Bulwark structure and method

Abstract

A bund system for the retention of solid or liquid or pourable waste material; bunds of the bund system comprising retaining structures; the retaining structures including at least one vertical structural element relative a base; the base covering a portion of a ground surface; the bunds maintained in a selected position on the ground surface by interaction of the retaining elements with a mass of compacted material.Also disclosed is a method of forming a waste retention area by enclosing the waste retention area by bunds; the bunds comprising at least one substantially vertical retaining structure relative a base extending over a portion of a ground surface; the method including the steps of;positioning retaining structures on the ground surface to form an enclosed area; horizontal base panels of the retaining structures facing inwards to the enclosed area,welding overlap portions of sealing elements at adjacent vertical and horizontal joints between adjoining retaining structures,placing an impervious liner over the ground surface of the enclosed area,welding edges of the impervious liner to edges of sealing elements at inward edges of the horizontal base panels.

1 .- 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . A bund system for the retention of solid or liquid or pourable waste material;
 bunds of the bund system comprising retaining structures; the retaining structures including at least one vertical structural element comprising double rows of spaced apart, substantially vertical panels relative a base; the base covering a portion of a ground surface; the bunds maintained in a selected position on the ground surface by interaction of the retaining elements with a mass of compacted backfill material in the spacing between double row of panels; retaining elements extending from inward facing surfaces of the substantially vertical panels across at least a portion of the spacing between the double row of panels; the retaining elements provided at a distal end with projections acting as soil anchors to lock the substantially vertical panels in the substantially vertical position.   
     
     
         27 . The bund system of  claim 26  wherein the retaining structures comprise a double row of spaced apart, substantially vertical panels; the substantially vertical panels maintained in the substantially vertical and spaced apart position on the ground surface by the retaining elements projecting from each row of the double row of panels towards an opposite row; the retaining structures maintained in the selected position by the mass of compacted material back-filled between the spaced apart, substantially vertical panels. 
     
     
         28 . The bund system of  claim 27  wherein at least a proportion of the retaining elements interconnect selected opposing panels of the double row of spaced apart, substantially vertical panels. 
     
     
         29 . The bund system of  claim 27  wherein each of the retaining elements extends from the spaced apart, substantially vertical panels across a portion of the spacing between the double row of panels. 
     
     
         30 . The bund system of  claim 27  wherein the retaining elements are rods affixed at a first proximate ends at an inward facing surface of the spaced apart, substantially vertical panels; a second distal ends of each of the rods provided with a projecting structure extending beyond a periphery of the distal end of the rod. 
     
     
         31 . The bund system of  claim 30  wherein the projecting structure is adapted for a bolted connection to anchor points provided at inward facing surfaces of the spaced apart, substantially vertical panels. 
     
     
         32 . The bund system of  claim 27  wherein adjacent vertical edges of adjoining inward facing panels of the spaced apart, substantially vertical panels are respectively provided with one of two forms of flexible sealing elements; a first form comprising a strip of flexible polymer material overlaying a surface section of a first panel proximate an adjacent vertical edge of the first panel; a second form comprising a strip of flexible polymer material overlaying a surface portion of a second panel proximate an adjacent vertical edge of the second panel and including an overlap portion extending past the adjacent vertical edge of the second panel; the overlap portion of the second panel heat welded to the strip of flexible polymer overlaying the surface portion of the first panel. 
     
     
         33 . The bund system of  claim 26  wherein the retaining structures comprise a substantially horizontal base element and a substantially vertical element extending from the substantially horizontal base element. 
     
     
         34 . The bund system of  claim 33  wherein the substantially vertical element extends from proximate an edge of the substantially horizontal element to form substantially “L”-shaped retaining structures including a horizontal base panel and a vertical panel. 
     
     
         35 . The bund system of  claim 34  wherein waste material is retained between opposing lines of the substantially “L”-shaped retaining structures; the opposing lines arranged with the horizontal panels facing inwards one to another. 
     
     
         36 . The bund system of  claim 26  wherein the retaining structures comprise inverted “T”-shaped retaining structures; the “T”-shaped retaining structures each comprising a substantially horizontal base panel and a substantially vertical panel extending from the base panel intermediate outer edges of the substantially horizontal base panel. 
     
     
         37 . The bund system of  claim 33  wherein adjacent vertical and horizontal edges of adjoining retaining structures are respectively provided with one of two forms of flexible sealing elements; a first form comprising a strip of flexible polymer material overlaying surface sections of a first retaining structure proximate adjacent vertical and horizontal edges of the first retaining structure; a second form comprising a strip of flexible polymer material overlaying surface portions of a second retaining structure proximate adjacent vertical and horizontal edges of the second retaining structure and including an overlap portion extending past the adjacent vertical edge of the second retaining structure; the overlap portion of the second retaining structure heat welded to the strip of flexible polymer overlaying the surface portion of the first retaining structure. 
     
     
         38 . The bund system of  claim 26  wherein a waste retention area is surrounded by the bunds; an impervious liner extending across a ground surface of the waste retention area and extending up inward facing surfaces of the substantially vertical structural elements. 
     
     
         39 . The bund system of  claim 26  wherein a waste retention area is surrounded by the bunds; an impervious liner extending across a ground surface of the waste retention area; outer edges of the impervious liner welded to seal elements provided along lower edges of the substantially vertical structural elements. 
     
     
         40 . The bund system of  claim 26  wherein the retaining structures are formed of precast concrete. 
     
     
         41 . A method of forming a waste retention area by enclosing the waste retention area by bunds; the bunds comprising at least one substantially vertical structural element relative a base extending over a portion of a ground surface; the method including the steps of:
 preparing footings,   placing on the footings bunds formed of panels in double rows spaced at a predetermined separation to enclose the waste retention area,   installing an impervious liner to cover a ground surface of the waste retention area; the liner extending at least to a base of inward facing surfaces of inward facing panels of the double rows of panels, and   wherein the bunds are retained in a selected position by interaction with a mass of compacted material in the space between the double rows of substantially vertical panels, and wherein each panel is provided with at least one retaining element projecting from an inner surface of the panel and extending at least across a part of the predetermined separation; each retaining element provided at a distal end with a projection to form a soil anchor.   
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41  wherein each panel is provided with at least one retaining element; the at least one retaining element projecting from an inner surface of the panel and extending at least across a part of the predetermined separation between the double rows of panels. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42  wherein the retaining element is provided at a distal end with a projection adapted for a bolted connection of the retaining element to the inner surface of an opposing panel of a double row of panels. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43  wherein the method includes the step of securing the distal ends of the retaining structures to the opposing panels. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the method includes the further step of filling space between the double rows of panels with a back fill material.