Retaining wall element

Abstract

A retaining wall element and method of constructing a retaining wall wherein the retaining wall element is made from a concrete material having a stacking system that enables a stack of the retaining wall elements to work substantially as a retaining wall, and wherein one exposed surface of the retaining wall element is formed to simulate the general appearance of the grain and color of a selected type of wood.

1 . A retaining wall element comprising:
 a first top surface substantially offset from a second top surface by a first offset portion;   a first bottom surface generally offset from a second bottom surface by a second offset portion;   a back surface connecting the second top surface with the second bottom surface;   a front surface connecting the first upper surface with the first bottom surface;   a plurality of vertices formed by the intersection of the first top surface, the first offset portion, the second top surface, the back surface, the second bottom surface, the second offset portion, the first bottom surface, and the front surface, wherein the retaining wall element is manufactured from a concrete-based material, and wherein the front surface includes a texture substantially similar to that of a wood grain material.   
   
   
       2 . The retaining wall element of  claim 1  wherein the front surface has a color generally selected to match the wood grain material. 
   
   
       3 . The retaining wall element of  claim 2  wherein the color of the front surface is generated by adding a coloring agent to a mixture used in the concrete-based material. 
   
   
       4 . The retaining wall element of  claim 3  wherein the color of the front surface is generated by application of a coloring agent to the front surface. 
   
   
       5 . The retaining wall element of  claim 4  wherein the plurality of vertices have an angular value of about 90 degrees. 
   
   
       6 . The retaining wall element of  claim 3  wherein the first offset portion is generally perpendicular to the first top surface and the second top surface, wherein the second offset portion is generally perpendicular to the first bottom surface and the second bottom surface, and wherein the first offset portion is substantially parallel to the second offset portion. 
   
   
       7 . The retaining wall element of  claim 6  wherein the combination of the first top surface, the second top surface, and the first offset portion is sized and configured to generally match the configuration of the combination of the first bottom surface, the second bottom surface, and the second offset portion such that when two retaining wall elements are longitudinally stacked one upon the other there are no appreciable gaps between the two retaining wall elements. 
   
   
       8 . The retaining wall element of  claim 4  wherein the first offset portion is not perpendicular to the first top surface and the second top surface, wherein the second offset portion is not perpendicular to the first bottom surface and the second bottom surface, and wherein the first offset portion is substantially parallel to the second offset portion. 
   
   
       9 . The retaining wall element of  claim 8  wherein the combination of the first top surface, the second top surface, and the first offset portion is sized and configured to generally match the configuration of the combination of the first bottom surface, the second bottom surface, and the second offset portion such that when two retaining wall elements are longitudinally stacked one upon the other there are no appreciable gaps between the two retaining wall elements. 
   
   
       10 . The retaining wall element of  claim 7  wherein stacking an upper retaining wall element longitudinally upon a lower retaining wall element allows the front surface of the upper retaining wall element to be offset about 0.75 inches from the front surface of the lower retaining wall element. 
   
   
       11 . The retaining wall element of  claim 10  wherein the concrete-based material has a water/cement ratio of about 0.4, a concrete unit weight of about 139 per cubic foot, and a total fineness modulus of about 4.6. 
   
   
       12 . The retaining wall element of  claim 11  further comprising a system of structural reinforcement. 
   
   
       13 . The retaining wall element of  claim 12  wherein the system of structural reinforcement is substantially encased within the concrete-based material. 
   
   
       14 . The retaining wall element of  claim 13  wherein the system of structural reinforcement includes at least one of either metal bars, metal mesh, or fiber mesh. 
   
   
       15 . The retaining wall element of  claim 14  wherein the front face has a vertical dimension of between about 5.5 and 6.5 inches. 
   
   
       16 . The retaining wall element of  claim 15  wherein the first top surface has a horizontal dimension of between about 7.5 and 8.5 inches. 
   
   
       17 . The retaining wall element of  claim 16  wherein the first offset portion and the second offset portion has a vertical dimension of between about 1.0 and 2.0 inches. 
   
   
       18 . A retaining wall element comprising:
 a retaining wall element;   means for allowing at least two or more retaining wall elements to be stacked longitudinally such that a lower surface of a first retaining wall element generally matches an upper surface of a second retaining wall element, wherein the lower surface and the upper surface are not completely flat, and wherein the geometry of the lower surface is sized and shaped to match the geometry of the upper surface;   means for colorizing at least one exposed surface of the retaining wall element; and   means for texturizing the exposed surface to be substantially the similar to a wood grain texture.   
   
   
       19 . The retaining wall element of  claim 18  wherein the front face has a vertical dimension of between about 5.5 and 6.5 inches. 
   
   
       20 . The retaining wall element of  claim 19  wherein the first top surface has a horizontal dimension of between about 7.5 and 8.5 inches.