Concrete replacement wall and method of constructing the wall

An anchorhead assembly for use in fastening a tieback to a retaining wall and connecting a concrete panel to the tieback comprising:

• a load distribution member formed of a substantially flat plate having an inner major surface adapted to be placed against the retaining wall, an opposite outer major surface, and a first opening;
• a tube to be disposed around the tieback between the outer major surface of said flat plate load distribution member and a bearing plate of a tieback anchorage having a second opening, said tube maintaining said bearing plate perpendicular to a tensile member of said tieback a predetermined distance outwardly from said flat plate load distribution member with said first opening and the second opening being in alignment to allow the passage of the tensile member of a tieback through said first opening and the second opening, said tube transmitting load from said bearing plate to said flat plate load distribution member, and said tube defining a corrosion inhibiting compound retainer for protecting from corrosion the portion of the tensile member between said load distribution member and the bearing plate;
• and
• a plurality of tension studs attached to and extending outwardly from said outer surface of said flat plate load distribution member to accept tension load from the concrete panel.

An earth retaining wall installed in front of an existing retaining wall having indented areas comprising:

• a plurality of anchorhead assemblies placed against the existing retaining wall, each said anchorhead assembly having a load distribution member formed of a flat plate bridging the indented areas of the existing retaining wall;
• tiebacks passing through said anchorhead assemblies and the existing retaining wall, said tiebacks being tensioned and secured against said anchorhead assemblies;
• and
• a concrete panel disposed in front of the existing retaining wall and supported by and encasing said anchorhead assemblies with said anchorhead assemblies and tiebacks located completely behind an outer major face of said concrete panel.

A method of replacing an existing retaining wall having an exposed face comprising the steps of:

• installing tiebacks through the existing retaining wall by:
• inserting a tensile member of each tieback through the existing retaining wall and into the earth and forming an inner anchorage around the inner end of the tensile member;
• forming at least one anchorhead assembly of a relatively flat plate load distribution member and a plurality of projections extending from a first major surface of the flat plate load distribution member;
• placing said anchorhead assembly over and around the outer end of the tensile member by passing the outer end of the tensile member through a hole in the flat plate load distribution member and with the projections extending away from the existing retaining wall;
• tensioning the tensile member against the existing retaining wall and the flat plate load distribution member;
• and
• securing a fastener to the outer end of the tensile member;
• leaving the existing retaining wall in position;
• and
• constructing a concrete panel against the existing retaining wall after the tiebacks are installed, anchored, tensioned and secured to encase the outer ends of tiebacks and the anchorhead assemblies within the concrete panel and to couple the concrete panel to the projections extending from the flat plate load distribution member, with the tiebacks and anchorhead assemblies located behind an outer major face of the concrete panel.

A method of replacing an existing retaining wall having an exposed face comprising the steps of:

• installing tiebacks through the existing retaining wall by:
• forming at least one anchorhead assembly of a relatively flat plate load distribution member and a plurality of projections extending from a major surface of the flat plate load distribution member;
• placing a second major surface of the flat plate load distribution member of the anchorhead assembly against the exposed face of the existing retaining wall;
• inserting a tensile member of the tieback through a hole in the flat plate load distribution member of the anchorhead assembly, through the existing retaining wall, and into the earth, and forming an inner anchorage around the inner end of the tensile member;
• tensioning the tensile member against the existing retaining wall and the flat plate load distribution member;
• and
• securing a fastener to the outer end of tensile member;
• leaving the existing retaining wall in position;
• constructing a concrete panel against the existing retaining wall after the tiebacks are installed, anchored, tensioned and secured to encase the outer ends of the tiebacks and the anchorhead assemblies within said concrete panel and to couple the concrete panel to the projections from the flat plate load distribution member, with the tiebacks and anchorhead assemblies located behind a major face of the concrete panel.

A method of replacing an existing retaining wall having an exposed face comprising the steps of:

• installing soil nails through the existing retaining wall by:
• inserting a tensile member of the soil nail through the existing retaining wall and into the earth;
• anchoring to the earth substantially the entire length of the tensile member behind the exposed face of the existing retaining wall;
• and
• placing an outer anchorage on an outer exposed end of said soil nail;
• leaving the existing retaining wall in position;
• and
• constructing a concrete panel against the existing retaining wall after soil nails are installed and anchored to encase the outer ends of soil nails within said concrete panel and to couple the concrete to the outer ends of the soil nails, with the outer ends of the soil nails and outer anchorages located behind an outer major face of the concrete panel.