Earth retaining system

Abstract

An earth retaining system defining a tension loaded structure for positionally maintaining horizontal and vertically displaced loads. The tension loaded structure includes frontal walls having an elliptical contour which are fixedly secured to a wire mesh screen rear wall structure through tension rods passing therebetween. The frontal walls are fastened on opposing transverse edges thereof to vertically directed support members. Adjacent frontal walls are adapted to matingly engage one to the other through releasable interlocking edges. The arcuate contour of the frontal walls are designed to minimize bending moments that may occur due to horizontal or vertical loads applied to the structural system. The rear walls are aligned in a longitudinal direction with the frontal walls and are maintained in an elliptical contour similar to the frontal walls. Granular material having a size substantially greater than the mesh screen size of the rear walls is positionally placed on opposing surfaces of the rear walls internal and external respectively to the structural system. The internal portion or volume of the structural system defined by the peripheral boundaries of the frontal walls, tension rods, and rear walls is filled with a granular material having an angle of friction greater than 22.degree..

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.