Pinless Earthen Retaining Wall With Transverse Soil Reinforcement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) retaining wall systems are costly due to the need for upright soil reinforcing elements and additional facing panels, which increase steel weight and fabrication complexity, while the facing panel does not provide structural support and requires additional materials and labor for construction.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves eliminating upright soil reinforcing elements and using a separate facing panel with distal ends captured by soil reinforcing transverse elements, allowing the soil reinforcement to be placed off the foundation, thereby reducing steel weight and fabrication complexity, and eliminating the need for secondary connectors and additional facing panels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If upright soil reinforcing elements are used to connect facing panels, then structural integrity is improved, but steel weight and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the upright soil reinforcing elements from the MSE wall system. Instead of using traditional L-shaped elements with vertical components, the invention uses only horizontal soil reinforcing elements that are placed within the backfill soil, removing the unnecessary vertical portions that increased steel weight without contributing to structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the facing panel from the soil reinforcing function. Rather than integrating vertical reinforcement into the facing panel assembly, the invention separates these functions by using independent horizontal soil reinforcing elements embedded in the backfill, allowing each component to be optimized independently for its specific function.
2Stability of the object's composition
If additional facing panels are used to reduce accessible openings, then wall stability is improved, but device complexity and material cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the single facing panel by optimizing its height and configuration. Instead of using multiple facing panels at different elevations, the invention achieves adequate coverage and stability by adjusting the dimensions and positioning of one continuous facing panel, thereby simplifying the overall structure.
3Ease of manufacture
If uniform facing panels are used throughout the wall system, then manufacturing efficiency is improved, but adaptability to different wall heights decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces flexibility and adjustability into the facing panel system through configurable support structures. The facing panels can be positioned at different elevations and orientations using adjustable supports, allowing uniform panels to adapt to various wall heights and configurations without requiring custom fabrication for each scenario.
Data Source
AI summary
An earthen retaining wall constructed with welded wire grid includes a series of soil reinforcing elements and separate facing panels with distal ends is provided. Soil reinforcing transverse elements capture the distal ends of the facing panel on both the front face side and the back face side. Capturing the distal ends on both the front side and back side horizontally secures the reinforcing elements without the aid of secondary connectors such as hog-rings, tie wires, connection pins, or other supplemental connectors. The soil reinforcing elements are free to move in the vertical direction but not in the horizontal direction.