Secondary containment

Abstract

This patent pertains to secondary containment systems. One implementation includes a support assembly that includes an elongate post member and a stabilization plate. In one instance, a stabilization plate is mounted on the elongate post member to reduce movement of the elongate post member when the stabilization plate is embedded in the ground. Another implementation includes a panel splice assembly including reinforcing members that secure overlapping, corrugated panels.

1 . A support assembly comprising:
 an elongate post member having first and second major surfaces that are generally parallel;   a first stabilization plate secured against the first major surface proximate a first end of the elongate post member, the first stabilization plate being generally planar and extending generally parallel to the first major surface; and   a second stabilization plate secured against the second major surface at a location that is farther from the first end than the first stabilization plate, but is closer to the first end of the elongate post member than a second opposite end of the elongate post member, wherein the second stabilization plate includes:
 a first generally planar portion extending generally parallel to the second major surface, a top edge of the first generally planar portion positioned against the elongate post member and the top edge orthogonal to the elongate post member, the top edge being furthest from the first end of the elongate post member, and 
 a second generally planar portion that extends from the top edge of the first generally planar portion, is orthogonal to the first generally planar portion, and extends from the second major surface past the first major surface. 
   
     
     
         2 . The support assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the second generally planar portion extends past the first major surface by a distance that is equal to or greater than a width of the elongate post member as measured between the first and second major surfaces. 
     
     
         3 . The support assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a surface area of a side of the first generally planar portion of the second stabilization plate facing away from the elongate post member is at least five times greater than another surface area of a side of the first stabilization plate facing away from the elongate post member. 
     
     
         4 . The support assembly of  claim 1 , wherein an overall length of the elongate post member from the first end to the second opposing end is between 4 feet and 5 feet and another length of the elongate post member from the first end to the top edge of the first generally planar portion of the second stabilization plate is around 23 inches. 
     
     
         5 . The support assembly of  claim 4 , wherein a surface area of a side of the first generally planar portion of the second stabilization plate facing away from the elongate post member is at least 60 square inches. 
     
     
         6 . The support assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the second stabilization plate includes a third generally planar portion is generally parallel to the first generally planar portion, and the third generally planar extends vertically upward from an outer edge of the second generally planar portion on an opposite side of the elongate post member from the first generally planar portion. 
     
     
         7 . A support assembly comprising:
 an elongate post member with an upper portion and a lower portion, the lower portion configured to be embedded in the ground;   an upper stabilization plate including:
 a generally vertical portion secured against a first side of the elongate post member, the first side facing a first direction such that an upper edge of the generally vertical portion is configured to be proximate a surface of the ground and an upper edge of the lower portion, wherein the generally vertical portion is configured to reduce movement of the elongate post member in the first direction when the lower portion is embedded in the ground, and 
 a generally horizontal portion extending from the upper edge of the generally vertical portion in a second opposite direction such that the generally horizontal portion is configured to be flush with the surface of the ground when the lower portion is embedded in the ground; and 
   a lower stabilization plate secured against a second side of the elongate post member, the second side facing the second opposite direction, the lower stabilization plate secured proximate a bottom end of the elongate post member and configured to reduce movement of the elongate post member toward the second opposite direction when the lower portion is embedded in the ground.   
     
     
         8 . The support assembly of  claim 7 , wherein a size of a first surface area of the generally vertical portion of the upper stabilization plate is calculated based on a containment need for a generally horizontal force applied against the elongate post member to the upper portion in the first direction, wherein when the generally horizontal force is applied, the elongate post member is configured to push against the upper stabilization plate and the first surface area is configured to spread the generally horizontal force out against a matching surface area of soil on the first side of the elongate post member to stabilize the elongate post member. 
     
     
         9 . The support assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the lower stabilization plate has a second surface area sized based on a resistance need to reduce movement of the elongate post member toward the second opposite direction when the generally horizontal force is applied. 
     
     
         10 . The support assembly of  claim 7 , wherein a proportion of the elongate post member above the ground to below the ground is in a range of about 1.5:1 to about 1:1. 
     
     
         11 . The support assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the proportion of the elongate post member above the ground to below the ground is about 1.25:1. 
     
     
         12 . The support assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the elongate post member includes a cap with a horizontal surface configured to be placed over a top of the elongate post member and receive downward vertical force for driving the elongate post member into the ground. 
     
     
         13 . The support assembly of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the movement includes rotation, translation, or a combination of the rotation and the translation.   
     
     
         14 . A reinforcing assembly comprising:
 a pair of elongate reinforcing members, an individual elongate reinforcing member including at least one inwardly facing surface having a corrugation pattern that defines a wave shape, an axis of the wave shape running parallel to a long axis of the individual elongate reinforcing member,   wherein the wave shape of the at least one inwardly facing surface of a first individual elongate reinforcing member of the pair interlocks with the wave shape of the at least one inwardly facing surface of a second individual elongate reinforcing member of the pair when the at least one inwardly facing surface of the first individual elongate reinforcing member is placed facing the at least one inwardly facing surface of the second individual elongate reinforcing member.   
     
     
         15 . The reinforcing assembly of  claim 14 , further comprising a corrugation spacer and plug assembly in an inner cavity of the first elongate reinforcing member, wherein the corrugation spacer and plug assembly is mounted to the first elongate reinforcing member on a bolt such that one end of the corrugation spacer and plug assembly is set against an interior wall of the inner cavity and an opposite plug end of the corrugation spacer and plug assembly extends to a point in line with the wave shape along the long axis. 
     
     
         16 . A panel splice assembly comprising:
 first and second overlapping barrier panels, the barrier panels having a corrugation pattern, the corrugation pattern approximating a sinusoidal curve; and   elongate reinforcing members configured to be positioned as a pair on opposing sides of the first and second overlapping barrier panels and secured together, the elongate reinforcing members including inwardly facing surfaces configured to match the corrugation pattern of the first and second overlapping barrier panels.   
     
     
         17 . The panel splice assembly of  claim 16 , further comprising a corrugation gasket between the first and second overlapping barrier panels, such that when the elongate reinforcing members are secured together on opposing sides of the first and second overlapping barrier panels the panel splice assembly forms a generally water-tight barrier. 
     
     
         18 . The panel splice assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the elongate reinforcing members include side members that define:
 the inwardly facing surfaces; and   inner cavities of the elongate reinforcing members.   
     
     
         19 . The panel splice assembly of  claim 18 , further comprising multiple corrugation spacer and plug assemblies mounted in an individual inner cavity of one elongate reinforcing member of the pair, the corrugation spacer and plug assemblies having spacer ends proximate an interior wall of the inner cavity opposite an individual barrier panel and plug ends proximate the individual barrier panel, wherein a length of an individual corrugation spacer and plug assembly is dependent on a shape of the sinusoidal curve where the individual corrugation spacer and plug assembly is mounted on the one elongate reinforcing member. 
     
     
         20 . A secondary containment system comprising:
 a barrier structure including multiple overlapping panels, individual panels having a corrugation pattern;   multiple support assemblies, individual support assemblies including:
 a lower stabilization plate mounted proximate to a bottom end of a first side of an elongate post member facing an interior of the secondary containment system, and 
 an upper stabilization plate mounted on a second opposite side of the elongate post member in a lower portion of the elongate post member, 
 wherein the lower portion of the multiple support assemblies are configured to be embedded in the ground such that a top edge of a generally vertical portion of the upper stabilization plate is flush with the ground; and 
   multiple pairs of reinforcing members, individual reinforcing members of the multiple pairs positioned on opposing sides of overlap areas of the multiple overlapping panels and secured together, the individual reinforcing members including inwardly facing corrugated surfaces that match the corrugation pattern of the individual panels,   wherein the individual panels are secured against the individual support assemblies on an interior side of the secondary containment system.   
     
     
         21 . The secondary containment system of  claim 20 , wherein the upper stabilization plate further includes:
 a generally horizontal portion that extends from the top edge of the generally vertical portion of the upper stabilization plate on either side of the elongate post member toward the interior of the secondary containment system,   wherein the generally horizontal portion is configured to support at least one of the individual panels mounted on the first side of the elongate post member.