Building elements for making retaining walls, and systems and methods of using same

Abstract

A building element for coupling with other building elements to erect a retaining wall. Exemplary building elements have receiving spaces for receiving increased weight of fill material to provide increased stability. The building element can comprise a face panel and a beam. The beam can comprise a main body and first and second fork legs that extend between, and couple to, the face panel and the main body. The face panel and the first and second fork legs can cooperate to surround an interior space.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A building element for forming a portion of a retaining wall, the building element comprising:
 a face panel comprising a top surface, a bottom surface, a front surface, and a rear surface positioned on an opposing side of the face panel from the front surface, wherein the face panel has a length dimension oriented along a first axis, a width dimension oriented along a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis, and a height dimension oriented along a third axis that is perpendicular to the first and second axes; and   a beam member coupled to the rear surface of the face panel, wherein the beam member comprises:
 a main body having a front end portion and a rear end portion, the main body having an upper surface, a lower surface, and first and second side surfaces that are substantially parallel to the second axis; and 
 first and second fork legs that extend between and couple to the face panel and the front end portion of the main body, wherein the first and second fork legs each define a respective acute angle with a plane that extends parallel to the second and third axes and bisects the beam member, 
   wherein the face panel and the first and second fork legs cooperate to surround an interior space.   
     
     
         2 . The building element of  claim 1 , wherein the beam member comprises a distal end portion comprising first and second projections that project, respectively, from the first and second side surfaces of the main body of the beam member, and wherein the first and second projections cooperate with the first and second side surfaces of the main body and the rear surface of the face panel to define first and second receiving spaces on opposing sides of the beam member. 
     
     
         3 . The building element of  claim 1 , wherein the beam member is integrally formed with the face panel as a monolithic structure. 
     
     
         4 . The building element of  claim 1 , wherein the upper surface of the beam member defines at least one alignment post that extends upwardly relative to the third axis. 
     
     
         5 . The building element of  claim 4 , wherein the lower surface of the beam member defines a respective alignment void that is configured to receive each of the at least one alignment post, wherein each respective alignment void is positioned in vertical alignment with a respective alignment post of the at least one alignment post. 
     
     
         6 . The building element of  claim 1 , wherein the beam member defines at least one through-hole therethrough, wherein the at least one through hole extends along to the first axis. 
     
     
         7 . The building element of  claim 6 , wherein at least one hole of the at least one through hole extends through each of the first and second fork legs of the beam member. 
     
     
         8 . The building element of  claim 6 , wherein at least one hole of the at least one through hole extends through the main body of the beam member. 
     
     
         9 . The building element of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second legs couple to the face panel at respective coupling ends, wherein the coupling ends are spaced by a spacing relative to the first axis that is substantially the same as the length dimension of the face panel. 
     
     
         10 . The building element of  claim 1 , wherein the face panel comprises a first end portion extending from the beam member on a first side of the plane and a second end portion extending from the beam member on a second side of the plane, wherein the first portion extends a greater length relative to the first axis than the second portion. 
     
     
         11 . The building element of  claim 1 , wherein the beam member has a height dimension between the upper and lower surfaces of the main body of the beam member, wherein the height dimension of the face panel is greater than the height dimension of the beam member. 
     
     
         12 . The building element of  claim 2 , further comprising at least one longitudinal elbow that projects outwardly from the main body of the beam member and extends between the face panel and the distal end portion of the beam member. 
     
     
         13 . The building element of  claim 2 , further comprising at least one transverse elbow that projects outwardly from a rear surface of the distal end portion of the beam member. 
     
     
         14 . A system comprising:
 a plurality of building elements, the building elements comprising:   a face panel having a top surface, a bottom surface, a front surface, and a rear surface positioned on an opposing side of the face panel from the front surface, wherein the face panel having a length dimension oriented along a respective first axis, a width dimension oriented along a respective second axis that is perpendicular to the respective first axis, and a height dimension oriented along a respective third axis that is perpendicular to the respective first and second axes; and   a beam member coupled to the rear surface of the face panel, wherein the beam member comprises:
 a main body having a front end portion and a rear end portion, the main body having an upper surface, a lower surface, and first and second side surfaces that are substantially parallel to the respective second axis; and 
 first and second fork legs that extend between and couple to the face panel and the front end portion of the main body, wherein the fork legs define an acute angle with a first plane that extends parallel to the second and third axes and bisects the beam member, 
   wherein the face panel and the first and second fork legs cooperate to surround an interior space.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of building elements comprises a first building element and a second building element,
 wherein the main body of the beam member of the first building element defines a first slot that defines a downward opening, wherein the first slot has a depth relative to the respective third axis,   wherein the main body of the beam member of the second building element defines a second slot that defines an upward opening, wherein the second slot has a depth relative to the respective third axis, and   wherein the main body of the beam member of the first building element at the first slot is receivable into the second slot of the main body of the beam member of the second building element so that the upper surface of the face panel of the first of building element is parallel to the top surface of the face panel of the second building element.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the wherein the main body of the beam member of the first building element at the first slot is receivable into the second slot of the main body of the beam member of the second building element so that the second axis of the first building element defines an acute angle with respect to the second axis of the second building element. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the face panel of each building element has opposing end portions spaced relative to the respective first axis, wherein the end portion of the face panel of the first building element is adjacent the end portion of the face panel of the second building element. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 14 , further comprising at least one fill material disposed against the rear surface of the face panel and the first and second side surfaces of the main body of the beam member. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one fill material comprises free waste dust. 
     
     
         20 . A building element for forming a portion of a retaining wall, the building element comprising:
 a first face panel having a top surface, a bottom surface, a front surface, and a rear surface positioned on an opposing side of the face panel from the front surface, wherein the first face panel has a length dimension oriented along a first axis, a width dimension oriented along a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis, and a height dimension oriented along a third axis that is perpendicular to the first and second axes; and   a beam member coupled to the rear surface of the first face panel, wherein the beam member comprises:
 a main body having a front end portion and a rear end portion, the main body having an upper surface, a lower surface, and first and second side surfaces that are substantially parallel to the second axis; and 
 first and second fork legs that extend between and couple to the first face panel and the front end portion of the main body, wherein the first and second fork legs each define a respective acute angle with a plane that extends parallel to the second and third axes and bisects the beam member, 
 third and fourth fork legs that extend between and couple to the second face panel and the rear end portion of the main body, wherein the third and fourth fork legs each define a respective acute angle with the plane. 
   wherein the first face panel and the first and second fork legs cooperate to surround a first interior space, and   wherein the second face panel and the third and fourth fork legs cooperate to surround a second interior space.   
     
     
         21 . A building element for forming a portion of a retaining wall, the building element comprising:
 at least one shelf comprising a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the at least one shelf has a length dimension oriented along a first axis, a width dimension oriented along a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis, and a height dimension oriented along a third axis that is perpendicular to the first and second axes; and   a beam member coupled to the at least one shelf, wherein the beam member comprises:
 a main body having a front end portion and a rear end portion, the main body having first and second side surfaces that are substantially parallel to the second axis; and 
 first and second fork legs that extend between and couple to the at least one shelf and the front end portion of the main body, wherein the first and second fork legs each define a respective acute angle with a plane that extends parallel to the second and third axes and bisects the beam member, 
   wherein the at least one shelf and the first and second fork legs cooperate to surround an interior space.