Method for the construction of a retaining wall

Abstract

A retaining wall for supporting the embankment of a cut excavation. The wall structure consists of a skin of concrete, an array of rows and columns of dowels or tendons extending from the skin into the cut embankment and rows of wale beams at the juncture of dowels and the face of the skin tying the components together. The retaining wall is built as the cut proceeds. A cut to a selected depth is covered by a skin of pneumatically applied concrete. The dowels are formed as reinforcing, grout-filled boreholes and the wale beams are formed as reinforced concrete members pneumatically sprayed against the skin.

I claim: 
     
       1. In a method of forming a retaining wall for an excavation cut for restraining an embankment of earth, including the steps of: a. forming a skin against the excavation cut with pneumatically applied concrete;   b. forming reinforced dowels in a general arrangement of rows, one above the other, and extending from the skin into the earth embankment by drilling boreholes therein, inserting reinforcing rods into the boreholes with end portions of the rods projecting from the boreholes and filling the boreholes with grout;   c. forming wale beams along the dowel rows with pneumatically applied concrete directed against the skin, against the ends of the dowels and about the reinforcing rod projections; and   d. applying a locking means at the ends of the reinforcing rod projections to secure the .[.wall.]. .Iadd.wale .Iaddend.beams to the dowels and thereby integrate the components into a unitary structure.   
     
     
       2. In the method set forth in claim 1, including the further step of: providing a bearing plate on each reinforcement rod projection to abut against the .[.wall.]. .Iadd.wale .Iaddend.beam thereof, with said locking means at the end of the reinforcement rod projection bearing against the bearing plate.   
     
     
       3. In the method defined in claim 1, including the further steps of: a. cutting the embankment in stages comprising horizontal strips;   b. applying the aforesaid skin to an exposed strip of cut embankment;   c. affixing a row of dowels and a wale beam in place near the toe of the exposed strip; and thereafter   d. excavating the earth to expose another strip and to form the next succeeding stage of the cut.   
     
     
       4. In a method of forming a retaining wall for an excavation cut for restraining an embankment of earth, including the steps of: a. forming a skin against the excavation cut with pneumatically applied concrete;   b. forming dowels in a general arrangement of rows, one above the other, and extending from the skin into the earth embankment by drilling boreholes therein and filling the same with grout; and   c. forming wale beams along the dowel rows by pneumatically applied concrete against the skin and against the ends of the dowels whereby to integrate the components into a unitary structure.   
     
     
       5. The method of forming a retaining wall as set forth in claim 4, wherein the formation of the skin includes the steps of: a. spraying a layer of pneumatically applied concrete against the wall of the cut;   b. applying reinforcing wire mesh to the freshly sprayed layer; and   c. spraying another layer of concrete onto the first; wherein the formation of the dowels includes the step of:   a. inserting a reinforcing rod into each dowel before the grout is set, with a portion of the same extending through and from the face of the wale beam at the row; and wherein the formation of the wale beam includes the preliminary step of:   a. placing a longitudinal reinforcing rod against the skin within the course of the beam.   
     
     
       6. In the method set forth in claim 5, including the further step of providing a bearing plate at each dowel reinforcing rod extension and applying a fastening means at this extension to tightly secure the rod to the plate. 
     
     
       7. In the method defined in claim 4, including the further steps of: a. cutting the embankment in stages comprising horizontal strips;   b. applying the aforesaid skin to an exposed strip of cut embankment;   c. affixing a row of dowels and a wale beam in place near the toe of the exposed strip; and thereafter   d. excavating the earth to expose another strip and to form the next succeeding stage of the cut. .Iadd.8. A method of forming a retaining wall for an excavation cut for restraining an embankment of earth, including the steps of:   a. forming a skin against the excavation cut with pneumatically applied concrete;   b. forming reinforced dowels in the general arrangement of rows, one above the other, and extending from the skin into the earth embankment, by drilling boreholes therein, placing grout and reinforcement rods in the boreholes with the end portions of the rods projecting therefrom through the skin;   c. providing a bearing plate on each reinforcement rod projection to abut against the skin; and   d. applying a locking means at the ends of the reinforcement rod projections with the locking means bearing against the bearing plate to secure the skin to the dowels and thereby integrate the skin and dowels into a unitary structure. .Iaddend. .Iadd.9. The method of forming a retaining wall as set forth in claim 8, wherein the formation of the skin includes the steps:   a. spraying a layer of pneumatically applied concrete against the wall of the cut;   b. applying reinforcing wire mesh to the freshly sprayed layer; and   c. spraying another layer of concrete onto the first; and wherein the formation of the dowels includes the steps of inserting a reinforcing rod into each dowel before the grout is set, with a portion of the rod extending through and from the face of the skin. .Iaddend..Iadd.10. The method defined in claim 8, including the further steps of:   a. cutting the embankment in stages comprising horizontal strips;   b. applying the aforesaid skin to an exposed strip of cut embankment;   c. affixing a row of dowels in place near the toe of the exposed strip; and thereafter   d. excavating the earth to expose another strip and to form the next succeeding stage of the cut. .Iaddend.