A ground anchor system configured for introducing into a borehole, and comprising a plurality of straps each having a length dimension extending along a central longitudinal axis of the ground anchor system. Each of said straps has a width dimension taken along a major axis and a thickness dimension taken along a minor axis. The major axis and the minor axis are disposed at a transverse plane of the ground anchor system and intersect at a middle point. The middle point of each of said straps is intersected by an imaginary line extending through the longitudinal axis at the transverse plane. The imaginary line forms an angle smaller than 90 with the major axis of the respective strap.

A soil retaining system combining flat sheet pile walls in an open cell configuration includes integral soil anchors providing an improved earth retaining system. Another aspect of the invention is a method of designing and installing a soil retaining system with an open sheet pile cell structure having integral soil anchors. The method includes, inter alia, calculating soil forces by taking into account material strength of sheet pile, soil friction against the sheet pile in combination with the strength of the integral soil anchor, selecting sheet pile size and length based on soil forces calculation; and installation of sheet pile to form a soil retaining system. The integral soil anchors serve to provide higher load resistance to the improved earth retaining system.

A ground plug for stabilizing a dike, includes a plug front end suitable for being driven into a dike, and an elongate plug body, wherein the plug body is provided with a pressure distributing member arranged to prevent earth flow in a direction perpendicular to a length direction of the plug, and the plug front end includes a recess for receiving a drive member.

The invention relates to a prestressed diaphragm wall in the ground (10) including a concrete panel (52), at least one anchor tube open at its upper end (38) and closed at its lower end (36) and, embedded at least partially in the concrete panel, at least one cable (60) extending inside the anchor tube (30), a lower portion of the cable (60) being fixed to said tube (30), and a cable anchoring system (90), configured to hold the cable in tension (60) and secure its upper portion (68) to the upper portion of the concrete panel (52). It also relates to a method for making a prestressed diaphragm wall.

A ground anchor system configured for introducing into a borehole, and comprising a plurality of straps each having a length dimension extending along a central longitudinal axis of the ground anchor system. Each of said straps has a width dimension taken along a major axis and a thickness dimension taken along a minor axis. The major axis and the minor axis are disposed at a transverse plane of the ground anchor system and intersect at a middle point. The middle point of each of said straps is intersected by an imaginary line extending through the longitudinal axis at the transverse plane. The imaginary line forms an angle smaller than 90 with the major axis of the respective strap.

A soldier pile wall for shoring an excavation site includes a plurality of drilled shafts drilled along an edge of the excavation site, a plurality of soldier piles, each of the plurality of soldier piles being positioned within a respective drilled shaft, and a pre-stressing system coupled to at least some of the plurality of soldier piles. The pre-stressing system is configured to induce stresses to counteract working stresses of the soldier pile wall. Related methods are also provided.

A soil retaining system combining flat sheet pile walls in an open cell configuration includes integral soil anchors providing an improved earth retaining system. Another aspect of the invention is a method of designing and installing a soil retaining system with an open sheet pile cell structure having integral soil anchors. The method includes, inter alia, calculating soil forces by taking into account material strength of sheet pile, soil friction against the sheet pile in combination with the strength of the integral soil anchor, selecting sheet pile size and length based on soil forces calculation; and installation of sheet pile to form a soil retaining system. The integral soil anchors serve to provide higher load resistance to the improved earth retaining system.

A ground anchor system configured for introducing into a borehole, and comprising a plurality of straps each having a length dimension extending along a central longitudinal axis of the ground anchor system. Each of said straps has a width dimension taken along a major axis and a thickness dimension taken along a minor axis. The major axis and the minor axis are disposed at a transverse plane of the ground anchor system and intersect at a middle point. The middle point of each of said straps is intersected by an imaginary line extending through the longitudinal axis at the transverse plane. The imaginary line forms an angle smaller than 90 with the major axis of the respective strap.

A silt fence for erosion, sediment and pollution control includes plurality of spaced wooded or metal stakes; a woven geotextile silt fence fabric comprising one of i) polyester yarn with a PVC coating or ii) high tenacity polypropylene yarn; and at least one stabilizing feature in the form of at least one of i) a top drawstring coupled to a top edge of the woven geotextile silt fence fabric and ii) stabilizing fins coupled to at least some of the stakes. A trenchless method of installing the silt fence comprises: providing a silt fence bundle comprising a plurality of spaced stakes and a geotextile silt fence fabric coupled to the stakes and including an integral ground engaging apron; driving the plurality of spaced stakes into the ground until the integral ground engaging apron is flush with the ground; and staking the ground engaging apron to the ground with staking elements.

A method for improving an inwards stability of an existing levee including a landslide slope (128) and at least one of a landside berm (132), a landside heel, and a landside trench. The method comprises placing columns (160) through the landside berm into one or more soft soil layers (40) with corresponding soil volumetric weights (s), wherein the columns have a column volumetric weight (c) that is at least 10% larger than the soil volumetric weights, and wherein the columns comprise a mineral aggregate and an impermeable filler.