Block Retaining Wall with Micro-Pile Soldier Piles

Abstract

A retaining wall system includes a plurality of large mass retaining blocks formed with vertically oriented openings passing therethrough for the installation of micro-pile soldier piles. The retaining blocks can be formed of pre-cast concrete and stacked vertically so that the vertical openings are aligned for the installation of micro-pile soldier piles through the stacked retaining blocks and into the bedrock below the retaining blocks. The micro-pile soldier piles can include a steel casing that is installed through the aligned vertical openings to terminate at the bedrock with grout filling the steel casing except for optional reinforcement. The retaining blocks can be formed with cutout key openings that allow concrete to be inserted to provide a key interlock between adjacent retaining blocks to further stabilize the retaining wall. The retaining wall can also include a row of waler blocks that incorporate a pair of tie-back anchors for each waler block.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A retaining wall system, comprising:
 a plurality of retaining wall blocks stacked vertically in rows, each said retaining wall block having a pair of vertical openings extending therethrough, said vertical openings being positioned proximate to the opposing lateral ends of each respective retaining wall block, said retaining wall blocks being stacked in a manner that the vertical openings of the vertically spaced retaining wall blocks are vertically aligned; and   a micro-pile soldier pile formed in each set of the vertically aligned openings extending through the rows of retaining wall blocks, each said micro-pile soldier pile extending through all of said rows of retaining wall blocks and into the underlying soil and bedrock below said retaining wall blocks, each said micro-pile soldier pile being formed with a casing member inserted through the vertically aligned openings and the insertion of cementitious grout into the casing member.   
     
     
         2 . The retaining wall system of  claim 1  wherein at least one row said retaining wall blocks comprises a row of waler blocks formed to receive tie-back anchors, said retaining wall system further comprising a pair of tie-back anchors engaged with each said waler block. 
     
     
         3 . The retaining wall system of  claim 2  wherein the casing member of each said micro-pile soldier pile includes a steel casing extending through the vertically aligned openings in said retaining wall blocks. 
     
     
         4 . The retaining wall system of  claim 3  wherein said steel casing terminates at the bottom of the micro-pile opening within the bedrock structure. 
     
     
         5 . The retaining wall system of  claim 1  wherein each said retaining wall block is formed with a cutout key opening in the laterally opposing ends thereof, each said cutout key opening being filled with concrete to form a key between adjacent retaining wall blocks in each respective row of said retaining wall blocks. 
     
     
         6 . The retaining wall system of  claim 5  wherein said key is also formed with reinforcement bars extending between the adjacent retaining wall blocks. 
     
     
         7 . The retaining wall system of  claim 5  wherein said key is also formed with a steel plate spanning between the key openings in the adjacent blocks. 
     
     
         8 . The retaining wall system of  claim 1  wherein said retaining wall blocks are formed as pre-cast concrete. 
     
     
         9 . A method of forming a retaining wall system comprising the steps of:
 forming a plurality of retaining wall blocks as pre-cast concrete with a uniform shape, each said retaining wall block being formed with a pair of laterally opposed vertically oriented openings extending through the height of each said retaining wall block;   placing the retaining wall blocks into row configurations establishing multiple, vertically spaced, layers of retaining wall blocks, each said vertical spaced layer of retaining wall blocks being positioned in a manner that the vertically oriented openings therein are aligned vertically with the vertically oriented openings of the retaining wall block immediately below; and   installing micro-pile soldier piles into each of the vertically aligned openings, each said micro-pile soldier pile extending through all of the rows of retaining wall blocks and into bedrock located beneath said retaining wall blocks.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising the steps of:
 positioning a row of waler blocks within said rows of retaining wall blocks, each said waler block having a pair of cutout wedges and corresponding holes passing through front and rear faces of each said waler block; and 
 inserting a tie-back anchor into each respective cutout wedge and hole. 
 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9  wherein said step of installing micro-pile soldier piles comprises the step of:
 drilling through said vertically aligned openings to establish a drilled opening into bedrock located below said retaining wall system in alignment with said vertically aligned openings. 
 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein said step of installing micro-pile soldier piles further comprises the steps of:
 inserting a steel casing through said vertically aligned openings terminating in said drilled opening in the bedrock; and 
 filling said steel casing with cementitious grout. 
 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein said step of installing micro-pile soldier piles further comprises the step of:
 inserting reinforcement into said steel casing to be encased into said cementitious grout. 
 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  wherein said step of forming a plurality of retaining wall blocks comprises the steps of:
 creating a key in a side of each said retaining wall block to be engaged with an adjacent retaining wall block to enhance the stability of the retaining wall system. 
 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein said step of creating a key comprises the steps of:
 providing a cutout key opening in adjacent sides of retaining wall blocks at corresponding locations; and 
 filling the aligned cutout key openings with concrete to create an interlocking key between the adjacent retaining wall blocks. 
 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said step of creating a key further comprises the step of placing within the aligned key openings a steel reinforcement spanning between the two aligned key openings. 
     
     
         17 . A retaining wall system, comprising:
 a plurality of large mass retaining wall blocks stacked vertically in rows, each said retaining wall block having a pair of vertical openings extending therethrough, said vertical openings being positioned proximate to the opposing lateral ends of each respective retaining wall block, said retaining wall blocks being stacked in a manner that the vertical openings of the vertically spaced retaining wall blocks are vertically aligned;   a row of said retaining wall blocks forming a row of waler blocks having a pair of tie-back anchors incorporated into each said waler block, each said waler block having a pair of cutout wedges and corresponding holes passing through front and rear faces of each said waler block with each said tie-back anchor engaged into each respective cutout wedge and passing through said corresponding hole; and   a micro-pile soldier pile formed in each of the vertically aligned openings extending through the rows of retaining wall blocks and extending through all of said rows of retaining wall blocks and into the underlying soil and bedrock below said retaining wall blocks, each said micro-pile soldier pile being formed with a steel casing member inserted through the vertically aligned openings and extending into said bedrock and with an insertion of cementitious grout into the steel casing member.   
     
     
         18 . The retaining wall system of  claim 17  wherein each said retaining wall block is formed with a cutout key opening in the laterally opposing ends thereof, each said cutout key opening being filled with concrete to form a key between adjacent retaining wall blocks in each respective row of said retaining wall blocks. 
     
     
         19 . The retaining wall system of  claim 18  wherein said key is also formed with reinforcement bars extending between the adjacent retaining wall blocks. 
     
     
         20 . The retaining wall system of  claim 17  wherein each said retaining wall block is formed as pre-cast concrete.