Ecological block and vegetation bank protection
The present invention provides an ecological block and a method for constructing an ecological vegetation bank protection wall and an ecological vegetation retaining wall using such an ecological block. In the ecological block according to the present invention, a truncated conical projection and a corresponding groove is provided at the upper and lower parts of the block body of said ecological block respectively, a channel-shaped space (groove) in which water grasses are planted is provided at either side of the block body of said ecological block, and traveling passages for amphibious animals and insects and grooves for absorbing noise are provided at the front part of the block body of the ecological block. With the present invention as mentioned above, it is possible to preserve the ecological environment since excellent spawning and inhabitable spaces for amphibious animals and insects are provided.
The present invention relates generally to an ecological block and a method for constructing an ecological vegetation bank protection wall and an ecological vegetation retaining wall using such an ecological block, and more particularly to an ecological block which contributes to the restoration and preservation of the ecosystem by provision of block structures with spawning and inhabitable spaces for amphibious animals and insects and with traveling passages for amphibious animals and insects and a method for constructing an ecological vegetation bank protection wall and an ecological vegetation retaining wall using such an ecological block.
BACKGROUND ARTGenerally, a bank protection wall of a river is constructed by a concrete retaining wall, a reinforcing stone wall, or by paving a mortar block. Such a bank protection wall destructs inhabitation environment of animals and plants around the river and affects an ecosystem in that a surface soil layer is covered with concrete so that the vegetation of herbaceous plants may be difficult, although it has excellent capability of preventing corrosion, erosion and loss of a bank. For this reason, there is a need to develop and utilize a method for constructing a naturally ecological vegetation bank protection wall capable of improving water control required for safety of the river as well as water utilization required for restoration and preservation of the ecosystem.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention is proposed in order to overcome the aforesaid drawbacks of the prior art.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an ecological block which contributes to the restoration and preservation of the ecosystem by provision of block structures with spawning and inhabitable spaces for amphibious animals and insects and with traveling passages for amphibious animals and insects and a method for constructing an ecological vegetation bank protection wall and an ecological vegetation retaining wall using such an ecological block.
The foregoing object is accomplished in a first preferred embodiment by providing an ecological block for constructing a bank protection wall especially on the slope of a riverbank, wherein at least one truncated conical projection adapted for convenient piling up a block structure on another block structure is provided at the upper part of the block body of said ecological block; at least one groove in which said truncated conical projection is engaged is provided at the lower part of the block body of said ecological block; a channel-shaped space in which stones are filled and water grasses are planted during the construction of the bank protection wall is provided at either side of the block body of said ecological block; a through-hole adapted for improving combination and construction of said block structure on the slope of the riverbank is provided approximately at the central part of the block body of said ecological block, said through-hole also functioning as a hiding-place for amphibious animals and insects; and channel-shaped grooves along which the amphibious animals and insects move and rainwater is drained are provided at the front part of the block body of said ecological block, said channel-shaped grooves being arranged about said through-hole in the form of a diamond.
In the preferred embodiment, the block body of said ecological block is formed such that said bank protection wall is constructed easily at a predetermined angle based on the slope of said riverbank, preferably such that the rear surface and the front surface of the block body of said ecological block are inclined at a predetermined angle to the bottom surface of the block body of said ecological block.
The foregoing object is also accomplished in a second preferred embodiment by providing an ecological block for constructing a bank protection wall especially on the slope of a riverbank, wherein at least one truncated conical projection adapted for convenient piling up a block structure on another block structure is provided at the upper part of the block body of said ecological block; at least one groove in which said truncated conical projection is engaged is provided at the lower part of the block body of said ecological block; a channel-shaped space in which stones are filled and water grasses are planted during the construction of the bank protection wall is provided at either side of the block body of said ecological block; and a channel-shaped groove along which the amphibious animals and insects move and rainwater is drained is provided vertically at the central part of the block body of said ecological block.
In the preferred embodiment, the block body of said ecological block is formed such that said bank protection wall is constructed easily at a predetermined angle based on the slope of said riverbank, preferably such that the rear surface and the front surface of the block body of said ecological block are inclined at a predetermined angle to the bottom surface of the block body of said ecological block.
The foregoing object is also accomplished in a third preferred embodiment by providing an ecological block for constructing a retaining wall especially on the cut-area or the cut-slope of a road, wherein at least one truncated conical projection adapted for convenient piling up a block structure on another block structure is provided at the upper part of the block body of said ecological block; at least one groove in which said truncated conical projection is engaged is provided at the lower part of the block body of said ecological block; a channel-shaped space in which stones are filled and trees and grasses are planted during the construction of the retaining wall is provided at either side of the block body of said ecological block; and a channel-shaped space adapted for reducing the noise due to the travel of a vehicle during the construction of the retaining wall is provided at the front part of the block body of said ecological block, said channel-shaped groove provided at the front part of the block body of said ecological block being communicated with said channel-shaped space provided at either side of the block body of said ecological block.
The foregoing object is also accomplished in a fourth preferred embodiment by providing an ecological block for constructing a retaining wall especially on the cut-area or the cut-slope of a road, wherein at least one truncated conical projection adapted for convenient piling up a block structure on another block structure is provided at the upper part of the block body of said ecological block; at least one groove in which said truncated conical projection is engaged is provided at the lower part of the block body of said ecological block; a channel-shaped space in which stones are filled and trees and grasses are planted during the construction of the retaining wall is provided at either side of the block body of said ecological block; and V channel-shaped grooves adapted for reducing the noise due to the travel of a vehicle during the construction of the retaining wall are provided at the front part of the block body of said ecological block approximately in the form of a diamond.
Furthermore, the foregoing object is accomplished by providing a method for constructing an ecological vegetation bank protection wall especially on the slope of a riverbank using an ecological block according to the present invention, the method comprising the steps of:
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- depositing and curing fundamental concrete on the readjusted river bed at a riverbank;
- spreading a thread sheet for preventing overflow of soil and sand along the upper part of said fundamental concrete and the slope of said riverbank;
- providing a first stack of ecological blocks on said fundamental concrete approximately up to a half of the total vertical height of the slope of said riverbank, each of said ecological blocks including a truncated conical projection and a corresponding groove provided at the upper and lower parts of the block body of said ecological block respectively, a channel-shaped space provided at either side of the block body of said ecological block, and traveling passages for amphibious animals and insects provided at the front part of the block body of said ecological block;
- filling relatively large stones in the space between the rear surfaces of said first stacked blocks and the slope of said riverbank where said thread sheet is spread to stabilize the stacking state;
- providing a second stack of ecological blocks similar to said first stacked blocks in series on said first stacked blocks up to the upper end of the slope of said riverbank;
- spreading a thread sheet closely on the rear surfaces of said second stacked blocks and filling pebbles, soil and sand in the space between the rear surfaces of said thread sheet and the slope of said riverbank to stabilize the stacking state; and
- filling stones, soil and sand and planting water grasses in a closed space formed between the neighboring blocks by the channel-shaped spaces provided at the sides of said ecological blocks of said riverbank formed by said first and second stack.
Also, the foregoing object is accomplished by providing a method for constructing an ecological vegetation retaining wall especially on the cut-area or the cut-slope of a road using an ecological block according to the present invention, the method comprising the steps of:
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- depositing and curing fundamental concrete on the edge of a road;
- stacking ecological blocks on said fundamental concrete up to a predetermined height, each of said ecological blocks including a truncated conical projection and a corresponding groove provided at the upper and lower parts of the block body of said ecological block respectively, and channel-shaped grooves provided at either side of the block body of said ecological block and at the front part of the block body of said ecological block respectively for planting trees and grasses and reducing noise;
- spreading a thread sheet for preventing overflow of soil and sand along the rear surfaces of said stacked ecological blocks;
- filling soil and stones in the space between the rear surfaces of said stacked blocks where said thread sheet is spread and the cut-slope of the road to stabilize the stacking state; and
- filling stones, soil and sand and planting trees and grasses in a closed space formed between the neighboring blocks by the channel-shaped grooves provided at the sides of said ecological blocks of said retaining wall formed by said stack.
Other objects and aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Referring to
In the preferred embodiment, the block body of the ecological block is formed such that the rear surface and the front surface of the block body of the ecological block are inclined at the slope rate of 1:0.3 to the bottom surface of the block body of the ecological block in order to construct the bank protection wall at the slope rate of 1:0.5 based on the slope of the riverbank, as shown in
Referring to
The ecological block 300 according to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention is different from the ecological block 100 according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention in that a channel-shaped groove 307 along which the amphibious animals and insects move and rainwater is drained is provided vertically at the central part of the block body of the ecological block. In this second preferred embodiment, capacity for draining rainwater is particularly excellent because the channel-shaped groove 307 is provided vertically. Also, in the preferred embodiment, as in the first preferred embodiment, the block body of the ecological block is formed such that the rear surface and the front surface of the block body of the ecological block are inclined at the slope rate of 1:0.3 to the bottom surface of the block body of the ecological block in order to construct the bank protection wall at the slope rate of 1:0.5 based on the slope of the riverbank, as shown in
Referring to
The ecological block 500 according to the third preferred embodiment of the present invention is different from the ecological block 100 according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention in that a channel-shaped space 105 in which stones are filled and trees and grasses are planted during the construction of the retaining wall is provided at either side of the block body of the ecological block, a channel-shaped space 507 adapted for reducing the noise due to the travel of a vehicle during the construction of the retaining wall is provided at the front part of the block body of the ecological block, and the channel-shaped groove provided at the front part of the block body of the ecological block is communicated with the channel-shaped space provided at either side of the block body of the ecological block, and in that the rear surface of the block body of the ecological block is perpendicular to the bottom surface of the block body of the ecological block.
Referring to
The ecological block 700 according to the fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention is different from the ecological block 500 according to the third preferred embodiment of the present invention in that V channel-shaped grooves 707-710 adapted for reducing the noise due to the travel of a vehicle during the construction of the retaining wall are provided at the front part of the block body of the ecological block approximately in the form of a diamond. Furthermore, the ecological block 700 according to the fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention is different from the ecological block 100 according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention in that the rear surface of the block body of the ecological block is perpendicular to the bottom surface of the block body of the ecological block.
Referring to
After the first and second stack is complete as mentioned above, stones, soil and sand are filled and water grasses 125 are planted in a closed space 124 formed between the neighboring blocks by the channel-shaped spaces provided at the sides of the ecological blocks 100 of the riverbank formed by the first and second stack. At this time, only stones are filled in a closed space 124′ formed by the ecological blocks 100 submerged under the surface of the water in the river so that spawning and inhabitable spaces for amphibious animals are ensured. Of course, submerged plants, such as Hydrilla verticillata, Ceratophyllum demersum, Potamogeton crispus, Vallisneria asiatica, etc.,may be planted among the stones. In this way, the construction of the ecological vegetation bank protection wall using the ecological block is complete.
If the bank protection wall is constructed as mentioned above, the water grasses 125 planted among the blocks 100 constitute a forest, resulting in that pro-environmental bank protection wall harmonized with the surrounding scenic beauty is constructed and the excellent spawning and inhabitable spaces for amphibious animals and insects are provided.
After the fundamental concrete 130 has been deposited and cured, ecological blocks 500 (
If the retaining wall is constructed as mentioned above, excellent landscape architecture can be obtained because desolation and monotony of the prior concrete retaining wall is avoided, and the noise can be reduced sharply because most of the noise due to the travel of a vehicle is absorbed by the jagged ecological blocks 500 and the trees and grasses planted between the blocks.
Industrial Applicability
With the ecological block according to the present invention and the method for constructing the ecological vegetation bank protection wall and the ecological vegetation retaining wall using the ecological block, it is possible to construct pro-environmental bank protection wall harmonized with the surrounding scenic beauty since the traveling passages for amphibious animals and insects, the spaces in which the water grasses are planted, and channel-shaped grooves are provided at the ecological block, and water grasses are planted in a closed space formed between the ecological blocks by assembly of the ecological blocks, and it is possible to restore and preserve the ecological environment since excellent spawning and inhabitable spaces for amphibious animals and insects are provided. Furthermore, it is possible to obtain excellent landscape architecture since desolation and monotony of the prior concrete retaining wall is avoided, and it is possible to reduce the noise sharply since most of the noise due to the travel of a vehicle is absorbed.
Claims
1. An ecological block for constructing a bank protection wall especially on the slope of a riverbank, wherein at least one truncated conical projection adapted for convenient piling up a block structure on another block structure is provided at the upper part of the block body of said ecological block; at least one groove in which said truncated conical projection is engaged is provided at the lower part of the block body of said ecological block; a channel-shaped space in which stones are filled and water grasses are planted during the construction of the bank protection wall is provided at either side of the block body of said ecological block; a through-hole adapted for improving combination and construction of said block structure on the slope of the riverbank is provided approximately at the central part of the block body of said ecological block, said through-hole also functioning as a hiding-place for amphibious animals and insects; and channel-shaped grooves along which the amphibious animals and insects move and rainwater is drained are provided at the front part of the block body of said ecological block, said channel-shaped grooves being arranged about said through-hole in the form of a diamond.
2. The ecological block as claimed in claim 1, wherein the block body of said ecological block is formed such that the rear surface and the front surface of the block body of said ecological block are inclined at the slope rate of 1:0.3 to the bottom surface of the block body of said ecological block.
3. An ecological block for constructing a bank protection wall especially on the slope of a riverbank, wherein at least one truncated conical projection adapted for convenient piling up a block structure on another block structure is provided at the upper part of the block body of said ecological block; at least one groove in which said truncated conical projection is engaged is provided at the lower part of the block body of said ecological block; a channel-shaped space in which stones are filled and water grasses are planted during the construction of the bank protection wall is provided at either side of the block body of said ecological block; and a channel-shaped groove along which the amphibious animals and insects move and rainwater is drained is provided vertically at the central part of the block body of said ecological block.
4. The ecological block as claimed in claim 3, wherein the block body of said ecological block is formed such that the rear surface and the front surface of the block body of said ecological block are inclined at the slope rate of 1:0.3 to the bottom surface of the block body of said ecological block.
5. An ecological block for constructing a retaining wall especially on the cut-area or the cut-slope of a road, wherein at least one truncated conical projection adapted for convenient piling up a block structure on another block structure is provided at the upper part of the block body of said ecological block; at least one groove in which said truncated conical projection is engaged is provided at the lower part of the block body of said ecological block; a channel-shaped space in which stones are filled and trees and grasses are planted during the construction of the retaining wall is provided at either side of the block body of said ecological block; and a channel-shaped space adapted for reducing the noise due to the travel of a vehicle during the construction of the retaining wall is provided at the front part of the block body of said ecological block, said channel-shaped groove provided at the front part of the block body of said ecological block being communicated with said channel-shaped space provided at either side of the block body of said ecological block.
6. An ecological block for constructing a retaining wall especially on the cut-area or the cut-slope of a road, wherein at least one truncated conical projection adapted for convenient piling up a block structure on another block structure is provided at the upper part of the block body of said ecological block; at least one groove in which said truncated conical projection is engaged is provided at the lower part of the block body of said ecological block; a channel-shaped space in which stones are filled and trees and grasses are planted during the construction of the retaining wall is provided at either side of the block body of said ecological block; and V channel-shaped grooves adapted for reducing the noise due to the travel of a vehicle during the construction of the retaining wall are provided at the front part of the block body of said ecological block approximately in the form of a diamond.
7. A method for constructing an ecological vegetation bank protection wall using an ecological block, the method comprising the steps of:
- depositing and curing fundamental concrete on the readjusted river bed at a riverbank;
- spreading a thread sheet for preventing overflow of soil and sand along the upper part of said fundamental concrete and the slope of said riverbank;
- providing a first stack of ecological blocks on said fundamental concrete approximately up to a half of the total vertical height of the slope of said riverbank, each of said ecological blocks including a truncated conical projection and a corresponding groove provided at the upper and lower parts of the block body of said ecological block respectively, a channel-shaped space provided at either side of the block body of said ecological block, and traveling passages for amphibious animals and insects provided at the front part of the block body of said ecological block;
- filling relatively large stones in the space between the rear surfaces of said first stacked blocks and the slope of said riverbank where said thread sheet is spread to stabilize the stacking state;
- providing a second stack of ecological blocks similar to said first stacked blocks in series on said first stacked blocks up to the upper end of the slope of said riverbank;
- spreading a thread sheet closely on the rear surfaces of said second stacked blocks and filling pebbles, soil and sand in the space between the rear surfaces of said thread sheet and the slope of said riverbank to stabilize the stacking state; and
- filling stones, soil and sand and planting water grasses in a closed space formed between the neighboring blocks by the channel-shaped spaces provided at the sides of said ecological blocks of said riverbank formed by said first and second stack.
8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the upper part of said concrete on which said ecological blocks are stacked is formed such that it is inclined at the slope rate of 1:0.2 when said fundamental concrete is deposited.
9. A method for constructing an ecological vegetation retaining wall using an ecological block, the method comprising the steps of:
- depositing and curing fundamental concrete on the edge of a road;
- stacking ecological blocks on said fundamental concrete up to a predetermined height, each of said ecological blocks including a truncated conical projection and a corresponding groove provided at the upper and lower parts of the block body of said ecological block respectively, and channel-shaped grooves provided at either side of the block body of said ecological block and at the front part of the block body of said ecological block respectively for planting trees and grasses and reducing noise;
- spreading a thread sheet for preventing overflow of soil and sand along the rear surfaces of said stacked ecological blocks;
- filling soil and stones in the space between the rear surfaces of said stacked blocks where said thread sheet is spread and the cut-slope of the road to stabilize the stacking state; and
- filling stones, soil and sand and planting trees and grasses in a closed space formed between the neighboring blocks by the channel-shaped grooves provided at the sides of said ecological blocks of said retaining wall formed by said stack.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 10, 2002
Publication Date: May 12, 2005
Inventor: Keun-Hee Lee (Seoul)
Application Number: 10/506,321