Abstract: A revetment block for being coupled with other similar blocks to form a flexible revetment mat for controlling erosion of soil, having a grid having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a plurality of side surfaces, and wherein a tongue extends from at least one of the side surfaces, each tongue having a height and width less than the total height and width of the grid, and wherein each of the side surfaces which has no tongue has a tongue receiving cavity surrounded by a pair of cavity sidewalls, a cavity backwall and a cavity upperwall, the cavity being of a size sufficient to receive and allow limited vertical and horizontal movement of tongues from other blocks within the cavity.

Abstract: A mixture of swellable clay, such as bentonite, is charged with an additive which provides an excess of single-charged cations which tend to neutralize the deleterious effects of double-charged cations which are naturally present in seawater and industrial waste. The mixture is deposited on and carried by a sheet to facilitate its uses as a pond liner or a foundation sealant.

Abstract: A mixture of swellable clay, such as bentonite, is charged with an additive which provides an excess of univalent ions which tend to neutralize the deleterious effects of ions which are naturally present in seawater. The mixture is deposited on and carried by a sheet to facilitate its uses as a pond liner or a foundation sealant.

Abstract: A Subsurface Dune Protection System making use of a wedge-shaped geotextile container of such size it must be filled with a sand slurry or water in situ. The wedge-shape permits provision of a slope to an upper wave impacting surface for dissipation of wave forces and accretion of sand on a dune surface being protected. The container can be divided into cells so that each cell presents a particular wave impacting surface as the cells increase in height as they progress landward. The cells are formed by walls of impermeable material for filling with water in rapid emergency installations and can later be filled with wet sand as the water is displaced for a permanent installation. The impermeable walls cause the sand to remain wet substantially increasing weight of the container. The substantial length, width and weight of the container provide significant resistance to storm wave forces.

Abstract: An erosion-control matting and method for making the matting wherein the matting is used for controlling certain erosion conditions, particularly with respect to erosion of soil and sand by the action of water. The matting is formed by cutting a vehicle tire into a continuous elongated strip and attaching at least two strips together, end-to-end, to form a continuous length of rubber striping which is then wound onto a spool. A multiplicity of strip-loaded spools are positioned longitudinally so as to be received in a weaving machine, with a single spool being positioned to dispense a rubber strip transverse to the longitudinally disposed rubber strips, whereby the strips are woven to form an interwoven rubber matting, the configuration thereof being predetermined for the required use.

Abstract: Generally mat shaped concrete construction units provide novel, versatile building materials particularly for flexible multi-ply concrete composites in pavement or floor construction, roadbeds, driveways, waste disposal sites, etc. The mat-like structures comprise an outer shell subdivided into parallel tubular compartments which are filled with dry concrete mix so as to provide controlled chemical hydration for greater strength and durability. The multi-ply structures fabricated with the concrete construction units exhibit enhanced resistance to fracturing and possess residual structural values not found in equivalent poured concrete structures.

Abstract: A Subsurface Dune Restoration System making use of large sand-filled geotextile containers which become somewhat fluid and flexible during wave run-up on a surface being protected providing a soft revetment. A fluid transfer system is operable to both fill the containers and support them in an installed position. The containers are effective to dissipate wave action and aid natural accretion by slowing water velocity while not providing a rigid or hard revetment. The reduction of the wave force and water velocity and the soft revetment surfaces are the result of use of container materials having predetermined permeability and weather resistant characteristics. The permeability is limited to ranges permitting seepage of water while retaining the sand within the containers.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device, especially for stabilizing soil material and other moldable compositions such as uncured concrete or the like, comprising a substantially elongated web sheet mounted on a support which forms a plurality of cells or pockets which can be manufactured from inexpensive raw material, which possibly can easily decompose, and requires a minimum transport volume. The device provides favorable anchoring in the ground which is to be soil stabilized and forms pockets or cells having walls extending vertically independent of the slope angle of the ground for stabilizing the soil even during heavy rain.

Abstract: A mat for providing a stabilized surface on sand or other loose soil and adapted to support a person stationed thereon, such as a person in a wheelchair. The mat includes a skeletal layer fashioned in the form of a grid, which is stiff and inflexible, except that it may be rolled-up. The skeletal layer is adhesively sandwiched between two blankets geotextile fabrics which remain relatively cool when exposed to sunshine. The mat also includes a plurality of spaced tubular rings, each having a tubular end glued to one of the geotextile blankets. A method of fabricating the mat is also disclosed.

Abstract: An erosion control structure and method involves placing a large permeable mat with peripheral weighted pockets around and attached to the mat on the bottom of the body of water such that at least a portion of the mat extends to a location where currents have a velocity sufficient to erode the bottom. The peripheral pockets are filled with a weighted material, such as sand. Large weighted stabilizers are placed on the mat and positioned in the areas where the currents exceed the erosion velocity such that the stabilizers are below the surface of the water. The stabilizers are elongated tubular elements filled with a cementitious material, are preferably a large diameter tubular element is secured between two smaller diameter tubular elements. The smaller tubular elements are filled first in order to control the position of the larger diameter tubular element during filling.

Abstract: A flexible revetment mat used to control soil erosion comprised of a plurality of blocks each having a hexagonally shaped grid held firmly together by tongue and cavity coupling means. The tongues and cavities are shaped to allow limited movement of each tongue within its associated cavity. The blocks may be placed into position with or without connecting cables. The shape of the blocks and location of through tunnels allows the use of cables. The blocks are preferably hexangular to resist horizontal hydraulic forces at various directions.

Abstract: Accordingly, the present invention provides a strip stored as a roll and adapted to be unrolled along a support surface supporting a fluid. The strip includes a flexible matrix and a plurality of weighted material dispensed through the matrix and secured therein and having a predetermined weight to allow the strip to rest upon a support surface supporting a fluid thereon.

Abstract: An implantable polycarbonate fastener for holding erosion cloth on the ground. The fastener has a long vertical leg, a shorter vertical leg extending parallel to the long leg, and a horizontal top leg extending between them. The long vertical leg has a tapered lower end segment with a downwardly and outwardly inclined inside face to cause the long leg to bend away from the shorter vertical leg as it is driven down into the ground, thereby making the implanted fastener harder to pull out of the ground.

Abstract: The invention relates to a layer construction formed as a net for the protection of earthworks, constant or periodical water courses, steep area surfaces, for building dams and embankments, for the laterial delimitation of materials tending to spreading, as e.g. sludges, soaked embedding materials. The net to be built-in into the protective layer or earthwork is fixed to the substructure of compacted soil by means of proper fixing elements. After having filled the meshes of the net with a filler, the confining walls of the meshes are carrying the load and stresses acting on the surface. The structure according to the invention follows the motion, consolidation of the earthwork and the substructure flexibly, without getting damaged.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device, especially for stabilizing soil material and other moldable compositions such as uncured concrete or the like, comprising a substantially elongated web sheet mounted on a support which forms a plurality of cells or pockets which can be manufactured from inexpensive raw material, which possibly can easily decompose, and which requires a minimum transport volume. The pockets or cells having walls extending vertically independent of the slope of the ground for stabilizing the soil even during heavy rain.

Abstract: A mattress-type gabion for ground stabilization is formed from a base sheet of wire mesh by providing the sheet with folds from spaced apart transverse ribs and having the panels of the folds tied together at transversely spaced locations along each rib. Cuts in the base sheet flanking each rib zone can define other folds which can be tied to the ribs when edge strips of the sheet are folded up, thereby forming stably upwardly open compartments which can be filled with ballast and then closed by a mesh cover.

Abstract: A mat comprising an elastic material which serves as an underlay for a ballast bed of crushed stone, metallic particles, or the like is provided with a plurality of projections on its underside and with an upper layer of a material different from the elastic material. This upper layer on the upper side of the mat advantageously comprises a strong fabric. Particularly the upper layer may comprise a multilayered fabric with inlay layers of elastic material positioned between the individual layers of the multilayer fabric as well as a coverying layer of a softer material on the upper surface of the upper layer of the mat. The fabric of the upper layer of the mat advantageously comprises a water and rot resistant plastic material, such as a polyamide.

Abstract: An erosion control structure and method involves placing a large permeable mat with peripheral weighted pockets around and attached to the mat on the bottom of the water body such that at least a portion of the mat extends into a shallow portion of the water body where currents have a velocity sufficient to erode the bottom. The peripheral pockets are filled with a weighted material, such as sand. Large weighted stabilizers are placed on the mat and positioned in the areas where the currents exceed the erosion velocity such that the stabilizers are below the surface of the water.

Abstract: A flexible blanket for protection or stabilization of underwater structures and pipe lines, unstable beds and embankments, comprising a plurality of segments (1) arranged in one or more layers (10) each one segment in height, the segments of the or each layer (10) being disposed substantially contiguously at least at a median zone (2) of their height dimension, each segment (1) tapering substantially regularly from a maximum cross section at said medium zone (2) to a minimum cross section at one or both ends thereof, and each segment being so bonded to each adjacent segment in the region of their respective median zones that the segments are held substantially contiguously but are free to pivot relative one to another about the bond in so far as is permitted by said taper, the arrangement of the tapers being such that each segment is capable of pivoting with more than one degree of freedom.

Abstract: An erosion control revetment and wall made from preformed blocks which are secured to elongate support members by interlocking sleeves. The block is formed with transversely extending slots which extend from the top end to the bottom end of the block and have an enlarged opening on the top end for receiving a tubular sleeve which encircles the elongate support members. The outer diameter of the sleeve is snugly received within the enlarged opening, but is larger than the width of the remainder of the slot, preventing unintended removal of the block from the support member. The elongate support members may be semi-rigid rods or cables. The revetment is formed from alternating rows of blocks which are offset by one elongate support member relative to blocks in adjacent rows. Alternatively, the blocks may be assembled into a wall having vertically aligned blocks or blocks which are offset relative to one another in adjacent rows.

Abstract: A soil erosion control blanket formed from a mat of interlocking woodwool fibres, the mat of woodwool being retained as a coherent structure by means of longitudinal rows of stitching giving the blanket a quilted appearance.

Abstract: Disclosed is a dimensionally stable, flexible and open-mesh woven fabric comprising a warp and a weft comprised of thread-like elements, wherein the warp elements are arranged in groups spaced apart from each other, wherein the distance between each two successive groups as well as the distance between each two successive wefts is between about 0.8 cm and 6 cm, and wherein the clamping force of a group of the warp elements on the weft elements is such that an axial movement of the weft elements occurs only in the case of an axial tensile loading of at least about 1% of the breaking strength of the weft elements.

Abstract: A system and method for slope stabilization applicable to a wide range of slopes comprised of a variety of soils. A layer of geosynthetic fabric is deployed upon the surface of the slope to be stabilized and is anchored to the stable earth region which underlies the potential slip zone of the slope. The system actively maintains the potential slip zone between the geofabric layer and the underlying stable earth region.

Abstract: A revetment panel for installation along embankments and other earthen structures, including structures partially or fully covered by water, which utilizes a fabric web having a plurality of compartments. The compartments are staggered in relation to each other and separated by selvage. The web is formed of two fabric layers, which are woven separately to form the compartments and fastened together to form selvage separating them. Slots are formed in the selvage which allow cables to pass longitudinally through the web and interlock the compartments, and which allow filler material to flow between compartments during filling. The web is transported to its installation site and placed. The compartments in the web are then inflated with the filler material, which may be cementitous slurry or mortar consisting in part of sand and gravel found near the installation site, or simply a mixture of sand, gravel, and water or other ingredients.

Abstract: A fascine capable of conforming to the contours of a supporting surface, comprises a core of cylindrical pipes loosely disposed within a surrounding flexible sleeve comprised of similar pipes transversely and continuously interconnected by tensioned flexible ties. All the pipes are capable of elastic cross-sectional deformation, the sleeve pipes being held in diametral compression by the flexible ties to provide increased resistance to external compression forces acting substantially perpendicularly to the direction of diametral compression, and the core pipes being selected to have less resistance to deformation than the sleeve pipes so as to absorb external point loading forces acting on the sleeve pipes. The fascine is suitable for use by both wheeled and tracked vehicles.

Abstract: A flexible mattress-like element usable as ballast or a load for immobilizing and protecting underwater pipelines, includes an outer flexible envelope, preferably made from a non-woven fabric, covering at least one gabion which is made from double-twist, hexagonal-mesh wire netting in the form of a somewhat-flattened parallelepiped and is filled with a mixture of stones or pebbles with a sand-, filler-, and bitumen-based mastic. The composition of the mastic is such that it is fluid at 150.degree. C. to 180.degree. C., semi-fluid at 100.degree. to 140.degree. C., plastic at 10.degree. to 50.degree. C., semi-plastic at temperatures of from 0.degree. C. to -10.degree. C., and tends to become rigid at temperatures below -10.degree. C. Each gabion is made from panels of netting in which the portions of wires which are twisted together are preferably arranged transverse the length of the gabion, that is, parallel to the axis of the pipeline to be immobilized and protected.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for forming cast-in-place structures includes the use of a sheet of fabric having a plurality of pockets for receiving support rods. The pockets are formed between an inner side surface of the sheet of fabric and a plurality of strands of material. The support rods are used to hold the fabric in place while a slurry of a cementitious material is poured into a cavity between the sheet of fabric and a base. The cementitious slurry flows between the strands of material into the support rod receiving pockets. The resulting concrete structure extends around the support rods to prevent them from being exposed to the environment. The strands of material are advantageously connected with the sheet of fabric by interweaving them with the threads of the fabric.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for laying a web in a submerged condition on an entrenchment floor includes wrapping a web onto a drum as said drum is floating on a water surface of the entrenchment, navigating the wrapped drum to a beginning section of the entrenchment, and unwinding the drum as it is floating on the entrenchment while further navigating the drum. Water is pumped from a section of the entrenchment already layed with the web, thus imparting an unwinding force to the drum and giving the web a convex shape along the portion of the web which extends from the drum to the entrenchment floor.

Abstract: A revetment panel for installation along embankments and other earthen structures, including structures partially or fully covered by water, which utilizes a fabric web having a plurality of compartments separated by selvage. The web is formed of two fabric layers, which are woven separately on the same loom to form the compartments, and interwoven to form the selvage. The fabric layers are separately woven to form slots in the selvage which allow cables to pass through the web, and which allow filler material to flow between compartments during filling. The web is transported to its installation site, and placed. The compartments in the web are then inflated with the filler material, which may be cementitous slurry or mortar consisting in part of sand and gravel found near the installation site, or simply a mixture of sand, gravel, and water. The resulting matrix of forms interconnected by fabric and cable provides a durable, economical and flexible erosion control layer.

Abstract: A safety mat for protection against erosion and/or undermining consisting of a number of parallel tubular members containing a filling material and being interconnected by cross-binding ribbons placed at right angles to the tubular members. As filling material is used a granulated material of an average density of at least 1.6 Kg/dm.sup.3, and the tubular members have a degree of filling of substantially 75%. Using a relatively heavy filling material that is introduced relatively loosely a mat is obtained having great flexibility, being able, therefore, to lie close up against even a domed bottom.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for forming cast-in-place structures includes the use of a sheet of fabric having a plurality of pockets for receiving support rods. The pockets are formed between an inner side surface of the sheet of fabric and a plurality of strands of material. The support rods are used to hold the fabric in place while a slurry of a cementitious material is poured into a cavity between the sheet of fabric and a base. The cementitious slurry flows between the strands of material into the support rod receiving pockets. The resulting concrete structure extends around the support rods to prevent them from being exposed to the environment. The strands of material are advantageously connected with the sheet of fabric by interweaving them with the threads of the fabric.

Abstract: An articulated erosion control system provides a flexing articulated mat comprising a plurality of blocks which interlock in a three dimensional fashion allowing a mat formed of the blocks to conform to changes in terrain. In the preferred embodiment there is provided at least one "lock block" (FIG. 1) having a plurality of open ended sockets spaced about the periphery thereof and at least one "key block" (FIG. 2) being connectable during operation to the lock block; the key block providing a plurality of locking arms spaced about and integrally formed with a central portion of the key block. Connection of the lock block and the key block can be achieved by relative vertical movement of the key block towards the lock block when the key block locking arm is superimposed over the open ended socket of the lock block--the connection being completed when a portion of the locking arm occupies at least in part the space within the socket.

Abstract: Method and means for producing an erosion control blanket formed from wood wool fibres retained in a coherent structure with a biodegradable mesh to be secured on a soil surface to ameliorate erosion of that surface and provide a basis for plant regrowth which will subsequently bind the soil surface.

Abstract: Matting for hydraulic engineering consisting of a gripper layer of melt-spun filaments fused with each other and having a diameter of 0.2 to 1.5 mm and a filter layer of fine fibers, where a layer of grain rearrangement inhibiting material runs through the hollow spaces of the gripper layer.

Abstract: A fascine capable of conforming to the contours of a supporting surface, comprises a core of loose cylindrical pipes disposed within a surrounding sleeve of similar pipes transversely and continuously inter-connected by flexible ties. Binding straps attached to the sleeve are reeved so as to cause axial pleating of the sleeve when tensioned, thereby to bind the core into rigid cylindrical form. The fascine is transported in bound condition and the binding straps slackened on deployment.

Abstract: A traction device for use with automobiles which comprises a wedge shaped bag filled with sand or a sand like material which when placed under the wheels of a car provides increased traction so that the car can be moved from a slippery place.

Abstract: A form for erosion control structures, which is made of at least two sheets of flexible material joined about their entire periphery forming a space adapted to receive a flowable material therein, is provided with a fluid transmitting material attached to one of the sheets about its periphery for equalizing hydrostatic pressure developing between the form and the surface upon which the form rests.

Abstract: A porous, reinforced, erosion control matting is provided by a relatively open, self-supporting, three-dimensionally looped structure of synthetic filaments having a diameter of at least 0.06 mm., with a backing of a decay-resistant or rot-resistant, comparatively dense web or fabric which is bonded to at least some of the filaments of the matting, and with a lattice or open-mesh reinforcing facing member extending parallel to the backing to provide an upper surface of crossbars onto which the looped synthetic filaments are laid so as to be interlocked with the crossbars while extending downwardly between the crossbars to form porous alveolate cells. The matting is highly useful in preventing soil erosion while also being easily manufactured and installed in any given location.

Abstract: A matting is disclosed for reinforcing underwater terrains. The matting is made of sections of looped intersecting synthetic polymer filaments bonded to one another at their points of intersection, at least one section being temporarily buoyant in water. The matting disclosed may be towed into position and then submerged.

Abstract: A fabric and containers constructed therefrom, formed of interwoven warp and weft yarns, characterized by a plurality of continuous reinforcing means woven into the fabric at spaced intervals among and parallel to the warp or weft yarns, or both, each reinforcing means comprising a plurality of periodically spaced unwoven sections lying on one or both sides of and in juxtaposition with the fabric.

Abstract: An erosion control mat of textile material formed of a series of contiguous frame units each comprising a tubular perimeter adapted to be filled with concrete and a center area circumscribed by the tubular perimeter, provided with filter means capable of preventing the loss of erodible material from the center area while permitting the cultivation of plant life within the center area.

Abstract: An articulated erosion control system provides a flexing articulated mat comprising a plurality of blocks which interlock in a three dimensional fashion allowing a mat formed of the blocks to conform to changes in terrain. In the preferred embodiment there is provided at least one "lock block" (FIG. 1) having a plurality of open ended sockets spaced about the periphery thereof and at least one "key block" (FIG. 2) being connectable during operation to the lock block; the key block providing a plurality of locking arms spaced about and integrally formed with a central portion of the key block. Connection of the lock block and the key block can be achieved by relative vertical movement of the key block towards the lock block when the key block locking arm is superimposed over the open ended socket of the lock block--the connection being completed when a portion of the locking arm occupies at least in part the space within the socket.