Soil reinforcing connector and method of constructing a mechanically stabilized earth structure

Abstract

A system and method of constructing a mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) structure. A wire facing is composed of horizontal and vertical elements. A soil reinforcing element has a plurality of transverse wires coupled to at least two longitudinal wires having lead ends that upwardly-extend. A bearing plate includes one or more longitudinal protrusions configured to receive and seat the upwardly extending lead ends and couple the soil reinforcing element to the wire facing, and in particular to the vertical element. Multiple systems can be characterized as lifts and erected one atop the other to a desired MSE structure height.

1 . A mechanically stabilized earth structure, comprising:
 a wire facing having a bend formed therein to form a horizontal element and a vertical facing, the horizontal element having initial and terminal wires each coupled to a plurality of horizontal wires, and the vertical facing having a plurality of vertical wires coupled to a plurality of facing cross wires and a top-most cross wire;   a soil reinforcing element having a plurality of transverse wires coupled to at least two longitudinal wires having upwardly-extending extensions; and   a connection device having a bearing plate with one or more longitudinal protrusions configured to receive the upwardly-extending extensions, the connection device being configured to couple the soil reinforcing element to the vertical facing.   
     
     
         2 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein the connection device further comprises:
 a rod extensible through a perforation defined in the bearing plate and the vertical facing;   a washer radially disposed about the rod adjacent an outside surface of the vertical facing; and   a nut coupled to the rod and configured to force the washer into engagement with the outside surface of the vertical facing.   
     
     
         3 . The structure of  claim 2 , wherein the connection device is coupled to the wire facing at a connector lead extending from the horizontal element and up the vertical facing. 
     
     
         4 . The structure of  claim 2 , wherein the connection device is coupled to the wire facing at adjacent vertical wires and the washer is sized to engage each adjacent vertical wire. 
     
     
         5 . The structure of  claim 1 , further comprising a strut having a first end coupled to the vertical facing and a second end coupled to the horizontal element, the strut being configured to maintain the vertical facing at a predetermined angle with respect to the horizontal element. 
     
     
         6 . The structure of  claim 5 , wherein the first end of the strut is coupled to one of the plurality of facing cross wires disposed below the top-most cross wire and the second end of the strut is coupled to the terminal wire. 
     
     
         7 . A method of constructing a mechanically stabilized earth structure, comprising:
 providing a first lift comprising a first wire facing bent to form a first horizontal element and a first vertical facing, the first horizontal element having initial and terminal wires coupled to a plurality of horizontal wires, and the first vertical facing having a plurality of vertical wires coupled to a plurality of facing cross wires including a last facing cross wire and a top-most cross wire vertically-disposed above the last facing cross wire;   seating upwardly-extending extensions of one or more longitudinal wires of a first soil reinforcing element within one or more longitudinal protrusions defined on a first bearing plate;   extending a first rod through a first perforation defined on the first bearing plate and further through the first vertical facing;   engaging an outside surface of the first vertical facing with a first washer disposed radially about an end of the first rod, the first washer being forced into engagement with the outside surface of the first vertical facing by a first nut coupled to the end of the first rod; and   placing backfill on the first lift to a first height above the last facing cross wire of the first vertical facing.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising coupling a first end of a strut to the first vertical facing and a second end of the strut to the first horizontal element, the strut being configured to maintain the first vertical facing at a predetermined angle with respect to the first horizontal element. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the first end of the strut is coupled to the last facing cross wire and the second end of the strut is coupled to the terminal wire. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising placing a second lift on the backfill of the first lift, the second lift comprising a second wire facing bent to form a second horizontal element and a second vertical facing. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the second lift is not in contact with the first lift but is completely supported by the backfill of the first lift. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 seating upwardly-extending extensions of one or more longitudinal wires of a second soil reinforcing element within one or more longitudinal protrusions defined on a second bearing plate extending a second rod through a second perforation defined on the second bearing plate and further through the second and first vertical facings;   engaging the outside surface of the first vertical facing with a second washer disposed radially about an end of the second rod, the second washer being forced into engagement with the outside surface of the first vertical facing by a second nut coupled to the end of the second rod and configured to allow the second lift to slidingly engage the first lift for at least the first height.   
     
     
         13 . A mechanically stabilized earth structure, comprising:
 a first lift comprising:
 a first wire facing having a first horizontal element and a first vertical facing, the first horizontal element having initial and terminal wires coupled to a plurality of horizontal wires, and the first vertical facing having a plurality of vertical wires coupled to a plurality of facing cross wires including a last facing cross wire and a top-most cross wire vertically-disposed above the last facing cross wire; 
 a first soil reinforcing element having a plurality of transverse wires coupled to at least two longitudinal wires having upwardly-extending extensions; 
 a first connection device having a first bearing plate with one or more longitudinal protrusions configured to receive the upwardly-extending extensions of the first soil reinforcing element, the first connection device being configured to couple the soil reinforcing element to the first vertical facing; and 
 backfill disposed on the first wire facing to a first height above the last facing cross wire of the first vertical facing; and 
   a second lift disposed on the backfill of the first lift, the second lift comprising:
 a second wire facing having a second horizontal element and a second vertical facing; 
 a second soil reinforcing element disposed on the second horizontal element and having a plurality of transverse wires coupled to at least two longitudinal wires having upwardly-extending extensions; 
 a second connection device having a second bearing plate with one or more longitudinal protrusions configured to receive the upwardly-extending extensions of the second soil reinforcing element, the second connection device being configured to couple the second soil reinforcing element to the first and second vertical facings. 
   
     
     
         14 . The structure of  claim 13 , wherein the first connection device further comprises:
 a first rod extensible through a perforation defined on the first bearing plate and the first vertical facing;   a first washer radially disposed about the first rod adjacent an outside surface of the first vertical facing; and   a first nut coupled to the first rod and configured to force the first washer into engagement with the outside surface of the first vertical facing.   
     
     
         15 . The structure of  claim 14 , wherein the first connection device is coupled to the first wire facing at a connector lead extending from the first horizontal element and up the first vertical facing. 
     
     
         16 . The structure of  claim 14 , wherein the first connection device is coupled to the first wire facing at adjacent vertical wires and the first washer is sized to engage each adjacent vertical wire. 
     
     
         17 . The structure of  claim 13 , wherein the second connection device further comprises:
 a second rod extensible through a perforation defined on the second bearing plate and further through the second and first vertical facings;   a second washer radially disposed about the second rod adjacent an outside surface of the first vertical facing; and   a second nut coupled to the second rod and configured to force the second washer into engagement with the outside surface of the first vertical facing.   
     
     
         18 . The structure of  claim 17 , wherein the second vertical facing slidably engages the first vertical facing for a distance less than or equal to the first height. 
     
     
         19 . A method of constructing a mechanically stabilized earth structure, comprising:
 providing a first lift comprising a first wire facing bent to form a first horizontal element and a first vertical facing, the first vertical facing having a plurality of vertical wires coupled to a plurality of facing cross wires including a last facing cross wire and a top-most cross wire vertically-disposed above the last facing cross wire;   placing a first quantity of backfill on the first lift to a first height above the first horizontal element;   coupling a first soil reinforcing element to the first vertical facing at the first height and on top of the first quantity of backfill;   placing a second quantity of backfill atop the first quantity of backfill and the first soil reinforcing element to a second height above the last facing cross wire of the first vertical facing;   disposing a second lift atop the first lift, the second lift comprising a second wire facing bent to form a second horizontal element and a second vertical facing, the second vertical facing having a plurality of vertical wires coupled to a plurality of facing cross wires including a last facing cross wire and a top-most cross wire vertically-disposed above the last facing cross wire;   placing a third quantity of backfill on the second lift to a third height above the second horizontal element;   coupling a second soil reinforcing element to the second vertical facing at the third height and on top of the third quantity of backfill; and   placing a fourth quantity of backfill atop the third quantity of backfill and the second soil reinforcing element to a fourth height above the last facing cross wire of the second vertical facing.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein coupling the first soil reinforcing element to the first vertical facing at the first height further comprises:
 seating upwardly-extending extensions of the first soil reinforcing element within one or more longitudinal protrusions defined on a first bearing plate;   extending a first rod through a perforation defined on the first bearing plate and further through the first vertical facing; and   engaging an outside surface of the first vertical facing with a first washer disposed radially about an end of the first rod, the first washer being forced into engagement with the outside surface of the first vertical facing by a first nut coupled to the end of the first rod.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein coupling the second soil reinforcing element to the second vertical facing at the third height further comprises:
 seating upwardly-extending extensions of the second soil reinforcing element within one or more longitudinal protrusions defined on a second bearing plate;   extending a second rod through a perforation defined on the second bearing plate and further through the second vertical facing; and   engaging an outside surface of the second vertical facing with a second washer disposed radially about an end of the second rod, the second washer being forced into engagement with the outside surface of the second vertical facing by a second nut coupled to the end of the second rod.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising coupling a third soil reinforcing element to the first vertical facing at the second height before disposing the second lift on the second quantity of backfill. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the second height is level with the top-most cross wire. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising disposing the second lift on the second quantity of backfill such that the second vertical facing is laterally-offset from the first vertical facing a distance Z. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising coupling a first end of a strut to the second vertical facing and a second end of the strut to the second horizontal element, the strut being configured to maintain the second vertical facing at a predetermined angle with respect to the second horizontal element.