RETAINING WALL SYSTEM
A retaining wall system for use in retaining a backfill particulate mass is formed by at least one retaining wall unit. The retaining wall unit has a substantially upright forward wall having a rear surface for abutting against the backfill particulate mass. A substantially upright stem wall extends rearward from the rear surface of the forward wall. The stem wall has opposite substantially upright sidewalls. At least one of the sidewalls has a series of longitudinally spaced apart elongated grooves that slope upward toward the forward wall.
For a more complete understanding of the present invention, and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures, in which:
Referring to
The retaining wall system 12 of
As shown, the retaining wall unit 10 of
The wall 14 may have different dimensions as well. As non-limiting examples, the wall may have a height of from about 2 to about 6 feet, a width of from about 4 to about 10 feet and a thickness of from about 4 to about 12 inches.
It should be noted in the description, if a numerical value or range is presented, each numerical value should be read once as modified by the term “about” (unless already expressly so modified), and then read again as not so modified unless otherwise indicated in context. Also, in the description, it should be understood that an amount range listed or described as being useful, suitable, or the like, is intended that any and every value within the range, including the end points, is to be considered as having been stated. For example, “a range of from 1 to 10” is to be read as indicating each and every possible number along the continuum between about 1 and about 10. Thus, even if specific points within the range, or even no point within the range, are explicitly identified or refer to, it is to be understood that the inventor appreciates and understands that any and all points within the range are to be considered to have been specified, and that inventor possesses the entire range and all points within the range.
Joined to the rearward face 18 of the forward wall 14 is a stem wall 28. The stem wall 28 projects rearward and is oriented in a substantially upright or vertical orientation. The stem wall 28 is oriented substantially perpendicular to the forward wall 14 and has substantially upright opposite sidewalls or faces 30 so that the retaining wall unit 10 has a substantially T-shape. The expression “upright” with respect to the stem wall 28 and sidewalls 30 may also include an upright, but slightly sloped orientation, as well, provided it still retains its function and purpose, as described herein. In the embodiment shown, the stem wall 28 is configured substantially as a rectangular block wherein the opposite sidewalls 30 may be substantially parallel to one another.
The forward end of the stem wall 28 may be joined to the rearward face 18 of the wall 14 by a chamfered or thickened area 31 which tapers laterally outward toward the rearward face 18 of the forward wall 14, as is shown in
The stem 28 has opposite top and bottom edges 32, 34, respectively, and may have a height measured between the top and bottom edges 32, 34 that is the same or similar to that of the forward wall 14. In other embodiments, the stem wall 28 may have a height that is larger or smaller than that of the forward wall 14. In the embodiment shown, the top and bottom edges 32, 34 are substantially flat and parallel to one another and are substantially flush and level with the top and bottom edges 24, 26 of the forward wall 14.
The rearward edge 36 of the stem wall 28 may be upright and substantially flat and parallel to the forward face 16 of the forward wall 14. The rearward edge 36 or end of the stem 28 may have a variety of other orientations and configurations, as well.
Provided along the top edge 32 of the stem wall 28 of retaining wall unit 10 shown in
As shown in
Referring to
Although the teeth 38 are shown as being located on the top edge 32 of the stem 28 and the notches 40 are shown provided on the bottom edge 34, they may be located on the opposite edges as well. Thus, the teeth 38 could be located on the bottom edge 34 and the notches 40 could be located on the top edge 32.
Referring to
Each sloped groove 54 may be formed as a single continuous groove or a series of non-continuous groove sections that are substantially aligned along a single line or axis. If non-continuous, the sections may be longitudinally spaced only a few inches apart, such as less than 12 inches apart. As used herein, the description applied to a single groove may apply to such a groove formed as either a single continuous groove or a series of aligned groove sections, unless it is expressly stated or is otherwise apparent from its context. The length of each sloped groove 54 may extend across substantially the entire height of the stem wall 28. This may be approximately ⅝, ⅔, ¾, ⅞ or more of the stem wall height as defined by the top and bottom edges 32, 34. In some embodiments, the groove 54 may extend across the entire height of the stem wall 28. In other embodiments, one or both ends of the groove 54 may be spaced from the top and bottom edges 32, 34. In certain embodiments, the grooves 54 may extend beyond the top and bottom edges 32, 34 where the grooves 54 intersect the teeth 38. In such cases, the grooves 54 may extend across the entire height or a portion of the height of the teeth 38. In other embodiments, the grooves 54 terminate at the base of the teeth 38 and along the edges of the notches 40. In still other embodiments, the ends of the grooves 54 are spaced apart from the teeth 38 and notches 40.
Referring to
The transverse width of the grooves 54 at the greatest transverse cross dimension may range from about ½ inch or more, more particularly from about ½ inch to about 4 inches, and still more particularly from about ½ or 1 inch to about 3 inches. The width of the grooves 54 may be substantially uniform along the length of the groove or may vary.
The length or axis of the grooves 54 on either sidewall 30A, 30B may oriented at the same angle and be parallel to those on the opposite sidewall 30. As shown in
Other transverse cross-sectional shapes may be used for the elongated grooves, such as the grooves 54 and 66, formed in the sidewalls 30. These may be polygonal or arcuate shapes (e.g. half-circle) or combinations of these shapes. The cross-sectional shape of the grooves may be limited, however, to the type of form used for forming the grooves in the concrete materials forming the retaining wall units 10. The forms used are typically removed, therefore a wedge-shape or shape that expands outward from the depth of the groove to the sidewall surface is typically used to facilitate their removal.
Each of the individual retaining wall units 10 are formed from a single precast unit of concrete material. The units 10 may incorporate steel reinforcement bars (rebar) imbedded within the forward wall 14 and stem wall 28 to provide strength. Referring to
Referring to
It can also be seen that the lower units have increasingly longer stem walls 28, with the stem wall 28 of Level A1 having the greatest length. Levels A2 and A3 have the same stem length but are shorter than that of Level A1. Level A4 has a stem length that is shorter than that for Level A3, etc. The top unit 10 at Level A8 has the shortest stem length. As can be seen, each unit 10 may have a different stem length, or two or more of adjacent units may have the same or a similar stem length. The units 10 will be precast in the different sizes necessary for constructing the system 80 or a similar system. As a non-limiting example, the unit of the bottom level (Level A1) may have a stem length of approximately 32 feet. The units of the remaining units may be shorter in increments of from, for example, 2 to 6 feet. Thus, for example, the units of Levels A2 and A3 may be 3 feet shorter with a stem length of 29 feet. The unit 10 of Level A4 may have a stem length of 26 feet, etc., with the unit 10 of uppermost Level A8 having a stem length of only 15 feet. Although
The retaining wall system 80 is used to retain a backfill mass of soil, earth or other particulate or granular material designated at 82. As can be seen, the surface of the backfill 82 may slope downward to or near the top of the forward wall 14 of the uppermost unit of Level A8. The backfill slope or angle of slope relative to the top of retaining unit 10 of Level A8 is designated β.
The failure plane angle α is generally related to angle of internal friction φ of the various backfill materials forming the mass 82. In its simplest form, the failure plane angle may be represented by the general Equation (1) below:
α=45°+φ/2 (1)
The angle of internal friction φ varies for the type of particulate material forming the mass 82. Typically, φ will range from about 25° to about 45° for most particulate materials. For loose or random particulate backfill, for example, φ may be range from around 29° to 31. For dense, compact or cohesive backfill materials, φ may range around 32 to 36. For other more dense, compact or cohesive particulate materials, φ may be even higher, with cement fortified backfill having high cohesion often having an angle of internal friction φ of about 45°. It can thus be seen from Equation 1 that a backfill mass 82 with an angle of internal friction φ of 30° will result in failure plane angle α of approximately 60°. Other factors may also influence failure plane angle α and may be readily determined by those skilled in the art.
As can be seen in
By providing retaining wall units 10 with different orientations of grooves 54, the retaining wall units 10 may be selected and used with various backfill materials based upon the calculated or estimated failure plane angle α for the particulate material being retained. In some embodiments, the retaining wall units 10 may be provided or used with grooves 54 that are angled to be substantially perpendicular to the failure plane angle α of the looser backfill material, such as those having an internal angle of friction φ of from 25° to 31° so that α is from 57.5° to 60.5° according to Equation 1. Thus, for back fill material having a failure plane angle α of approximately 60°, the angle A of the grooves, as shown in
One or more cap units 94 may be positioned over the upper ends of the forward walls 14 of the upper most units 10 and over any layer or layers of concrete or fill material 92.
A slot 104 is shown formed in the rearward wall 98 that communicates with the channel 102. Additionally, cutouts 106, 108 are shown formed in the rearward wall 98 at either end of the cap unit 94 that also communicate with the channel 102 and extend from the lower edge of the rear wall 98 to the head member 100. The slot 104 and cutouts 106, 108 are sized and configured for receiving and accommodating the forward portion of the stem 28, such as the chamfered area 31, that joins the forward wall 14. As used herein, the term “cutout” or similar expressions is not necessarily meant to be construed as an area that has actually been cut, although it may be in certain embodiments, but merely refers to its appearance. The cutouts 106, 108 may have a width that is less than that of the slot 104, as the cutouts 106, 108 may only accommodate half of the width of the stem 28, with the other half being received by the cutout of an adjacent cap unit.
The cap units 94 are shown as being sized to be twice the width as each of the walls 14, so that each cap unit 94 is centered over and covers a single wall 14 of a retaining unit 10, with the ends of the cap unit 94 covering approximately half of the adjacent walls 14 of the adjacent retaining wall units 10. The cap units 94 may be sized differently to cover only a single wall unit 10 or only portions of a wall unit 10. Cap units 94 may also be differently sized to accommodate the ends of the retaining wall system or other non-uniform areas.
As shown in
Additional levels of corner assemblies may be added, as is desired or necessary, to the corner assemblies 122A, 122B, with some of the stems overlaying and crossing those of the underlying level or assembly. The length of the stems 28 of the upper level corner assemblies may be progressively shortened, as with the retaining wall systems previously described. By alternating the lengths and orientation of the stems 28 of each level, as shown and described, a structurally stable corner retaining wall system may be constructed.
For any of the retaining wall systems shown and described, the various units and components are typically positioned and retained in place due to their weight and their integration into and with the particulate backfill material with which they are used. Thus, it is typically not necessary to utilize mortar or other joining materials for joining the individual components together. In certain cases, however, such mortar or other materials may be used for functional and/or aesthetic purposes, if desired.
While the invention has been shown in only some of its forms, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible to various changes and modifications without departing from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the invention.
Claims
1. A retaining wall system for use in retaining a backfill particulate mass comprising:
- at least one retaining wall unit comprising: a substantially upright forward wall having a rear surface for abutting against the backfill particulate mass; and a substantially upright stem wall that extends rearward from the rear surface of the forward wall, the stem wall having opposite substantially upright sidewalls, and wherein at least one of the sidewalls has a series of longitudinally spaced apart elongated grooves that slope upward toward the forward wall.
2. The retaining wall system of claim 1, wherein:
- both sidewalls of the stem wall having a series of longitudinally spaced apart elongated grooves that slope upward toward the forward wall.
3. The retaining wall system of claim 1, wherein:
- the series of longitudinally spaced apart elongated grooves of each sidewall are arranged in a longitudinally staggered configuration from those of the opposite sidewall.
4. The retaining wall system of claim 1, wherein:
- the elongated grooves each have a wedge-shaped transverse cross section.
5. The retaining wall system of claim 1, wherein:
- the elongated grooves each have a depth of from about ½ inch or more.
6. The retaining wall system of claim 1, wherein:
- the elongated grooves each have a depth of from about ½ inch to about 4 inches.
7. The retaining wall system of claim 5, wherein:
- the elongated grooves each have a transverse width of from about ½ inch or more.
8. The retaining wall system of claim 5, wherein:
- the elongated grooves each have a transverse width of from about ½ inch to about 4 inches.
9. The retaining wall system of claim 1, further comprising:
- a second retaining wall unit comprising a substantially upright forward wall and a substantially upright stem wall that extends rearward from the rear surface of the forward wall;
- the first and second retaining wall units being provided with at least one of a cooperating projection and recess provided with one of the upper and lower ends of the stem walls of the first and second retaining wall units, the cooperating projection and recess being configured so that the projection of one of the first and second retaining wall units is received in the recess of the other when the first and second retaining wall units is stacked one on top of the other.
10. The retaining wall system of claim 9, wherein:
- the stem wall of the second retaining wall unit also has opposite substantially upright sidewalls, and wherein at least one of the sidewalls of the second retaining wall units is also provided with a series of longitudinally spaced apart elongated grooves that slope downwardly rearward.
11. The retaining wall system of claim 1, wherein:
- the lengths of the elongated grooves are oriented at an angle of from about 10° to about 75° relative to a longitudinal axis of the stem wall.
12. The retaining wall system of claim 1, wherein:
- the lengths of the elongated grooves are oriented at an angle from about 15° to about 70° relative to a longitudinal axis of the stem wall.
13. The retaining wall system of claim 1, further comprising:
- a second retaining wall unit comprising a substantially upright forward wall and a substantially upright stem wall that extends rearward from the rear surface of the forward wall; and
- an upright face wall unit configured for engaging opposite sides of the forward wall of the first and second retaining wall units when the first and second retaining wall units are laterally spaced apart to provide a gap therebetween with the face wall unit being positioned between the first and second retaining wall units to close the gap.
14. The retaining wall system of claim 1, further comprising:
- a second retaining wall unit comprising a substantially upright forward wall and a substantially upright stem wall that extends rearward from the rear surface of the forward wall; and
- a cap unit having a longitudinal wall channel for receiving the upper ends of the forward walls of the first and second retaining wall units when the first and second retaining wall units are arranged in a substantially side-by-side configuration, the cap unit having at least one of a stem wall slot and cutout that communicates with the longitudinal channel for receiving at least one of the stem walls of the first and second retaining wall units.
15. The retaining wall system of claim 1, further comprising:
- a second retaining wall unit comprising a substantially upright forward wall and a substantially upright stem wall that extends rearward from the rear surface of the forward wall, the second retaining wall being configure for cooperating engagement with the first retaining wall unit when the forward walls of the first and second retaining wall units are oriented substantially perpendicular to one another other; and
- a corner face wall unit configured for engaging opposite sides of the forward walls of the first and second retaining wall units when the first and second retaining wall units are in proximity to one another and oriented at a non-straight angle to one another to form a corner gap with the corner face wall unit being positioned between the first and second retaining wall units to close the corner gap.
16. A retaining wall system for use in retaining a backfill particulate mass comprising:
- at least two retaining wall units, each retaining wall unit comprising: a substantially upright forward wall having a rear surface for abutting against the backfill particulate mass; and a substantially upright stem wall that extends rearward from the rear surface of the forward wall, the stem wall having opposite substantially upright sidewalls, and wherein at least one of the sidewalls has a series of longitudinally spaced apart elongated grooves that slope upward toward the forward wall, the lengths of the elongated grooves being oriented at an angle from about 10° to about 75° relative to a longitudinal axis of the stem wall; the retaining wall units each being provided with at least one of a cooperating projection and recess provided with one of the upper and lower ends of the stem walls of the retaining wall units, the cooperating projection and recess being configured so that the projection of one of the retaining wall units is received in the recess of the other when the first and second retaining wall units are arranged in stacked configuration one on top of the other.
17. The retaining wall system of claim 16, wherein:
- both sidewalls of the stem wall of each retaining wall unit has a series of longitudinally spaced apart elongated grooves that slope upward toward the forward wall.
18. The retaining wall system of claim 16, wherein:
- the series of longitudinally spaced apart elongated grooves of each sidewall of each retaining wall unit are arranged in a longitudinally staggered configuration from those of the opposite sidewall of each retaining wall unit.
19. The retaining wall system of claim 16, wherein:
- the elongated grooves each have a depth of from about ½ inch or more and a transverse width of from about ½ inch or more.
20. The retaining wall system of claim 16, wherein:
- the lengths of the elongated grooves are oriented at an angle from about 15° to about 70° relative to a longitudinal axis of the stem wall of each retaining wall unit.
21. The retaining wall system of claim 16, wherein:
- the elongated grooves each have a depth of from about ½ inch to about 4 inches and a transverse width of from about ½ inch to about 4 inches.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 6, 2011
Publication Date: Jul 12, 2012
Applicant: T-LOCK LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY (AZLE, TX)
Inventors: Francis X. Phillips (Azle, TX), Gail E. Phillips (Azle, TX), William R. Watkins (Dallas, TX)
Application Number: 12/985,778