plate  42 ′ having a socket  43 ′ for secure receipt of terminal end  40  of a bar  36 . The cross-sectional configuration of each ball foot formation  38 ,  38 ′ is generally semi-circular with a rounded support surface  45 ,  45 ′ and a generally flat panel-resting surface  44 ,  44 ′. 
     A foundation or footing plate  46  is provided to support the ball foot formations  38 . Plate  46  is formed of elongate configuration, preferably by pre-cast concrete with reinforcing bars  48 , and has a channel  50  formed therein. The cross-sectional configuration of channel  50  is generally semi-circular to be cooperative with that of the ball foot formations  38  so that the support surface  45  of each ball foot formation can rest in the matingly engageable channel  50  of the footing plate  46 . 
     The wall  10  is assemblable by matingly stacking panels  12  against earth embankment  14 . First, footing plate  46  is positioned at the foot of the embankment. The length of plate  46  is pre-chosen in accordance with the desired length of the earth retaining wall. Alternatively, a plurality of plates  46  of various lengths can be arranged adjacent each other along the total length desired for the earth retaining wall. 
     Thereafter, a plurality of bars  36 , each with a ball foot formation  38  secured to their terminal ends  40 , is positioned spaced along the plate  46  with the ball foot formations resting within channel  50 . Next, selected panels  12  are positioned at the tops  60  of the bars  36  with the bars passing through a selected pipe  24  in a panel  12 . The lower or bottom edge  62  of wall  10  first is formed by positioning a corner panel  18  upon one bar, a mid-location panel  16  adjacent thereto on next positioned bars, and an edge-location panel  20  positioned adjacent to the last named panel on next positioned bars, continuing in this manner to the pre-chosen end of the wall where a last corner panel  18  is positioned on a last positioned bar  36 . These panels are slid or moved down the bars which pass through the pipes  24  to rest against the flat panel-resting surfaces  44  of the ball foot formations  38 . The remainder of the wall  10  is assemblable upon bars  36  in similar manner by positioning and stacking selected panels  12  one adjacent each other in jigsaw puzzle like fashion at the top of the bars  36  with the bars passing through pipes  24  and moving them down to rest upon the below-assembled panels. The openings of the pipes  24  on the edge surfaces of each panel  12  are in registry one with another when the panels are stacked one adjacent each other, as best seen in FIG. 3, so that the bars pass through all registered pipes of adjacently disposed panels  12 . The weight of the assembled panels bears against the ball foot formations  38  to maintain their position within channel  50  of plate  46  and prevent the ball foot formations from leaving the channel. 
     Upon completion of assembly of wall  10  as described above, the uppermost edge  70  of the wall is capped off by installing upper ball formations  72  at the top terminal ends  60  of the bars  36 . Upper ball formations  72  may be constructed the same as ball foot formations  38  with the same cross-sectional configurations. Next, the earth embankment  14  is levelled off at the top of wall  10 , and a patio member or plate  80 , preferably formed of concrete with reinforcing metal bars  82 , and having a channel  84  which rests on the semi-circular surfaces  86  of upper ball formations  72  to secure the plate  80  in position. 
     The wall  10  can be installed to function as a sea wall, as illustrated in FIG. 2, with one side  90  of the wall facing water  91  and the opposite side  92  positioned against earth embankment  14 . Wave breakers  94  can be positioned upon side  90  by anchors  96 . Wave breakers  94  can be formed as pre-cast concrete members of generally elongate configuration with passageways  93  at opposite ends through which anchors  96  can be positioned for securement upon wall  10 . The wave breakers  94  can be selected to be of generally rectangular configuration (FIG.  7 ), L-shaped cross-sectional configuration (FIG.  8 ), or semi-circular cross-sectional configuration (FIG.  9 ). 
     Once assembled, the earth retaining wall is somewhat flexible by reason of connections of adjacent panels  12  along vertical bars  36  passing through pipes  24 . Such connections enable adjacent panels  12  along the horizontal direction to move or flex one with respect to another as the earth in embankment  14  moves in normal course. Further, the ball and socket interconnection between ball foot formations  38  which rest in channel  50  of plate  46  enables the wall to move somewhat in the vertical plane as the earth moves, but without the wall collapsing or crumbling when there is such earth movement. 
     The manner of assembly of wall  10  by separate panels  12  permits replacement of selected panels by reversing the assembly procedure, thus avoiding the need to replace the entire wall if a portion only becomes damaged. 
     Referring to FIGS. 15-17, an alternate embodiment of the retaining wall of the invention is shown installed as a water dam  100 . Dam  100  is formed by assembling two retaining walls  102 ,  104  on opposite sides of an earth embankment  106 . One wall  102  faces the pressure side  108  of a water channel, and the other wall  104  faces the low side  110  of the water channel. The walls  102 ,  104  of dam  100  are assembled in the same manner, and using the same constructional elements, as described hereinabove in connection with wall  10 . The walls  102 ,  104  are positioned between earth walls  112 ,  114  in the water channel to close off the channel. Two plates  46  are used for dam  100 , one each for the footings of walls  102  and  104 . The top member or plate  80  has two channels  116 ,  118  to top off the upper ends of walls  102 ,  104 , and can function as a roadway  120  at the top of the dam. The walls  102  and  104  are assembled with a generally convex configuration in the manner preferred to function as a dam. Such assembly is possible because of the flexibility of the adjacent panel connections as previously described, which permits the panels to be assembled along an arc  122  in the horizontal direction to form the dam having a generally convex configuration to resist the force of water pressure upstream (pressure side  108 ) of the dam. 
     Minor variations in the structure and other variations in the arrangement and size of the various parts may occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit or circumventing the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.