Cellular honeycomb type reinforcing structure, and a method and apparatus for forming the structure

Abstract

A cellular reinforcing structure ( 1 ) for preventing soil erosion includes a plurality of lattice type sheets ( 5 ) of plastics material having longitudinal members ( 9 ) joined by transverse members ( 8 ) which define openings ( 13 ). The sheets ( 5 ) are bent to form first and second locations ( 11,12 ), and the first locations ( 11 ) of each sheet ( 5 ) engage first locations ( 11 ) of the adjacent sheet ( 5 ) on one side thereof, and the second locations ( 12 ) of each sheet ( 5 ) engage the second locations ( 12 ) of an adjacent sheet ( 5 ) on the other side thereof. The sheets ( 5 ) inter-engage at their first and second locations to define retaining bores ( 14 ), and retaining bars ( 15 ) are inserted through the retaining bores ( 14 ) for retaining the first and second locations of the respective sheets inter-engaged with each other. The cellular reinforcing structure ( 1 ) is then placed on the soil the erosion of which is to be prevented or in a cutting on the soil, and cells ( 3 ) formed between the adjacent sheets ( 5 ) are back-filled with suitable in-fill material, such as soil, aggregate or the like.

1 . A cellular honeycomb type reinforcing structure comprising a plurality of elongated sheets, each sheet being joined to its adjacent sheet on one side thereof at a plurality of first locations spaced apart along the length of the sheets, and to its adjacent sheet on the other side thereof at a plurality of second locations spaced apart along the length of the sheets, each second location being located intermediate an adjacent pair of first locations, the first locations of each pair of adjacent sheets defining unconnected portions extending therebetween where the sheets are unconnected, and the second locations of each pair of adjacent sheets defining unconnected portions extending therebetween where the sheets are unconnected, the unconnected portions of adjacent sheets being urgeable apart from each other from a collapsed state with the adjacent sheets lying close to each other to an erected state with the unconnected portions of adjacent sheets spaced apart from each other forming a matrix of cells. 
     
     
         2 . A reinforcing structure as claimed in  claim 1  in which adjacent sheets at their respective first and second locations define retaining bores extending parallel to planes defined by the respective sheets, and transversely of the sheets. 
     
     
         3 . A reinforcing structure as claimed in  claim 2  in which each sheet is of lattice structure material defining a plurality of openings therethrough, and portions of each sheet engage adjacent ones of the openings in the adjacent sheets at the corresponding first and second locations for defining with the corresponding adjacent sheets the retaining bores. 
     
     
         4 . A reinforcing structure as claimed in  claim 3  in which the cells defined by the unconnected portions of adjacent sheets are interconnected through the openings in the sheets. 
     
     
         5 . A reinforcing structure as claimed in  claim 1  in which each sheet forming the cellular reinforcing structure is of a semi-rigid material. 
     
     
         6 . A reinforcing structure as claimed in  claim 1  in which the reinforcing structure is adapted for locating on the ground for minimizing soil erosion, and the cells thereof are adapted for containing in-fill selected from one or more of the following in-fill materials:
 soil, 
 aggregate, 
 hard-core, and 
 concrete. 
 
     
     
         7 . A reinforcing structure as claimed in  claim 3  in which a retaining means is provided in each retaining bore for retaining the portions adjacent the first and second locations of adjacent sheets engaged in the corresponding openings of the adjacent sheets. 
     
     
         8 . A reinforcing structure as claimed in  claim 7  in which each retaining means comprises a receiving means, and a plurality of securing means are provided for securing one of a top panel and a bottom panel to the reinforcing structure adjacent a corresponding one of a top and a bottom thereof, each securing means being adapted for engaging one of the corresponding retaining bore and the corresponding receiving means for securing the one of the top panel and the bottom panel to the reinforcing structure. 
     
     
         9 . A reinforcing structure as claimed in  claim 7  in which each retaining means comprises an elongated retaining bar for engaging a corresponding one of the retaining bores. 
     
     
         10 . A reinforcing structure as claimed in  claim 3  in which each sheet is formed by a plurality of spaced apart longitudinal members extending in a generally longitudinal direction along the length of the sheet, and a plurality of spaced apart transverse members extending transversely of the longitudinal members and being joined to the longitudinal members, the longitudinal and transverse members defining the openings in the form of a matrix of openings. 
     
     
         11 . A reinforcing structure as claimed in  claim 8  in which each securing
 means is releasably securable with the one of the corresponding retaining bore and the corresponding receiving means. 
 
     
     
         12 . A reinforcing structure as claimed in  claim 8  in which each securing
 means comprises a spigot engageable with the one of the corresponding receiving bore and the corresponding retaining means, the spigot of each securing means terminating in a pan head for abutting and retaining the one of the top panel and the bottom panel in engagement with the reinforcing structure when the spigot is engaged in the one of the corresponding retaining bore and the corresponding retaining means. 
 
     
     
         13 . A reinforcing structure as claimed in  claim 8  in which each retaining means is provided with one of the receiving means at its respective opposite ends for engaging corresponding ones of the securing means for securing a top panel and a bottom panel to the top and bottom of the reinforcing structure. 
     
     
         14 . A reinforcing structure as claimed in  claim 8  in which each top and bottom panel is of regular lattice structure defining a matrix of openings. 
     
     
         15 . A reinforcing structure as claimed in  claim 1  in which each sheet forming the cellular reinforcing structure is of plastics material. 
     
     
         16 . A land erosion protective device comprising:
 a cellular honeycombed type reinforcing structure comprising a plurality of elongated sheets, each sheet being joined to its adjacent sheet on one side thereof at a plurality of first locations spaced apart along the length of the sheets, and to its adjacent sheet on the other side thereof at a plurality of second locations spaced apart along the length of the sheets, each second location being located intermediate an adjacent pair of first locations, the first locations of each pair of adjacent sheets defining unconnected portions extending therebetween where the sheets are unconnected, and the second locations of each pair of adjacent sheets defining unconnected portions extending therebetween where the sheets are unconnected, the unconnected portions of adjacent sheets being urgeable apart from each other from a collapsed state with the adjacent sheets lying close to each other to an erected state with the unconnected portions of adjacent sheets spaced apart from each other forming a matrix of cells, the reinforcing structure being located on the ground, and the unconnected portions of the adjacent sheets being in the erected state forming the cells, and   in-fill being located in the respective cells of the reinforcing structure.   
     
     
         17 . A method for preventing soil erosion, the method comprising:
 placing a cellular honeycomb type reinforcing structure on the soil, the reinforcing structure having a plurality of elongated sheets, each sheet being joined to its adjacent sheet on one side thereof at a plurality of first locations spaced apart along the length of the sheets, and to its adjacent sheet on the other side thereof at a plurality of second locations spaced apart along the length of the sheets, each second location being located intermediate an adjacent pair of first locations, the first locations of each pair of adjacent sheets defining unconnected portions extending therebetween where the sheets are unconnected, and the second locations of each pair of adjacent sheets defining unconnected portions extending therebetween where the sheets are unconnected, the unconnected portions of adjacent sheets being urgeable apart from each other from a collapsed state with the adjacent sheets lying close to each other to an erected state with the unconnected portions of adjacent sheets spaced apart from each other forming a matrix of cells,   urging the unconnected portions of the adjacent sheets apart from each other into the erected state to form the matrix of cells, and   backfilling the reinforcing structure with in-fill material so that the in-fill material is located in the cells thereof.