A method for manufacturing modular retaining wall blocks in natural stone, wherein the blocks are trapezoidal blocks having top and bottom surfaces with channels that receive offset connectors in multiple orientations for building upright, offset, and curved walls. Stone from a quarry is cut or split to form substantially rectangular elongate blocks having top and bottom surfaces, opposed side faces, and opposed ends. A series of channels running parallel to the side faces is cut in each of the surfaces, the top channels lying across from the bottom channels but offset therefrom. The elongate blocks are then cut between opposing pairs of channels to form trapezoidal blocks having front and rear faces.

A modular barrier panel and a barrier formed therewith and methods and systems for construction of the panel and barrier. The panel includes an aboveground portion and a base portion. The aboveground portion includes a grid-like configuration having a plurality of vents that are sized to limit passage of a human therethrough but that enable viewing through the panel. The base portion includes a plurality of side-by-side, waffle-shaped sections with openings therethrough. The panels can be cast on-site, cured overnight, and immediately installed in the barrier formation. The panels are installed in a trench and the base portions are encased in concrete; the openings in the base allow the concrete to flow to both sides of the panel. Sensors, including cameras and vibration sensors, may be installed in the base section or in the foundation concrete or on the aboveground portion to detect actions on, over, or under the barrier.

A ground stabilization grid which includes a series of polygonal shaped cells having x sides. The cells are formed by polymer walls having a wall height of between about 1 and about 6. Each cell shares a common wall section with at least two adjacent cells; and a majority of cells within the grid includes at least two reinforcing ribs extending across the cell to engage opposing walls of the cell. The reinforcing ribs are characterized by (i) engaging the cell walls between about 25% and about 75% of the wall height, and (ii) extending between different opposing walls of the cell.

A method for manufacturing modular retaining wall blocks in natural stone, wherein the blocks are trapezoidal blocks having top and bottom surfaces with channels that receive offset connectors in multiple orientations for building upright, offset, and curved walls. Stone from a quarry is cut or split to form substantially rectangular elongate blocks having top and bottom surfaces, opposed side faces, and opposed ends. A series of channels running parallel to the side faces is cut in each of the surfaces, the top channels lying across from the bottom channels but offset therefrom. The elongate blocks are then cut between opposing pairs of channels to form trapezoidal blocks having front and rear faces.

A concrete building block (30) includes a body (32) having opposite first (34) and second sides (36), opposite first (38) and second end faces (40) extending between the first and second sides (34, 36), and opposite first (42) and second bearing faces (44) extending between the first and second sides (34, 36) and the first and second end faces (38, 40). The first side has a first section (52) and second section (54). The first section (52) and first end face (38) are shaped to mate with each other when a like block (30) is rotated 90 and oriented adjacent thereto so that the center plane for the two blocks (30) are perpendicular to each other; and the second section (54) and second end face (40) are shaped to mate with each other when a like block (30) is rotated 90 and oriented adjacent thereto so that the center plane for the two blocks (30) are perpendicular to each other. The building block (30) can be used for structures such as a free standing wall, retaining wall, garden wall, or columns.

A system for building a wall includes a plurality of blocks and a plurality of connectors for aligning the blocks in successive courses. Each block has opposing first and second surfaces bounded by opposing front and rear faces and opposing end faces, the first and second surfaces being profiled with respective first and second rectilinear channels extending parallel to the front and rear faces. Each connector has first and second portions profiled for reception in respective first and second channels, the first portion being profiled to slide but not rotate in the first channel, the second portion being profiled to slide and rotate in the second channel. The second portion is offset from the first portion so that two different orientations of two blocks placed against each other are possible. The blocks preferably have a trapezoidal shape cut with only straight cuts to facilitate using natural stone.

Disclosed herein is a foundation pile. The foundation pile comprises a first flange. The foundation pile also comprises a second flange spaced apart from the first flange. The foundation pile further comprises a web extending between the first flange and the second flange, wherein the first flange, the second flange, and the web are formed from a single sheet and each comprises at least two layers of the sheet. The foundation pile additionally comprises a rib formed in at least one of the first flange, the second flange, and the web, wherein the rib comprises a bent portion of at least one of the at least two layers of the sheet.

A system for building a wall includes a plurality of blocks and a plurality of connectors for aligning the blocks in successive courses. Each block has opposing first and second surfaces bounded by opposing front and rear faces and opposing end faces, the first and second surfaces being profiled with respective first and second rectilinear channels extending parallel to the front and rear faces. Each connector has first and second portions profiled for reception in respective first and second channels, the first portion being profiled to slide but not rotate in the first channel, the second portion being profiled to slide and rotate in the second channel. The second portion is offset from the first portion so that two different orientations of two blocks placed against each other are possible. The blocks preferably have a trapezoidal shape cut with only straight cuts to facilitate using natural stone.