Disclosed are embodiments of a method for manufacturing concreate panels for a mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) retaining wall that employ geosynthetic strips that attach to the MSE retaining wall and extend into the backfill soil. One embodiment can be generally summarized as follows: (a) providing a mold for the concrete panel; (b) providing in the mold: (1) a plastic pipe; (2) a metal rod situated in the pipe; (3) a removable block-out insert that creates a geosynthetic strip cavity within the panel body around the pipe for enabling a geosynthetic strip to be looped around the pipe; (c) introducing concrete into the mold; (d) permitting the concrete to substantially solidity within the mold; and (e) after the concrete has substantially solidified, separating the panel from the mold and removing the block-out insert to expose the cavity and the pipe extending through the cavity.

Extensible shells and related methods for constructing a support pier are disclosed. An extensible shell can define an interior for holding granular construction material and define a first opening at a first end for receiving the granular construction material into the interior and a second opening at a second end. The extensible shell can be flexible such that the shell expands when granular construction material is compacted in the interior of the shell. A method may include positioning the extensible shell in the ground and filling at least a portion of the interior of the shell with the granular construction material. The granular construction material may be compacted in the interior of the extensible shell to form a support pier.

A foundation forming arrangement is provided for forming a foundation slab. The foundation forming arrangement includes at least one side forming member for forming a side of the foundation slab. The foundation forming arrangement further includes at least one connector that is configured for coupling the side forming members to either a reinforcing steelwork or a forming pod. The foundation forming arrangement can further include a drain, as well as an insulative panel. The foundation forming arrangement can include a forming pod that is configured for connection to the side forming members. The foundation forming arrangement can include securing arrangements for securing the connectors to the top or the base of a forming pod.

A formwork element for a molded wall panel end, comprising: a sole plate having a first lateral edge, a second lateral edge, an outer face, an inner face bearing a caisson, said caisson leaving free, on the inner face of the sole plate, a first lateral zone, defined between the first lateral edge and the caisson, and a second lateral zone, defined between the second lateral edge and the caisson; a form stripping assistance device cooperating with the sole plate. The form stripping assistance device includes at least one first sacrificial section comprising a first portion disposed on the first lateral zone of the inner face of the sole plate.

Various embodiments of an adjustable mold are disclosed for forming a precast concrete top panel for a modular earth retaining wall, for example but not limited to, a modular mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) retaining wall. The adjustable mold has a support base with a top surface, bottom surface, and surrounding periphery. A plurality of rails is mounted to the support base and upstand generally perpendicular from the support base. The rails are collectively attached together to form a closed lateral side boundary with an open top designed to receive liquified concrete. The support base and rails are designed to form sides of the precast concrete top panel. The rails can be adjusted to change a geometric shape associated with the closed lateral boundary in order to enable production of different top panels having different lateral boundaries, and therefore geometries.

A manufacturing method of a concrete pile is shown. The method includes the following, that is, pouring concrete in the pile molding space, reducing the pile molding space to compress and mold the concrete, draining water drained from the concrete by compression and molding outside of the formwork from the drainage hole, and holding the concrete a predetermined amount of time to harden the concrete. The formwork includes an outer formwork that molds an outer wall surface of the concrete pile, an inner formwork that molds an inner wall surface of a hollow space of the concrete pile, and a pair of end formwork that mold upper and lower end surfaces of the concrete pile. The drainage hole is a gap between adjacent components when the mold is tightened, and the gap is configured to be capable of being opened larger during cleaning than when the mold is tightened.

A method for constructing a seawall section includes coupling an end of a substantially-waterproof barrier member to a footing. A concrete form is mounted to the footing such that a top end of the form is higher than an exposed upper surface of the footing. The concrete form defines at least part of a fill volume. Another end of the barrier member is coupled to the concrete form such that the barrier member extends over a side of the concrete form opposite the fill volume. Concrete is then poured into the fill volume and cured to form the seawall section. Prior to the curing, a body of water at the footing may be higher than the upper surface of the footing. However, the barrier member prevents water from entering the fill volume through the concrete form.

A method of constructing multiple conduits in building foundations that eliminates the process of core drilling after the foundation has been poured and set. This method creates optional openings for possible future connections. The process uses removable conduit molds installed before the foundation is poured. Once the foundation has set, conduit molds are removed to explose conduits in the foundation as needed.

Extensible shells and related methods for constructing a support pier are disclosed. An extensible shell can define an interior for holding granular construction material and define a first opening at a first end for receiving the granular construction material into the interior and a second opening at a second end. The extensible shell can be flexible such that the shell expands when granular construction material is compacted in the interior of the shell. A method may include positioning the extensible shell in the ground and filling at least a portion of the interior of the shell with the granular construction material. The granular construction material may be compacted in the interior of the extensible shell to form a support pier.

Disclosed herein is a soil-displacement drill for soil-displacing drilling in a surface in order to form a foundation pile, comprising a drill pipe, a drill head at an end of the drill pipe with several flap leaves which are pivotable between a closed position for closing off the end of the drill pipe and an open position for making this end freely accessible, and one or several closing elements to keep these flap leaves in their closed position and prevent pivoting of the flap leaves which are configured to fail during drilling into the surface in such a way that these closing elements do not impede pivoting of the flap leaves. Additionally, disclosed herein is an assembly of a drill head and one or several closing elements for such a soil-displacement drill, a method for soil-displacing drilling, and a method for converting a soil-displacement drill to form such a soil-displacement drill.