Self-locking clamp for engaging soil-reinforcing sheet in earth retaining wall and method

An earth retaining wall, comprising:

• at least two stacked tiers of blocks placed side by side, each of the blocks defining a channel having a triangular shape in cross-sectional view extending between opposing sides, the channel open to a slot extending laterally from the channel to an exterior of the block;
• an elongate clamping bar having a triangular shape in cross-sectional view, conformingly received within the channel with an apex thereof adjacent the opening of the channel to the slot;
• and
• a reinforcement sheet wrapped around the clamping bar and extending through the slot laterally of the tiers of blocks,
• whereby the clamping bar, being wrapped by a portion of the reinforcement sheet that extends through the slot laterally of the wall and loaded by backfill covering the reinforcement sheet, mechanically engages the bearing surfaces of the channel such that the tensile loading is distributed across the block.

A method of constructing an earth retaining wall, comprising the steps of:

• (a) placing at least two stacked tiers of blocks side by side to define a length of a wall, each of the blocks defining a channel extending between opposing sides thereof, the channel defining at least two adjacent bearing surfaces and opening between the bearing surfaces to a slot extending laterally from the channel to an exterior of the block;
• (b) wrapping an edge portion of a reinforcement sheet over a clamping bar conforming in cross-sectional shape at least relative to the pair of adjacent bearing surfaces defined in the channel;
• (c) sliding the wrapped clamping bar with the reinforcement sheet along the channel with a laterally extending portion of the reinforcement sheet slidingly received within the slot and extending the reinforcement sheet laterally of the wall;
• and
• (d) covering the portion of the reinforcement sheet lateral of the wall with backfill,
• whereby the clamping bar, being wrapped by the reinforcement sheet that is loaded by backfill covering the laterally extending portion of the reinforcement sheet, mechanically engages the two bearing surfaces of the channel such that the tensile loading on the connector bar is distributed across the block.

A method of constructing an earth retaining wall, comprising the steps of:

• (a) placing at least two stacked tiers of blocks side by side to define a length of a wall, each of the blocks defining a channel having a triangular shape in cross-sectional view extending between opposing sides thereof and defining a pair of bearing surfaces, the channel opening between the pair of bearing surfaces to a slot extending laterally from the channel to an exterior of the block;
• (b) wrapping an edge portion of a reinforcement sheet over a clamping bar that defines a triangular shape in cross-sectional view;
• (c) sliding the wrapped clamping bar with the reinforcement sheet along the channel with a laterally extending portion of the reinforcement sheet slidingly received within the slot and extending laterally of the wall;
• and
• (d) covering the portion of the reinforcement sheet lateral of the wall with backfill,
• whereby the clamping bar, being wrapped by the reinforcement sheet that is loaded by the backfill, mechanically engages the two bearing surfaces of the channel such that the tensile loading is distributed across the block.