Patent ID: 7997830

Claim:
A method of erecting a free-standing, above-ground, barrier wall that comprises a plurality of sheet-pile components interconnected with each other by interlocks, said method comprising the steps of interconnecting and positioning said sheet-pile components relative to one another such that the wall is self supporting and freestanding, and erected in an upstanding, installed configuration, while a majority of the sheet-pile components exclusively engage a top surface of the ground upon which said free standing, above-ground wall is erected at a lower edge thereof and thereby establish the upstanding, installed configuration of said wall; wherein said step of interconnecting comprises interconnecting a plurality of sheet-pile planks in series with a plurality of support elements by a plurality of interlocking connectors; wherein said step of positioning comprises engaging a lower portion of at least one of said sheet-pile planks with the ground with a lower edge thereof located proximate a top surface of the ground upon which said free standing above-ground barrier wall is erected in an upstanding, installed configuration; and wherein, when erected in such upstanding, installed configuration, said lower edge of said at least one sheet-pile plank is ground engaged and at least part of the weight of such sheet-pile plank is supported at the engagement between the sheet-pile plank and the ground, and at least some of said plurality of interlocking connectors are independent elongate elements that are lengthwise upstandingly oriented and couple a sheet-pile plank to an adjacent support element.