Cement-treated soil blocks with vegetative faces

• Main Author: JUSTINIANO HENRY G
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 03.12.2013
• Subjects: AGRICULTURE; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION ORPROCESSING OF GOODS; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPSOR SEAWEED; EMBANKMENTS; EXCAVATIONS; FISHING; FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS; FORESTRY; FOUNDATIONS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; HORTICULTURE; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HUNTING; HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; SOIL SHIFTING; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINSTCLIMATE CHANGE; TRAPPING; UNDERGROUND OR UNDERWATER STRUCTURES; WATERING

A retaining wall or steeply faced slope is disclosed having a naturally green facade. The wall or slope is made of blocks of compacted earth, each having a face reinforced with wire mesh and covered with vegetation such as native grasses. The blocks may be formed onsite, saving transportation costs and other waste, using native soils. The mesh may extend beyond other faces of each block to provide handles and geogrid anchoring. A press is disclosed to form the blocks by compacting soil mixed with cement, the press including hydraulic rams or screw jacks that create immense pressures and having wedge shaped sides that relieve lateral confining pressure when the block is extracted.