# US 2008/0187402 A1 · Retaining wall element > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2008/0187402 A1 - Document ID: US20080187402A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 11/654,473 - Filed: 2007-01-17 - Published: 2008-08-07 - Earliest claimed: 2007-01-17 - Inventors: Kevin J. Jennings - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20080187402A1 ## CPC - E02D 29/02: Retaining or protecting walls (piers or quay walls E02B3/06) - E02D: FOUNDATIONS; EXCAVATIONS; EMBANKMENTS (specially adapted for hydraulic engineering E02B); UNDERGROUND OR UNDERWATER STRUCTURES {(tunnels, tunnelling, mining E21)} ## Abstract A retaining wall element and method of constructing a retaining wall wherein the retaining wall element is made from a concrete material having a stacking system that enables a stack of the retaining wall elements to work substantially as a retaining wall, and wherein one exposed surface of the retaining wall element is formed to simulate the general appearance of the grain and color of a selected type of wood. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A retaining wall element comprising: a first top surface substantially offset from a second top surface by a first offset portion; a first bottom surface generally offset from a second bottom surface by a second offset portion; a back surface connecting the second top surface with the second bottom surface; a front surface connecting the first upper surface with the first bottom surface; a plurality of vertices formed by the intersection of the first top surface, the first offset portion, the second top surface, the back surface, the second bottom surface, the second offset portion, the first bottom surface, and the front surface, wherein the retaining wall element is manufactured from a concrete-based material, and wherein the front surface includes a texture substantially similar to that of a wood grain material. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The retaining wall element of claim 1 wherein the front surface has a color generally selected to match the wood grain material. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The retaining wall element of claim 2 wherein the color of the front surface is generated by adding a coloring agent to a mixture used in the concrete-based material. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The retaining wall element of claim 3 wherein the color of the front surface is generated by application of a coloring agent to the front surface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The retaining wall element of claim 4 wherein the plurality of vertices have an angular value of about 90 degrees. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The retaining wall element of claim 3 wherein the first offset portion is generally perpendicular to the first top surface and the second top surface, wherein the second offset portion is generally perpendicular to the first bottom surface and the second bottom surface, and wherein the first offset portion is substantially parallel to the second offset portion. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The retaining wall element of claim 6 wherein the combination of the first top surface, the second top surface, and the first offset portion is sized and configured to generally match the configuration of the combination of the first bottom surface, the second bottom surface, and the second offset portion such that when two retaining wall elements are longitudinally stacked one upon the other there are no appreciable gaps between the two retaining wall elements. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The retaining wall element of claim 4 wherein the first offset portion is not perpendicular to the first top surface and the second top surface, wherein the second offset portion is not perpendicular to the first bottom surface and the second bottom surface, and wherein the first offset portion is substantially parallel to the second offset portion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The retaining wall element of claim 8 wherein the combination of the first top surface, the second top surface, and the first offset portion is sized and configured to generally match the configuration of the combination of the first bottom surface, the second bottom surface, and the second offset portion such that when two retaining wall elements are longitudinally stacked one upon the other there are no appreciable gaps between the two retaining wall elements. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The retaining wall element of claim 7 wherein stacking an upper retaining wall element longitudinally upon a lower retaining wall element allows the front surface of the upper retaining wall element to be offset about 0.75 inches from the front surface of the lower retaining wall element. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The retaining wall element of claim 10 wherein the concrete-based material has a water/cement ratio of about 0.4, a concrete unit weight of about 139 per cubic foot, and a total fineness modulus of about 4.6. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The retaining wall element of claim 11 further comprising a system of structural reinforcement. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The retaining wall element of claim 12 wherein the system of structural reinforcement is substantially encased within the concrete-based material. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The retaining wall element of claim 13 wherein the system of structural reinforcement includes at least one of either metal bars, metal mesh, or fiber mesh. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The retaining wall element of claim 14 wherein the front face has a vertical dimension of between about 5.5 and 6.5 inches. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The retaining wall element of claim 15 wherein the first top surface has a horizontal dimension of between about 7.5 and 8.5 inches. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The retaining wall element of claim 16 wherein the first offset portion and the second offset portion has a vertical dimension of between about 1.0 and 2.0 inches. ### Claim 18 A retaining wall element comprising: a retaining wall element; means for allowing at least two or more retaining wall elements to be stacked longitudinally such that a lower surface of a first retaining wall element generally matches an upper surface of a second retaining wall element, wherein the lower surface and the upper surface are not completely flat, and wherein the geometry of the lower surface is sized and shaped to match the geometry of the upper surface; means for colorizing at least one exposed surface of the retaining wall element; and means for texturizing the exposed surface to be substantially the similar to a wood grain texture. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The retaining wall element of claim 18 wherein the front face has a vertical dimension of between about 5.5 and 6.5 inches. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The retaining wall element of claim 19 wherein the first top surface has a horizontal dimension of between about 7.5 and 8.5 inches.