US1812364A - Retaining wall structure - Google Patents

Description

June 30, 1931. J. A. OURSLER RETAINING WALL STRUCTURE Filed Nov. 29, 1927 Patented June I 30, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JAMES A. OUBSLER, OF STEUBENVILLE, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO GEORGE OURSLER, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO RETAINING WALL STRUCTURE Application filed November 29, 1927. Serial No. 236,535.

'This invention relates to a retaining wall structure and has for its object the provision of a retaining structure which is self-anchoring and which furthermore relieves the material of the structure of earth pressure.

Another object is to provide a device of this kind which is simple of construction and which is exceptionally eflicient in that in the event of a land slide which would bury and completely cover the retaining structure, the structure itself would be neither displaced nor damaged so that the mere clearing away of the'earth and debris will again place the adjoining property to be protected in good condition without entailing the expense of 7 building anew retaining wall.

spective view, partly in cross section and These and other objects are attained by the means described herein and disclosed in the accompanying drawing, in which:

The figure represents a fragmental perpartly broken away of a retaining wall in an operative position. i

In practicing the hereinafter described invention a hillside 1 to be supported to prevent sliding onto an adjacent highway 2 is excavated slightly at a suitable distance from its base to strike a shale or stone stratum 3. The natural stratum 3 is used as a foundation for the base of a suitable trench 4.

Below the level of the highway 2 a second trench 5 is constructed for receiving the base of the reinforcing structure. The trenches 4: and 5 therefore extend in parallelism and are disposed at difierent elevations. The space between the trenches 1 and 5 is then cleared of dirt and soil which is replaced with rock ballast 6 retained, if necessary by a suitable vertical form, not shown, so that ing approximately 20 degrees from the horizontal. A suitable form work is used to extend in spaced parallelism with the upright bars 9 and bent over portions 11 and the entire form filled with concrete to form a reinforced vertical wall 12 with an integral in clined slab 13 terminating in a longitudinal concrete beam 14 formed in the trench 4. The dimensions of the wall will be proportional to the estimated load which they would have to support in the event of a land slide.

It will be noted that the trench 5 provides base extensions 15 and 16 of concrete at the bottom of vertical wall 12. The extension 15 may be covered and additionally anchored by extending the highway road bed over it. The angle of the slab portion 13 is such that the weight of earth which it supports produces a vertical downward thrust thereon. The body of the slab is supported by the loose rock ballast, and at its innermost edge is anchored upon the firm natural stone or shale of the hillside which will not slide. The outermost end is supported upon the vertical wall 12. Inasmuch as the pressure of the weight of earth above cannot exert a tipping force upon the wall, said wall and slab structure, even though of apparently scanty dimension will successfully withstand any land slide without being broken or dis placed. In the event of an extremely heavy land slide such as may occur in terrific storms, the volume of moving earth may be such as to fiow over the edge 17 of the wall and possibly bury the wall. This would have no damaging effect upon the firmly anchored retaining structure which continues in service after clearing away the over flow of earth and dbris.

It will be understood that the width of the slab 13 between the forward edge 17 and the rear of the trench 4: and the height of the wall 12 from the trench 5 to the top edge 17 will be governed by the factors of location of a firm rock or shale foundation for the beam 14 and the estimated possible amount of landslide to be governed. In all such constructions however the angle of approximately 20 degrees is maintained between the slab 13 and wall 12 so that the retaining structure cannot be wedged outwardly and displaced or tipped over onto the highway or joining property. In most localities wherein such structures are required, the ballast material 6 is found in abundance in the hillsides to be retained. is preferably located with its inner wall at the base of the existing grade so that .the.

amount of excavation necessary'for the 'erec @1011 of the retaining structure 1s cemparatively small. After the retaining structure is complete the falling earth will establish a. new grade of lesser declivity upon the top of the slab 13 whereupon the earth slippage will fore used retaining structures seldom withstand the combined effects of the elements for more than twoyears, and frequentlyrequire complete removal and rebuild ng after heavy storms and washouts. The structure of this invention on theother hand ispr'actically permanent, since the weight of 'ad- 'ditional land slides serves to anchor'it more firmly in position.

hat is claimedis: I 1. In a retaining structure'for hillsides and the like co n-prising a vertical reinfdrced concrete wall havin at its top an integral reinforced slab portion extending into-thehill side and anchored therein, the slab-portion of the structure being downwardly inclined to ward the hillside at such angle as todirect weight thereon into a downward [pressure which serves to 'anclior'the structure more firmly in position, the reinforced slab eX- The wall 152 the hillside to be retained, and ballast disposed in and filling the space betweenthe base and anchored edge of the structure, the reinforced slab extending uninterrupted'ly throughout the length of the vertical wall.

4. A retaining structure comprisinga vertical Wall and an integral slab extending from the top thereof at an angle of substantially 7 O degrees, the slab extending the en tire length ofthe verticalwa-ll.

'5. An earth retaining structure comprising a reinforced concrete vertical wall having a T-shaped base and an integral slab inclined fromthetop of the Wall and terminating in an enlarged beam parallel therewith, the reinforcing: members of said structure extending from said beam through the slaband wall intothe base, the. slab extending, the entire length ofthe vertical wall 6. A retaining wall for a hillside compris a. vertical wall and an integral uninterrupted fiange coextensive with the'jverti-cal Wall, inclined thereto at an angleof about'll) degrees and means for anchorin'g'the; edge-of the flange in the hillside at: an. elevation: frcrn the base of the vertical wall. 7. A retaining structure fora hillside prising a ofintegral uninterrupted wall inembersfinclined from. one: another at suib stantially degrees-wand having the free a,

edges of said walls buried: in the'hi'llsi'dathe space between the walls being filled with ballast comprising substance: ofithe body of the hillside. 1

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed. my name this 21st daycf; Ne

venibe-r, 1925K; JAMES OURSLER.

tending uninterruptedly throughout the length of the vertical wall.

2; In a retaining wall structure comprising a. vertical concrete wall enlargedat its base, horizontal reinforcing members in the enlarged base and wall, transverse reinforcing members anchored about the vertical members and downwardly inclined from the top of the wall, and an integral concrete slab having the turned portion of the reinforcing members embedded therein extending into the hillside, the reinforced slabextending uninterruptedly throughout thejlength-of the I vertical wall. 7

' 3. A retaining wall structurecomprising a reinforced concrete construction having an inverted substantially J-sh'aped cross section, the base of said structure being disposed at the base of a hillside, and the opposite end thereof being anchored in a'solid portion of

Images