Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
9~)
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
.
The invention relates to a drainage system
for foundation or underground, buried walls, and has
particular al'hough not exclusive application to the
provision of drainage between a shoring wall retain-
ing adjacent soil and a concrete foundation wall
placed against the shoring wall.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
,
In conventional building practice, a found-
ation wall is commonly waterproofed by application
of a water-impervious membrane. A weeping tile
drainage system is located at the foot of the
foundation wall to drain soil water accumulating
adjacent the wall. ~ problem which arises with such
a drainage system is that the soil adjacent the wall
above the weeping tile may not be sufficiently
porous and water may tend to accumulate. The pressure
associated with such a build up of water tends to
cause water to penetrate through weak points in the
water-proofing membrane.
A number of wall drainage systems which pro-
vide more positive drainage of soil water have been
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proposed. For example, in U.S. patent No. 3,754,362
which issued on August 28, 1973 to Daimler et al, a
conventional foundation wall is covered with a sealer
coat, and a coarsely porous "fleece web" constructed
of a thermoplastic material is adhesively bonded with
the sealer coat. The fleece web is in direct contact
with back fill and permits soil water in the back
fill to drain vertically through the pours of the
fleece web. A conventional drain pipe is located
at the bottom of the fleece web to drain water
accumulating at the foot of the foundation wall.
Another wall drainage system is proposed
in U.S. patent No. 4~045,964 which issued on September
~, 1977 to Barclay. This drainage system involves
placement of vertically-corrugated panels against
a foundation wall. The corrugations define drainage
channels against the foundation wall, and every
second corrugation (spaced from the wall) is formed
with vertically spaced apart slots that are angled
relative to horizontal to prevent entry of the soil.
Soil water enters through the slots and travels
between the wall and the panel until it empties through
a horizontal opening at the bottom of the panels. The
water then drains into a gravel bed in which is
located a perforated drain pipe.
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Still another drainage system is proposed
in U.S. patent No. 4,309,855 which issued on January
12, 1982 to Pate et al. This drainage system involves
water impermeable synthetic resin plates which are
located side-by-side over a foundation wall. Each
plate has a rectangular grid work of drainage grooves
formed in an outer face which confronts adjacent
back fill, and a film of water permeable strainer
material is secured over the outer face to prevent
entry of dirt into the grooves. A synthetic resin
footer structure i~ formed at the bottom of each
panel and consists of a perforated drainage pipe
located within a synthetic resin beed pack, all of
which is covered by the synthetic strainer material.
Such panels are intended not only tv provide vertical
drainage, but when juxtaposed also define a horizontal
drain pipe.
Still another water drainage system is
disclosed in ~.S. patent No. 3,654,765 which issued
on April 11, 1972 to Healy et al. In one em~odiment,
the drainage system includes a panel locatable
against a foundation wall and having vertical
drainage grooves in one face thereof covered with
a water-pervious filter material to prevent entry
of dirt into the grooves. A lower end of each panel
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is rolled to form a pipe which is in fluid communi-
cation with the vertical drainage grooves of the
panel and which acts as a horizontal drai,nage conduit.
A problem with the drainage system members
of the above prior art drainage systems is that
they are not readily adapted to covering a varying
expanse of foundation wall, and would likely have to
be custom fabricated to accomodate foundation walls
of unusual height. Another limitation associated
with such prior art drainage system members is that
they are not readily usable on major construction
sites where a concrete foundation wall must be placed
against shoring.
In major construction, particularly where
buildings are extended to a lot line, shoring walls
are required to prevent subsidence in adjacent
properties. Concrete foundation walls are normally
placed in a space defined between the shoring wall
and interior forms and consequently there is little
room or opportunity for workmen to install drainage
systems of the type described in the above prior
art patents. It is common practice in such construct-
ion to apply waterproofing directly to the shoring
wall prior to placing of concrete for foundation walls,
and such waterproofing often takes the form of bentonite
P~ 31")
sheets which are nailed or otherwise secured to the
shoring wall. These sheets are o~ a clay-like
material which becomes water-impervious when pene-
trated by water. However, leakage through such
sheets is not uncommon especially when not carefully
or properly installed and additionally they do nst
provide any form of drainage for removal of water
accumulating in adjacent soil. It will be appreciated
that depending on the porousity of the soil retained
by a particular shoring wall a considerable head
of pressure can be developed in contained soil water
which tends to force the soil water through the
waterproofing material wherever a flaw is present.
It is a general object of the invention to
provide a novel drainage system and drainage system
members for use on a foundation wall, or the like,
and a particular object of the invention to provide
a drainage system which can be readily installed
between a shoring wall and a concrete foundation
wall which is to be placed against that shoring wall.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE_INVENTION
In a broad aspect the invention provides
a wall drainage system member formed as a generally
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rectangular panel of water-impervious material.
One face of the panel has a plurality of drainag~
grooves which place a pair of opposing side edges
in fluid communication. One of the opposing side
edges is formed with a longitudinal groove which
is in fluid communication with the drainage grooves
and facilitates placing the drainage grooves of
the panel in fluid communication with those of
another panel abutted to the one of the opposing
side edges, when the number of panels are located
in edge-to-edge abutting relationship to form a
water-impervious cladding with drainage means on
a foundation wall or the like. In use, a cover of
water-pervious filter material is located over at
least the one of the opposing faces to prevent
entry of soil particles into the drainage grooves,
and can be a cover fixed to tne panel or applied
during erection of a cladding on a foundation wall
to one or more of the panels so assembled.
In another aspect the invention provides
a wall drainage system member comprising a rectangular
panel of water-impervious material in which a first
plurality of drainage grooves formed in a first face
of a panel place a first pair of opposing side edges
in fluid communication and a second plurality of
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3~.)
drainage grooves formed in the opposite face of
the panel placed the second pair of opposing side
edges in fluid communication. The second plurality
of drainage grooves are in fluid communication with
the first plurality of drainage grooves so that, in
use, with the panel located against a foundation
wall with the first pair of side edges horizontal
oriented and the second pair of side edges vertic-
ally oriented, water draining vertically through the
first plurality of drainage grooves can travel hori-
zontally in the second plurality of grooves. By
arranging a plurality of such panels in edge-to-edge
abutting relationship with the second plurality
of drainage grooves in each panel in fluid communi-
cation, the panels can effectively define an aper-
tured, horizontal drain. In use, a water-pervious
cover material is located on the opposing faces of
the panel and at least one of the first pair of
side edges to prevent entry of soil particles into
the drainage grooves.
In another aspect the invention provides
a drainage system particularly suited for use on a
generally vertical shoring wall against which a
concrete foundation wall will be placed. The drain-
age system comprises a cover of water-pervious filter
.
.
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material secured over the shoring wall to prevent
passage of soil particles. A substantially water-
impervious cladding is formed of generally rect-
angular panels of water-impervious material located
in an edge-to-edge abutted relationship over the
cover. Each panel has a pair of opposing faces,
a pair of opposing generally horizontal upper and
lower side edges and a pair of opposing, generally
vertical side edges. One face of each panel is
located against the cover, and this one face has
a plurality of drainage grooves which place the
upper and lower side edges in fluid communication.
The first plurality of drainage grooves of each
panel are also placed in fluid communication at
the lower side edge of the panel with the first
plurality of drainage grooves in any panel which
abutts the lower side edge of the panel. In this
manner soil water passing through the vertical
shoring wall tends to drain vertically through the
cladding.
In the drainage system, the panels of the
cladding preferably comprise a lowermost row of
panels each of which has a second plurality of
drainage grooves which are formed in the other of
25 the opposing faces of the panel, which place the
opposing vertical side edges of the panel in fluid
communication and which are in fluid communication
with the first plurality of drainage grooves in the
panel. The second plurality of drainage grooves
in each of the panels in the lowermost row is placed
in fluid communication with the second plurality of
drainage grooves of any panel and lowermost row
abutting one of the opposing vertical side edges of
the panel so that the lowermost row of panels define
a horizontal drainage conduit. By locating water-
pervious cover material over the panels of the lower-
most row the entry of soil particles into the hori-
zontal drainage conduit can be prevented, and also
entry of fluid concrete or the like when placed against
the cladding-
BRIEF DES~RIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
.
Objects or advantages of the invention will
be better understood with reference to drawings in
which:
Fig. 1 is a fragmented perspective view
illustrating the installation of a preferred embodiment
of the drainage system against a shoring wall of a
construction site;
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Fig. 2 is a fragmented perspective view of
a first drainage system member;
Fig. 3 is a view along the lines of 3-3 of
Fig. 2 detailing certain structure of the first
drainage system member;
Fig. 4 is a fxagmented perspective view of
a second drainage system member;
Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view along the
lines 5-5 of Fig. 4 further detailing the construction
of the second drainage system member;
Fig. 6 is a fragmented cross-sectional view
detailing the co-operation of the first and second
drainage system members and the atkachment of a
drainage sleeve;
Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a drainage
system member incorporating the functions of both the
first and second dra-nage system members; and,
Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view along the
lines 8-8 of Fig. 7 further detailing the construction
of the drainage system member in Fig. 7.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMEMTS
Fig. 1 illustrates a preferred embodiment
10 of the drainage system installed during the
erection of a foundation wall in construction typical
of major building construction today in which
construction extends substantially to the lot line
12 of a site. Steel beams 14 are placed at predeter-
mined intervals in the soil at the perimeter of thesite, and excavation then begins. As excavation pro-
ceeds, shoring timbers 16 are lodged between the
beams 14 to provide a shoring wall that prevents
subsidence in the soil 18 of adjoining properties.
When the site has been excavated to a required depth,
a concrete footing 20 is placed and gravel 22 is
deposited where a concrete interior floor will
eventually be placed. Plywood forms 24 reinforced
by strongbacks 26 are located on the footing 20
spaced from the shoring wall to define a cavity in
which a concrete foundation wall is to be placed.
Tie rods 28 (only one specifical y indicated) are
extended from the beams 14 through the strongbacks
26 to prevent displacement of the placing forms 24
when concrete is placed. It will be appreciated that
except for the drainage system 10 the construction
above is conventional and details ofsuch construction
will be readily apparent to pexsons skilled in the
construction arts.
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The techniques of providing drainage for
foundation walls described in the prior art patents
above are not particularly useful in such circumstances
because there is no possibility of providing a
drainage system subsequent to the placing of the
foundation wall. Conventional practice in such cir-
cumstances is to apply a waterproofing membrane to the
shoring wall prior to placing of the foundation wall.
However, as will be apparent from Fig. 1 and the
description below, the drainage system 10 of the
present invention can be conveniently installed in
such circumstances.
The drainage system 10 includes a cover 30
of water-pervious filter material which is placed
against the shoring wall by tacking or with a suitable
adhesive or by anv other suitable method for temporary
fixing. The filter material is preferably spun-bonced polypropyl-
ene which is commonly used in drainage applications to retain soil
but freely pass water. A substantially water-impervious cladding
with drainage means is secured over the cover 30 either adhesively
or by nailing, pinning or clipping to the shoring timbers 16. me
cladding is constructed of a plurality of water-impervious
panels of generally rectangular shape which are arranged
in edge-to-edge abutted relationship. The cladding is
formed of two types of panels, a panel 32 being
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typical of a first type which are used to cover the
greater expanse of the shoring wall. All of the
panels of either type are formed of a synthetic resin
material which is preferably foamed, closed-celled
polysterene. The panels consequently provide not
only a drainage system but also a measure of insulation.
The panel 32 is illustrated in detail in
the view of Figs. 2 and 3. The panel 32 has a pair
of opposing faces 36, 38, a first pair of opposing
side edges 40, 42 which are horizontally oriented in
use and a second pair of opposing side edges 44, 46
which are vertically oriented in use. A plurality
48 of parallel, straight vertically orient-oriented
drainage grooves are cut into the face 36 to place
the upper and lower horizontal side edges 40, 42 in
fluid communication. During installation, the face
36 is located against the cover 30 so that soil wa~er
escaping from the shoring wall can drain downwardly
through the vertical drainage grooves 48. The
lower horizontal side edge 42 of the panel 32 is
formed with a longitudinal groove or channel 50
which, as apparent in view of Fig. 3, is in fluid
communication with the vertical drainage grooves
48. The channel 50 facilitates placing the vertical
drainage grooves 48 in fluid communication with the
drainage grooves of an underlying panel to permit
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uninterrupted vertical drainage of soil water in
the cladding. When the panels of the first type are
stacked one atop another, channels such as the
channel 50 in each of the panels eliminate the need
for perfect alignment of vertical drainage grooves
which can be improtant when a large expanse of wall
is to be covered. It will be appreciated that a
channel such as the channel 50 can alternatively be
located in the upper horizontal side edgé 40 or out
of an abundance of caution in both the upper and
lower side edges 40, 42.
The cladding includes a lowermost row 52
of panels which define a horizontal drainage pipe.
A typical panel 54 in the lowermost row is better
illustrated in the view of Figs. 4-6. The panel 54
has a height of about 5 inches, a thickness of about 2
inches and a length of abGut 2 feet. The panel 54
has a pair of opposing faces 56, 58, a first pair
of opposing side edges 60, 62 which are horizontally
oriented in use, and a second pair of opposing side
edges 64, 66 which are vertically oriented in use.
A first plurality 68 of vertical drainage grooves,
substantially straight and parallel, are cut into
the face 56 and place the upper and lower horizontal
side edges 60, 62 in fluid communication. A second
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plurality 70 of horizontal grooves, substantially
straight, parallel and at riyht angles to the groove
68, are cut into the face 58. Each set of grooves
68, 70 is cut deeper than the centre of the panel 54
so that the grooves 68, 70 are in fluid communication,
as apparent in the view of Fig. 5 which is parallel to
a planar wall 72 that in part defines one of the ver-
tical grooves 68. Thus, as will be readily appreciated
from the cross-sectional view of Fig. 6, soil water
descending through the vertical drainage grooves 4~
of the panel 32 enters the channel 50 at the bottom
of the panel 32, flows into the vertical drainage
grooves 68 of the panel 54 and then into the horizontal
drainage grooves 70. As apparent in the view of Fig.
4, the panel 54 is abutted at its vertical side edge
66 with a substantially identical panel 74 to permit
horizontal drainage of soil water between the panels
54, 74. Since the panels of the lowermost row 52
are the first to be located about the cover 30 there
is little problem in aligning the horizontal grooves
of the panels. However, to ensure proper fluid
communication between the panels 54, 74 the side edge
62 of the panel 54 is preferably formed with a
longitudinal groove or channel 76 (much like the
channe7 50 except vertically oriented) which is in
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fluid communication with the horizontal grooves 70.
A telescoping sleeve 78 serves to conduct
water from the lowermost row 52 of panels. The
sleeve 78 is fixed to panel 54 prior to placing of
the concrete foundation wall, and will ultimately
be connected to a drainage system (not illustrated)
to be installed in the building under construction.
A generally rectangular flange 80 is fastened at an
end 82 of the sleeve 78, and a number of nails 84
pass through pre-drilled holes in the flange 80
to secure the flange 80 and sleeve 78 to the panel 54.
A flange 81 attached to an opposite end 83 of the
sleeve 78 is fixed to the form 24 in a similar manner
so that the sleeve 78 remains properly positioned
during placing of concrete. The telescoping nature
of the sleeve 78 permits the sleeve length to be
adjusted during installation so that the sleeve
78 fully spans the cavity defined between the panels
and the form 24 and is not filled with concrete
during placing. The sleeve end 82 is preferably
formed with a circumferential, longitudinally ex-
tending bead which can compress the filter material
of the panel 54 during attachment to provide a
relatively tight seal for excluding fluid concrete.
It will be appreciated that the cover member 30 must
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be extended about ~ach panel of the lowermost row
52 and be adhesively or mechanically attached to the
panels of the cladding to prevent concrete from
entering into the horizontal drainage grooves (or
elsewhere) during placing of the foundation wall.
Additionally, the joints between all panels will be
caulked or taped to prevent passage of water and
additionally to pre~ent the intrusion of concrete
during placing.
The cover 30 need not be constructed with
sheets applied directly to the shoring wall. The
cover 30 can instead be formed by individual sheets
of filter material attached directly to the individ-
ual panels of the cladding~ These sheets can be pre-
wrapped about the panels by taping, adhesive or heat
bonding, mechanical attachment or any combination of
these, as appropriate, to prevent entry of soil particles
into the drainage grooves during use. Such an arrange-
ment is considered to be part of the invention, and to
fall within the ambit of the appended claims. A preferred method
of attachment for panels constructed of a material such as poly-
styrene is to cut a slit into the material and to wedge the filt~r
mhterial into the slit. It may in some instances be preferable for
ease of installation to provide panels with filtering material
alreadyattached rather than applying the filtering material to a
shoring wall.
Prior to placing of the concrete foundation
wall, all exposed groove ends in the panels should be
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covered with filter material or blocked with tape or a
cement appropriate to the materials of the panels.
In particular, the drainage grooves may be exposed
at the uppermost row of panels and should be approp-
riately covered to prevent entry of dirt or cement.Similarly, it can be expected that the ends of the
lowermost row 52 may need to be covered. All such
openings should be sealed or covered in any manner
considered appropriate for the particular installation.
When the drainage system 10 is in use, soil
water would tend to flow vertically through successive
rows of panels such as the panel 32. The cover 30
will tend to keep soil from infiltrating the vertical
drainage grooves of the panel and from consequently
obstructing the flow of water or entering the
building drainage system. The soil water will
eventually descend into the lowermost row 52 of
panels, and travel horizontally until reaching
drainage means such as the sleeve 78, positioned
at intervals along the lowermost row 52 of panels.
The soil water will then drain into the internal
drainage system of the building for removal.
Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate an alternative
embodiment 86 of the panel 54 in which similar com-
ponents have been labeled with similar reference
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numerals followed by the letter "a". The panel 86
has a height of about 4 feet, a width of about 2
feet, and a thickness of a~out 1~ inches (but can be
dimensioned as desired). The vertical drainage
grooves 68a of the panel 86 are considerably longer
than those of the panel 54, and the horizontal grooves
70a of the panel 86 are now considerably spaced from
the upper horizontal edge 60a and located adjacent
the lower horizontal side edge 62a. It will be
readily appreciated that the panel 86 combines the
functions of the panels 32, 54, permitting a large
extent of the shoring wall to be covered and also
providing horizontal drainage grooves 70a which
together with the grooves of similar abutted panels
can define a horizontal drainage pipe as does the
lowermost row 52~ A vertical groove 76a in fluid
com~.unication with the horizontal grooves 70a at the
side-edge 44a facilitates the ?lacina of the grooves
70a in fluid communication when the panel 86 is
abutted at the side edge 44a with a similar panel.
A cover 90 of filter material ~illustrated fragmented)
extends over the face 36a, bottom edge 42a and the
horizontal grooves 70a of the face 38a. The cover
90 extends about 1 inch over the top edge of the
panel 86 and about ql inch beyond either side edse
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44a, 46a to permit overlappiny of cover material
on a suprajacent panel and formation of compression
seals with panels adjacent at either side ~dge
44a, 46a. The compression seals are formed by allow-
ing the cover material at the side edges of the panelsto fold against one another. The cover 90 can be
mechanically fastened or adhesively or heat bonded
where materials are suitable to the panel 86. To
ensure that concrete placed against the panel face
38a does not dislodge the cover 90 the edge portion
92 of the cover 90 is preferably ~aped to the face
38a or fitted into a slit formed in the face 38a.
In all applications involving the present invention,
tape may be used to secure loose edges of a cover
material if it appears that placement of concrete
may dislodge the edges from associated panels.
The drainage system 10 can also be used in
construction where a shoring wall is not required
and the construction site has been excavated more
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fully about the location of a foundation wall. In
such circumstances, the drainage system can be
assembled following ereCtiQn of the foundation wall.
The panels are preferably adhesively secured to the
foundation wall in edge to-edge abutting relationship
with vertical drainage grooves and filter material
facing outwardly. Thus, for example, the panel
32 would have its face 38 secured to the foundation
wall and the panel 54 would have its face 58 secured
to the wall. Panels such as the panel 32 would now
preferably be individually covered with filter
material at least on their faces having vertical
drainage grooves, and the panels such as the panel
54, individually wrapped with filter material.
Seams between panels of the cladding would of course
be caulked or sealed with a suitable tape to prevent
passage of water. Drainage in such circumstances is
the.same as before, with a sleeve being cast or
otherwise located in the foundation wall and pro-
truding slightly to form a seal against one of the
panels when backfill exerts pressure on the panels.
Alternatively, the lowermost row of panels of the
same type as panel 54 can be eliminated and a co;nven-
tional weeping tile system installed.
It will be appreciated that a particular
embodiment of a drainage system and its constituant
913
24
members has been described, and that modifications
of a workshop nature may be made in these without
departing from the spirit of the invention or the
scope of the appended claims.
