Abstract: Multiple sections of grid-like sheet material extend centrally through a thickness of a plurality of staggered rows of concrete panels to form a geomattress of unlimited dimensions. The sheet material preferably includes a plurality of parallel strands and perpendicular, intersecting bars. At least one bar extends within each concrete panel in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the concrete panel to add strength to the formed geomattress and aid in lifting of the geomattress by the sheet material. The geomattress is formed by placing a section of sheet material above bottom mold halves filled with concrete and then filling top mold halves positioned above the sheet material with concrete. Gaps formed between adjacent rows of staggered panels and tapered sidewalls of the panels allow bending of the geomattress to aid in lifting the geomattress and to conform to a limited extent to the contour of the area onto which the geomattress is placed.

Abstract: A gate for a fence or the like preferably formed of hollow plastic elements interconnected by bolts or other fastener devices at or adjacent their ends. A tensioning device is located inside a hollow diagonal cross-brace to correct misalignment between the vertical and horizontal elements of the gate. A removable panel on the cross-brace provides access to a turnbuckle, the ends of which are oppositely threaded to elongated steel straps or the like which are anchored, respectively, at the ends of the cross-brace to the vertical members. One end of the cross-brace is fixedly secured to one of the vertical members, the other end is slidingly received over a bolt or the like fixedly secured to the other vertical member. Rotation of the turnbuckle shortens or lengthens the tensioning device to "square" the gate with respect to the adjacent supports through which the gate swings. Small gaps are provided at the connection points to preclude binding as the gate elements are adjusted.

Abstract: A modular wall block is formed with a groove in a top surface configured to frictionally receive fingers of a rake-like connection device which may extend through apertures in an end portion of a grid-like sheet of reinforcing material. The connection device includes enlarged tabs projecting away from the fingers to engage in a widened slot defined in the bottom of superimposed wall blocks for positioning the front faces of the blocks in the retaining wall relative to each other in either a vertically aligned or vertically set back relationship depending upon the direction of extension of the tabs. The groove and the slot are formed at opposite ends of a tapered through-opening extending between top and bottom surfaces of the block. By virtue of the taper, the width of the groove is less than a width of the slot to accommodate the different portions of the connector device.

Abstract: A method of constructing a liner system for a waste containment facility having substantially vertical sidewalls utilizing a plurality of vertical expansion boxes for holding a flexible membrane liner against a rock face or any other approximately vertical face without penetration of liner, liner "creep", slippage or impairment of the integrity of the liner A vertical expansion box provides lateral and vertical pressure onto portions of the flexible membrane liner to hold it firmly in place. The vertical expansion box is constructed such that when, filled with soil or other aggregate material, lateral pressure of the fill will flex the sidewalls of the box, which in turn applies pressure against the liner.

Abstract: A high friction, non-slip, flexible and heat resistant plastic net which can be used in various applications, for example, as a truck bed liner. The net is a blend of plastics having different densities and peak melting points. The first component of the blend is preferably a very-low-density to high-density polyethylene or a metallocene polyethylene. The second component of the blend is preferably an ultra-low-density polyethylene plastomer.

Abstract: A modular wall block is formed with a trough or recess in a top surface configured to frictionally receive fingers of a rake-like grid connection device. The fingers are engaged through apertures in an end portion of a grid-like sheet of material with the spine of the rake overlying the grid-like sheet of material, the remainder of the grid-like sheet of material extending rearwardly to reinforce the fill behind a retaining wall formed from a plurality of courses of the wall blocks. Slat members are selectively received in one of a pair of grooves defined in each side of the wall blocks with portions of the slats extending above the upper surface of the block to contact a surface of an opening formed in a superimposed block for positioning the front faces of the blocks in the retaining wall relative to each other in either a vertically aligned or rearwardly offset relationship.

Abstract: A simple and inexpensive method and apparatus for molding a peripheral frame around a sheet or grid of thermoplastic material to produce a framed panel. A peripheral frame, preferably of structural foam or the like, is injection molded about a thermoplastic sheet or grid of panel-forming material which has been previously drawn or stretched at a temperature which orients the molecules of the polymer, i.e., below the glass transition temperature of the polymer, T.sub.g. Either during the frame molding process, or subsequent thereto, the panel-forming material is heated sufficiently to cause the material to shrink or revert toward its prestretched condition so as to tension the panel-forming material within the frame. Elastomeric sealing devices are disclosed for sealing the mold during injection of the frame-forming material and locator fingers are provided to position a grid-like panel-forming material prior to initiation of the molding process.

Abstract: A retaining wall, preferably for marine use, constructed of a plurality of corrugated panels. The corrugated panels of the wall are anchored in the earth behind the wall by a plurality of vertically spaced, horizontally extending lengths of sections of geogrid material. Geogrid sections are secured to the wall made up of a plurality of corrugated panels by walers secured to the wall. One waler is positioned on an exterior surface of the wall. An upper interior waler section and a lower interior waler section are positioned on an interior surface of the wall. In the lowermost surface of the upper interior waler section and the uppermost surface of the lower interior waler section is a grooved recess. A comb connector made of a central spine and upwardly and downwardly projecting fingers interconnects the upper and the lower interior waler sections by extending downwardly into the groove of the lower interior waler section and upwardly into the groove of the upper interior waler section.

Abstract: A retaining wall is formed by plastic wall blocks having fingers for extending through apertures in an end portion of a grid-like sheet of material. The remainder of the grid-like sheet of material extends rearwardly to reinforce the fill behind the retaining wall formed from a plurality of courses of the wall blocks. A curved lip at the edge of one side of each block engages a recess located on a juxtaposed side of an adjacent block. Hooks extending from a bottom member of each block engage a top member of a lower block in stacked courses of blocks. The blocks are made of a one-piece or two-piece construction. In the two piece construction, the front member is secured or securable to the remainder of the block to provide retaining walls of aesthetically different configurations.

Abstract: Extended lengths of grid-like reinforcing sheet material are attached to precast wall panels of a reinforcing wall by a connector comb and locking clip securing end portions of the reinforcing sheet material between a pair of attachment strips partially embedded in, and extending rearwardly from, the wall panels. The comb connector includes a spine and plurality of upwardly projecting fingers engageable through aligned openings in the attachment strips and the reinforcing sheet material used for soil reinforcement. The locking clip is interengaged with ratchet-like serrated edges formed on the free ends of the fingers of the comb to secure the reinforcing sheet material to the attachment strips.

Abstract: A modular wall block is formed with a trough or recess in a top surface configured to frictionally receive fingers of a rake-like grid connection device. The fingers are engaged through apertures in an end portion of a grid-like sheet of material with the backbone of the rake overlying the grid-like sheet of material, the remainder of the grid-like sheet of material extending rearwardly to reinforce the fill behind a retaining wall formed from a plurality of courses of the wall blocks. Positioning means in the form of slat members are selectively received in one of a pair of grooves defined in each side of the wall blocks with portions of the slats extending above the upper surface of the block to contact a surface of an opening formed in a superimposed block for positioning the front faces of the blocks in the retaining wall relative to each other in either a vertically aligned or rearwardly offset relationship.

Abstract: A simple and inexpensive method and apparatus for molding a peripheral frame around a sheet or grid of thermoplastic material to produce a framed panel. A peripheral frame, preferably of structural foam or the like, is injection molded about a thermoplastic sheet or grid of panel-forming material which has been previously drawn or stretched at a temperature which orients the molecules of the polymer, i.e., below the glass transition temperature of the polymer, T.sub.g. Either during the frame molding process, or subsequent thereto, the panel-forming material is heated sufficiently to cause the material to shrink or revert toward its prestretched condition so as to tension the panel-forming material within the frame. Elastomeric sealing means are disclosed for sealing the mold during injection of the frame-forming material and locator fingers are provided to position a grid-like panel-forming material prior to initiation of the molding process.

Abstract: A modular wall block is formed with recesses or troughs in a rearward end of its top and/or bottom surface configured to receive forward portions of a rigid grid connection device. Rearward end portions of the grid connection device extend beyond the rear face of the modular wall blocks. Extended lengths of a polygrid material are then secured to the rearward portions of the grid connection device for reinforcing the fill behind a retaining wall formed from a plurality of courses of said wall blocks. The grid-to-block connection does not rely on the weight or friction of superimposed wall blocks and is particularly effective in sites subject to seismic activity.

Abstract: A self-tensioning fencing system includes a mounting batten, made of plastic or metal, which is mounted directly to a structural support such as a fence post using standard nails, screws or bolts as required according to the type of a particular fence post. The mounting batten may be a solid or a thick walled hollow section elastic extrusion or a metal form. The mounting batten is secured to the structural support post so as to space the plastic grid material away from the support post to allow the plastic grid material to be tensioned at a spacing from the structural support posts. A channel batten made of pre-coated cold rolled steel mounts over the plastic batten and serves to clamp plastic grid fencing material between the mounting batten, and the channel batten. The channel batten when drawn tight against the mounting batten serves not only to firmly attach the fencing material to the support post but acts as a tensioning device.

Abstract: A facing panel is added to a surface of a geocell, on an outboard face of the cell, exposed to free water forces. The facing panel is filled with either stone, concrete, wooden boards, plastic sheets or steel sheets. In concrete usage, synthetic drainage is introduced to prevent the buildup of hydrostatic pressures behind the facing panel. The facing panel creates the ability to construct vertical retaining walls by stacking geocell units on top of each other and then filling a facing panel with either stone or concrete for a completed wall face. The geocell units are filled with sand or shell as retained in the geocells by geotextile liners. Circular geocells also retain fill in a geotechnical structure. Circular compartments are formed by connecting plastic mesh material at points on the compartment circumference, thus producing a cylindrical confinement of granular fill.

Abstract: A grid composite for protecting men and longwall mining equipment during longwall shield recovery includes a regular polymer geogrid structure formed by biaxially drawing a continuous sheet of select polypropylene material which is heat bonded to a polyester fabric. The grid composite is secured over caving shields of longwall mining equipment during a longwall mining operation. The polymer grid composite is ideal for waste containment structures, backfill barriers, and silt barriers in construction and mining applications. In waste containment and backfill barriers, the grid composite is used to form a containment structure. It principle function is to contain waste material usually consisting of a liquid with some percentage of solids.

Abstract: A grid composite for protecting men and longwall mining equipment during longwall shield recovery includes a regular polymer geogrid structure formed by biaxially drawing a continuous sheet of select polypropylene material which is heat bonded to a polyester fabric. The grid composite is secured over caving shields of longwall mining equipment during a longwall mining operation.

Abstract: A portable fence system including a snow fence panel having a wood frame of 2".times.6" posts bolted together at the corners, with a 4-foot wide strip of plastic snow fence material pulled taut across the center. Each panel is 8 feet long, with a height of 6'-8" or 8'-0", depending upon the application. In both cases the geometry of the frame is optimized for maximum snow trapping efficiency and maximum snow storage, and an opening at the bottom is optimized to eliminate the tendency for snow deposition at the fence. Panels are connected to one another by rebar pins passing through specially designed rotatably mounted U-clips, which also provide attachment to rebar anchors driven into the ground. The U-clip-and-pin connections allow rapid installation and take-down, and add flexibility needed for proper installation in irregular terrain. Panels can be overlapped at either the top or bottom as required to limit space between panels to 11/2", which improves trapping efficiency.

Abstract: A high-strength, lightweight flame-retardant and/or self-extinguishing polymer grid is provided for supplemental support of the roof and ribs of a combustible underground opening, such as within a coal mine, to prevent roof materials from falling and/or rib materials from spalling. The preferred polymer grid structure is formed of a polypropylene compounded with flame retardant additives.