Abstract: A flexible plastic soil reinforcing element is secured to the retaining face for an earthen formation by folding an end portion of the element upon itself and then securing the end portion to the face. An anchor extends rearwardly from the face and a retaining rod is engaged with the end portion of the soil reinforcing element and the anchor to secure the reinforcing element against separation from the anchor. In one embodiment, the end portion of the reinforcing element is folded upon itself multiple times to increase the shear strength of the element to either side of the anchor. In another the end portion of the reinforcing element is folded back over the reinforcing element for embedment in the earthen formation.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of raising or lowering an oil drilling rig mounted on a platform is provided. The rig is mounted on the platform hull, which is supported by a plurality of legs. Each leg has a plurality of jacking chords. The legs are raised or lowered relative to the hull to lower or raise the rig. The elevation of each chord of a leg is measured during the raising or lowering action, and the measured elevations are used to determine the deformation of the leg. In this manner, a corrective action is instituted according to the determined deformation by acting individually on each chord of the leg.

Abstract: System and method for joining together two assemblies which can move one with respect to the other, especially in underwater installations, comprising a remote-operated vehicle (17) comprising propulsion means (21) and at least one equipment item (19, 20) including hauling means (20) which attach to the assembly considered as being fixed (2) during connection, means of attaching to the other assembly considered as being mobile and which has to be connected to the said fixed assembly, means (19) of winching the said hauling means, the said equipment item being at least partially housed in a skid (18), characterized in that the remote-operated vehicle (17) further comprises a front chassis (22) that pivots about a pivot axis, the said pivoting chassis comprising the said means of attachment to the mobile assembly, the pivoting of the said front chassis being controlled in such a way that as the mobile assembly is moved towards the fixed assembly, the said vehicle is kept constantly in an approximately horizonta

Abstract: A clamp (1) for connecting form panels disposed in coplanar, side-by-side relation which engages their edge webs (2) or edge sections, which webs (2) can be directly adjacent to each other or have an intermediate piece in between. In order to adapt to the varying spacings or to different dimensions of edge webs (2) or edge sections, the clamp includes a first swivelling clamping jaw (4) which is steplessly adjustable relative to a stationary clamping jaw (5) and lengthwise on a carrier (6) which supports the two clamping jaws (4 and 5). In addition, the first swivelling clamping jaw (4) is swivel-mounted on a slide (10) which, in turn, can be fixed by clamping in any position on the carrier (6), particularly by a tipping or swivel movement in an opposite direction.

Abstract: A process for producing a product for use as an alternative cover material for landfills using recycled materials is provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for treating groundwater in situ in rock or soil. An elongate permeable upgradient zone and an elongate permeable downgradient zone, each in hydraulic communication with a permeable subsurface treatment zone and having a major axis parallel to a non-zero component of the general flow direction, are provided in the subsurface by any of a number of construction methods. The upgradient zone, downgradient zone, and treatment zone are situated within the subsurface medium and have permeabilities substantially greater than the adjacent subsurface medium's permeability. Groundwater is allowed to move from the subsurface medium adjacent to the upgradient zone into the upgradient zone, where the groundwater refracts and moves to a treatment zone.

Abstract: In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a subterranean water and air collection and delivery device for facilitating the collection and delivery of air, natural ground water, manually supplied water, and/or pressurized water from an irrigation system to the roots of plants is provided. The device includes a plastic enclosure member including a plurality of apertures and having an interior volume within which water and air is collected and redirected. A porous insert member is located within the interior volume of the plastic enclosure member and substantially occupies the entire volume for facilitating collection and delivery of water and air while substantially preventing surrounding ground material from entering the interior volume of the enclosure member.

Abstract: A soil reinforced structure comprised of superimposed courses of concrete blocks, at least some of which have rearward portions separable therefrom. Longitudinally extending soil reinforcing members extend around the separable rearward portions and are captured between the courses of blocks thereabove and therebelow. In one embodiment the blocks have bifurcated forward portions about which a cast in place concrete face may be formed. Another embodiment disposes courses of the blocks in opposed spaced relationship and extends the soil reinforcing members between the blocks to form a earthen fortress.

Abstract: Apparatus adapted for movement through a passage (16) formed in the ground, comprising an elongate element (13) and means for positioning a shroud (20) around at least part of the longitudinal periphery of the elongate element for engagement against the periphery of the passage (16) to provide a space through which the elongate element can move, the shroud (20) being of flexible construction and being arranged to be progressively installed in position as the elongate element (13) moves along the passage, and means for introducing an inflation fluid into the region (90) between the shroud (20) and the elongate element (13) for inflating the shroud (20) and maintaining it in engagement against the periphery of the passage (16).

Abstract: A polymeric trench drain for use in a trench drain system. The trench drain includes an open-faced channel having a crushing rib. The crushing rib prevents buckling of the trench drain due to changes in temperatures. The trench drain also includes removable spacer blocks for use during installation, which prevent the trench drain channel from deforming during installation. Rebar clips and securement clips are provided for easy installation. A unique profile is provided on support ribs to assist in easy stacking of the trench drains prior to installation.

Abstract: An apparatus for laying marine pipelines of the type in which the pipeline is assembled along a horizontal axis on board a pipelaying vessel prior to being launched therefrom; in which the pipeline is plastically bent to a desired launch angle and, in most cases, at least partially straightened thereafter. In preferred embodiments, the pipeline is bent through an angle greater than 90.degree.. In the most preferred embodiments, the pipeline is diverted through an angle of substantially 270.degree., plus or minus an angle allowing variation in the launch angle from the vertical, and crosses itself prior to entering the water. The pipeline (102) is diverted by being passed around a wheel-like diverter structure (104), the pipeline being assembled in multiple fabrication lines to produce stalks which are aligned and connected in a central firing line prior to being fed around the diverter structure. Other variations are also described.

Abstract: Hollow tubular segments, preferably in the form of pretreated hollow core fiber segments, and a method, for gathering or collecting and removing an oil spill floating atop a body of water. The preferably fuel oil-pretreated segments are hydrophobic having a resulting density such that, when disposed atop the oil spill, the pretreated segments absorb or draw the spilled oil by capillary action into the interiors and remain afloat atop the water to prevent further dispersion of the oil spill and to facilitate gathering of the spilled oil filled segments. After use, the spilled oil may be drawn from the segments by heat and/or forced air, the segments then being reusable.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a cable truss system for supporting a mine roof. The system includes at least one cable bolt secured in at least a pair of spaced boreholes. A leading end of each cable bolt is secured within the borehole and the trailing end extending out of the borehole. At least one splice tube is coupled to the trailing end of each cable bolt. Each splice tube includes an elongated conduit between a pair of spaced ends with the conduit adapted to receive at least a pair of cables therethrough. Cable attachments are provided on the trailing end of each cable bolt at a position on the cable bolt such that the splice tube is positioned between the cable attachment and the borehole. The cable attachment has a diameter larger than the inner dimensions of the conduit of the splice tube such that the cable attachment is adapted to abut against one end of the conduit of the splice tube.

Abstract: A method to provide a stoichiometric mixture of water, lime and cement for making an in-site piling. Water to supplement existing ground water is supplied by an augur as it drills into the ground so that a substantially uniform concentration of water exists for the full depth. Then the augur, while turning, returns to the surface while it injects and stirs into the wet soil the stoichiometric amounts of lime and cement.

Abstract: A waler system includes a number of clamps each of which has a lower leg including a tab with a hole therein which is secured to the wall form of a poured concrete wall system by a standard pin connection. An upper leg of the clamp translates between a loading/unloading position so that a waler beam can be installed easily and conveniently on the clamp attached to the wall form. Each of the clamps is then simply translated into the clamping position by forcing the upper leg downwardly and inwardly toward the beam and the wall form. After the concrete has been poured and the wall cured, the waler system can be disassembled by simply translating the upper leg of each clamp upwardly and outwardly to disengage the waler beam. The transformation is assisted by a spring captured within the upper leg of each clamp.

Abstract: An improved method of operating a drilling system for purposes of installing an underground line and associated apparatus are disclosed. The drilling system includes a drill rig which is positionable at a drilling site and a drill string which is configured for extension by the drill rig such that the drill string is extendable to a predetermined location in a way which forms a pilot bore and which is further configured for retraction, such that one end of a line may be attached to the drill string at the predetermined location and pulled through the pilot bore from the predetermined location to the drill rig as the drill string is retracted. The improvement comprises monitoring tension levels in the line during retraction which tension levels are caused by the force of retraction on the line and transmitting the tension levels to an above ground location for use in establishing the condition of the line as it is installed underground.

Abstract: An artificial seaweed device for submersion in a volume of water along a coastline for inhibiting coastal erosion and enhancing accretion of waterborne particulate matter. The artificial seaweed device includes elongate and flexible first and second anchor members each with an open inner volume for containing a volume of particulate anchoring material such as washed stone. The first and second anchor members, which may have oval or eye-shaped cross sections when filled with particulate anchoring material, are coupled together longitudinally to form a bipartite anchor unit with a bipartite anchor unit base width. A plurality of elongate and flexible artificial seaweed strips each have a fixed end attached to the bipartite anchor unit and a free end distal to the bipartite anchor unit. A space between adjacent artificial seaweed strips prevents entanglement. Tabs of buoyant material such as foamed ionomer resin are affixed to the free end of each of the artificial seaweed strips.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for the disposal of solid particulate material in subterranean formations penetrated by a borehole are disclosed. The invention includes, but is not limited to, the disposal of oil field waste and therefore provides means and methods for the disposal of virtually any type of waste slurry stream. A slurry is formed at the surface of the earth by mixing the solid waste in particulate form with liquid and preferably a viscosifier thereby forming a slurry. A borehole is drilled into a selected injection formation and the slurry is pumped or flowed "on vacuum" from the surface through the borehole and into the injection formation. Some surface pretreating of the slurry may be required including sizing of the particulate solids, adding weighting material, removing excessive amounts of oil and grease and diluting to reduce the level of radioactivity.

Abstract: An apparatus for constructing a subsurface containment barrier under a waste site disposed in soil is provided. The apparatus uses a reciprocating cutting and barrier forming device which forms a continuous elongate panel through the soil having a defined width. The reciprocating cutting and barrier forming device has multiple jets which eject a high pressure slurry mixture through an arcuate path or transversely across the panel being formed. A horizontal barrier can be formed by overlapping a plurality of such panels. The cutting device and barrier forming device is pulled through the soil by two substantially parallel pulling pipes which are directionally drilled under the waste site. A tractor or other pulling device is attached to the pulling pipes at one end and the cutting and barrier forming device is attached at the other. The tractor pulls the cutting and barrier forming device through the soil under the waste site without intersecting the waste site.

Abstract: A system for the construction of containment walls or the like using a plurality of modular blocks each having interconnectable ends for laterally mating with like blocks to form secure joints. The blocks include a plurality of corresponding ridges and channels in the block's top and bottom surfaces, respectively, for successively stacking rows of the blocks securely and properly atop of one another. The modular block system also includes specialized blocks which are capable of being stacked to form right-corners or to laterally offset an otherwise straight wall to permit contouring to suit the needs of the user.