A retaining wall secured to a portion of earth, comprising a plurality of blocks stacked in longitudinally extending, vertically spaced tiers to define a retaining wall, each of the blocks defining a laterally oriented passageway extending between a pair of opposing sides thereof and having an exterior face orientated outwardly of the portion of the earth, the passageways being substantially aligned in each tier to define a channel within the tier of the retaining wall at least one tieback rod for being embedded at one end in a portion of earth to be covered by the retaining wall and having a protruding end extending therefrom towards the retaining wall at least one elongate member disposed within a portion of one of the channels in the tiers of blocks, the elongate member defining a slot through which the protruding end of the tieback rod extends and a mechanism for connecting the tieback rod to the elongate member to secure the retaining wall to the portion of earth. A method of constructing a retaining wall is disclosed.

A plurality of interlinking restraining members are interconnected to each other and the ends connected respectively to a deadman and to a retaining wall, e.g. a crib wall, to increase the resistance to overturning of the wall. The interlinking members are generally C shaped and formed of reinforced concrete.

Man portable panels are utilized to provide slope protection to a watercourse, the panels being placed in vertical layers, and being secured in place by deadman elements buried in earth fill behind the panels. In one preferred embodiment the panels are made of weathering steel and are L-shaped in cross-section, and in a second preferred embodiment each panel is comprised of interlocked rectangular sections of extruded plastic.

A retaining wall system which provides landscape terraces on the face of the structure. The multi-tier retaining wall system uses a plurality of tieback counterfort elements in conjunction with wall panels specifically aligned to produce terraces for landscaping. The design offers a high degree of flexibility in the sizing and spacing of the tieback/counterfort elements so as to meet site specific geometric and geotechnical conditions while using standard precast concrete components or other materials.

A retaining wall utilizes an ordered array of modular blocks each having a horizontal cross-section defining a double "T" shape, the top of the double "T" defining a vertical planar member having a horizontal length greater than the vertical height with the stem of each "T" defining a generally planar leg member having a height the same as the vertical planar member. A hole is provided vertically through each leg distal the vertical planar member and adapted to receive a tension rod for tying the assembled blocks together. The "T" shaped blocks are vertically arranged in staggered courses with the holes of the legs in the course above vertically aligned with the holes in the legs in the course below. The lower end of the tension rod is adapted to be anchored in the concrete footing supporting the retaining wall. The wall is assembled first by setting block supports on a graded area to elevate the first course of blocks above the ground, installing a first course of blocks on the elevated supports with tension rods installed in the holes in the legs of the blocks, the tension rod including an adjustable elevation support, placing additional courses of blocks in staggered array using the tension rods as guides in cooperation with the holes in the legs for setting the remaining blocks in place.