Soil nail and method of installing a subsurface support
View Patent ↗A subsurface support includes a soil nail of two-piece construction. The body of the soil nail is constructed of fiberglass. The tip of the soil nail is constructed of a machined metal piece that is secured to the distal end of the fiberglass body. The soil nail is preferably installed by a launching device.
1. A soil nail comprising:
a tubular section having an opening formed in a distal end thereof;
a metal tip connected to said tubular section, said tip having a proximal connecting portion and a distal stinger portion, said proximal connecting portion being inserted in said opening of said tubular section, said stinger portion having (i) a conical shaped distal end, (ii) a plurality of successive flanges axially aligned with said conical shaped distal end and extending proximally from said conical shaped distal end along a longitudinal axial of said soil nail, (iii) an intermediate extension interconnecting said plurality of successive of flanges and a proximal end of said stinger portion, and (iv) a shoulder formed on said proximal end of said stinger portion and contacting said distal end of said tubular section.
2. A soil nail, as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
said tubular section has a first diameter, and said stinger portion of said metal tip has a second diameter not extending beyond said first diameter.
3. A soil nail, as claimed in claim 2 , wherein:
said flanges of said stinger portion extend angularly outward from said longitudinal axis and within said second smaller diameter of said stinger portion.
4. A soil nail, as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
said flanges are spaced from one another longitudinally along said stinger portion, and a plurality of neck sections defining the spaces between said flanges.
5. A soil nail, as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
said flanges have peripheral edges that extend generally parallel to the longitudinal axis.
6. A method, of installing a sub-surface support comprising the steps of:
providing a sub-surface support comprising a tubular member having an opening formed in a distal end thereof, and a tip having a desired shape and attaching the tip to the distal end of the tubular member;
providing a launching device including a chamber on the barrel;
loading the sub-surface support in said launching device;
supporting a barrel of the launching device so that it is spaced from the surface of the ground;
admitting pressurized gas to a chamber of the launching device;
launching the sub-surface support into the ground in response to increasing pressure in the chamber and wherein
said tip has a proximal connecting portion and a distal stinger portion, said proximal connecting portion being inserted in an opening of said distal end of said tubular member, said distal stinger portion having (i) a conical shaped distal end, and (ii) a plurality of successive flanges axially aligned with said conical shaped distal end and extending proximally from said conical shaped distal end along a longitudinal axial of said soil nail.
7. A method, as claimed in claim 6 , further comprising the steps of:
providing a second sub-surface support comprising a second tubular member and a second tip having a different shape from said first tip, said second tip having a modified shape in response to observed results of installing the first sub-surface support;
loading the second sub-surface support in the launching device;
supporting a barrel of the launching device so it is spaced from the surface of the ground at a second location; admitting pressurized gas to a chamber of the launching device; and
launching the second sub-surface support into the ground in response to increasing pressure in the chamber.
8. A method, as claimed in claim 6 , wherein:
said distal stinger portion further includes an intermediate extension interconnecting said successive flanges and a proximal end of said stinger portion, and a shoulder formed on said proximal end of said stinger portion and contacting said distal end of said tubular member.
9. A soil nail comprising:
a tubular section having an opening formed in a distal end thereof;
a metal tip connected to said tubular section, said tip having a proximal connecting portion and a distal stinger portion, said proximal connecting portion being inserted in said opening of said tubular section, said stinger portion having a distal end, and plurality of the successive flanges axially aligned with said distal end and extending proximally from said distal end along a longitudinal axis of said soil nail, and wherein said tubular section has a first diameter, and said stinger portion of said metal tip has a second diameter not extending beyond said first diameter.
10. A soil nail, as claimed in claim 9 , wherein:
said flanges of said stinger portion extend angularly outward from said longitudinal axis and within said second smaller diameter of said stinger portion.
11. A soil nail, as claimed in claim 9 , wherein:
said flanges are spaced from one another longitudinally along said stinger portion, and a plurality of neck sections defining the spaces between said flanges.
12. A soil nail, as claimed in claim 9 , wherein:
said flanges have peripheral edges that extend generally parallel to the longitudinal axis.