Mechanically stabilized earth wall systems and methods

A retaining wall system for stabilizing an earthen wall comprising:

• a plurality of face panels each comprising
• a wall portion and
• first and second connecting portions, where each connecting portion defines a void system comprising a locking passageway that intersects a mesh opening:
• a plurality of anchor mesh panels;
• and
• a plurality of connecting pins;
• whereby
• the face panels are stacked in a plurality of rows with gaps defined on top and on bottom by the wall portions of vertically adjacent wall panels and on the side by the connecting portions of one of the vertically adjacent wall panels;
• said anchor mesh panels buried within the earthen wall with a portion of one of the anchor mesh panels inserted into each of the mesh openings;
• connecting pins inserted into at least one of the locking passageways and one of the mesh openings to connect the anchor mesh panels to the face panels;
• and
• said earthen wall accessible through the gaps defined between the wall portions of vertically adjacent face panels;
• each connecting portion defines an upper surface and comprises a spacing portion;
• at least one notch surface formed in each upper surface;
• and
• the spacing portions engage the notch surfaces to locate the passageways of connected face panels.

A method of forming a retaining wall for stabilizing an earthen wall comprising the steps of:

• providing a plurality of face panels each comprising
• a wall portion and
• at least one connecting portion, where each connecting portion defines a void system comprising at least one a first passageway, at least one second passageway, at least one mesh opening, and at least one third passageway that intersects the mesh opening:
• providing a plurality of anchor mesh panels;
• providing a plurality of connecting pins;
• forming a first row of the face panels such that the first passageways of the face panels in the first row are substantially aligned;
• inserting a connector pin through adjacent first passageways of the first row;
• inserting a portion of the one of the anchor mesh panels into each of the mesh openings of the first row;
• inserting a connector pin through each third passageway to connect each face panel of the first row to at least one of the anchor mesh panels;
• forming a second row of faces panels on top of the first row such that
• the first passageways of the face panels in the second row are substantially aligned and
• every other second passageway of the face panels of the second row is aligned with one of the second passageways of the face panels of the first row;
• inserting a connector pin through adjacent first passageways of the second row;
• inserting a connector pin through second passageways of the second row that are aligned with second passageways of the first row;
• inserting a portion of the one of the anchor mesh panels into each of the mesh openings of the second row;
• inserting a connector pin through each third passageway to connect each face panel of the second row to at least one of the anchor mesh panels.

A retaining wall system for stabilizing an earthen wall comprising:

• a plurality of face panels each comprising
• a wall portion and
• first and second connecting portions, where each connecting portion defines a void system comprising at least one horizontal passageway, at least one vertical passageway,at least one mesh opening, and at least one locking passageway that intersects the mesh opening:
• a plurality of anchor mesh panels;
• and
• a plurality of connecting pins;
• whereby
• the face panels are stacked in a plurality of staggered, vertically spaced rows with openings between vertically spaced wall portions;
• connecting pins extend through aligned horizontal passageways of horizontally adjacent face panels to connect horizontally spaced face panels;
• connecting pins extend through aligned vertical passageways of vertically spaced face panels to connect vertically spaced face panels;
• the anchor mesh panels are buried within the earthen wall with a portion of one of the anchor mesh panels inserted into each of the mesh openings;
• connecting pins are inserted into one of the locking passageways and one of the mesh openings to connect the anchor mesh panels to the face panels;
• and
• the earthen wall is accessible through the openings defined by the wall portions.

A retaining wall system for stabilizing an earthen wall comprising:

• a plurality of face panels each comprising
• a wall portion and
• first and second connecting portions, where each connecting portion defines a void system comprising at least one first passageway, at least one second passageway, at least one mesh opening, and at least one third passageway that intersects the mesh opening:
• a plurality of anchor mesh panels;
• and
• a plurality of connecting pins;
• whereby
• the face panels are stacked in a plurality of vertically spaced rows with openings between vertically spaced wall portions;
• connecting pins extend through aligned first passageways of horizontally adjacent face panels to connect horizontally spaced face panels;
• connecting pins extend through aligned second passageways of vertically spaced face panels to connect vertically spaced face panels;
• the anchor mesh panels are buried within the earthen wall with a portion of one of the anchor mesh panels inserted into each of the mesh openings;
• connecting pins are inserted into one of the third passageways and one of the mesh openings to connect the anchor mesh panels to the face panels;
• the earthen wall is accessible through the openings defined by the wall portions;
• and
• for at least a given row of face panels, connecting pins extend through every other second passageway into second passageways of the row below the given row and through the remaining second passageways into second passageways of the row above the given row.