Modular structures, retaining wall system, and method of construction

Structure for a modular assembly for retaining soil along an embankment, comprising in combination

• at least a pair of laterally spaced tie-back elements, each tie-back element including
• an elongated, rigid, vertically oriented column means having upper and lower longitudinal ends,
• an elongated, rigid, horizontally extending leg means projecting in angled relationship to such column means from the lower longitudinal end of such column means, such leg means including horizontally oriented flange means, and
• web means extending between the column means and the leg means within the interior angle formed by such column means and leg means,
• such column means, leg means, and web means being unitary and sharing a common vertical plane when the element is in normal upright position for use in a retaining wall,
• such column means including panel receiving means extending along a major portion of its length,
• such elongated leg means having an overall length which is greater than the height of such column means and including a terminal end longitudinally spaced from that end of the leg means contiguous to the column means, with a cross-sectional dimension of such leg means being greater contiguous to the terminal end than the corresponding dimension at portions of such leg means contiguous to such column means,
• the web means extending along the leg means toward such terminal end, and
• elongated retaining panel means spanning such lateral space between such pair of tie-back elements, such elongated panel means being longitudinally continuous,
• such retaining panel means having longitudinal ends contacting the panel receiving means along the column means of the tie-back elements and having a concavo-convex configuration in horizontal cross section including opposite concave and convex surfaces with the convex surface facing and receiving soil fill supported by the assembly,
• such panel receiving means on each column means being in confronting relationship across such lateral spacing between the pair of tie-back elements,
• the soil retaining panel means and tie-back elements being free of any positive interconnection, with the soil retaining panel means being held in place by their own weight and configuration prior to soil fill against the convex surface of such panel means,
• the tie-back elements holding such retaining panel means against horizontal outward movement in a direction away from the embankment with soil pressure on such retaining panel means being transmitted back to embankment overburden through such leg means.

A modular retaining wall system for retaining soil along an embankment, the system comprising

• a plurality of individual selected-height retaining wall tiers arranged one above the other and offset inwardly toward the embankment with respect to each other for holding an embankment of compacted soil and similar fill material,
• each of the plurality of such tiers being assembled from modular structures comprising
• tie-back elements in laterally spaced relationship with elongated soil retaining panel means spanning such space between pairs of tie-back elements,
• the tie-back elements comprising
• an elongated, rigid, vertically oriented column means having upper and lower longitudinal ends,
• an elongated, rigid, horizontally extended leg means projecting in angled relationship to such column means from the lower longitudinal end of such column means, such leg means including horizontally oriented flange means, and
• web means extending between the column means and the leg means within the interior angle formed by such column means and leg means,
• such column means, leg means, and web means being unitary and sharing a common vertical plane when the element is in normal upright position,
• the elongated soil retaining panel means comprising
• longitudinally continuous panels of concavo-convex configuration in horizontal cross section having concave and convex wall surfaces having opposite longitudinal ends contacting the column means of a spaced pair of tie-back elements with intermediate convex wall surface area confronting the embankment for holding back soil fill,
• a lower tier of such modular elements being assembled along a substantially horizontal plane, and with
• a subsequent overlaying tier being assembled independently of the lower tier on fill behind the retaining panel means and above the horizontally extending leg means of the lower tier,
• such subsequent tier being offset in the direction of the embankment from the lower tier.

A method of erecting a retaining wall for retaining soil along an embankment comprising the steps of

• forming a substantially horizontal foundation site,
• providing a plurality of module structures including tie-back means and retaining panel means,
• the tie-back means comprising a plurality of tie-back elements, each tie-back element comprising
• an elongated, rigid, vertically oriented column means having upper and lower longitudinal ends,
• an elongated, rigid, horizontally extending leg means projecting in angled relationship to such column means from the lower longitudinal end of such column means, such leg means including horizontally oriented flange means, and
• reinforcing web means extending between such column means and leg means within the interior angle formed by such column means and leg means,
• such column means, leg means, and web means being unitary and sharing a common vertical plane when the element is in normal upright position,
• the retaining panel means comprising elongated panels being longitudinally continuous and having a concavo-convex configuration in horizontal cross-section with concave and convex wall surfaces,
• arranging a plurality of tie-back elements in laterally spaced relationship along the horizontal foundation site with their column means in an upright position and their leg means projecting inwardly toward the embankment,
• positioning an elongated retaining panel to span the lateral space between each pair of cooperating tie-back elements, with longitudinal ends of the panel means contacting the column means of the tie-back elements but being free of positive interconnection with such tie-back elements, and
• providing a fill behind such panel means in the direction of the embankment, such soil fill contacting convex wall surfaces of such panel means and overlaying the leg means of the tie-back elements.