Granted Patent B1

US 9,945,090 · App. 12/103,822 · Granted Apr 17, 2018

Abstract

Claims (44)

1. A backfill-anchored wall system configured to stabilize or retain an earthen slope, the system comprising:

a synthetic first tubular mesh enclosure that defines a first course, a first portion of said first course defining a first portion of a first enclosure exposed surface of a retaining wall that is configured to stabilize or retain an earthen slope, said first tubular mesh enclosure formed from a mesh material having a mesh opening size of approximately 0.125 inches to approximately 0.375 inches;

a synthetic second tubular mesh enclosure that defines a second course, a first portion of said second course defining a first portion of a second enclosure exposed surface of the retaining wall, said second tubular mesh enclosure in contact with and substantially vertically supported by the first tubular mesh enclosure, said first tubular mesh enclosure and said second tubular mesh enclosure extending a length of the retaining wall;

a first filling surrounded by said first tubular mesh enclosure, said first filling comprising a first amount of biodegradable plant-growing medium; and

a synthetic first geogrid wrapped at least partially around said first portion of said first tubular mesh enclosure while covering said first portion of said first enclosure exposed surface and wrapped at least partially around said first portion of said second tubular mesh enclosure while covering said first portion of said second enclosure exposed surface, a portion of said first geogrid extending substantially perpendicularly from an exposed surface of the retaining wall into adjacent backfill a distance sufficient to substantially fix a position of the retaining wall;

said system configured for a first plurality of plants to root in said first filling and to extend through said first tubular mesh enclosure and said first geogrid.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a second filling surrounded by said second tubular mesh enclosure, said second filling comprising a second amount of said plant-growing medium; and

wherein said system is configured for a second plurality of plants to root in said second filling and to extend through said second tubular mesh enclosure and said first geogrid.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

said first filling surrounds a first irrigation hose.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

said first filling surrounds a first irrigation drip tape.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

said first filling is specifically adapted for establishment and/or sustainability of said first plurality of plants.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

said first filling is specifically adapted for stabilizing said system.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

said first filling is adapted to bind and/or absorb soluble nutrients, metals, contaminants, hydrocarbons, and/or organic chemicals.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

said first filling comprises microorganisms adapted to degrade and/or recycle captured nutrients, metals, contaminants, and/or organic chemicals into beneficial and/or less toxic forms.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

said first filling comprises humus, organic matter, beneficial microbes, and/or slow release organic nutrients.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

said first filling comprises seeds, dormant rootstocks, and/or bulbs.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

said first plurality of plants comprises plugs, live stakes, tubers, rhizomes, and/or sprigs.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

said first plurality of plants comprises grasses, vines, groundcovers, wildflowers, perennials, annuals, and/or small shrubs.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the second tubular mesh enclosure has a substantially circular cross-section.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the first geogrid is in contact with the second tubular mesh enclosure.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the first geogrid is in contact with substantially all of an exposed surface of the retaining wall.

16. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

a portion of the first geogrid is anchored into position solely by the backfill.

17. A method for creating a wall system that is configured for stabilizing or retaining an earthen slope, the method comprising:

filling a synthetic first tubular mesh enclosure with a first filling, said first filling comprising a first amount of biodegradable plant-growing medium, said first tubular mesh enclosure defining a first course, a first portion of said first course defining a first portion of a first enclosure exposed surface of a retaining wall that is configured to stabilize or retain an earthen slope, the first tubular mesh enclosure formed from a mesh material having a mesh opening size of approximately 0.125 inches to approximately 0.375 inches;

filling a synthetic second tubular mesh enclosure with a second filling, a said second tubular mesh enclosure defining a second course, a first portion of said second course defining a first portion of a second enclosure exposed surface, said second tubular mesh enclosure formed from said mesh material;

wrapping a synthetic first geogrid at least partially around said first portion of said first tubular mesh enclosure while covering said first portion of said first enclosure exposed surface and at least partially around said first portion of said second tubular mesh enclosure while covering said first portion of said second enclosure exposed surface, the second tubular mesh enclosure in contact with and substantially vertically supported by the first tubular mesh enclosure, said first tubular mesh enclosure and said second tubular mesh enclosure extending a length of the retaining wall;

applying backfill over a portion of said first geogrid such that said portion of said first geogrid extends substantially perpendicularly from an exposed surface of the retaining wall into said backfill a distance sufficient to substantially fix a position of the retaining wall;

rooting a first plurality of plants in said first filling and extending through said first tubular mesh enclosure and said first geogrid; and

wherein said synthetic first tubular mesh enclosure is a different material than said first filling and said synthetic first geogrid is a different material than said first filling.

Assignments (10)