Retaining wall systems and methods of constructing same

A retaining wall system comprising:

• a first horizontally-extending course of sand/soil bags;
• a second horizontally-extending course of sand/soil bags positioned vertically adjacent to the first course of sand/soil bags;
• an interconnecting member that attaches the first course of sand/soil bags to the second course of sand/soil bags, wherein the interconnecting member includes a plurality of plates each having at least one aperture therethrough so that adjacent plates may be connected together by fastening members, wherein in a first configuration connected plates are within a common plane,
• wherein each plate has an upper side and a lower side, wherein at least one of the upper side and lower side of each plate has at least one projection on one of the upper side or lower side and at least one corresponding recess on the other side, so that connected plates may be pivoted relative to each other and into a second configuration, where connected plates are stacked on top of each other,
• wherein the at least one projection includes a notch therein to engage geogrid and has a conical shape that extends from a base to a tip, wherein, in the absence of the notch, the at least one projection has a radius that continuously decreases from the base of the at least one projection to the tip of the at least one projection, wherein the base of the at least one projection is located immediately adjacent to at least one of the upper side or lower side, and wherein the notch is located between the base of the at least one projection and the tip of the at least one projection.

A retaining wall system comprising:

• a first horizontally-extending course of sand/soil bags;
• a second horizontally-extending course of sand/soil bags positioned vertically adjacent to the first course of sand/soil bags;
• an interconnecting member that attaches the first course of sand/soil bags to the second course of sand/soil bags, wherein the interconnecting member has an upper side defining a first plane and a lower side defining a second plane, wherein at least one of the upper side and the lower side has a first projection;
• at least one geogrid-holding member that extends in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the first projection extends,
• wherein the interconnecting member has at least one edge, wherein at least one geogrid-holding member extends from the at least one edge, and wherein the at least one geogrid-holding member is entirely within the first and second planes.

A retaining wall system comprising:

• a first horizontally-extending course of sand/soil bags;
• a second horizontally-extending course of sand/soil bags positioned vertically adjacent to the first course of sand/soil bags;
• an interconnecting member that attaches the first course of sand/soil bags to the second course of sand/soil bags, wherein the interconnecting member includes a plate having an upper side and a lower side, wherein at least one of the upper side and lower side has a projection on one of the upper side or the lower side and a corresponding recess on the other side, so that a plurality of interconnecting members can be stacked on top of each other and aligned such that the plates are parallel to each other;
• wherein the projection has a conical shape that extends from a base to a tip, wherein, in the absence of the notch, the first projection has a radius that continuously decreases from the base of the projection to the tip of the projection, wherein the base of the projection is located immediately adjacent to at least one of the upper side or lower side, and wherein the notch is located between the base of the projection and the tip of the projection.