Portable above-grade berm apparatus

Abstract

Berm apparatus comprised of a plurality of berm members having a cross sectional configuration to limit the release of a substance into the environment. The berm members may include a footing member extending laterally from a first side of an upright member adjacent to a bottom end of the upright member. The berm members may also include a containment surface projecting from a second side of the upright member adjacent to a top end of the upright member. The containment structure may also project from adjacent the top end portion to a grade upon which the berm member rests. In this regard, the berm members may contribute to the structural integrity of the berm members, reducing the tendency of the berm member to slide or tip.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A portable, above-grade berm apparatus, comprising:
 a first berm member positionable on a grade, the first berm member having:
 an upright member comprising a bottom end portion and a top end portion and a first side and a second side, wherein the bottom end portion is nearer the grade than the top end portion and the first side is on an opposite side of the upright member as the second side; 
 a footing member fixedly connected to and extending laterally from the first side of the upright member adjacent to the bottom end portion; and 
 a containment member fixedly connected to and projecting laterally from the second side of the upright member adjacent the top end portion, and the containment member projecting from adjacent to the top end portion to the grade. 
   
     
     
         2 . A berm apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a bracing member, wherein the bracing member is secured to at least a portion of two of the upright member, the footing member, or the containment member. 
     
     
         3 . A berm apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the first terminal portion comprises a first connection member and the second terminal portion comprises a second connection member. 
     
     
         4 . A berm apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the first berm member comprises a first interlock feature offset from the first connection member and the second connection member along the upright member. 
     
     
         5 . A berm apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the first interlock feature comprises a slidable member comprising a handle, wherein the handle extends from a lateral portion of a top rail of the berm member. 
     
     
         6 . A berm apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the first connection member extends for a distance less than the extent of the second connection member. 
     
     
         7 . A berm apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the first connection member extends for a distance from between about 75% to about 90% of the extent of the second connection member. 
     
     
         8 . A berm apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first berm member extends a distance in a first dimension between a first terminal portion and a second terminal portion. 
     
     
         9 . A berm apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the containment member comprises a containment surface extending in the first dimension. 
     
     
         10 . A berm apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the containment surface extends in the first dimension with respect to substantially all of the first connection member. 
     
     
         11 . A berm apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the second connection member extends in the first dimension beyond the containment surface. 
     
     
         12 . A berm apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the containment surface is rigid. 
     
     
         13 . A berm apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the first connection member comprises one of a male member or a female member and the second connection member comprises the other of the male member or the female member. 
     
     
         14 . A berm apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein one of the male member and the female member comprises an up-clip and the other of the male member and the female member comprises a down-clip. 
     
     
         15 . A berm apparatus according to  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a second berm member comprising a third connection member corresponding to one of the first connection member or the second connection member, wherein the third connection member is engageable with the corresponding one of the first connection member or the second connection member.   
     
     
         16 . A berm apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the engagement of the third connection member and the corresponding one of the first connection member or the second connection member limits relative movement between the first berm member and the second berm member in the first dimension. 
     
     
         17 . A berm apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein at least a portion of the corresponding one of the first connection member or the second connection member extends along at least a portion of the footing member. 
     
     
         18 . A berm apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the second berm member comprises a corresponding second interlock feature, the first interlock feature and the second interlock feature being engageable to limit relative movement of the first berm member and the second berm member in a second dimension. 
     
     
         19 . A berm apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein the second interlock feature comprises a pocket for receiving the slidable member. 
     
     
         20 . A berm apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein the second berm member comprises one of another berm member having a cross sectional configuration of the first berm member or a corner berm member. 
     
     
         21 . A berm apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein the corner berm member is positionable with respect to the grade;
 the corner berm member having:
 a first upright member fixedly connected to a second upright member to define a first upright section extending therebetween, the first upright section having a first bottom end portion and a first top end portion; 
 a third upright member fixedly connected to the first upright member to define a second upright section extending therebetween, the second upright section having a second bottom end portion and a second top end portion; 
 wherein the first upright section and the second upright section extend in different directions; 
 a first corner footing member fixedly connected to and extending laterally from the first upright section adjacent to the first bottom end portion; 
 a second corner footing member fixedly connected to and extending laterally from the second upright section adjacent to the second bottom end portion, wherein the first corner footing member and the second corner footing member extend in different directions. 
 a first corner containment member fixedly connected to and projecting laterally from the first upright section adjacent the first top end portion, the first corner containment member projecting from adjacent the first top end portion to the grade; and 
 a second corner containment member fixedly connected to and projecting laterally from the second upright section adjacent the second top end portion, the second corner containment member projecting from adjacent the second tope end portion to the grade; 
 wherein the first corner containment member projects laterally away from the first upright section a different direction than the second corner containment member projects laterally away from the second upright section. 
   
     
     
         22 . A berm apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein at least a portion of the third connection member is disposed along at least a portion of one of the first corner footing member and the second corner footing member, and wherein at least a fourth connection member is disposed along at least a portion of the other of the first corner footing member and the second corner footing member, the fourth connection member being comprises a complimentary configuration to the third connection member with respect to a male member or a female member. 
     
     
         23 . A berm apparatus according to  claim 22 , further comprising:
 a plurality of berm members having a cross sectional configuration of the first berm member; and   a plurality of corner berm members;   wherein the plurality of first berm members and the plurality of corner berm members are connected to define a containment region about which the berm apparatus extends.   
     
     
         24 . A berm apparatus according to  claim 23 , wherein all the footing members and all the corner footing members of the berm members extend away from the containment region. 
     
     
         25 . A berm apparatus according to  claim 24 , wherein the footing members and corner footing members collectively extend about the entire perimeter of the containment region. 
     
     
         26 . A method for deploying a berm apparatus comprising a plurality of berm members, comprising:
 positioning a first berm member on a grade at a site;   disposing a second berm member relative to the first berm member, wherein a first connection member of the first berm member engages a second connection member of the second berm member to restrain relative movement between the first berm member and the second berm member in a first dimension;   aligning, in response to the disposing, a first interlock feature of the first berm member with respect to a second interlock feature of the second berm member, wherein the first interlock feature and the second interlock feature are offset from the first connection member and the second connection member;   engaging the first interlock feature and the second interlock feature to restrain relative movement relative to the first berm member and the second berm member in a second dimension different than the first dimension.   
     
     
         27 . A method according to  claim 26 , wherein the first connection member comprises a male connection member coordinately received by a female connection member comprising the second connection member. 
     
     
         28 . A method according to  claim 27 , wherein the first connection member comprises a flange member and the second connection member comprises a slot adapted to receive the flange member. 
     
     
         29 . A method according to  claim 26 , wherein the engaging comprises slideably engaging the first interlock feature with the second interlock feature. 
     
     
         30 . A method according to  claim 29 , wherein the first interlock feature comprises a slidable member and the second interlock feature comprises a pocket for acceptably receiving the slidable member in response to the sliding. 
     
     
         31 . A method according to  claim 30 , wherein the disposing comprises establishing a substantially continuous containment surface extending substantially an entire length of the first berm member and the second berm member. 
     
     
         32 . A method according to  claim 26 , further comprising:
 receiving a force acting on a containment surface of the first berm member; and   transferring at least a portion of the force to the second berm member via the engagement of the first and second connection member and the engagement of the first and second interlock feature.   
     
     
         33 . A method according to  claim 26 , wherein the positioning and disposing at least partially defines a containment region, and wherein the method further comprises:
 deploying a liner into the containment region.   
     
     
         34 . A method according to  claim 33 , further comprising:
 securing the liner to at least one of the first berm member or the second berm member.   
     
     
         35 . A method according to  claim 34 , wherein the securing comprises clamping the liner to at least one of the first berm member or the second berm member.