Abstract: A retaining wall system includes at least one wall block, at least one ground-stabilizing base body supporting the at least one wall block, a fastening body under the at least one ground-stabilizing base body, and at least one tension link attached to the at least one wall block and to the fastening body.

Abstract: The invention belongs to ecological revetments in the technical field of river ecology, which particularly involves an ecological revetment to regulate wandering rivers. The ecological revetment is composed of porous concrete-piles, ecological connecting-plates, an ecological viewing-corridor and a slope green-belt. The ecological landscape-corridor and anchor rod are placed on the upper and middle parts of the pile structure, respectively. In virtue of the innovative structure, the ecological revetment will strengthen the revetment structure, reduce the revetment settlement, prevent the revetment from moving, and enhance the overall stability of the revetment project. The ecological holes exist on the ecological connecting-plates, which is beneficial to the exchange of material and energy from the river course and the bank slope, and the holes could greatly enhance the self-cleaning capacity of the water body.

Abstract: A building block may be designed to hold utilities, including but not limited to, electricity and plumbing. Such a building block can resist compression forces and moment and can connect to other building blocks to form a modular wall system with the ability to distribute the forces in a way that reduces the stresses on each individual block. The building block may include a body with an upper end and a lower end, one or more main compartments, and one or more inner pass-through openings, wherein the upper end includes one or more protrusions, and the lower end comprises one or more intrusions and one or more slots. A building system may include more than one such building blocks and a base.

Abstract: A brick includes outer walls defining a hollow interior space, the outer walls including: substantially flat top and bottom walls; and side walls angled inwards toward a central portion of the NPR brick, such that application of a compressive force between the top and bottom walls causes a lateral dimension of the brick between opposite side walls to decrease. At least some of the outer walls of the brick include a material having a negative Poisson's ratio (NPR).