Fascines

Abstract

A fascine for filling ditches or smoothing other discontinuities in or on the ground to facilitate the passage of vehicles across the discontinuity is composed of inflatable members wrapped with one or more fabric sheets extending back along the ground from the respective discontinuity in the path of oncoming vehicles. The overwrapping sheet(s) assist in maintaining the integrity of the fascine and provide an improved surface particularly for wheeled vehicles to cross the fascine, obviating the risk of wheels falling into gaps between individual fascine members.

1 . A fascine adapted to facilitate the passage of a vehicle across a discontinuity in or on the ground comprising an assembly of inflated fascine members and a flexible sheet wrapped around that assembly, said sheet extending back along the ground from the discontinuity in the intended path of the vehicle and providing a surface over which the vehicle can cross the fascine. 
   
   
       2 . A fascine according to  claim 1  wherein the sheet is attached to said assembly of inflated fascine members in the region of the near side of the discontinuity (in the sense of the intended direction of crossing) and extends from the attachment forwardly over the top of said assembly and rearwardly below said assembly. 
   
   
       3 . A fascine according to  claim 1  comprising two such sheets in parallel and spaced apart in accordance with the widthwise wheel or track spacing of the vehicle. 
   
   
       4 . A fascine according to  claim 1  wherein the or each said sheet extends back along the ground from the discontinuity by a distance at least as long as the distance between the foremost and rearmost ground-engaging portions of the vehicle. 
   
   
       5 . A plurality of inflatable fascine members and a flexible sheet or sheets adapted to be wrapped around an assembly of inflated such members to form a fascine according to  claim 1 . 
   
   
       6 . A method of crossing a discontinuity in or on the ground with a vehicle which comprises deploying a fascine according to  claim 1  and directing the vehicle to pass over the surface of the or each said sheet.