Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 03111429 2021-02-26
Attorney Ref.: 1145P008CA01
REINFORCED EARTH RETAINING WALL STRUCTURE AND CONSTRUCTION
METHOD THEREFOR
Technical Field
The present disclosure relates generally to a
reinforced earth retaining wall structure and a construction
method therefor. More particularly, the present disclosure
relates to a reinforced earth retaining wall structure and a
construction method therefor, in which a strip-shaped
reinforcing member is configured to pass through a block or
a panel constituting the skin of a reinforced earth
retaining wall and to be connected horizontally thereto.
Background Art
To prevent accidents due to the loss and collapse of
soil and improve a landscape, a skin of a reinforced earth
retaining wall constituted by a block or panel is formed on
a slope formed by earth cutting or soil filling.
Additionally, a reinforcing member is provided in backfill
soil filled behind the retaining wall, and an end of the
reinforcing member is configured to be connected to the
block or panel constituting the skin of a reinforced earth
retaining wall. As the reinforcing member, a geogrid is
sometimes used, and recently, a strip-shaped reinforcing
member is widely used.
1
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-02-26
CA 03111429 2021-02-26
Attorney Ref.: 1145P008C A01
The strip-shaped reinforcing member is formed to have
a strip shape and is made of synthetic resin material that
is somewhat flexible. The strip-shaped reinforcing member
may be made of high-strength polyester fibers, or of the
high-strength polyester fibers coated with polyethylene.
Such a strip-shaped reinforcing member is required to be
installed horizontally in the backfill soil so as to
maximize friction between the strip-shaped reinforcing
member and the backfill soil such that the block or panel
constituting the skin of a reinforced earth retaining wall
is securely fixed.
In the past, to connect the strip-shaped reinforcing
member to a block or panel, an installation groove was
formed in the block or panel, and the strip-shaped
reinforcing member was held in the installation groove, or
was held by a guide rod by surrounding the guide rod with
the guide rod installed in the block or panel. This is
disclosed in Korean Patent Application Publication No. 10-
2018-0066926 which is a prior art document.
However, the installation groove is formed to be open
in the upper surface or rear end of the block or panel such
that the strip-shaped reinforcing member is seated in the
installation groove from a position above the block or
panel. Accordingly, when the position of the strip-shaped
reinforcing member is changed as the backfill soil is
2
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-02-26
CA 03111429 2021-02-26
Attorney Ref.: 1145P008CA01
stabilized, the strip-shaped reinforcing member is easily
removed from the installation groove, so the fixing of the
strip-shaped reinforcing member to the block or panel is
released.
In addition, when the strip-shaped reinforcing member
is held in the block or panel by being located in the
installation groove, a portion of the strip-shaped
reinforcing member does not maintain a horizontal state
thereof and thus friction between the corresponding portion
and the backfill soil is not properly produced.
Furthermore, when connecting the strip-shaped
reinforcing member to the block or panel actually by almost
folding the strip-shaped reinforcing member such that the
strip-shaped reinforcing member surrounds the guide rod, the
number of components increases due to the use of the guide
rod during construction, and the work of surrounding the
guide rod with the strip-shaped reinforcing member such that
the strip-shaped reinforcing member covers the guide rod is
not easy, which decreases workability.
In addition, in the prior art, one strip-shaped
reinforcing member is located at the same layer inside the
backfill soil, so as described above, the position of the
strip-shaped reinforcing member relative to the block or the
panel is easily changed, and due to the folding of the
3
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-02-26
CA 03111429 2021-02-26
AttorneyRef.:1145P008CA01
strip-shaped reinforcing member, the strip-shaped
reinforcing member may be easily damaged.
Additionally, during the construction of the
reinforced earth retaining wall, in a conventional method of
horizontally connecting a strip-shaped reinforcing member on
an earthwork surface, subsidiary materials such as fixing
reinforcing bars and embedding reinforcing bars or fixing
pins are required to be used so as to connect the strip-
shaped reinforcing member to the rear surface of the
retaining wall in a zigzag, and the strip-shaped reinforcing
member having some rigidity is required to be completely
folded to be installed, thereby increasing the cost of
accessory materials and having a low economic efficiency due
to construction inconvenience compared to geogrid
construction in which the construction is completed by
unfolding the strip-shaped reinforcing member on an
earthwork surface. Particularly, the strip-shaped
reinforcing member has some rigidity, and thus it is very
difficult and inconvenient to bend the strip-shaped
reinforcing member by 180 degrees, and when folded abruptly,
the strip-shaped reinforcing member may be damaged.
4
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-02-26
CA 03111429 2021-02-26
Attorney Ref.: 1145P008CA01
Summary
The present disclosure has been made keeping in mind
the above problems occurring in the prior art and is
intended to propose a reinforced earth retaining wall
structure and a construction method therefor, in which
strip-shaped reinforcing members pass through blocks or
panels constituting the skin of a reinforced earth retaining
wall in directions vertical thereto and are connected
directly thereto.
In addition, the present disclosure is intended to
propose a reinforced earth retaining wall structure and a
construction method therefor, in which a middle part of one
strip-shaped reinforcing member is located in the block or
panel after the strip-shaped reinforcing member passes
therethrough, and all of the remaining parts of the strip-
shaped reinforcing member are located horizontally at
different layers of the backfill soil.
In order to accomplish the above aims, according to an
aspect of the present disclosure, the present disclosure
provides a reinforced earth retaining wall structure
including: a block having a front plate constituting a front
of a reinforced earth retaining wall and having a through
hole formed therein by passing vertically through a block
body; backfill soil filled behind the block; and a strip-
shaped reinforcing member having a middle part located in
5
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-02-26
CA 03111429 2021-02-26
Attorney Ref.: 1145P008CA01
the through hole of the block after the strip-shaped
reinforcing member passes through the through hole of the
block, parts of the strip-shaped reinforcing member located
outside the block being located horizontally inside the
backfill soil, and opposite end parts of the strip-shaped
reinforcing member relative to the block being arranged at
different layers of the backfill soil.
The through hole may be formed by passing vertically
through the block, wherein a partition holding end may be
formed inside the through hole and divide the through hole
into two areas, so the strip-shaped reinforcing member may be
held by the partition holding end.
The block may include: the block body having the front
plate constituting a front thereof and a rear plate
constituting a rear thereof; a front end protrusion
protruding at an upper surface of the block body and at a
position adjacent to the front plate; a rear end protrusion
protruding at the upper surface of the block body and at a
position adjacent to the rear plate; a front end channel
formed on a lower surface of the block body and at a position
adjacent to the front plate; and a rear end channel formed on
the lower surface of the block body and at a position
adjacent to the rear plate.
6
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-02-26
CA 03111429 2021-02-26
Attorney Ref.: 1145P008CA01
The strip-shaped reinforcing member may pass
simultaneously through two blocks stacked vertically and may
be directly combined therewith.
A reinforcing member path may be formed in the rear
plate constituting the rear of the block body such that the
strip-shaped reinforcing member passing through the through
hole passes through the reinforcing member path.
According to another aspect of the present disclosure,
the present disclosure provides a construction method for a
reinforced earth retaining wall, the construction method
including: locating a strip-shaped reinforcing member cut to
have a predetermined length at an area to fill with backfill
soil for the reinforced earth retaining wall; locating a
block along an area of the reinforced earth retaining wall to
be formed on a ground and locating a middle part of the
strip-shaped reinforcing member in a through hole of the
block by passing the strip-shaped reinforcing member through
the through hole of the block; locating a part of the strip-
shaped reinforcing member coming out of the through hole of
the block after passing through the through hole of the block
at a position beyond the area of the backfill soil;
performing a filling of the backfill soil at an area located
behind the block; and locating the strip-shaped reinforcing
member passing through the through hole of the block on an
upper surface of the backfill soil after the filling of the
7
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-02-26
CA 03111429 2021-02-26
Attorney Ref.: 1145P008CA01
backfill soil is completed, wherein a new strip-shaped
reinforcing member is located on the upper surface of the
backfill soil after the filling of the backfill soil is
completed and the above process is repeated.
The strip-shaped reinforcing member may be horizontally
arranged entirely inside the backfill soil.
The block may be used by being stacked such that two
blocks form one block layer, and the strip-shaped reinforcing
member may pass simultaneously through the two blocks.
to In blocks of different layers, a block located at an
upper layer and a block located at a lower layer may be
arranged to be in disagreement with each other.
According to still another aspect of the present
disclosure, the reinforced earth retaining wall structure of
the present disclosure includes: a panel having an
entrance/exit formed at each of opposite end parts of a
through path formed inside a panel body constituting a front
of a reinforced earth retaining wall such that the
entrance/exit is open to a rear surface of the panel body;
backfill soil filled behind the panel; and a strip-shaped
reinforcing member having a middle part located in the
through path of the panel by passing the strip-shaped
reinforcing member through the through path of the panel,
parts of the strip-shaped reinforcing member located outside
the panel being located horizontally inside the backfill
8
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-02-26
CA 03111429 2021-02-26
Attorney Ref.: 1145P008CA01
soil, wherein strip-shaped reinforcing members located at
opposite ends of the panel relative to the panel may be
arranged at different layers of the backfill soil.
The through path may be formed to have a curved shape
having the predetermined curvature, so the strip-shaped
reinforcing member may be configured to be introduced into
the through path through an entrance/exit located at a first
side of the through path and to come out through an
entrance/exit located at a second side of the through path.
A combination end may be formed by protruding from each
of opposite ends of the panel body and may combine vertically
stacked panels with each other; an upper combining
corrugation may be formed along an upper surface of the panel
body; a lower combining corrugation may be formed along a
lower surface of the panel body; a side combining corrugation
may be formed along a side surface of the panel body; and an
end combining corrugation may be formed on the combination
end, the end combining corrugation being combined with a
side combining corrugation of a panel adjacent to the end
combining corrugation.
The through path may include multiple through paths,
and of the through paths, a middle exit may be formed in a
through path formed by being adjacent to each of upper and
lower ends of the panel body such that the middle exit is
open to each of upper and lower surfaces of the panel body,
9
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-02-26
CA 03111429 2021-02-26
Attorney Ref.: 1145P008CA01
so panels stacked vertically may be combined with each other
by the strip-shaped reinforcing member.
The through path may include multiple through paths
formed in the panel, entrances/exits of the through paths
being formed at specific heights of the rear surface of the
panel.
According to still another aspect of the present
disclosure, the present disclosure provides a construction
method for a reinforced earth retaining wall, the
construction method including: locating a strip-shaped
reinforcing member cut to have a predetermined length at an
area to fill with backfill soil for the reinforced earth
retaining wall; locating a panel along an area of the
reinforced earth retaining wall to be formed on a ground and
extending a middle part of the strip-shaped reinforcing
member to a rear surface of the panel by passing the strip-
shaped reinforcing member through a through path of the
panel; locating a part of the strip-shaped reinforcing member
extending through the rear surface of the panel at a position
beyond the area of the backfill soil; performing a filling of
the backfill soil at an area located behind the panel;
locating the strip-shaped reinforcing member passing through
the through path of the panel on an upper surface of the
backfill soil after the filling of the backfill soil is
completed; and locating a new strip-shaped reinforcing member
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-02-26
CA 03111429 2021-02-26
Attorney Ref.: 1145P008CA01
on the upper surface of the completely filled backfill soil
and performing a filling of a new backfill soil on the
completely filled backfill soil after locating the new strip-
shaped reinforcing member at a position beyond the area of
the completely filled backfill soil by passing the new strip-
shaped reinforcing member through another through path of the
panel, wherein when filling of backfill soil corresponding to
a panel layer is completed, the above process may be
repeated.
The strip-shaped reinforcing member may be horizontally
arranged entirely inside the backfill soil.
A panel located at an upper position and a panel
located at a lower position may be connected to each other by
the strip-shaped reinforcing member passing through the
through path having the middle exit formed at each of an
upper surface and a lower surface of the panel body.
The reinforced earth retaining wall structure and the
construction method therefor according to the present
disclosure may have the following effects.
In the present disclosure, the through hole may be
formed vertically through the block body of the block, and
the strip-shaped reinforcing member may pass through the
through hole such that the block and the strip-shaped
reinforcing member are connected directly to each other, and
the parts of the strip-shaped reinforcing member located
11
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-02-26
CA 03111429 2021-02-26
Attorney Ref.: 1145P008CA01
outside the block after the strip-shaped reinforcing member
passes through the block may be horizontally located inside
the backfill soil, whereby combination of the block with the
strip-shaped reinforcing member may be simple and secure.
Further, all of the parts of the strip-shaped reinforcing
member located inside the backfill soil may be arranged
horizontally, so friction between the backfill soil and the
strip-shaped reinforcing member may be properly generated in
the entirety of the strip-shaped reinforcing member, thereby
making a reinforced earth retaining wall secure.
In the present disclosure, after the strip-shaped
reinforcing member passes vertically through the block body,
the opposite parts of the strip-shaped reinforcing member
connected to the opposite sides of the part of the strip-
shaped reinforcing member located inside the block body may
be located at different layers inside the backfill soil.
Such a structure may prevent the strip-shaped reinforcing
member from abruptly being folded at a part of the block
body through which the strip-shaped reinforcing member
passes, thereby preventing the damage of the strip-shaped
reinforcing member and making the block be supported
securely by the strip-shaped reinforcing member.
In the present disclosure, like the above case in
which a block is used as the skin of the reinforced earth
retaining wall, even when a panel is used as the skin of the
12
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-02-26
CA 03111429 2021-02-26
Attorney Ref.: 1145P008CA01
reinforced earth retaining wall, the through path leading
from a position of the rear surface of the panel to another
position of the rear surface may be formed in the panel, so
the strip-shaped reinforcing member may be combined directly
with the panel body and all parts of the strip-shaped
reinforcing member located inside the backfill soil may be
located horizontally, thereby properly generating friction
between the strip-shaped reinforcing member and the backfill
soil. Furthermore, the through path may be formed to have a
predetermined curved shape, and a part of the strip-shaped
reinforcing member located in the through path may be
efficiently curved, thereby preventing the damage of the
strip-shaped reinforcing member and making the panel
supported securely by the strip-shaped reinforcing member.
In addition, the strip-shaped reinforcing member may
have about twice a length from the rear end of the backfill
soil to the block, and the filling of the backfill soil on a
part of the strip-shaped reinforcing member located from the
rear end of the backfill soil to the block may be performed
while a part of the strip-shaped reinforcing member located
relatively above the part of the strip-shaped reinforcing
member and located from the block to the rear end of the
backfill soil is bent toward the front of the block, and
after the filling of the backfill soil is completed at the
corresponding layer, the part of the strip-shaped
13
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-02-26
CA 03111429 2021-02-26
Attorney Ref.: 1145P008CA01
reinforcing member bent toward the front of the block may be
put on the completely filled backfill soil, so there is no
section in which the strip-shaped reinforcing member is
abruptly folded, thereby making the work of using the strip-
shaped reinforcing member very convenient.
Additionally, in the present disclosure, the strip-
shaped reinforcing member cut to have a predetermined length
may be connected directly to the block or panel by passing
therethrough, so separate combining work may not be
required, and like a geogrid construction method, the strip-
shaped reinforcing member may be just unfolded on an
earthwork surface, thereby significantly improving the
convenience of construction.
In another aspect, this document discloses a
reinforced earth retaining wall structure comprising: a
block having a front plate constituting a front of a
reinforced earth retaining wall and having a through hole
formed therein by passing vertically through a block body;
backfill soil filled behind the block; and a strip-shaped
reinforcing member having a middle part located in the
through hole of the block after the strip-shaped reinforcing
member passes through the through hole of the block, parts
of the strip-shaped reinforcing member located outside the
block being located horizontally inside the backfill soil,
and opposite end parts of the strip-shaped reinforcing
14
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-02-26
CA 03111429 2021-02-26
Attorney Ref.: 1145P008CA01
member relative to the block being arranged at different
layers of the backfill soil.
In another aspect, this document discloses a
construction method for a reinforced earth retaining wall,
the construction method comprising: locating a strip-shaped
reinforcing member cut to have a predetermined length at an
area to fill with backfill soil for the reinforced earth
retaining wall; locating a block along an area of the
reinforced earth retaining wall to be formed on a ground and
locating a middle part of the strip-shaped reinforcing
member in a through hole of the block by passing the strip-
shaped reinforcing member through the through hole of the
block; locating a part of the strip-shaped reinforcing
member coming out of the through hole of the block after
passing through the through hole of the block at a position
beyond the area of the backfill soil; performing a filling
of the backfill soil at an area located behind the block;
and locating the strip-shaped reinforcing member passing
through the through hole of the block on an upper surface of
the backfill soil after the filling of the backfill soil is
completed, wherein a new strip-shaped reinforcing member is
located on the upper surface of the backfill soil after the
filling of the backfill soil is completed and the above
process is repeated.
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-02-26
CA 03111429 2021-02-26
Attorney Ref.: 1145P008CA01
In another aspect, this document discloses a
reinforced earth retaining wall structure comprising: a
panel having an entrance/exit formed at each of opposite end
parts of a through path formed inside a panel body
constituting a front of a reinforced earth retaining wall
such that the entrance/exit is open to a rear surface of the
panel body; backfill soil filled behind the panel; and a
strip-shaped reinforcing member having a middle part located
in the through path of the panel by passing the strip-shaped
reinforcing member through the through path of the panel,
parts of the strip-shaped reinforcing member located outside
the panel being located horizontally inside the backfill
soil, wherein strip-shaped reinforcing members located at
opposite ends of the panel relative to the panel are
arranged at different layers of the backfill soil.
In another aspect, this document discloses a
construction method for a reinforced earth retaining wall,
the construction method comprising: locating a strip-shaped
reinforcing member cut to have a predetermined length at an
area to fill with backfill soil for the reinforced earth
retaining wall; locating a panel along an area of the
reinforced earth retaining wall to be formed on a ground and
extending a middle part of the strip-shaped reinforcing
member to a rear surface of the panel by passing the strip-
shaped reinforcing member through a through path of the
16
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-02-26
CA 03111429 2021-02-26
Attorney Ref.: 1145P008CA01
panel; locating a part of the strip-shaped reinforcing
member extending through the rear surface of the panel at a
position beyond the area of the backfill soil; performing a
filling of the backfill soil at an area located behind the
panel; locating the strip-shaped reinforcing member passing
through the through path of the panel on an upper surface of
the backfill soil after the filling of the backfill soil is
completed; and locating a new strip-shaped reinforcing
member on the upper surface of the completely filled
backfill soil and performing a filling of a new backfill
soil on the completely filled backfill soil after locating
the new strip-shaped reinforcing member at a position beyond
the area of the completely filled backfill soil by passing
the new strip-shaped reinforcing member through another
through path of the panel, wherein when filling of backfill
soil corresponding to a panel layer is completed, the above
process is repeated.
In another aspect, this invention discloses a
reinforced earth retaining wall structure comprising: a
panel having a periphery configured for combining with at
least one additional panel; a combination end integrated
with the panel, the combination end forming a laterally
extending section of the panel; a plurality of paths passing
through the panel; and a plurality of strip-shaped
reinforcing members, each being partially retained within a
17
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-02-26
Attorney Ref: 1145P008CA01
corresponding one of the plurality of paths; wherein the
combination end enables staggered vertical placement of the
panel when combined with the at least one additional panel,
and the structure is retained in place upon layering of
backfill soil over the plurality of strip-based reinforcing
members.
In another aspect, this document discloses reinforced
earth retaining wall structure comprising: a block having
a front plate constituting a front of a reinforced earth
retaining wall and comprising a through hole formed
therein, the through hole passing vertically through a
block body of the block, wherein the through hole is open
to a top of the block and to a bottom of the block,
wherein the through hole is fully closed to all lateral
sides of the block, and wherein the through hole
comprises a front hole portion and a back hole portion,
the front hole portion being substantially separated from
the back hole portion by a partition holding end of the
block, said partition holding end comprising two opposing
protrusions from inner walls of the block, inner ends of
the two opposing protrusions being separated from each
other such that a passage is formed between the front
hole portion and the back hole portion; backfill soil
filled behind the block; and a strip-shaped reinforcing
member having a middle part located in the through hole
of the block after the strip-shaped reinforcing member is
passed through the through hole of the block, wherein the
strip-shaped reinforcing member is held by the partition
holding end, and wherein parts of the strip-shaped
18
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-09-08
Attorney Ref: 1145P008CA01
reinforcing member located outside the block are located
horizontally inside the backfill soil, and wherein
opposite end parts of the strip-shaped reinforcing member
are arranged at different layers of the backfill soil.
In another aspect, this document discloses a
construction method for a reinforced earth retaining
wall, the construction method comprising: placing a
strip-shaped reinforcing member cut to have a
predetermined length at an area to fill with backfill
soil for the reinforced earth retaining wall; placing a
block along an area of the reinforced earth retaining
wall to be formed on a ground and placing a middle part
of the strip-shaped reinforcing member in a through hole
of the block by passing the strip-shaped reinforcing
member through the through hole of the block, wherein the
through hole passes vertically through a block body of
the block, wherein the through hole is open to a top of
the block and to a bottom of the block, wherein the
through hole is fully closed to all lateral sides of the
block, and wherein the through hole comprises a front
hole portion and a back hole portion, the front hole
portion being substantially separated from the back hole
portion by a partition holding end of the block, said
partition holding end comprising two opposing protrusions
from inner walls of the block, inner ends of the two
opposing protrusions being separated from each other such
that a passage is formed between the front hole portion
and the back hole portion; placing a part of the strip-
shaped reinforcing member coming out of the through hole
18a
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-09-08
Attorney Ref: 1145P008CA01
of the block after passing through the through hole of
the block at a position beyond the area of the backfill
soil; performing a filling of the backfill soil at an
area located behind the block; and placing the strip-
shaped reinforcing member passing through the through
hole of the block on an upper surface of the backfill
soil after the filling of the backfill soil is completed,
wherein a new strip-shaped reinforcing member is placed
on the upper surface of the backfill soil after the
filling of the backfill soil is completed and the above
process is repeated.
Description of Drawings
FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an exemplary
embodiment of a reinforced earth retaining wall structure
according to the present disclosure.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the reinforced earth
retaining wall structure according to the embodiment
illustrated in FIG. 1 shown from a rear of the reinforced
earth retaining wall structure.
FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the reinforced earth
retaining wall structure according to the embodiment
illustrated in FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the
configuration of a block used in the embodiment of the
present disclosure.
FIG. 5 is a bottom perspective view illustrating the
configuration of the block used in the embodiment of the
present disclosure.
1813
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-09-08
CA 03111429 2021-02-26
Attorney Ref.: 1145P008CA01
FIGS. 6(a), 6(b), 6(c), and 6(d) are working state
views illustrating a construction method for a reinforced
earth retaining wall according to the embodiment of the
present disclosure.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating the
configuration of a reinforced earth retaining wall structure
according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the reinforced earth
retaining wall structure according to the embodiment
illustrated in FIG. 7 shown from a rear of the reinforced
earth retaining wall structure.
FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating a panel
constituting the reinforced earth retaining wall structure
according to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7.
FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along line A-A' of
the panel illustrated in FIG. 9.
Detailed Description
Hereinafter, some embodiments of the present
disclosure will be described in detail with reference to
exemplary drawings. In
assigning reference numerals to
components of each drawing, it should be noted that the same
components are assigned the same reference numerals as
possible although the same components are indicated on
different drawings. In
addition, in describing the
19
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-02-26
CA 03111429 2021-02-26
Attorney Ref.: 1145P008CA01
embodiments of the present disclosure, if it is determined
that a detailed description of a related known configuration
or function interferes with the understanding of the
embodiments of the present disclosure, the detailed
description thereof will be omitted.
In addition, in describing the components of the
embodiments of the present disclosure, terms such as first,
second, A, B, (a), (b) may be used. These terms are only
used to distinguish between the components, and the nature
or order of the components is not limited by the terms.
When a component is described as being "connected to" or
"combined with" another component, the components may be
directly connected to or combined with each other, but it
should be understood that a component may be "connected to"
or "combined with" each of the components therebetween.
As illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in a
reinforced earth retaining wall structure according to the
embodiment of the present disclosure, blocks 20 may be
installed on the ground 10 by being stacked to have multiple
block layers thereon, and strip-shaped reinforcing members
connected directly to the blocks 20 may be located
horizontally at several backfill soil layers inside the
backfill soil 40 located behind the blocks 20.
In the illustrated embodiment, each of the strip-
25 shaped reinforcing member 30 may be configured to
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-02-26
CA 03111429 2021-02-26
Attorney Ref.: 1145P008CA01
simultaneously pass through two stacked blocks 20, but this
may not be required. The strip-shaped reinforcing member 30
may pass through only one block 20. In the
embodiment
illustrated in FIG. 1, the two stacked blocks 20 may be
configured to constitute one block layer, but one block 20
may be configured to constitute one block layer.
In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the block of a
lower block layer and the block of an upper block layer may
be arranged to be in disagreement with each other, so one
block 20 of the upper block layer may sit on two adjacent
blocks 20 of the lower block layer. Accordingly, since the
blocks 20 are stacked to be in disagreement with each other,
the skin of a reinforced earth retaining wall constituted by
the blocks 20 may be secure.
Here, the configuration of the block 20 will be
described in detail with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. A
block body 21 may constitute the frame of the block 20. A
front plate 22 may constitute a front part of the block body
21. The front plate 22 may constitute the front of the
reinforced earth retaining wall. The front plate 22 may
have multiple grooves consecutively formed at opposite end
parts thereof such that the grooves incline rearward. A
rear plate 22' may constitute a rear part of the block body
21. The width of the rear plate 22' may be smaller than the
width of the front plate 22. Corrugations (no reference
21
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-02-26
CA 03111429 2021-02-26
Attorney Ref.: 1145P008CA01
numeral given) corresponding to each other may be formed at
opposite ends of the front plate 22, so the corrugations of
blocks 20 adjacent to each other may be fitted to each other
such that the blocks 20 are combined with each other.
In the block body 21, a part connecting the front
plate 22 and the rear plate 22' to each other may have a
shape approximate to an H shape in a cross section, but the
shape of the block body 21 may be variously formed. A
through hole 23 may be formed vertically through the block
body 21. The strip-shaped reinforcing member 30 may pass
through the through hole 23.
Two front end protrusions 25 may be formed on the
upper surface of the block body 21. Each of the front end
protrusion 25 may be formed by protruding at a position
adjacent to the front plate 22 behind the front plate 22.
Two rear end protrusions 26 may protrude at the rear end
parts of the upper surface of the block body 21, that is, at
positions adjacent to the rear plate 22'.
A front end channel 25' and a rear end channel 26' may
be formed in the lower surface of the block body 21 such
that the front end channel 25' and a rear end channel 26'
correspond to the front end protrusion 25 and the rear end
protrusion 26, respectively. The front end protrusion 25
and the rear end protrusion 26 of a block located relatively
below the front end channel 25' and the rear end channel 26'
22
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-02-26
CA 03111429 2021-02-26
Attorney Ref.: 1145P008CA01
may be located in the front end channel 25' and the rear end
channel 26', respectively. The front end channel 25' and
the rear end channel 26' may be formed to transversely cross
the lower surface of the block body 21.
Meanwhile, a reinforcing member path 28 may be formed
at a position of the rear plate 22' of the upper surface of
the block body 21. The reinforcing member path 28 may be
formed by removing a portion of the rear plate 22' and may
allow the strip-shaped reinforcing member 30 to pass between
the block bodies 21 stacked vertically such that the strip-
shaped reinforcing member 30 and the block bodies 21 do not
interfere with each other.
A partition holding end 29 may be formed by passing
through the center of the through hole 23 to divide the
through hole 23 into two areas. The partition holding end
29 may include two partition holding ends formed by
extending from inner opposite sides of the through hole 23
such that the two partition holding ends face each other.
The strip-shaped reinforcing member 30 passing through the
through hole 23 may be held by each of the partition holding
ends 29. Of course, the strip-shaped reinforcing member 30
in the through hole 23 may be held by the rear plate 22',
However, the partition holding end 29 may be damaged due to
an unexpected great force which may be applied between the
block 20 and the strip-shaped reinforcing member 30 when the
23
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-02-26
CA 03111429 2021-02-26
Attorney Ref.: 1145P008CA01
strip-shaped reinforcing member 30 is held by the partition
holding end 29. Even in this case, the strip-shaped
reinforcing member 30 may be held by the rear plate 22', and
thus the block 20 may not be further moved, so the damage of
the reinforced earth retaining wall may be minimized.
The strip-shaped reinforcing member 30 may be made to
have a strip shape having predetermined width and thickness,
and may be basically made of a flexible material. The
strip-shaped reinforcing member 30 may be made of a
synthetic resin material, for example, of a polymer
material. The
strip-shaped reinforcing member 30 may be
made of high-strength polyester fiber, or of a polyethylene
sheath added thereto. Such a strip-shaped reinforcing
member 30 may extend longitudinally in one direction and may
allow friction to be generated between the strip-shaped
reinforcing member 30 and the backfill soil inside the
backfill soil 40. In the embodiment, the strip-shaped
reinforcing member 30 may be connected to the block 20 by
passing vertically therethrough, and the extending direction
of the strip-shaped reinforcing member 30 may be changed
relative to the block 20. Furthermore, a part of the strip-
shaped reinforcing member 30 coming out through the upper
part of the block 20 relative to the through hole 23 of the
block 20 and a part of the strip-shaped reinforcing member
30 coming out through the lower part of the block 20
24
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-02-26
CA 03111429 2021-02-26
Attorney Ref.: 1145P008CA01
relative to the through hole 23 of the block 20 may be
located at layers different from each other inside the
backfill soil.
For reference, the detailed configuration of the
strip-shaped reinforcing member 30 is as follows. A strip
base made of the material described above and a resistance
protrusion formed to be integrated with a surface of the
strip base may constitute the strip-shaped reinforcing
member 30. Such a strip-shaped reinforcing member 30 may be
flexible due to the characteristic of the material thereof,
but may be folded only when at least a predetermined force
is applied thereto. A considerable force may be required to
be applied to the strip-shaped reinforcing member 30 to
overlap adjacent parts of the strip-shaped reinforcing
member 30 after the strip-shaped reinforcing member 30 is
folded.
Next, another embodiment of the present disclosure
will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 to 10. For
convenience of description, reference numerals of remaining
components except for reference numerals of components of a
panel 120 used instead of the block 20 are the same as the
reference numerals of the components of the block 20 of the
above embodiment.
In the embodiment, unlike the block 20 constituting
the skin of the reinforced earth retaining wall according to
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-02-26
CA 03111429 2021-02-26
Attorney Ref.: 1145P008CA01
the above embodiment, the panel 120 may constitute the skin
of the reinforced earth retaining wall. A panel body 121
having a square plate shape may constitute the frame of the
panel 120. The panel body 121 may have predetermined
thickness in a front-to-rear direction, and may have a shape
approximate to the square plate shape except for a
combination end 124 to be described below. The thickness of
the panel body 121 may be thinner than the thickness of the
block body of the block 20 corresponding to the panel body
121.
An upper combining corrugation 122 may be formed along
the upper end of the panel body 121, and a lower combining
corrugation 122' may be formed along the lower end of the
panel body 121. The upper combining corrugation 122 may
protrude at a relatively front side of the panel body 121,
and the lower combining corrugation 122' may protrude at a
relatively rear side of the panel body 121. Accordingly,
when panels 120 are stacked with each other, the upper
combining corrugation 122 of a panel 120 located at a lower
part of the panels 120 and the lower combining corrugation
122' of a panel 120 located at an upper part of the panels
120 may fit to each other, so the relative movement of the
panel body 121 in a front to rear direction may be
prevented.
26
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-02-26
CA 03111429 2021-02-26
Attorney Ref.: 1145P008CA01
A side combining corrugation 123 may be formed at each
of the side upper and lower end parts of the panel body 121.
The side combining corrugation 123 may be formed to protrude
at the relatively front side of the panel body 121.
The combination end 124 may protrude on each of the
opposite side surfaces of the panel body 121. The
combination end 124 may extend from a middle part of a side
surface of the panel body 121 toward the upper and lower
ends thereof, and may occupy an area of an approximate half
of the side surface of the panel body 121. A combination
hole 125 may be formed vertically through the combination
end 124. A separate combination rod may be installed in the
combination hole 125, and may be inserted to a combination
hole 125 of a panel 120 to be combined with the panel 120
and corresponding thereto.
An end combining corrugation 126 may be formed on the
outer surface of the combination end 124. The end combining
corrugation 126 may be formed to have a shape corresponding
to the side combining corrugation 123. The side combining
corrugation 123 and an end combining corrugation 126 of a
panel 120 adjacent to the side combining corrugation 123 may
be combined with each other.
A through path 127 may be formed in the panel body
121. The through path 127 may be formed to have a curved
shape having a predetermined curvature, and may be open to
27
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-02-26
CA 03111429 2021-02-26
Attorney Ref.: 1145P008CA01
the rear surface of the panel body 121 at opposite ends of
the through path 127. The configuration of the through path
127 is illustrated in FIG. 10. Since the through path 127
is formed to have the curved shape having a predetermined
curvature, the strip-shaped reinforcing member 30 may
efficiently pass through the inside of the panel. An
entrance/exit 128 allowing the through path 127 to be open
to the rear surface of the panel body 121 may include an
entrance and an exit formed at one through path 127.
Accordingly, the strip-shaped reinforcing member 30 may be
introduced into the through path 127 through the
entrance/exit 128 located at a first side of the through
path 127 and may come out through the entrance/exit 128
located at a second side of the through path 127.
The through path 127 may include multiple through
paths formed in one panel body 121, and the entrances/exits
128 of the through paths may be formed to have heights such
that through paths 127 adjacent to each other correspond to
each other. This is intended to ensure that the filling of
the backfill soil 40 is performed by predetermined
thickness.
Of the through paths 127, a through path formed by
being adjacent to each of the upper and lower ends of the
panel body 121 may be formed to have half the length of each
of the through paths 127. Accordingly, a middle exit 128'
28
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-02-26
CA 03111429 2021-02-26
Attorney Ref.: 1145P008CA01
may be formed in the through path 127 formed by being
adjacent to each of the upper and lower ends of the panel
body 121 such that the middle exit 128' is open to each of
the upper and lower end surfaces of the panel body 121. The
middle exits 128' of the panels 120 stacked vertically such
that the middle exits 128' correspond to each other may be
connected to each other to form one through path 127 as a
whole. Due to the through path 127 formed by the middle
exits 128', the vertically stacked panels 120 may be
connected to each other by the strip-shaped reinforcing
member 30.
In the panel body 121, the reinforcing member path
(not shown) may be formed at a position at which the middle
exit 128' is formed such that the strip-shaped reinforcing
member 30 passes between the panels 120 stacked vertically
without interference therewith. For reference, FIG. 10
illustrates the through path 127, which is not within a cut
line, with a dotted line.
As in the embodiment, in a case in which the panel 120
constitutes the skin of the reinforced earth retaining wall,
the remaining components except for the panel 120 may be the
same as the components of the reinforced earth retaining
wall constituted by the block.
Hereinbelow, the construction process of the
reinforced earth retaining wall according to the present
29
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-02-26
CA 03111429 2021-02-26
Attorney Ref.: 1145P008C AO 1
disclosure having the above-described configuration will be
described in detail. For convenience, referring to FIGS.
6(a), 6(b), 6(c), and 6(d), only a case in which the block
20 is used as the skin of the reinforced earth retaining
wall will be described.
As illustrated in FIG. 6(a), the strip-shaped
reinforcing member 30 cut to have a predetermined length may
be placed on the ground 10, and the middle part of the
strip-shaped reinforcing member 30 may be located in the
through hole 23 of the blocks 20 by passing the strip-shaped
reinforcing member 30 through the through hole 23 of the
blocks 20 from a lower part thereof toward an upper part
thereof. In the embodiment, the blocks 20 may be stacked by
two blocks 20, but as described above, the block 20 may be
stacked by one block 20. The remaining part of the strip-
shaped reinforcing member 30 passing through the through
hole 23 of the two blocks 20 may be bent toward the front of
the blocks 20 as illustrated in the drawing. In this state,
the backfill soil 40 may be filled on the strip-shaped
reinforcing member 30 placed on the ground.
Here, the strip-shaped reinforcing member 30 may be
cut to have the predetermined length, and particularly, may
be cut to have length calculated by summing twice length
from the rear end of the backfill soil 40 to the blocks 20
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-02-26
CA 03111429 2021-02-26
Attorney Ref.: 1145P008CA01
and the length of the part of the strip-shaped reinforcing
member 30 located in the through hole 23 of the blocks 20.
FIG. 6(a) illustrates a state in which the filling of
the backfill soil 40 is completed up to the height of the
two blocks 20 initially stacked on the ground 10. In this
state, the strip-shaped reinforcing member 30 bent toward
the front of the block 20 may be located on the upper
surface of the filled backfill soil 40. This state is
illustrated in FIG. 6(b). For reference, the blocks 20
stacked by two blocks 20 may be arranged in a row from side
to side in an entire area in which the reinforced earth
retaining wall is formed.
Next, two blocks 20 may be stacked on the two stacked
blocks 20. In this case, the blocks 20 located at a lower
position and the blocks 20 located at an upper position may
not be stacked to be in agreement with each other, but one
upper block 20 may sit on lower two blocks 20. That is, the
blocks 20 may not be stacked to be vertically in agreement
with each other, but as illustrated in FIG. 1, the upper
blocks 20 and the lower blocks 20 may be stacked to be in
disagreement with each other.
Of course, a new strip-shaped reinforcing member 30
may be placed on the upper surface of the backfill soil 40
of FIG. 6(a), and the new trip-shaped reinforcing member 30
may pass through the through hole 23 of two blocks 20, and
31
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-02-26
CA 03111429 2021-02-26
Attorney Ref.: 1145P008CA01
the remaining part of the strip-shaped reinforcing member 30
coming out of the two blocks 20 after passing therethrough
may be bent toward the front of the blocks 20. This state
is illustrated in FIG. 6(c).
Next, the backfill soil 40 may be filled behind the
two blocks 20 stacked secondly, and when the filling of the
backfill soil 40 is completed, the remaining part of the
strip-shaped reinforcing member 30 bent toward the front of
the blocks 20 may be located on the upper surface of the
backfill soil 40. This state is illustrated in FIG. 6(d).
When the construction of the reinforced earth
retaining wall is repeatedly performed in the manner
described above, the reinforced earth retaining wall having
a desired height may be manufactured.
In addition, when the panel 120 is used, the strip-
shaped reinforcing member 30 may not pass vertically through
the panel 120, but may come out from the rear surface of the
panel body 121 at a second side of the rear surface after
passing through the inside of the panel body 121 through the
rear surface of the panel body 121 at a first side of the
rear surface. The
entrance and exit 128 of the opposite
sides of the through path 127 made for this may be open to
the rear surface of the panel body 121, and the through path
127 may be formed to have a curved shape having the
predetermined curvature.
32
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-02-26
CA 03111429 2021-02-26
Attorney Ref.: 1145P008CA01
Accordingly, the strip-shaped reinforcing member 30
passing through the panel 120 may not be bent abruptly, and
the parts of the strip-shaped reinforcing member 30 located
inside the backfill soil 40 may be located horizontally at
the entire area of each different layer, so friction between
the strip-shaped reinforcing member 30 and the backfill soil
40 may be maximized.
Even though it has been described that all components
constituting the embodiments of the present disclosure are
combined into one or operated in combination with each other,
the present disclosure is not necessarily limited to the
embodiments. That is, within the scope of the present
disclosure, all of the components may be selectively combined
into at least one and operated. In addition, the terms such
as "include", "consist of", or "have" described above mean
that the corresponding component may be present unless
otherwise stated, and thus should be construed that the
terms do not exclude other components, but may further
include other components. All terms, including technical or
scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly
understood by those skilled in the art to which the present
disclosure belongs, unless defined otherwise. Generally
used terms, such as terms defined in the dictionary, should
be interpreted as being consistent with the contextual
meaning of the related art, and should not be interpreted in
33
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-02-26
CA 03111429 2021-02-26
Attorney Ref.: 1145P008CA01
an ideal or excessively formal meaning unless explicitly
defined in the present disclosure.
The above description is merely illustrative of the
technical idea of the present disclosure, and those skilled
in the art to which the present disclosure belongs may
perform various modification and changes within the scope
not departing from the essential characteristics of the
present disclosure. Accordingly, the embodiments disclosed
in the present disclosure are not intended to limit, but to
W explain the technical idea of the present disclosure, and
the scope of the technical spirit of the present disclosure
is not limited by these embodiments. The scope of
protection of the present disclosure should be interpreted
by the claims below, and all technical spirits within the
scope equivalent to the scope of the claims should be
interpreted as being included in the scope of the claims of
the present disclosure.
34
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-02-26
