Forming, drainage and ventilation system for agriculture, irrigation and athletic fields

Abstract

A drainage and ventilation system includes a plurality of drainage cores. Each core includes a sheet having a first and a second end, a first and a second side, and a plurality of dimples disposed between the ends and the sides. The dimples extend outwardly from the sheet and define a plurality of passages. The passages include passages extending from end to end and passages extending from side to side. The system also includes a fabric attached to each core. The passages of the cores receive and convey a flow of at least one of liquid, air and gas through the drainage cores. In one embodiment, the cores are disposed in soil, and the dimples are filled with an adhesive to enhance the shock absorbing properties of the soil. In another embodiment, the dimples are filled a cement-based material for adhering a finish material to the cores.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for retaining building material to form a foundation or a footing in soil, the system comprising:
 side walls receiving and retaining a flowable and curable building material in a channel formed therebetween, the side walls disposed in a predetermined configuration defining a foundation or a footing within soil, the side walls including a first side wall and a second side wall, wherein the first side wall includes a first drainage core wrapped in a first fabric, the first drainage core having a plurality of first passages extending therethrough, and wherein the second side wall includes a second drainage core wrapped in a second fabric, the second drainage core having a plurality second passages extending of therethrough;   a bracket assembly retaining the side walls in the predetermined configuration in the soil, the bracket assembly including:
 a first reinforcement post disposed proximate the first drainage core and retaining the first drainage core in a first interior position within the bracket assembly; 
 a second reinforcement post disposed proximate the second drainage core and retaining the second drainage core in a second interior position within the bracket assembly; and 
 a separator bar having a first end, a second end opposed from the first end, and a plurality of apertures disposed along a length of the separator bar, the plurality of apertures including apertures sized to receive and retain each of the reinforcement posts; 
 wherein the first and the second interior positions define a width of the channel; and 
   a third drainage core wrapped in a third fabric and disposed against and outwardly bounding the bracket assembly and the channel from the soil, the third drainage core having a plurality of third passages extending therethrough, and wherein the third drainage core prevents backfill of the soil from filling a volume between the third drainage core and the side walls;   wherein the first drainage core, the second drainage core and the third drainage core are retained in the foundation or footing after the building material cures; and   wherein the plurality of first passages, the plurality of second passages and the plurality of third passages form respective first, second and third cavities that receive, capture and convey a flow of at least one of liquid, air and gas from the soil.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first spacer disposed between the first drainage core and the first reinforcement post, the first spacer providing at least one of a vertical and a horizontal offset to the first side wall; and   a second spacer disposed between the second drainage core and the second reinforcement post, the second spacer providing at least one of a vertical and a horizontal offset to the second side wall;   wherein the at least one vertical and horizontal offsets form sidewalls of a predefined cross-section.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the predefined cross-section is a trapezoidal cross-section. 
     
     
         4 . A drainage and ventilation system, the system comprising:
 a plurality of drainage cores, each drainage core is comprised of a sheet having a first end, a second end, a first side, a second side, and a plurality of dimples disposed between the first end, the second end, the first side, and the second side, the plurality of dimples extending outwardly from the sheet and defining a plurality of passages, the plurality of passages including first passages extending from the first end to the second end and second passages extending from the first side to the second side; and   a fabric attached to each of the plurality of drainage cores;   wherein the plurality of first passages and the plurality of second passages receive and convey a flow of at least one of liquid, air and gas through the plurality of drainage cores.   
     
     
         5 . The drainage and ventilation system of  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the first end, the second end, the first side, and the second side of the sheet of each of the plurality of drainage cores includes a flat section facilitating attachment of one of the plurality of drainage cores to an adjacent one of the plurality of drainage cores. 
     
     
         6 . The drainage and ventilation system of  claim 4 , wherein the fabric is wrapped around and individually encloses each of the plurality of drainage cores, the fabric further including an extending portion that extends beyond at least one of the first end, the second end, the first side, and the second side to facilitating attachment of one of the plurality of drainage cores to an adjacent one of the plurality of drainage cores. 
     
     
         7 . The drainage and ventilation system of  claim 6 , further comprises a plurality of eyelets included in the extending portion of the fabric, wherein the plurality of eyelets are adapted to receive a fastener to secure the attachment of the one drainage core to the adjacent drainage core. 
     
     
         8 . The drainage and ventilation system of  claim 4 , further comprises a fabric ribbon coupled to one of the plurality of drainage cores, the fabric ribbon facilitating attachment of the one of the plurality of drainage cores to an adjacent one of the plurality of drainage cores. 
     
     
         9 . The drainage and ventilation system of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of drainage cores is disposed in soil, and wherein the flow of the at least one of liquid, air and gas through the plurality of drainage cores is received from the soil. 
     
     
         10 . The drainage and ventilation system of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a plurality of drainage conduits disposed in the soil, at least one of the plurality of drainage conduits is coupled to one of the plurality of drainage cores to receive and convey the flow of the at least one of liquid, air and gas through the plurality of drainage conduits.   
     
     
         11 . The drainage and ventilation system of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 an air exchange unit in communication with at least one of the plurality of drainage cores.   
     
     
         12 . The drainage and ventilation system of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of drainage cores is disposed in soil, and wherein the plurality of dimples each include an interior cavity, a portion of the interior cavities of the plurality of dimples is filled with an adhesive to enhance the shock absorbing properties of the soil having the plurality of drainage cores disposed therein. 
     
     
         13 . The drainage and ventilation system of  claim 12 , wherein the portion of the interior cavities of the plurality of dimples are filled with a mixture of the adhesive and a granular rubber. 
     
     
         14 . The drainage and ventilation system of  claim 12 , wherein the portion of the interior cavities of the plurality of dimples are filled with the adhesive and a surface of the drainage core is coated with the adhesive. 
     
     
         15 . The drainage and ventilation system of  claim 12 , further including a pad disposed in the soil above the plurality of drainage cores. 
     
     
         16 . The drainage and ventilation system of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of drainage cores is disposed in a structure, and wherein the plurality of dimples each include an interior cavity, a portion of the interior cavities of the plurality of dimples is filled with at least one of an adhesive and a cement-based material, the at least one of the adhesive and the cement-based material receiving and adhering a finish material to the plurality of drainage cores. 
     
     
         17 . The drainage and ventilation system of  claim 16 , wherein the finish material includes at least one of plaster, stucco, tile, brick, and masonry veneer. 
     
     
         18 . The drainage and ventilation system of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of drainage cores is disposed in a structure, and the system further includes a lath sheet affixed to each of the plurality of drainage cores on a surface opposite from the attached fabric, the lath sheet receiving and retaining at least one of an adhesive and a cement-based material, the at least one of the adhesive and the cement-based material receiving and adhering a finish material to the plurality of drainage cores. 
     
     
         19 . The drainage and ventilation system of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of drainage cores is disposed in an interior of a structure, and wherein the plurality of drainage cores provides portions of at least one of walls, floors, and ceilings for the structure. 
     
     
         20 . The drainage and ventilation system of  claim 19 , wherein at least one of the plurality of drainage cores is coupled to at least one of a heating, venting and air conditioning (HVAC) system and a fire suppression system to distribute a flow of at least one of conditioned air and fire retardant material therefrom throughout the structure. 
     
     
         21 . The drainage and ventilation system of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of drainage cores is disposed in an exterior of a structure, and wherein the plurality of drainage cores provides at least one of exterior sheathing, a rain screen, and roofing underlayment thereof.