Blast protective barrier system

Abstract

A blast protective barrier system, termed a blast wall, is definable in terms of an x, y, z coordinate system. The system includes several substantially ground level (xy plane) pile caps, each itself having an x-axis elongate length, a y-axis width, and a z-axis depth, the x-axis length substantially defining the width of the barrier system. Each pile cap also includes an upper and lower xy plane surface, each of the upper surfaces including y-axis channels and each of the lower surfaces including several recesses. The system also includes a plurality of yz plane, y-axis elongate vertical concrete panels having an x-axis width, each panel pair having a lower y-axis edge proportioned for press-fittable securement within the y-axis channels of the upper xy surfaces of the pile caps. Positioned between opposing pairs of concrete panels is a volume of high shock-absorbent material, which material may take a variety of different forms including loose sand, gravel, pebbles, stones, inflatable and non-inflatable foams, enclosed cellular units having properties of high viscous damping, and a variety of acoustical and thermal insulative materials which also possess properties of shock and blast absorption. The system further includes substantially z-axis elongate piles, each having z-axis upper ends thereof proportioned for securement within the recesses of the lower xy plane surfaces of the pile caps.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, useful and non-obvious and, accordingly, secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:  
     
         1 . A blast protective barrier system definable in terms of an x,y,z coordinate system, comprising: 
 (a) a plurality of substantially ground level (xy plane) pile caps, each comprising an x-axis elongate length, a y-axis width, and a z-axis height, said x-axis length substantially defining the width of said system, each end cap further including upper and lower xy plane surfaces, each of said upper surfaces including y-axis channels and each of said lower surfaces including substantially z-axis recesses, said pile caps substantially symmetrical about a xz plane;    (b) a plurality of opposing pairs of yz plane, y-axis elongate vertical concrete panels having an x-axis with, each panel pair having a lower y-axis edge proportioned for securement within said y-axis channels of said upper xy surfaces of said pile caps;    (c) high shock absorbent material disposed between each pair of said concrete panel; and    (d) a plurality of z-axis elongate piles, each having z-axis upper ends proportioned for press-fittable insertion into said substantially z-axis recesses of said lower xy plane surfaces of said pile caps.    
     
     
         2 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , in which, within an xy plane cross-section of each said pile cap and panel, an x-axis pile cap dimension to separation between opposing panel surfaces defines a ratio in a range of about 2.5:1 to about 5:1.  
     
     
         3 . The system as recited in  claim 2 , in which said ratio is preferably about 3.5:1.  
     
     
         4 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , in which, in a xz plane through each panel pair and of said volume of shock absorbent material, a total aggregate x-axis dimension of outer yz surfaces of said panel to said material comprises an x-axis range of about 1.5:1 to about 2.5:1.  
     
     
         5 . The system as recited in  claim 4 , in which, in a xz plane of each panel pair and said volume of shock absorbent material, a total aggregate x-axis dimension of outer yz surfaces of said panels to said compacted shock absorbent material preferably comprises a ratio of about 2:1.  
     
     
         6 . The system as recited in  claim 1  in which each panel of said panel pairs are of like x-axis width.  
     
     
         7 . The system as recited in  claim 6 , in which a ratio of said x-axis volume of shock absorbent material to an x-axis dimension of each panel is in a range of about 3:1 to about 2:1.  
     
     
         8 . The system as recited in  claim 7 , in which an x-axis length of said volume of shock absorbent material to an x-axis dimension of each of said panels defines a ratio of about 2.3:1.  
     
     
         9 . The system as recited in  claim 7 , in which a z-axis depth of lower ends of said panels within said y-axis channels of said pile caps to said entire z-axis length thereof comprises a ratio in a range of about 0.05 to about 0.15.  
     
     
         10 . The system as recited in  claim 9 , in which a z-axis depth of lower ends of said panels within said channels of said pile caps to said entire z-axis length of each panel defines a ratio of about 0.07.  
     
     
         11 . The system as recited in  claim 7 , in which said piles define an in-ground length in a range of about 10 to about 50 feet.  
     
     
         12 . The system as recited in  claim 11 , in which each pile cap defines an x-axis length in a range of about 10 to about 20 feet.  
     
     
         13 . The system as recited in  claim 12 , in which each panel is reinforced using vertical and horizontal rebars.  
     
     
         14 . The system as recited in  claim 13 , in which said horizontal rebars project in a xy plane beyond concrete xz end surfaces of said panels.  
     
     
         15 . The system as recited in  claim 14 , further comprising: 
 panel joining z-axis elongate columns positioned between opposing xy plane end faces of groups of panel pairs and pile caps, including concrete port, in a z-axis direction, to envelope said projecting rebars of said respective pairs of said panels, thereby sealing opposing groups of panels at a desired angulation therebetween.    
     
     
         16 . The system as recited in  claim 11 , in which a ratio of pile cap x-axis length to y-axis width comprises a range of between about 3.5:1 and about 2.2:1.  
     
     
         17 . The system as recited in  claim 16 , in which a ratio of x-axis ratio of said pile cap upper surface is about equal to a diameter of each pile receiving recess of said lower surfaces thereof.  
     
     
         18 . The system as recited in  claim 15 , in which a z-axis height of each panel is in a range of about 8 to about 15 feet.  
     
     
         19 . The system as recited in  claim 15 , in which a ratio of z-axis height of each panel to a x-axis length of each pile cap comprises a range of between about 0.7:1 and about 1.2:1.  
     
     
         20 . The system as recited in  claim 15 , in which a ratio of z-axis height of each panel to a x-axis length of each pile cap is preferably about 0.9:1.  
     
     
         21 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , in which said recesses within said lower surfaces of pile caps comprise three recesses, each defining a different axis relative to a central xz plane of each pile cap, in which: 
 (a) one pile is co-linear with a z-axis center of said xz plane of symmetry of each pile cap; and    (b) substantially z-axis left and right recesses within lower surfaces of said end cap are equally offset from a central recess and define respective angles in a range of about 10 to about 30 degree relative to said z-axis of said end cap along said xz plane of symmetry thereof.