Splice for a soil reinforcing element or connector

Abstract

An apparatus and method for splicing a soil reinforcing element to a grid-strip. The apparatus may include a splice having a first block plate defining one or more first longitudinal grooves configured to receive and seat a portion of a plurality of longitudinal wires of the soil reinforcing element, and a second block plate defining one or more second longitudinal grooves configured to receive and seat a portion of a plurality of longitudinal wires of a grid-strip. The first block plate and second block plate are further configured such that the portion of the plurality of longitudinal wires of the soil reinforcing element and the portion of the plurality of longitudinal wires of the grid-strip are retained in at least one of the respective one or more first and second longitudinal grooves when the first and second block plate are coupled to one another.

1 . A splice for a soil reinforcing element, comprising:
 a first block plate defining one or more first longitudinal grooves configured to receive and seat a portion of a plurality of longitudinal wires of the soil reinforcing element; and   a second block plate defining one or more second longitudinal grooves configured to receive and seat a portion of a plurality of longitudinal wires of a grid-strip, wherein the first block plate and second block plate are further configured such that the portion of the plurality of longitudinal wires of the soil reinforcing element and the portion of the plurality of longitudinal wires of the grid-strip are retained in at least one of the respective one or more first and second longitudinal grooves when the first and second block plate are coupled to one another.   
     
     
         2 . The splice of  claim 1 , wherein the portion of the plurality of longitudinal wires of the soil reinforcing element is interposed between a soil reinforcing element first transverse wire and a soil reinforcing element second transverse wire attached to the soil reinforcing element, and the portion of the plurality of longitudinal wires of the grid-strip is interposed between a grid-strip first transverse wire and a grid-strip second transverse wire attached to the grid-strip. 
     
     
         3 . The splice of  claim 2 , wherein the first block plate and second block plate are further configured such that the soil reinforcing element first transverse wire and the grid-strip second transverse wire are adjacent to one another and proximal to a first end of the first and second block plate, and the soil reinforcing element second transverse wire and the grid-strip first transverse wire are adjacent to one another and proximal to a second end of the first and second block plate when the portion of the plurality of longitudinal wires of the soil reinforcing element and the portion of the plurality of longitudinal wires of the grid-strip are seated and retained in the at least one of the respective one or more first and second longitudinal grooves and the first and second block plate are coupled to one another. 
     
     
         4 . The splice of  claim 3 , wherein the portion of the plurality of longitudinal wires of the soil reinforcing element and the portion of the plurality of longitudinal wires of the grid-strip are seated and retained in the at least one of the respective one or more first and second longitudinal grooves such that the first and second soil reinforcing element transverse wires and the first and second grid-strip transverse wires are interposed between one or more of the plurality of longitudinal wires of the soil reinforcing element and one or more of the plurality of longitudinal wires of the grid-strip. 
     
     
         5 . The splice of  claim 1 , further comprising a fastener assembly, wherein the first block plate further defines at least one first block plate aperture and the second block plate further defines at least one second block plate aperture, the at least one first block plate aperture and the at least one second block aperture configured to receive at least a portion of the fastener assembly therethrough such that the first block plate and the second block plate are coupled to one another. 
     
     
         6 . The splice of  claim 5 , wherein the fastener assembly comprises a threaded bolt and a nut, the threaded bolt configured to be inserted through at least one of the first and second block apertures and the nut configured to be threaded to an end of the threaded bolt. 
     
     
         7 . The splice of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second block plates are configured such that the portion of the plurality of longitudinal wires of the soil reinforcing element is vertically offset from the portion of the plurality of longitudinal wires of the grid-strip when the portion of the plurality of longitudinal wires of the soil reinforcing element and the portion of the plurality of longitudinal wires of the grid-strip are seated in the at least one of the respective one or more first and second longitudinal grooves and the first and second block plate are coupled to one another. 
     
     
         8 . The splice of  claim 1 , wherein the first block plate forms at least one first block plate transverse protrusion and the first block plate further defines at least one first block plate transverse channel, and the second block plate forms at least one second block plate transverse protrusion and the second block further defines at least one second block plate transverse channel. 
     
     
         9 . The splice of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one first block plate transverse channel is configured to receive and seat therein the at least one second block plate transverse protrusion, and the at least one second block plate transverse channel is configured to receive and seat therein the at least one first block plate transverse protrusion. 
     
     
         10 . The splice of  claim 9 , wherein the portion of the plurality of longitudinal wires of the soil reinforcing element is interposed between a soil reinforcing element first transverse wire and a soil reinforcing element second transverse wire attached to the soil reinforcing element, and the portion of the plurality of longitudinal wires of the grid-strip is interposed between a grid-strip first transverse wire and a grid-strip second transverse wire attached to the grid-strip. 
     
     
         11 . The splice of  claim 10 , wherein the first block plate and second block plate are further configured such that the soil reinforcing element first transverse wire and the grid-strip second transverse wire are adjacent to one another and proximal to a first end of the first and second block plate, and the soil reinforcing element second transverse wire and the grid-strip first transverse wire are adjacent to one another and proximal to a second end of the first and second block plate when the portion of the plurality of longitudinal wires of the soil reinforcing element and the portion of the plurality of longitudinal wires of the grid-strip are seated and retained in the at least one of the respective one or more first and second longitudinal grooves and the first and second block plate are coupled to one another. 
     
     
         12 . The splice of  claim 11 , wherein the portion of the plurality of longitudinal wires of the soil reinforcing element and the portion of the plurality of longitudinal wires of the grid-strip are seated and retained in the at least one of the respective one or more first and second longitudinal grooves such that the first and second soil reinforcing element transverse wires and the first and second grid-strip transverse wires are interposed between one or more of the plurality of longitudinal wires of the soil reinforcing element and one or more of the plurality of longitudinal wires of the grid-strip. 
     
     
         13 . A method for splicing a soil reinforcing element to a grid-strip, comprising:
 seating a portion of a plurality of longitudinal wires proximal a reinforcing end of the soil reinforcing element in one or more first longitudinal grooves defined by a first block plate;   seating a portion of a plurality of longitudinal wires proximal a splicing end of the grid-strip in one or more second longitudinal grooves defined by a second block plate;   aligning a first block plate aperture defined by the first block plate with a second block plate aperture defined by the second block plate; and   extending at least a portion of a fastener assembly through the first and second block plate apertures and securing the portion of a fastener assembly from removal, thereby splicing the soil reinforcing element to the grid-strip.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the fastener assembly comprises a threaded bolt and a nut, and extending the at least a portion of the fastener assembly comprises inserting the threaded bolt through the first and second block plate apertures and securing the threaded bolt from removal by threading the nut to an end of the threaded bolt. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the portion of the plurality of longitudinal wires of the soil reinforcing element is interposed between a soil reinforcing element first transverse wire and a soil reinforcing element second transverse wire attached to the soil reinforcing element, and the portion of the plurality of longitudinal wires of the grid-strip is interposed between a grid-strip first transverse wire and a grid-strip second transverse wire attached to the grid-strip. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising aligning the portion of the plurality of longitudinal wires of the soil reinforcing element and the portion of the plurality of longitudinal wires of the grid-strip, such that the soil reinforcing element first transverse wire and the grid-strip second transverse wire are adjacent to one another and proximal to a first end of the first and second block plate, and the soil reinforcing element second transverse wire and the grid-strip first transverse wire are adjacent to one another and proximal to a second end of the first and second block plate. 
     
     
         17 . A composite soil reinforcing element, comprising:
 a soil reinforcing element having a plurality of soil reinforcing element longitudinal wires coupled to a plurality of soil reinforcing element transverse wires, the soil reinforcing element having a wall end and a reinforcing end;   a grid-strip having a plurality of grid-strip longitudinal wires coupled to a plurality of grid-strip transverse wires, the grid-strip having a splicing end; and
 a splice configured to couple the reinforcing end of the soil reinforcing element to the splicing end of the grid-strip, the splice comprising: 
 a first block plate defining one or more first longitudinal grooves configured to receive and seat a portion of the plurality of soil reinforcing element longitudinal wires proximal the reinforcing end of the soil reinforcing element; 
 a second block plate defining one or more second longitudinal grooves configured to receive and seat a portion of the plurality of grid-strip longitudinal wires proximal the splicing end of the grid-strip; and 
 a fastener assembly, wherein a portion of the fastener assembly is extensible through a first block plate aperture defined by the first block plate and a second block plate aperture defined by the second block plate to couple the first block plate to the second block plate, thereby coupling the reinforcing end of the soil reinforcing element to the splicing end of the grid-strip. 
   
     
     
         18 . The composite soil reinforcing element of  claim 17 , wherein the fastener assembly comprises a threaded bolt and a nut, at least a portion of the threaded bolt configured to be inserted through the first and second block plate aperture and the nut configured to be threadingly attached to an end of the at least a portion of the threaded bolt. 
     
     
         19 . The composite soil reinforcing element of  claim 17 , wherein the first block plate forms at least one first block plate transverse protrusion and further defines at least one first block plate transverse channel, and the second block plate forms at least one second block plate transverse protrusion and further defines at least one second block plate transverse channel. 
     
     
         20 . The composite soil reinforcing element of  claim 19 , wherein the at least one first block plate transverse channel is configured to receive and seat therein the at least one second block plate transverse protrusion, and the at least one second block plate transverse channel is configured to receive and seat therein the at least one first block plate transverse protrusion.