Method and Apparatus for Creating Soil or Rock Subsurface Support

Abstract

A subsurface support is provided in the form of a soil nail. The soil nail has asperities formed on the outer surface thereof to improve the pullout capacity of the soil nail. The asperities can take a number of forms to include indentations, deformations and threads formed on the outer surface of the soil nail. Optionally, a stinger may be attached to a distal end of the soil nail to further enhance the pullout capacity of the soil nail.

1 . A soil nail comprising: 
 a tubular body having at least one linear set of indentations formed thereon, said indentations extending into an outer surface of said soil nail, but not penetrating a wall of the soil nail.    
   
   
       2 . A soil nail, as claimed in  claim 1 , further including: 
 a plurality of threaded sections formed on an outer surface of said soil nail and spaced along a length of the soil nail.    
   
   
       3 . A soil nail, as claimed in  claim 1 , further including: 
 a second set of indentations formed on an opposite side of said soil nail from said at least one set of indentations, said indentations of said first and second sets extending substantially along a length of said soil nail from a proximal end to a distal end thereof.    
   
   
       4 . A soil nail, as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 at least one deformation is formed along substantially a length of said soil nail, and said deformation extending linearly with said at least one set of indentations.    
   
   
       5 . A soil nail, as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said indentations are formed by a sprocket having a plurality of teeth that contact an outer surface of said soil nail, and said sprocket traversing substantially along a length of said soil nail to create said indentations.    
   
   
       6 . A soil nail, as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein: 
 said deformation is formed by applying a force to an outer surface of said soil nail thereby crushing said soil nail along a selected length thereof.    
   
   
       7 . A soil nail, as claimed in  claim 1 , further including: 
 a stinger secured to the distal end of a soil nail.    
   
   
       8 . A method, installing a subsurface support comprising the steps of: 
 providing a tubular body having a plurality of asperities formed thereon, said asperities being selected from the group consisting of (i) indentations formed thereon, said indentations extending into an outer surface of said soil nail, but not penetrating a wall of the soil nail, (ii) threaded sections, (iii) deformations of a cross-sectional shape of the tubular body, and (iv protrusions;    providing a launching device including a chamber and a barrel;    loading the subsurfaces support in said launching device;    supporting a barrel of the launching device so that it is spaced from the surface of the ground;    emitting pressurized gas to a chamber of the launching device; and    launching the subsurface support into the ground in response to increasing pressure in the chamber.    
   
   
       9 . A soil nail comprising: 
 a tubular body having at plurality of asperities formed on the outer surface thereof, said asperities including a plurality of protrusions attached to an outer surface of the tubular body.    
   
   
       10 . A soil nail comprising: 
 a tubular body having at plurality of asperities formed on the outer surface thereof, said asperities including at least two asperities selected from the group consisting of (i) indentations, (ii) threaded sections, (iii) deformation of a cross-sectional shape of said tubular body, and (iv) protrusions.    
   
   
       11 . A soil nail, as claimed in  claim 10 , further including: 
 a stinger secured to the distal end of the soil nail.