Retaining wall having modular panels

Abstract

A ground retaining wall includes wall panels formed from steel sheet to provide a flat exterior wall surface on a front side and having side flanges on vertically extending edges for joining panels together. The wall includes reinforcement studs and brackets attached to a back side of the panels and extending between a top cap and a base pan of the panels. Each bracket is located along a panel side flange at a seam where two panels are joined together. The wall also includes support brace assemblies each attached to the panels at one of the seams. The brace assembly includes a base plate attached to a bottom strut and a brace rod. The brace rod extends diagonally between the base plate and wall panel. The wall may include a concrete base covering the wall panel base pans and the brace assembly base plates.

1 . A ground retaining wall comprising:
 a plurality of modular steel wall panels of a type formed from steel sheet to provide a flat exterior wall surface on a front side the panel, and on an opposite back side having a side flange on each vertically extending edge with matching bolt holes to allow panels to be joined together, the back side also having a top and bottom surface extending at a right angle to the panel to form a top cap and a base pan for the panel;   a plurality of vertical reinforcement studs each attached to the back side of a panel at spaced intervals to stiffen the panel against bulging pressure, the studs extending from the base pan to the top cap;   a plurality of vertical reinforcement brackets each located along at least one side flange of a panel at a seam where two panels are joined together, the bracket having bolt holes spaced to match the bolt holes in the side flanges of the wall panels;   a plurality of support brace assemblies each attached to a side flange of a panel at the seam where two panels are joined together, the brace assembly including a base structure attached to the side flange adjacent the bottom of the side flange, and a brace rod attached at one end to the base structure at a location away from the panel and attached at its opposite end to an upper section of the side flange of the panel such that the brace rod extends diagonally upward from the base structure to the wall panel.   
   
   
       2 . A ground retaining wall as in  claim 1 , further comprising a concrete base poured behind the wall covering and encapsulating the base pans of the panels and the base structure of the support brace assemblies. 
   
   
       3 . A ground retaining wall as in  claim 2 , wherein the base structure includes a base plate extending generally horizontally way from the wall panel and a flange on the back edge of the plate extending upwardly from the plate, and a drive stake is received through the base plate to anchor the plate, wherein the concrete layer covers and encapsulates the flange and the drive stake. 
   
   
       4 . A ground retaining wall as in  claim 1 , wherein the brace rod is an adjustable-length rod to adjust a length of the brace rod between the base structure and the wall panel. 
   
   
       5 . A ground retaining wall as in  claim 4 , wherein the brace rod has a threaded rod or a turnbuckle to adjust the length of the brace between the base structure and the wall panel. 
   
   
       6 . A ground retaining wall as in  claim 1 , wherein each vertical reinforcement studs is made of steel sheet formed into an elongated member having a substantially Z-shaped cross section in which a first flange of the stud is fastened against a flat portion of the wall panel, a web of the stud extends inwardly perpendicular to the plane of the panel, and a second flange extends in a direction opposite the first flange. 
   
   
       7 . A ground retaining wall as in  claim 6 , wherein each stud includes at least one cutout through the web to allow passage of electrical conduit or plumbing behind the wall. 
   
   
       8 . A ground retaining wall as in  claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement brackets are made of sheet steel formed into an elongated channel member having substantially C-shaped cross section in which a web portion has the bolt holes spaced to match the bolt holes in the side flanges of the wall panels, and a flange at each end of the web contacts the top cap and the base pan respectively when the bracket is installed. 
   
   
       9 . A ground retaining wall as in  claim 2 , wherein the wall panels have a height adjustment leveler assembly attached to the base pan of the wall panel, and wherein the concrete layer covers and encapsulates the leveler assemblies. 
   
   
       10 . A ground retaining wall as in  claim 9 , wherein the leveler assembly includes a threaded rod passing though the base pan near each bottom corner. 
   
   
       11 . A method of constructing a ground retaining wall, comprising the steps of:
 locating and marking the line and elevation of a base for the wall;   cutting away as much of any existing soil bank to create a generally flat ledge along the line of the wall at the elevation of the wall base and allowing at least 2½ feet of ledge behind the line of the wall to accommodate brace assemblies;   obtaining a plurality of wall panels of a type formed from steel sheet to provide a flat exterior wall surface on a front side the panel, and on an opposite back side having a side flange on each vertically extending edge with matching bolt holes to allow panels to be joined together, the back side also having a top and bottom surface extending at a right angle to the panel to form a top cap and a base pan for the panel;   obtaining a plurality of vertical reinforcement studs of sufficient length to extend from the base pan to the top cap of the wall panels;   attaching one or more studs to the back side of each wall panel at spaced intervals in a vertical orientation such that a stud extends from the base pan to the top cap;   obtaining a plurality of vertical reinforcement brackets having bolt holes spaced to match the bolt holes in the side flanges of the wall panels;   assembling the wall panels over the line of the wall by placing adjacent panels side by side with the flat exterior wall surfaces in the same direction such that the bolt holes on the side flanges of adjacent panels are aligned, placing each reinforcing bracket along one side flange of a panel at a seam where two adjacent panels are joined together, inserting bolts though aligned holes in the bracket and the side flanges of adjoining panels, and tightening nuts onto the bolts to secure the panels together;   obtaining a plurality of support brace assemblies, a brace assembly including a base structure attachable to the side flange of a wall panel, and a brace rod attachable at one end to the base structure at a location away from the panel and attachable at its opposite end to an upper section of the side flange of the panel;   attaching the support brace assemblies to the wall panels by attaching the base structure of each brace assembly to a side flange of a wall panel adjacent the bottom of the side flange, and attaching the brace rod to an upper section of the side flange such that the rod extends diagonally upward from the base structure to the wall panel;   pouring a concrete base behind the wall of sufficient height and width to cover and encapsulate the base pans of the panels and the base structure of the support brace assemblies;   laying a water collection pipe over the concrete base and venting the pipe through or around the wall to drain water collected in the pipe from behind the wall;   covering the pipe with a layer of rock;   covering the layer of rock with a landscape cloth; and   backfilling soil behind the wall up to or just below the top of the wall.   
   
   
       12 . A method of constructing a ground retaining wall as in  claim 11 , wherein the brace rods are adjustable-length rods, comprising the further step of adjusting the length of the brace rods as necessary to vertically plum the wall before tightening nuts onto the bolts to secure the panels together. 
   
   
       13 . A method of constructing a ground retaining wall as in  claim 12 , wherein the base structure of the support assembly includes a base pan having a back flange and a slot for passing through a drive stake, comprising the further step of driving a drive stake through each base plate down into the soil ledge beneath the base plates, and wherein the step of pouring a concrete base behind the wall includes pouring the concrete to a sufficient height and width to cover and encapsulate the back flanges and drive stakes of the base plates. 
   
   
       14 . A method of constructing a ground retaining wall as in  claim 11 , wherein the brace rods of the brace assemblies are adjustable-length rods, comprising the further step of using the adjustable length capability to vertically plumbing the wall prior to pouring the concrete layer. 
   
   
       15 . A method of constructing a ground retaining wall as in  claim 11 , comprising the further step of placing strands of rebar across the bottom struts of the brace assemblies and extending along the length of the wall prior to pouring the concrete base. 
   
   
       16 . A method of constructing a ground retaining wall as in  claim 11 , comprising the further steps of providing the reinforcement studs with cutouts through the webs of the studs to allow passage of electrical conduit or plumbing, and stringing such electrical conduit or piping through the cutouts along the back side of the wall before prior to completing the step of backfilling soil behind the wall. 
   
   
       17 . A method of constructing a ground retaining wall as in  claim 11 , comprising the further steps of building a main retaining wall as the highest elevation wall by the steps of  claim 11 , and then building one or more retaining walls at lower elevations around the main wall. 
   
   
       18 . A method of constructing a ground retaining wall as in  claim 17 , comprising the further steps of building two or more retaining walls at lower elevations around the main wall and graduating the height and length of the additional walls to form a terraced step down pathway from the main wall. 
   
   
       19 . A method of constructing a ground retaining wall as in  claim 11 , further comprising the step of coating the flat exterior wall surface on a front side the panels with a decorative finish.