Abstract: The invention provides a wall-retaining element, including a three-dimensional body having a bottom portion including a major base surface positionable upon the ground in spaced-apart relationship to a wall to be retained, such that the plane of the bottom portion traverses the plane of the wall; at least one major surface to be covered with soil for applying pressure to the element, and means for attaching one end of a tie rod or a cable to the element and for attaching its other end to the wall. The invention also provides a method for retaining a wall structure.

Abstract: A storm shelter kit is provided including several enclosure wall panels; wall panel interconnection structures for joining the enclosure wall panels together to define an enclosure having side and top enclosure wall portions; and several soil retaining panels for placement around the enclosure for supporting soil placed around and at least partially covering the enclosure wall panels. The storm shelter kit includes at least one set of the soil retaining panels of progressively decreasing height, for placement in series in progressively increasing distances from the enclosure and for receiving soil between the enclosure and the soil retaining panels and between the soil retaining panels, to define a mound of soil of selectable shape surrounding the enclosure and at least partially covering the wall panels. The wall panels preferably are formed of corrugated steel.

Abstract: A wall and roof structure primarily for buildings that are partly under ground. In the roof structure, sheets of steel are placed in an upward concave position supported by beams and columns with compression members positioned between the beams. In the walls, a similar arrangement is used with sheets of steel in a concave outward position supported between the columns. This provides a free span suspension design with no columns or bearing walls needed inside the basic structure.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a circular building structure which comprises a plurality of columnar structures, each of which extends from a point below ground level to a desired height above ground level and wall structures positioned between the columnar structures and forming a substantially circular exterior wall with the columnar structures. The wall structures and the columnar structures enclose a substantially circular inner space. The building structure further includes a central hub positioned above the inner space. A plurality of trusses for supporting a roof are provided. Each of the trusses is joined to a respective one of the columnar structures and to the central hub. The inner space is divided into a perimetric space and an interior space by an interior wall which is concentric with the exterior wall. The perimetric space, in a preferred construction, is divided by walls into at least one passageway and a number of rooms.

Abstract: The modular wall includes a sheet pile wall 12 with support brackets 20 that provide cantilever support to a facade of interlocking rows of blocks 30-34. The support member 20 includes vertical members that extend from the top of the sheet piling part way down the length of the sheet piling. Base members 24 extend from the vertical members and are supported by angled braces 22. Horizontally extending key members rest on the base members and are affixed thereto. The key members provide a key for connecting to a slot of a first row of modular blocks. The modular blocks are stabilized by geogrid 28 that is captured in the key and slot interconnection of the modular blocks and is affixed to the sheet piling 12 or embedded in concrete fill.

Abstract: A reinforcement pillar for propping a structure with vertical walls, which includes an envelope with a cylindrical shape, formed from a flat flexible panel with a rectangular shape, including apertures in the vertical walls for securing to the vertical walls, the vertical free edges of the flexible panel being designed to be secured to one another and folded into a cylindrical shape and secured to one another, the envelope being retained relative to the wall by a split hollow tube which stabilizes the envelope

Abstract: A skirt for a raised dwelling for restricting movement of air under a raised dwelling. The skirt for a raised dwelling includes a panel. The panel has a front side and a back side. The panel has a top edge and a bottom edge. The panel is corrugated such that pleat folds are defined. The pleat folds have ridge and valley lines orientated generally parallel to the top edge of the panel. The panel has a plurality of sets of apertures therein. Each of the sets of apertures is positioned along a line orientated generally perpendicular to the top and bottom edges of the panels. A space between each of the ridge and valley lines has one of the apertures therein. Each of a plurality of rods has a first end and a second end. The first ends are generally pointed. Each of the rods extends through one of the set of apertures, and the first ends of the rods are removably insertable in the ground.

Abstract: A swimming pool formed in a natural or man-made body of fresh or salt water includes a flooring material which allows water to pass through, but does not allow dirt or other natural sediment to pass through. The flooring material comprises a layer of stones sandwiched between two layers of geotextile material and a top layer of non-skid vinyl or PVC decking material.

Abstract: A building foundation is formed by a plurality of pre-cast concrete elements. Each of the pre-cast elements has a length corresponding to the length of a corresponding side or leg of the foundation perimeter. The foundation includes a plurality of pre-cast concrete footing pads that are dispersed along the perimeter and specifically at the corners of the foundation. The pre-cast foundation elements rest on the footing pads and are contiguously arranged to complete the foundation. A bonding agent can be introduced into the joints between adjacent foundation elements to seal the joint. Alternatively, or in addition, mechanical fasteners can be used to interconnect adjacent panels. Certain ones of the pre-cast foundation elements define an integral brick ledge, with varying configurations to ensure continuity of the brick ledge around the corners of the foundation. In a method of the invention, a trench around the perimeter is dug and the pre-cast concrete elements laid in place with a crane.

Abstract: A protective barrier comprising a footing which is buried in the ground and supports a frame for supporting one or more panels. The panels internally comprise sound-deadening and/or air-filtering material and are constituted so as to have at least one finely perforated lateral surface, a finely perforated upper surface for collecting rainwater and a finely perforated bottom.

Abstract: An emergency shelter to be used under the floor of a residential or commercial structure. In the preferred embodiment, a prefabricated acrylic shelter is sized to accommodate at least one individual in a crouching or sitting position. The shelter is placed prior to the pouring of a slab foundation or the building of the floor in a pier and beam foundation. The unit is sealed to prevent moisture infiltration and provides the benefits of a relatively pleasant surface without the accumulation of moisture. Additional advantages are the relative lower expense, light weight, and ease of installation of the prefabricated shelter. Other uses of the shelter include security and storage.

Abstract: Method, apparatus and product providing a cantilevered coping about prefabricated stairs of an in-ground liner type swimming pool. Disclosed is a polystyrene form board of desired profile face to effect a complementary fit onto a top of the stairs, fastener means including a saddle bracket for securing the form board onto the stairs and a release structure to enable removing the form board after the poured aggregate coping has cured.

Abstract: A human habitat structure for placement upon a non-uniform, non-level site.

Abstract: The present invention includes a unique mid-level room arrangement for a building structure such as a residential home. The building structure is comprised of at least one room on a first below ground level floor and at least one room on a second below ground level floor. The second below ground level floor is above the first below ground level floor, and a stairway connects the first below ground level floor to the second below ground level floor. The building is also comprised of at least one room on a generally ground level floor. The second below ground level floor is connected to the ground level floor by a stairway. There is also at least one room on an upper level floor above the ground level floor. A stairway connects the ground level floor with the upper level floor, and it has a landing at a location between the ground level floor and the upper level floor. At least one room is on a mid-level floor between the ground level floor and the upper level floor.

Abstract: A constructing method for underground continuous double-row walls and a structure of continuous double-row walls includes a plurality of steps. The steps are used to prepare guide walls, to dig ditches, to check verticality, to remove dirt and mud on the bottom of the ditches and to wash end plates, to prefabricate wall units of continuous double-row walls, and to place wall units in the ditches until the continuous wall is finished. The structure of a wall unit includes two base plates, two frameworks having plural auxiliary frames vertically between the two base plates, plural lateral bars fixed laterally with each auxiliary frame, plural net members fixed between two auxiliary frames, plural steel bars fixed between every two auxiliary frames, outer mold plates fixed on the outer sides of the framework, and concrete poured in the space between the mold plates and the net members.

Abstract: An ice skating rink structure comprising a plurality of boards and a plurality of brackets is provided. Each of the brackets has a U-shaped support for holding one or more of the boards and has at least one downward projection for insertion into the ground. The downward projection of the bracket is inserted into the ground and boards are placed within the U-shaped support such that the boards define the shape of an ice skating rink. A liner is placed inside of the ice skating rink and water is poured onto the liner and allowed to freeze and form an ice skating rink. By using boards with different heights, the present invention allows for the quick assembly of an ice skating rink on level or unlevel ground.

Abstract: The modular wall includes a sheet pile wall (12) with support brackets (20) that provide cantilever support to a facade of interlocking rows of blocks (30-34). The support member (20) includes vertical members that extend from the top of the sheet piling part way down the length of the sheet piling. Base members (24) extend from the vertical members and are supported by angled braces (22). Horizontally extending key members rest on the base members and are affixed thereto. The key members provide a key for connecting to a slot of a first row of modular blocks. The modular blocks are stabilized by geogrid (28) that is captured in the key and slot interconnection of the modular blocks and is affixed to the sheet piling or embedded in concrete fill (12).