GB2327969A

GB2327969A - Geo textile material

Info

Publication number: GB2327969A
Application number: GB9716489A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Hiroshi Nakahara; Yuichi Sakai
Original assignee: YKK Europe Ltd
Current assignee: YKK Europe Ltd
Priority date: 1997-08-04
Filing date: 1997-08-04
Publication date: 1999-02-10
Also published as: GB9716489D0; EP0896102A1

Abstract

Adjacent strips of geo textile material are joined with a surface fastener 8,12, e.g. a hook and loop fastener. The surface fastener may be provides either in a continuous length or at intervals along an edge of the strip.

Description

1 M&C Folio: 230P77356 GEO TEXTILE MATERIAL 2327969 The present invention

relates to a geo textile material.

Geo textiles are used in civil engineering projects to strengthen or reinforce sub-soil for separation and for filtration. Usually the material is laid in 4 metre wide strips. A variety of materials is available, typically have a breaking strain of from less than 100KNIm. to over 400 KNI1n. For some applications, a simple overlap of adjacent strips is adequate, but for other applications the strips must be secured together. This is very difficult and time consuming because the length and weight of the strips makes them difficult to handle. Typically, the strips are folded at the overlap and sewn, all this taking place on-site, after the strips are laid. It may take 10 people one day to sew the strips covering a 5000 square metres area. Sewing usually offers a join equal in strength to about 50 to 70% of the material strength.

A first aspect of the present invention provides a method of laying geo textile materials comprising laying a plurality of strips of material side by side and joining the strips by means of a surface fastener.

A second aspect of the invention provides a length of g e'o textile material having a surface fastener adjacent an edge of the material.

Preferably the surface fastener comprises at least the hook part of a hook and loop fastener. The hook part may be secured to a strip adjacent its edge, for example by sewing or welding, and engage directly with the material of the adjacent strip. The adjacent strip may have a complementary loop part attached to it, or it may have a hook part which will engage with the hook part of the other strip.

The fastener may be attached to a strip on site, but preferably is attached to the strip, or incorporated in it, during manufacture.

11.

2 The fastener may extend continuously along the edge of the strip or it may be provided at regular spaced intervals along the strip.

Where a two part fastener is used, a continuous length of one part may be provided along one edge of a strip, and the complementary part provided at intervals along one edge of a strip. Preferably a strip has one fastener part on one face adjacent one edge, and a complementary part on the other face adjacent the other edge so that strips can be easily matched when laid.

In another form, adjacent edges of geo textile strips are joined by a strip of hook-type surface fastener which engages the geo textile material itself.

The invention provides a system which greatly simplifies the procedure for joining strips of geo textiles whi le maintaining sufficient strength in the joint. Also, it can reduce the amount of material which must be overlapped to form the join.

The invention will be further described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 illustrates a first embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 illustrates a second embodiment of the invention; Figure 3 illustrates a third embodiment of the invention; and Figure 4 illustrates a fourth embodiment of the invention.

Figure 1 shows two strips 2, 4 of geo textile material, typically four meters wide. On the underside of the right hand edge 6 (as shown in the drawing) of each strip short lengths 8 of loop material of a hook and loop fastener are attached to the strip by sewing, welding or gluing. On the upper side of the left hand edge 10 of each strip, short lengths 12 of complementary hook material are attached at the same spacing and in a imilar manner as the lengths 8.

The material and design of the hook and loop fastener 8, 12, and its method of attachment is chosen to suit the required physical properties of the join between the strips. Hook and loop fasteners having very high W_.

ha' - 3 strengths - resistance to shear or peel and resistance to environmental degradation, are available. Fasteners with moulded hooks, in particular, can provide high strength fastenings.

In place of the hook/loop fastener 10, 12, hook parts which mate with like hook parts, or mixed hook and loop material may be used.

The fastener parts 8, 12 may be attached to the geo textile strip 2, 4 as part of the manufacturing process, or they may be attached on site when the strips are unrolled or after they have been laidL The fastener parts may, for example, be sewn or fixed in place with touch sensitive adhesive. The strips 2, 4 are laid so that the edge 6 will overlap the edge 10 of an adjacent strip. The strips can then be joined by simply pressing the fastener parts 8, 12 together.

The size and spacing of the fastener parts 8, 12 is also selected to suit the required strength of the join between the strips 24. Typically the parts 8, 12 may be 10Omm long by 20mni wide and spaced at 1 metre intervals and about 20nim in from the extreme edge of the strip 2, 4.

Surface fasteners typically have a greater strength in shear than in peel. Hence for many applications they will be quite suited to joining the geo textile lengths which are more likely to be subjected to shear forces trying to separate them.

In the embodiments of figures 2 to 4, like parts to the embodiment of figure 1 are given the same reference numeral. In the embodiment of Figure 1, if the fastener parts 8, 12 are attached before the strips are laid, they must be aligned during laying of the strips. La the embodiment of Figure 2 the surface fastener is in the form of two continuous strips 8', 12', thus avoiding the need to align the fastener parts in the length direction. This will also provide a greater strength join.

In the embodiment of Figure 3, a continuous strip 12' of fastener material is used on one edge 10, while spaced apart short lengths 8 of complementary material are used on the other edge. It will be appreciated that the lengths 8 need not be at precisely regular spacing. Also, if a 4 It 4 complementary surface fastener parts such as hooks on one part and loops on the other are used, the cheaper part may be used for the continuous strip 1T.

In the embodiment of figure 4, two adjacent strips 2, 4 are laid with their edges abutting, and overlap a strip 14 of hook material which serves to join the strips. Preferably the hook material has a hook design suitable for engaging the geo textile material directly, but complementary fastener part(s) may be provided on the facing edges of the strips 2, 4. The hook strip 14 is about 20Omm wide. The strength of the join depends in part on the area of the fastener in contact with the geo textile material surface and so a wider strip may be provided for greater strength in the join.

In yet another embodiment, short lengths of hook type surface fastener, may be laid with their length across the join or overlap of two adjacent strips 2, 4.

Various modifications will occur to those skilled in the art and it is desired to include all such modifications as fall within the scope of the accompanying claims.

1 W,

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A method of laying geo textile material, comprising laying a plurality of strips of material side by side and joining the adjacent strips by means of a surface fastener.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the surface fastener is attached to the geo textile at the site where the material is laid.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the adjacent strips of geo textile material are connected by a hook type surface fastener which overlaps adjacent edges of the strips of material-

4. A method of laying a geo textile material, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 1, Fig. 2, Fig. 3 or Fig. 4 of the accompanying drawings.

5. A strip of geo textile material having a surface fastener adjacent an edge of the strip.

6. A strip of geo textile material as claimed in claim 5, wherein the surface fastener is adapted to engage directly with the material of an adjacent geo textile strip.

7. A strip of geo textile material as claimed in claim 5 or 6, wherein the strip of material has a first surface fastener part on one side adjacent one edge of the strip, and a complementary surface fastener part on the other side and adjacent the other edge.

6

8. A strip of geo textile material as claimed in claim 5, 6 or 7, wherein the or a part of the surface fastener is provided in a substantially continuous length along one edge.

9. A strip of geo textile material as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 8, wherein the or a part of the surface fastener is provided at intervals along an edge of the strip.

10. A length of geo textile material as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 9, wherein the surface fastener comprises at least the hook part of a hook and loop fastener.

11. A length of geo textile material, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 1, Fig. 2 or Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings.