Abstract: An articulating mattress of blocks interconnected with tensiles seated therein, said blocks having opposing longitudinal and transverse sides and a top surface each of a smooth surface by contact with a mold surface during casting and a bottom surface having a rough surface by screeding the flowable casting material from an open side of a mold formwork. The mattress inverted with a rolling apparatus for installation with the rough surface in frictional contact on a ground surface for erosion control, said mattress rolling apparatus having base, front wheels, and steerable rear wheels, with a rolling mechanism for rolling the articulating mattress. An apparatus and a method of casting an articulable mattress with a rough bottom surface for erosion control are disclosed.

Abstract: An articulating mattress of blocks interconnected with tensiles seated therein, said blocks having opposing longitudinal and transverse sides and a top surface each of a smooth surface by contact with a mold surface during casting and a bottom surface having a rough surface by screeding the flowable casting material from an open side of a mold formwork. The mattress inverted with a rolling apparatus for installation with the rough surface in frictional contact on a ground surface for erosion control, said mattress rolling apparatus having base, front wheels, and steerable rear wheels, with a rolling mechanism for rolling the articulating mattress. An apparatus and a method of casting an articulable mattress with a rough bottom surface for erosion control are disclosed.

Abstract: An articulating mattress of blocks interconnected with tensiles seated therein, said blocks having opposing longitudinal and transverse sides and a top surface each of a smooth surface by contact with a mold surface during casting and a bottom surface having a rough surface by screeding the flowable casting material from an open side of a mold formwork. The mattress inverted with a rolling apparatus for installation with the rough surface in frictional contact on a ground surface for erosion control, said mattress rolling apparatus having base, front wheels, and steerable rear wheels, with a rolling mechanism for rolling the articulating mattress. An apparatus and a method of casting an articulable mattress with a rough bottom surface for erosion control are disclosed.

Abstract: An tensile reinforcement-to retaining wall connection for a retaining wall (10) having stacked tiers (14, 16) of blocks (12) having channels (52, 54) in opposing surfaces (48, 50), which channels (54, 56) in adjacent tiers (14, 16) align to define a receiving conduit (18) between the adjacent tiers. An isolator sheet (20) overlies the channels (52) in the blocks (12) of the lower tier (14) at selected vertical intervals in the wall (10). A tensile reinforcement sheet (28) partially overlapped (26) defines a pocket (24) that receives a connector bar (22), which sit on the isolator sheet (20) in the receiving conduit (18). A portion of the tensile reinforcement sheet (28) extends from the wall (10) for receiving backfill to mechanically secure the wall to the backfill. The isolator sheet (20) protectingly reduces abrasion of the tensile reinforcement sheet (28) in the receiving conduit (18). A method of connecting a tensile reinforcement to a retaining wall with reduced abrasion is disclosed.

Abstract: An earth retaining wall made of stacked tiers of blocks placed side by side to form a wall with a channel extending at least partially along a longitudinal axis of the wall in which the channel is defined at least two adjacent bearing surfaces of vertically adjacent blocks and a pathway extending from the channel to an exterior side of the wall. The channel receives an elongate clamping bar that conforms in cross-sectional shape at least relative to the bearing surfaces. A reinforcement sheet wrapped around the elongate connector bar extends through the pathway laterally of the wall. The clamping bar communicates tensile loading of backfill on the reinforcement sheet to the wall. The wall is mechanically stabilized by normal loading from the blocks in the wall above a reinforcement sheet and the tensile loading of the backfill communicated by the clamping bar to the wall. A method of constructing an earth retaining wall and blocks useful in such wall are disclosed.

Abstract: An earth retaining wall made of stacked tiers of blocks placed side by side to form a wall with a channel extending at least partially along a longitudinal axis of the wall in which the channel define at least two adjacent bearing surfaces and a pathway extending from the channel to an exterior side of the wall. The channel receives an elongate clamping bar that conforms in cross-sectional shape at least relative to the bearing surfaces. A reinforcement sheet wrapped around the elongate connector bar extends through the pathway laterally of the wall. The clamping bar communicates tensile loading of backfill on the reinforcement sheet to the wall. The wall is mechanically stabilized by normal loading from the blocks in the wall above a reinforcement sheet and the tensile loading of the backfill communicated by the clamping bar to the wall. A method of constructing an earth retaining wall and blocks useful in such wall are disclosed.

Abstract: A connector for joining a soil-reinforcement grid extending through a slot in a block stacked with other blocks to define a mechanically stabilized earth retaining wall, the connector comprising matingly engaged first member having pins that are slidingly received in aligned openings defined in a second member while sandwiching a portion of soil-reinforcement grid therebetween, the grid having apertures through which the pins extend. The soil-reinforcing grid is loaded by being covered with backfill materials. The connector mechanically engages bearing surfaces within a channel in the block such that the tensile loading of backfill covering the soil-reinforcement grid lateral of the wall is distributed by the connector across the block. A method of constructing a mechanically stabilized earth retaining wall is disclosed as well as a connector and blocks useful with such methods and walls.

Abstract: A mechanically stabilized earth retaining wall, made of at least two stacked tiers of blocks placed side-by-side. Each block defines a channel extending between opposing sides with at least two adjacent bearing surfaces and an opening between the bearing surfaces to a slot extending laterally from the channel to a back side of the block. An elongate clamping bar conforming in cross-sectional shape at least relative to the pair of adjacent bearing surfaces defined in the channel, is received within the channel. A reinforcement sheet wrapped around the elongate clamping bar extends through the slot laterally of the tiers of blocks. The clamping bar mechanically engages the bearing surfaces of the channel such that the tensile loading by backfill covering the reinforcement sheet is distributed across the block. A method of constructing a mechanically stabilized earth retaining wall is disclosed as well as a clamping bar and blocks useful with such methods and walls.

Abstract: A textile mesh for stabilizing earthen slopes and subgrades formed of interwoven, knitted, or stitch-bonded weft and warp elements that define a plurality of stable apertures of substantially uniform size by respective portions of the elements which have respective lengths of less than 12 millimeters. The textile mesh is coated with a curable material for interlocking the elements at junctions, whereby the textile mesh is rigidly flexible for facilitating handling during construction of a soil-stabilized earthen slope yet the junctions are substantially rigidly interlocked in order for the apertures to remain of substantially uniform size. The textile mesh is enclosed by layers of a backfill comprising particles of a size having an average diameter that is less than or equal to about 30% of the smaller of the lengths of the portions defining the apertures and at least 50% of which pass a number 4 sieve (4.75 mm).

Abstract: A curtain for defining a barrier in an underground passageway between a pair of spaced-apart pillars, comprising a bladder defined by a pair of flexible sheets joined together by a plurality of cords which define a cavity between the sheets and being open at a top edge thereof. The bladder is fastened to a ceiling of an underground passageway between a pair of spaced-apart pillars therein. A rigid foam is disposed within the cavity, being formed of a flowable hardenable material introduced into the cavity. A fire-retardant coating is applied to exposed surfaces of the bladder after the hardenable material has hardened. A method of closing gaps between pillars in mine galleries is disclosed.

Abstract: The revetment mat comprises at least two webs joined together at aligned perimeter edges. Each web comprises a plurality of (a) interior blocks disposed side-by-side in rows and (b) a plurality of edge blocks defining a pair of perimeter edge rows of the web. The interior and edge blocks are interlinked together by threading a revetment cable through tunnels defined in the blocks. Each of the edge blocks defines a recess in one end thereof and further defines a pair of coaxial bores which extend from a first side to an interior face in the recess and from an opposing face in the recess to a second side of the edge block. An elongated rod is received in the bores and thereby extends across a gap in the recess between the opposing interior faces. A plurality of couplers are used to join a first web to a second web, which webs are positioned side-by-side. Each coupler is disposed within one of the recesses.

Abstract: A cast cementitious block for constructing a low-rise interconnected ornamental wall having a first course of the blocks placed side-by-side and a second course of the blocks stacked in side-by-side relation on the first course and off-set relative the first course. The blocks define a bottom surface and an opposing top surface, a front face and an opposing back face, and two opposing sides that each define side faces between the front face and the back face. The top surface defines a recessed cavity having an alignment point, and the block further defines a bore extending therethrough and open at the top surface and the bottom surface. The longitudinal axis of the bores of the blocks in the second course align with respective alignment points of the recessed cavities of the blocks in the first course. Adhesive fills the aligned recessed cavities and at least a portion of the respective bores. The adhesive cures to define rivets interconnecting the blocks in the first and the second courses.