Mechanically stabilized earth (mse) retaining wall employing round rods with spaced pullout inhibiting structures

Abstract

Various embodiments of a mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) retaining wall that employ, for reinforcement, round rods with spaced pullout inhibiting structures (for example, round planar disks) are disclosed. The MSE retaining wall has at least one concrete panel. The panel has a generally planar body with a frontside, a backside, and a surrounding peripheral edge. The MSE retaining wall has at least one round, steel rod, the rod having a generally cylindrical elongated body with first and second ends. The first end is attached to the panel, and the elongated body and second end reside within backfill soil against the backside of the panel. The MSE retaining wall further includes at least one steel, pullout inhibiting structure residing along the elongated body of the rod. The pullout inhibiting structure has a body with a surface region that spans in a transverse radial direction from the elongated body of the rod. The rod passes through the body of the pullout inhibiting structure.

At least the following is claimed: 
     
         1 . A mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) retaining wall, comprising:
 at least one concrete panel, the panel having a generally planar body with a frontside, a backside, and a surrounding peripheral edge;   at least one round, steel rod, the rod having a generally cylindrical elongated body with first and second ends, the first end attached to the panel, the elongated body and second end residing within backfill soil; and   at least one steel, pullout inhibiting structure residing along the elongated body of the rod, the pullout inhibiting structure having a body with a surface region that spans in a transverse radial direction from the elongated body of the rod, the rod passing through the body of the pullout inhibiting structure.   
     
     
         2 . The wall of  claim 1 , wherein the steel rod comprises a plurality of raised ribs along its elongated body. 
     
     
         3 . The wall of  claim 2 , wherein the steel rod is rebar. 
     
     
         4 . The wall of  claim 1 , wherein pullout inhibiting structure is a disk having a generally planar body with a frontside, a backside, and a surrounding circular peripheral edge. 
     
     
         5 . The wall of  claim 4 , wherein the body of the disk has an inside diameter of between 0.5 inches and 0.75 inches. 
     
     
         6 . The wall of  claim 4 , further comprising a plurality of disks and wherein the body of each disk has an outside diameter of 1.375 inches, the body of the rod has a diameter of 0.5 inches, and the disks are spaced apart by between 8 and 24 inches. 
     
     
         7 . The wall of  claim 1 , wherein the disk is a steel washer that is welded to the steel rod. 
     
     
         8 . The wall of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the rod is curved near the first end;   the first end having bolt threads;   the rod passes through a steel connector loop extending from the backside of the panel; and   a nut on the bolt threads attaches the steel rod to connector loop, thereby attaching the steel rod to the panel.   
     
     
         9 . The wall of  claim 8 , wherein the connector loop has first and second opposing hole sides and further comprising a washer situated between the nut and the first hole side of the connector loop and an anti-shear collar attached to the rod and situated against the second opposing hole side of the connector loop, and wherein the combination of the nut, the washer, the connector loop, and the anti-shear collar secures the rod to the panel. 
     
     
         10 . The wall of  claim 8 , wherein the connector loop has first and second opposing hole sides, wherein the nut is part of a flange nut, the flange nut also having a radial flange, wherein the flange of the flange nut is situated against the first hole side of the connector loop, wherein an anti-shear collar is attached to the rod and situated against the second opposing hole side of the connector loop, and wherein the combination of the flange nut, the connector loop, and the anti-shear collar secures the rod to the panel. 
     
     
         11 . The wall of  claim 1 , wherein the pullout inhibiting structure has a planar body with a frontside, a backside, and a surrounding peripheral edge. 
     
     
         12 . A mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) retaining wall, comprising:
 a plurality of concrete panels, each panel having a generally planar body with a frontside, a backside, and a surrounding peripheral edge;   a plurality of generally round steel rods, each rod having a generally cylindrical elongated body with first and second ends, each rod being curved near the first end and extending through a steel connector loop extending from the back side of the panel, the first end being secured to the connector loop by a nut that is threaded on the first end, the elongated body and second end residing within backfill soil; and   at least one steel, generally planar, pullout inhibiting structure residing along the elongated body of the rod, the disk having a generally planar body with a frontside, a backside, and a surrounding peripheral edge, the rod passing through a central part of the body of the planar structure.   
     
     
         13 . The wall of  claim 12 , wherein the connector loop has first and second opposing hole sides and further comprising a washer situated between the nut and the first hole side of the connector loop and an anti-shear collar attached to the rod and situated against the second opposing hole side of the connector loop, and wherein the combination of the nut, the washer, the connector loop, and the anti-shear collar secures the rod to the panel. 
     
     
         14 . The wall of  claim 12 , wherein the connector loop has first and second opposing hole sides, wherein the nut is part of a flange nut, the flange nut also having a radial flange, wherein the flange of the flange nut is situated against the first hole side of the connector loop, wherein an anti-shear collar is attached to the rod and situated against the second opposing hole side of the connector loop, and wherein the combination of the flange nut, the connector loop, and the anti-shear collar secures the rod to the panel. 
     
     
         15 . The wall of  claim 12 , wherein the steel rod comprises a plurality of raised ribs along its elongated body. 
     
     
         16 . The wall of  claim 12 , wherein the steel rod is rebar. 
     
     
         17 . The wall of  claim 12 , wherein the pullout inhibiting structure is a disk having a circular peripheral edge. 
     
     
         18 . The wall of  claim 17 , wherein the disk is a steel washer that is welded to the steel rod. 
     
     
         19 . The wall of  claim 17 , wherein the body of the disk has an inside diameter of between 0.5 inches and 0.75 inches. 
     
     
         20 . The wall of  claim 12 , wherein the pullout inhibiting structure is a disk and wherein the body of each disk has an outside diameter of 1.375 inches, the body of the rod has an outside diameter of 0.5 inches, and the disks are spaced apart between 8 and 24 inches.