Structure for preventing frost heave damage to an underground structure and a method of installing the same

• US 6,309,142 B1
• Filed: 05/22/1997
• Issued: 10/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Konoike Construction Company Limited (Sekisui Kasei Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Konoike Construction Company Limited (Sekisui Kasei Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Otobe, Akiyoshi, Okamura, Akihiko, Nakazawa, Juichi, Takeda, Kazuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Bagnell, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, JONG SUK
• Application Number:
  US08/836,892
• Time in Patent Office: 1,622 Days
• Field of Search: 405/229, 405/216, 405/258, 405/154, 405/157, 405/231, 405/234, 405/243, 405/244, 405/232
• US Class Current: 405/231
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 31/14 against frost heaves in soil

Abstract

A durable frost heave damage preventive structure of underground structures applicable easily and at low cost to many different kinds of underground structures. The frost heave damage preventive structure includes a plate-like reaction member (7) provided at the bottom of an underground structure (1) approximately in parallel to a freezing front in the ground.

Claims

1. A method of installing a frost heave damage preventive structure in soil having a seasonal freezing layer and a maximum freezing depth, the method comprising:

excavating a pile hole in the soil to a depth below the maximum freezing depth, wherein the excavated pile hole has a predetermined diameter and depth;

inserting a pile into the pile hole, said pile having a plate-like reaction member which projects from an outer circumferential surface of the pile, wherein said reaction member is spaced from a bottom end of the pile and the predetermined diameter of the pile hole is greater than the diameter of the reaction member;

driving the pile into the pile hole so that said reaction member is positioned at the bottom of said excavated pile hole below the maximum freezing depth; and

back filling a space over the reaction member between said pile hole and said pile outer surface.

2. The method of installing a frost heave damage preventive structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said back-filling operation includes filling the space with a material which is different than the material removed during said excavating operation.

3. The method of installing a frost heave damage preventive structure as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

inserting, prior to insertion of said pile, an earth guard into said pile hole; and

removing said earth guard from said pile hole following said back-filling operation.

4. A frost heave damage preventive structure for protecting piles supporting a ground structure, located in a cold region, from damage due to frost heave of soil and thaw settlement, said frost heave damage preventive structure comprising:

a plate-like reaction member provided on a side face of a lower portion of each of the piles, wherein said plate-like reaction member extends approximately in parallel to a freezing front of the ground, and said reaction member is positioned in the ground at a depth which is deeper than a maximum freezing depth of the ground.

5. A frost heave damage preventive structure for protecting piles as claimed in claim 4, wherein each of said piles is a steel pipe pile.

6. The frost heave damage preventive structure as claimed in claim 5, wherein said plate-like reaction member comprises an annular iron plate.

7. A frost heave damage preventive structure for protecting piles as claimed in claim 4, wherein each of said piles is a concrete pipe pile.

8. The frost heave damage preventive structure as claimed in claim 7, wherein said plate-like reaction member comprises an annular iron plate.

9. A method of installing the frost heave damage preventive structure defined in claim 4, the method comprising:

excavating a pile hole which is larger than a planar shape of the plate-like reaction member, wherein the pile hole extends down to a planned buried position of the reaction member;

installing the pile, provided with the reaction member on the side face thereof, in the pile hole; and

back filling a void in the pile hole above the reaction member.