On September 3rd, 2010, our Patent Attorney (www.RossPatent.com) filed a patent application with the United States Patent and Trade Mark Office (USPTO.gov) titled "METHOD AND DEVICE FOR SUPPORTING LIGHTLY LOADED STRUCTURES AND PAVEMENTS ON HIGHLY EXPANSIVE SOILS".

In summary, soils with moderate to very high swelling pressures cause distress to lightly loaded slabs and pavements.  In the past, it was necessary to either use structural slabs, post tensioned slabs, ribbed mat or pier & grade beam foundations for the buildings.  For the pavements, ground improvement was often prescribed.

With our method, a device is used in conjunction with normally available construction materials to economically support lighltly loaded sructures and pavements. This method will eliminate the need for pier and grade beams and it is suitable for soils/bedrock with a maximum swelling pressure of 25,000 psf (1,200 kPa).  Foundation excavation often varies from 2.5 ft to 5.0 ft (0.8m-1.5m) depending on soil swelling pressure and frost depth.  Allowable bearing pressure of about 2,000 to 4,000 psf (100 - 200 kPa) is all that is required. 

A DOME software is posted below.  The interested party will need to purchase a one time license for each project.  Once a an examination fee has been paid, DOME software installation numbers will be emailed to you.  DOME software uses both SI and English units.  It calculates the parameters for the design of foundations and pavements on higly expansive soils.

In the United States, we are not your geotechnical or structural engineer of record.  Although we are a team of engineers registered in California, Texas, Colorado, Virginia, New Mexico, Kentucky, Lousiana, and 11 other states.  We are only granting you a one time use of the license.  A seperate license is needed for each new project in which patent pending application is sought. Two copies of the DOME software will be made available to you. 

In the US, expansive soils cause more damage than flood, fire and earthquake events combined, each year.  Worldwide, expansive soils or swelling soils or active soils are found on 50% of the earth's surface. Worldwide, this technonolgy will be applicable in South Africa, Mexico, Oman, Sudan, Palestine, Norway, Israel, Tanzania, Saudi Arabia, Canada and many other nations.

We believe developers of residential homes and light commercial buildings will benefit from this new technology the most. Also State DOT's in CA, TX, CO, OK, ND, SD, MS, TN, LA and many others will find this application very cost effective. This system will be very beneficial to developing nations due to its simplicity.
For more information, CONTACT US.