Patent Application
20190153687
The present invention relates to geotube apparatus for environmental erosion and landscape applications including coastal and shoreline stabilization purposes. More particularly, the present invention relates to geotube apparatus with in situ forming of protective barriers and to structural coverings for geotube apparatus and methods for environmental applications and for coastal and shoreline stabilization providing increased service life and resistance to damage.
Geotubes are manufactured from polymeric fabric materials. Many geotubes are formed to have an elongated cylindrical configuration. Geotubes are flexible and fabric-like and therefore conform easily to uneven or rolling surfaces. Some geotubes are manufactured to possess great tensile strength and resistance to tensile failure. Certain types of geotubes are used to reinforce shorelines. In such uses, one purpose of using the geotube is to hold earthen shoreline components together by providing a latticework or meshwork whose elements have a high resistance to stretching. Still, other geotubes are produced to have flat ends.
Geotubes are usually made in large scale, e.g., several meters in width and many meters in length, so that they are easily adaptable to large-scale construction and landscaping uses. Some geotubes are used to reinforce beaches and protect shorelines from coastal erosion. Geotubes are sold by various manufacturers under the trademarks Mirafi, Nicolon, Ten Cate, Flint, Titan, Maccaferri, and Bradley.
In conventional geotubes, a geotextile is sewn into an elongated cylinder and during installation, sand or dredge material are pumped into the geotube. Most geotubes allow water to pass through them to some extent. The resulting geotube structure has significant mass and size and are used as integral part of manmade structures or systems in order to stabilize shorelines.
Three types of geotubes generally serve the market. Tubes can be spiral sewn, or have parallel seams or seamless noses.
Prior to the present invention, the conventional method of geotube fabrication utilize non-woven or woven geotextiles.
Premature failure of coastal geotubes results in unacceptable costs. The economic disadvantages of inadequate geotubes are significant. For example, beachfront communities lose millions of dollars when beaches are not accessible by the public.
There are many disadvantages with conventional geotextile tube. Conventional geotextiles tubes lack stability of overlying soils or sand. Conventional geotextiles are highly susceptible to UV degradation, have low friction, are easy for vandals to destroy, and are not aesthetically pleasing.
One conventional approach to the prevention of premature geotube failure has been directed toward developing means and methods for coating geotubes to resist UV damage. This is performed with a myriad of coatings on the geotextiles or incorporation of liners. Some tubes are coated with a urethane based UV shield. Thus, at the present time, industry focus has been on attempts to improve UV degradation, but these attempts to reduce the friction between the geotextiles and overlying soil/sand have at best been marginally successful while in instances increasing a potential for vandalism. Specifically, the prior efforts at reducing geotube failure fail to address the shoreline environmental circumstances that create a failure of the geotube or of a barrier on the outside of the geotube.
As discussed above, vandalism is another cause of premature geotube failure. Vandals often slit exposed tubes with knives and paint graffiti on the tubes.
Additionally, many communities are reluctant to utilize geotubes because of their poor aesthetics. Exposed geotubes are often compared to “beached whales”.
Beach preservation and shoreline protection are now highly engineered structures. Because of this, shoreline protection requires engineered materials.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved geotube apparatus and method for coastal and shoreline stabilization purposes. It is to such that the present invention is directed.
The present invention meets the need in the art by providing a geoturf tube, comprising a geotextile fabric in a tubular shape, said geotextile fabric being configured to contain sand but allow water to pass through the geotextile fabric and a tufted tensile elements cover attached to at least a portion of the geotextile fabric, whereby the geoturf tube being disposed on erodible surfaces provides stabilization.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a geoturf tube comprising a synthetic turf shaped into a tube and a quantity of a weighting material placed inside the tube, whereby the geoturf tube being disposed on an erodible surface provides stabilization.
In yet another aspect, the present invention provides a geoturf cover comprising a surface layer of a geotextile and a plurality of tufted tensile elements, and installed as a separate layer above a geotube to serve as a protective barrier and extend the service life of the geotube.
Further, the present invention is directed to a method of erodible surface stabilization and particularly for shoreline and coastal applications using a geotube or a geoturf tufted cover. Particularly, the present invention provides a method of stabilizing an erodible surface, comprising the steps of:
In another aspect, the present invention provides a method of stabilizing an erodible surface, comprising the steps of:
In yet another aspect, the present invention provides a method of improving a stabilization of a erodible surface, comprising the step of installing a surface layer of a geotextile having a plurality of tufted tensile elements above a geotube stabilizing apparatus, for a protective barrier and extension of a service life of the geotube.
Objects, advantages, and features of the present invention will become apparent upon a reading of the following detailed description in conjunction with the drawings and the appended claims.
The present invention pertains to means and methods for extending the life of geotubes. Additionally, the geotube apparatus according to the present invention provides improved aesthetics and the geotube affords superior resistance to vandalism and improved UV resistance. In accordance with the present invention the geotube incorporates tufted tensile elements within and extending from the surface of the textile tube structure to act as a shield and blend-in with beach sands, coastal grass, or when coastal tubes are installed to construct offshore reefs, the synthetic grass will resemble aquatic vegetation, and to collect suspended solids such as sand carried with wave action along coastal shorelines.
The present invention is particularly described herein in reference to practice with an illustrative embodiment of shoreline and coastal erosion stabilization but is not limited to such and may be practiced for erodible surface stabilization including water shorelines, channels, streams and river shorelines, lakes and ponds, harbor linings, estuaries and shorelines, and coastal environmental areas, for surface stabilization:
The present invention may also be left exposed or may be infilled with sand, stone, glass particles, or any other natural occurring soil, dredge or aggregate or synthetic material such as glass, tire rubber, or polymeric materials suitable for the application.
Artificial turf, or synthetic turf, is a man-made surface manufactured from synthetic materials, made to look like natural grass. Synthetic turf is used as an alternative to natural grass surfaces because synthetic yarns better resist wear and severe weather and typically require less maintenance. However, synthetic turf is now being used on residential lawns and commercial applications.
Synthetic turf is also utilized in highly engineered alternatives to conventional landfill soil cover systems as identified in Ayers and Urrutia in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,585,322; 8,403,597; and 7,682,105 and Ianniello and Rhoades U.S. Pat. No. 8,240,959. Well known prior art synthetic turf systems, such as FIELD TURF™, SPRINT™ and PROGRASS™, include a synthetic playing surface often coupled with rubber infill materials. These synthetic turf systems are typically installed above a natural subgrade.
The present invention relates generally to a geotube apparatus that incorporates tufted tensile elements with improved UV resistance, aesthetics, and resistance to vandalism of geotubes. The present invention utilizes tufted tensile elements as a UV shield and as a protective layer.
The present invention reflects a significant advance in coastal and shoreline stabilization apparatus and methods and particularly a departure from the prior art by providing exposed synthetic turf systems featuring operational survival over extended service life periods, such as for example, up to and beyond a decade of service life. The present invention that incorporates turf fibers for geotubes in manners non-obvious in coastal protection applications. The present invention achieves superior UV resistance over conventional tubes in that the exposed turf fibers last for over a decade. The present invention also relies upon infill (installation and in situ operational supply and replenishment) to further protect the tufted tensile elements from UV degradation. The present invention reflects a departure from the prior art for geotube application and protection. For example, the synthetic fibers utilize a sand in-fill that collects in a matrix of the geotextile and tufts of the geotube provided in a coastal application with sand transported as a suspended solid within seawater. The sand deposits and collects in the gaps or spaces between adjacent fibers of the geotextile and the tufts by wave action that transports sand. The turf fibers extending from the geoturf outer layer capture the sand and create within the matrix a protective barrier resistant to UV degradation and vandalism.
Further, the turf fibers create a rougher surface on the geotube which captures the sand particles in the turf matrix. Manning's N value is a hydraulic measure of roughness. The higher the Manning's N value the rougher the surface. Synthetic turf has a Manning's N value that typically ranges from 0.015 to 0.030 while the surface of the standard geotextile geotube will have a Manning's N value that ranges from 0.005 to 0.010. In general, a geotube with tufted tensile elements in accordance with the present invention provides an extended service life for the geotube in use for coastal and shoreline stabilization purposes.
Until the present invention, the only geosynthetic materials available for tubes were nonwoven and woven geotextiles.
The present invention relates generally to utilizing synthetic turf within the production of geotubes. The present invention includes a myriad of turfs in various lengths and colors to blend into the environment.
The present invention overcomes the many deficiencies of the conventional geotubes by providing an outer layer geotextile tufted with plurality of tufted tensile elements or grass-like blades. The increased performance attributes of the present geotube are but one desirable aspect of the present invention because such performance attributes eliminate many of the problems associated with conventional geotextiles tubes. By reducing or eliminating these problems with the present invention, the useful life of the geotube is extended.
The geotextile fabric contains the materials within the tube which are typically a soil or sand. The turf fiber forms a sand/fiber matrix barrier by containing the sand on the outside of the tube between the interspaces between adjacent tufts above the geotextile to which the turf fiber yarn tufts. For example, the tufts extend as a carpet nap of 1 inch from the geotextile and the spaced tufts define interspatial gaps. Sand (applied at installation or deposited therein by wave action during operation of the geotube for shoreline stabilization), fills the interspaces. The sand (and other water-borne particulate solids) becomes confined and trapped within the fiber turf layer, acting as a barrier for protection of the geotube.
The coating typically applied to geotubes to increase their UV resistance is a polyurethane coating. It looks and feels like an epoxy. The coating is applied to a nonwoven or woven fabric. The coating is an effective UV shield. However, the coating decreases the friction when a sand/coating/geotextile tube interface is compared to the sand/geotextile tube interface. Friction is a highly desirable property. Geotubes can be stacked. They are subjected to massive wave forces during storm events. A weak (i.e., low resistance) interface makes tubes more prone top movement, which is undesirable.
The invention also increases protection from vandalism. It is common practice to bury geotubes. Buried tubes are protected from storm events and passersby. However, once the wind or wave forces expose the tube, there is no protection. The present invention however traps sand between the tuft fibers within a vertical plane between the tube surface and the maximum length of the turf fiber. This structure provides an improved thickened barrier to vandalism and cutting of the surface of the geotube body. Attempts at vandalism is thus made very hard and time consuming. Also, graffiti would not last on the sand and fiber surface. It would wash away.
In accordance with other aspects of the present invention, synthetic turf tubes can be positioned to maximize their effectiveness. For example, tufted tensile elements can be integrated above the geotextile immediately beneath a sand layer, or exposed directly in the ocean.
Embodiments of the invention can be made in large pieces, for example, several meters wide and many meters long. Moreover, for convenience in installation, the present invention may be installed in portions which are interconnected.
The present invention can be fabricated into panels of various lengths and widths by using a means to weld, tie or sew sections to one another to form one or more continuous tubes.
The synthetic turf discussed herein includes a woven or nonwoven fabric with or without a backing and tufts on at least one surface. The tuft yarns are formed by at least one fibrillated yarn or non-fibrillated yarn together with a number of individual filament yarns, in particular with so-called monofilament or monotape yarns. The fibrillated yarn and the individual filament yarns are preferably made of polyethylene, nylon, polypropylene, polyester, or other polymeric or natural material such as jute or coconut. Other tufts may be made of a composite yarn formed by monotape yarns twisted together with a number of the monofilament yarns. The combination of a fibrillated yarn and individual filament yarns or the combination of monofilament and monotape yarns is also conceived. Another embodiment includes a thatch or non-woven within the monotape, fibrillated and filament yarns. The thatch is placed within a matrix defined by the geotextile fabric and a matrix that is intermediate the geotextile fabric and an extent plane substantially defined by the distal ends of the tufted tensile elements. This thatch or non-woven fabric captures finer sand particles while a superior portion of the matrix captures grosser or less fine sand in the gaps between adjacent tufts.
The turf tube synthetic grass surface comprises widely spaced rows of ribbons and the ribbons having a length about twice as long as the spacing between the rows of ribbons. A tufted carpet includes a primary backing having a back side and a face side, and a secondary backing. The carpet includes tufts of yarn sewn through the primary backing so as to be exposed on the face side and to form a plurality of back stitches on the back side. The yarn of the tufted carpet is a thermoplastic material. The primary and secondary backings are thermoplastic materials and are fluid-pervious fabrics. A method for making such a tufted carpet for use in a geotube includes the steps of bringing the secondary backing into contact with at least some of the back stitches on the back side of the primary backing, and heating the combination of the primary backing and the secondary backing to a temperature sufficient to adhere the secondary backing to the backstitches without melting the secondary backing.
Typical synthetic turf backing materials have relatively low tensile strength. This is because synthetic turf is typically installed on relatively flat ground and is subject to only relatively low tensile forces. A typical backing on synthetic turf may have a tensile strength as low as 100-200 pounds per foot (measured in accordance with ASTM D4595). These materials are sufficient for some geotube applications, such as geotubes that are placed entirely or partially above ground on a shoreline, that are relatively small (e.g., a few feet in diameter), and that are relatively loosely packed with sand. In such applications, the geotube may be formed solely from the synthetic turf itself with no geotextiles. In other applications, geotubes are subjected to significant forces. For example, a geotube may be of a large diameter (e.g., 30 feet) and may be submerged under water near a shoreline. Such geotubes are subject to significant forces exerted on them by movement of seawater. In such applications, the geotube may be formed from a geotextile that encompasses the sand with synthetic turf around the outside of the geotube and adhered to the geotextile by sewing, adhesive bonding, heat-bonding or other means. Such geotextiles typically have a tensile strength in excess of 1000 pounds per foot (measured in accordance with ASTM D4595). In yet other embodiments, the synthetic turf may be formed using a single geotextile as a backing material, with or without additional backing layers.
By choosing one or more shapes, sizes, colors, UV additives, alternative embodiments of the present invention can be provided. For example, the present invention may have turf fibers ranging from ¼ inch to 4 inches wherein the synthetic turf is designed to resemble aquatic vegetation and retain 50% or greater of specified strength at 5,000 hours of UV exposure measured in accordance with ASTM D 4355 (ISO 4892-2) or 50% or greater of specified strength at 7,500 hours of UV exposure measured in accordance with ASTM D 7238 (ISO 4892-3). Other UV exposure and natural exposure testing is measured in accordance with ASTM G147 and G7.
The polymeric turf fibers include one or more ultraviolet inhibitors or absorbers such as benzophenone, benzotriazole, Hindered Amines Light Stabilizers (HALS), carbon black, or UV blockers titanium dioxide and/or zinc oxide.
With reference to the drawings, in which like parts have like identifiers,
The geotube 10a includes a geotextile sheet 14a as a multilayer of the geotextile 20 and the thatch layer 21. In the illustrated embodiment, the thatch layer 21 attaches to the geotextile 20 by the tufting of the yarns to form the tufted blades 18. The thatch layer 21 may be a non-woven blanket. The tufted blades 18 extend from the geotextile sheet 14 and spaced-apart define the interspatial gaps 22. In an alternate embodiment, the thatch layer 21 comprises an airlay fabric having a plurality of interspatial gaps that capture sand, soil or particles such as suspended carry in water. In yet another alternate embodiment, the thatch layer 21 comprises a fabric formed of multiple yarns, such as texturized yarns, crimped yarns, or heat-set yarns.
With reference to
Similarly with the alternate embodiment of the geotube 10a illustrated in
Alternatively, the tufted geoturf cover 20 as shown in
Alternatively, the tufted tensile elements 18 are tufted, sewn, laminated, calendared, welded, adhesively applied, mechanically attached to an underlying permeable geotextile sheet that is subsequently formed into a tube-like structure, or any combination of attaching the tufted tensile elements thereto, for a geotube with improved performance and service life in accordance with the present invention.
The foregoing discloses embodiments of a geoturf tube and a geoturf cover that provide improved erodible surface stabilization in illustrative disclosure as to coastal and shoreline stabilization applications but not limited to such, and as to particular embodiments, provide stabilization structures having high resistance to UV degradation and to vandalism. The foregoing discloses the construction of such apparatus by combining a plurality (for example but not limiting of one to three layers) of geotextiles and spaced-apart plurality of tufts that extend as synthetic grasses. The geotubes and geoturf tufted covers of the present invention are selectively constructed and arranged to meet specified performance characteristics for stabilization service life longevity and resistance to ultraviolet degradation. While this invention has been described with particular reference to certain embodiments, one of ordinary skill may appreciate that variations and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as recited in the appended claims.
The present application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/587,906 filed Nov. 17, 2018, incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62587906 | Nov 2017 | US |
