Reinforced foundation, and method of constructing the same

Abstract

A reinforced substrate is provided, so that the substrate is better able to withstand compression forces imposed on it by a structure bearing upon it. An anchor is embedded in the substrate, below the structure, the anchor having an upper portion, a long shank that extends into the substrate and a bottom portion where the anchor is structured to mechanically interlock with the substrate, the anchor further having a flange with a top surface, the flange being supported by and positioned on the upper portion of the anchor such that the top surface of the flange is disposed at or near the contact surface of the substrate, and a lateral restraint which is also embedded in the substrate and which is attached to the anchor along the shank of the anchor

1 . A connection between a structure and a relatively incompressible substrate in contact with the structure, the connection comprising: 
 a. the relatively incompressible substrate, having a contact surface upon which the structure imposes compression loads;    b. the structure, having a base member which bears against the contact surface of the substrate;    c. an anchor, embedded in the substrate, below the base member of the structure, the anchor having an upper portion, the upper portion of the anchor having an embedded section which is disposed at or near the contact surface of substrate, the anchor also having a long shank that extends into the substrate and a bottom portion where the anchor is structured to mechanically interlock with the substrate, the anchor further having a flange with a top surface, the flange being supported by and positioned on the upper portion of the anchor such that the top surface of the flange is disposed at or near the contact surface of the substrate; and    d. a lateral restraint which is also embedded in the substrate and which is attached to the anchor along the shank of the anchor and below the flange, the lateral restraint having a connection section where the lateral restraint attaches to the anchor, one or more spacing transitional sections, attached to the connection section, and one or more anchoring tabs attached to the transitional sections and separated from the anchor by the spacing, transitional sections.    
   
   
       2 . The connection of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the lateral restraint has two spacing, transitional sections, attached to the connection section, and an anchoring tab attached is attached to each of the transitional sections and separated from the anchor by the spacing, transitional sections.    
   
   
       3 . The connection of  claim 2 , wherein: 
 the connection section of the lateral restraint has first and second ends, and a central portion that wraps around at least a portion of the anchor, and the spacing, transitional sections are attached to the ends of the connection section.    
   
   
       4 . The connection of  claim 3 , wherein: 
 the connection section of the lateral restraint is formed to grab and hold the anchor between the ends of the connection section.    
   
   
       5 . The connection of  claim 4 , wherein: 
 the connection section of the lateral restraint is formed with a wrapping surface that contacts the anchor and the wrapping surface is formed to hold onto the anchor where it has threads.    
   
   
       6 . The connection of  claim 5 , wherein: 
 the spacing, transitional section is formed with an embossment to stiffen the spacing, transitional section.    
   
   
       7 . The connection of  claim 6 , wherein: 
 the anchoring tab of the lateral restraint is formed with an embossment to stiffen the anchoring tab.    
   
   
       8 . The connection of  claim 7 , wherein: 
 the embossments in the anchoring tab and the spacing, transitional section are connected.    
   
   
       9 . The connection of  claim 8 , wherein: 
 the upper portion of the anchor has exposed sections which protrude from the foundation.    
   
   
       10 . The connection of  claim 9 , wherein: 
 the structure is a shear resisting unit operatively attached to the anchor.    
   
   
       11 . The connection of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the connection section of the lateral restraint has an opening that receives the anchor.    
   
   
       12 . The connection of  claim 11 , wherein: 
 the opening in the connection section is dimensioned to closely receive the anchor.    
   
   
       13 . The connection of  12 , wherein: 
 the opening in the connection section is formed to thread onto a threaded portion of the anchor.    
   
   
       14 . The connection of  claim 13 , wherein: 
 the opening in the connection section that receives the anchor is a drawn opening.    
   
   
       15 . The connection of  claim 12 , wherein: 
 the opening in the connection system that receives the anchor is a drawn opening.    
   
   
       16 . The connection of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 a. two such anchors are embedded in the substrate, and    b. the lateral restraint is connected to both the anchors, and the lateral restraint is formed with a second connection section to which one or more spacing, transitional sections are attached, and anchoring tabs are attached to the opposite ends of each transitional section, and the second connection section is attached to the first connection section by means of a spacer.    
   
   
       17 . The connection of  claim 16 , wherein: 
 the first and second connection sections have first and second ends, and a central portion that wraps partially around each anchor, and the spacing, transitional sections are attached to one of the ends of each of the connection sections.    
   
   
       18 . The connection of  claim 17 , wherein: 
 the connection sections of the lateral restraint are formed to grab and hold the anchor between the ends of the connection sections.    
   
   
       19 . The connection of  claim 18 , 
 wherein the spacer is formed with an embossment.    
   
   
       20 . A method of making a connection between a shear resisting system and a foundation on which the shear resisting system rests, comprising: 
 a. suspending a plurality of anchors, each having a flange, the flange having a top surface, in one or more voids which will receive a cementitious material that will cure to form a relatively incompressible material that will be part of the foundation;    b. injecting the material for the foundation into the one or more voids and allowing the material to set around the anchors and the flanges on the anchors, such that the anchors are embedded in the foundation, the anchors having upper portions, the upper portions having exposed sections which protrude from the foundation and which can be received by the shear resisting system, the upper portions of the anchors also having embedded sections which lie immediately below the level of the top surface of the foundation, the anchors also having long shanks that extend into the foundation and bottom portions where the anchor is structured to mechanically interlock with the foundation, and the top surfaces of the flanges, which are supported by and positioned on the upper portions of the anchors, are disposed at substantially the same level as the top surface of the foundation;    c. mounting the shear resisting system on a top surface of the foundation, the shear resisting system having a base member which bears upon the top surface of foundation, and positioning the shear resisting system such that portions of the base member of the shear resisting system immediately surrounding the exposed sections of the upper portion of the anchors can transfer compression forces to the top surfaces of the flanges; and    d. attaching the upper portions of the anchors to the shear resisting system, such that the shear resisting system is substantially prevented from moving upwardly in relation to the upper portions of the anchors.    
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein: 
 there is attached to the anchor, one or more lateral restraints which will also be embedded in the substrate and which will be attached to the anchor along the shank of the anchor and below the flange, each lateral restraint having a connection section where the lateral restraint attaches to the anchor, one or more spacing transitional sections, attached to the connection section, and one or more anchoring tabs attached to the transitional sections and separated from the anchor by the spacing, transitional sections.    
   
   
       22 . A method of making a connection between a shear resisting system and a foundation made of a cementitious material having anchors embedded therein, the shear resisting system being designed to rest on the foundation, the method comprising: 
 a. removing portions of the material for the foundation immediately around the embedded anchors, the anchors having upper portions, the upper portions having exposed sections which protrude from the foundation and which can be received by the shear resisting system, the upper portions of the anchors also having embedded sections which lie immediately below the level of the top surface of foundation, the anchors also having long shanks that extend into the foundation and bottom portions where the anchor is structured to mechanically interlock with the foundation, the material being removed in such a fashion that at least portions of the embedded sections of the upper portions of the anchors are removed;    b. attaching flanges, the flanges having top surfaces, to the upper portions of the anchors such that the top surfaces of the flanges will lie flush with or close to the top surface of the foundation;    c. filling any voids that remain from removing material from the foundation with a second substantially incompressible material;    d. mounting the shear resisting system on a top surface of the foundation, the shear resisting system having a base member which bears upon the top surface of foundation, and positioning the shear resisting system such that portions of the base member of the shear resisting system immediately surrounding the exposed sections of the upper portions of the anchors can transfer compression forces to the top surfaces of the flanges; and    e. attaching the upper portions of the anchors to the shear resisting system, such that the shear resisting system is substantially prevented from moving upwardly in relation to the upper portions of the anchors.    
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein: 
 there is attached to the anchors, one or more lateral restraints which will also be embedded in the substrate and which will be attached to the anchors along the shanks of the anchors and below the flanges, each lateral restraint having a connection section where the lateral restraint attaches to the anchor, one or more spacing transitional sections, attached to the connection section, and one or more anchoring tabs attached to the transitional sections and separated from the anchor by the spacing, transitional sections.    
   
   
       24 . A connection between a shear resisting system and a foundation, the connection comprising: 
 a. the foundation which has an upper surface which supports the shear resisting system,    b. the shear resisting system which has a base member with a lower surface, and substantially all of the lower surface of the base member rests upon the top surface of the foundation;    c. a plurality of anchors embedded in the foundation, the anchors having upper portions, the upper portions having exposed sections which protrude from the foundation and are received by the shear resisting system, the upper portions of the anchors also having embedded sections which lie immediately below the level of the top surface of foundation, the anchors also having long shanks that extend deep into the foundation and bottom portions where the anchor is structured to mechanically interlock with the foundation;    d. tension force couplers which are attached to the exposed sections of the upper portions of the anchors and which attach to the shear resisting system, such that the shear resisting system is substantially prevented from moving past the tension force couplers and moving upwardly in relation to the upper portions of the anchors;    e. flanges, having upper surfaces, which are supported by and positioned on the embedded sections of the upper portions of the anchors in such a manner that the top surfaces of the flanges are at substantially the same level as the top surface of the foundation such that portions of the base member of the shear resisting system immediately surrounding the exposed sections of the upper portion of the anchors can transfer compression forces to the top surfaces of the flanges; wherein    f. the foundation is made of a flowable material that cures to become a non-compressible material and the foundation was formed from the material in such a manner that the material that forms the top surface of the foundation on which substantially all of the base member of the shear resisting system sits extends a substantial portion down the anchors below the embedded section of the upper portion of the anchor.    
   
   
       25 . The connection of  claim 24 , wherein 
 the portions of the foundation immediately surrounding the embedded section of the upper portion of the anchor and the flange are made up of a second material which was poured after the material that makes up substantially all of the material underneath the shear resisting system was poured and upon which the substantial weight of the shear resisting system bears.    
   
   
       26 . The connection of  claim 24 , wherein one or more of the upper portions of the anchors that protrude from the foundation comprises: 
 a. a first section that is partially embedded in the foundation and partially protrudes from the foundation,    b. an extension coupler that is releasably attached to the first portion above the top surface of the foundation, and    c. a second portion that is releasably attached to the first portion by means of the extension coupler.    
   
   
       27 . A connection between a structure and a relatively incompressible substrate in contact with the structure, the connection comprising: 
 a. the relatively incompressible substrate, having a contact surface upon which the structure imposes compression loads;    b. the structure, having a base member which bears against the contact surface of the substrate;    c. an anchor, embedded in the substrate, below the base member of the structure, the anchor having an upper portion, the upper portion of the anchor having an exposed section protruding above the contact surface of the substrate, the structure being attached to the exposed section so that compression loads can be transmitted to the anchor, the anchor also having an embedded section which is disposed at or near the contact surface of substrate, the anchor also having a long shank that extends into the substrate and a bottom portion where the anchor is structured to mechanically interlock with the substrate; and    d. one or more lateral restraints which are also embedded in the substrate and which are attached to the anchor along the shank of the anchor, each lateral restraint having a connection section where the lateral restraint attaches to the anchor, one or more spacing transitional sections, attached to the connection section, and one or more anchoring tabs attached to the transitional sections and separated from the anchor by the spacing, transitional sections.