Soil extraction/grouting device

Abstract

A method of moving a ground coupled member by driving, deploying, pressurizing, rotating, conducting, positioning and lifting. Driving of a casing into a soil proximate to the ground coupled member. Deploying of a wand from the casing about a pivoting axis, the wand having nozzles that are coupled to a fluid conduit. The nozzles are directed parallel to the pivoting axis. Pressurizing of the fluid conduit to send fluid through the nozzles to soften the soil in a direction in which the wand deploys. Rotating of the pivoting wand. Conducting of the softened soil up through the casing to form a cavity in the soil at least partially beneath the ground coupled member. The cavity in the soil having a shape reflective of the movement of the pivoting wand in the rotating step. Positioning of a grouting system in the cavity. Lifting the ground coupled member using the grouting system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of moving a ground coupled member, comprising the steps of:
 driving at least one casing into a soil proximate to the ground coupled member;   deploying a pivoting wand from the casing about a pivoting axis, the pivoting wand having a plurality of cutting nozzles that are coupled to a fluid conduit having a longitudinal extent in the casing relative to a longitudinal axis, the cutting nozzles being fixed to the wand and at least one of the cutting nozzles being directed parallel to the pivoting axis of the pivoting wand, at least one cutting nozzle being directed perpendicular to a direction of at least one other cutting nozzle on the pivoting wand;   pressurizing the fluid conduit to thereby send fluid through the cutting nozzle to soften the soil in a direction in which the wand deploys;   rotating the pivoting wand;   conducting the softened soil up through the casing to form a cavity in the soil at least partially beneath the ground coupled member, the cavity in the soil having a shape reflective of the movement of the pivoting wand in the rotating step;   positioning a portion of a grouting system in the cavity; and   lifting the ground coupled member using the grouting system.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the positioning step includes inserting a bag into the cavity, the grouting system inserting grout into the bag in the cavity. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the driving, deploying, pressurizing, rotating and conducting steps are repeated along a length of the ground coupled member before the positioning and lifting steps are carried out. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the positioning step includes the positioning of a plurality of grouting systems spaced along the length of the ground coupled member, before executing the lifting step. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the lifting step is carried out with the plurality of grouting systems at the same time. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
 removing the pivoting wand from the casing;   coupling a bag to a grout conduit;   inserting the bag and grout conduit into the casing; and   moving the bag to the cavity as part of the positioning step.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising a step of inserting grout into the bag by way of the grout conduit. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising a step of calculating a size of the cavity. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising a step of making the bag the size of the cavity plus the amount of desired soil displacement under the ground coupled member. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a sacrificial point is fitted to a bottom end of the casing such that the sacrificial point will separate from the bottom end of the casing when the casing is moved in an upward direction. 
     
     
         11 . A ground coupled member lifting system, comprising:
 a casing installable into the ground proximate to the ground coupled member;   a grouting system including:
 a grout conduit; and 
 a bag coupled to an end of the grout conduit; and 
   a cavity forming system including at least one cutting nozzle in fluid communication with a fluid conduit, the cavity forming system being movably extended at least partially within the casing;   wherein the ground coupled member lifting system is used to carry out the following steps:
 driving the casing into a soil proximate to the ground coupled member; 
 deploying a portion of the cavity forming system from the casing; 
 pressurizing the fluid conduit to thereby send fluid through the cutting nozzle to soften the soil; 
 directing the cutting nozzle in a direction to form a cavity in the soil at least partially beneath the ground coupled member; 
 conducting the softened soil up through the casing to form the cavity, the cavity in the soil having a shape reflective of the movement of the cutting nozzle in the directing step; 
 removing the cavity forming system from the casing; 
 inserting the grouting system into the casing; and 
 flowing grout into the bag positioned in the cavity. 
   
     
     
         12 . The ground coupled member lifting system of  claim 11 , additionally carrying out the following step:
 measuring an amount of soil removed from the cavity resulting in a measured amount value.   
     
     
         13 . The ground coupled member lifting system of  claim 12 , wherein the driving, deploying, pressurizing, directing, conducting and removing steps are repeated along a length of the ground coupled member before the inserting and flowing steps are carried out. 
     
     
         14 . The ground coupled member lifting system of  claim 12 , wherein the bag is formed to approximate the amount of soil removed from the cavity. 
     
     
         15 . The ground coupled member lifting system of  claim 12 , wherein the bag is formed to approximate the amount of soil removed from the cavity plus an amount calculated to represent an amount of soil to displace in an upward direction. 
     
     
         16 . The ground coupled member lifting system of  claim 12 , wherein the bag is somewhat permeable. 
     
     
         17 . The ground coupled member lifting system of  claim 12 , further comprising a grout controller receiving the measured amount value and an additional amount value a total of which representing a total amount of grout for flowing into the bag in the flowing step. 
     
     
         18 . The ground coupled member lifting system of  claim 11  wherein a sacrificial point is coupled to a bottom of an end of the casing prior to the driving step, the sacrificial point allowing for displacement of soil as the casing is forced into the soil, the sacrificial point is fitted to the bottom end of the casing such that the sacrificial point will separate from the end of the casing when the casing is moved in an upward direction. 
     
     
         19 . The ground coupled member lifting system of  claim 11 , wherein the bag is sized to contain the grout that flows into the bag. 
     
     
         20 . The ground coupled member lifting system of  claim 11 , wherein the fluid conduit is a high-pressure flexible hose.