The self-embedding vegetation retaining wall structure is widely used in industries and sectors such as highways, railways, water transportation, coal, forestry, water conservancy, and urban construction. With the improvement of national quality and the enhancement of environmental awareness, higher requirements have been put forward for retaining structures in terms of landscape, environmental protection, and recyclability. Additionally, due to the increasingly stringent environmental protection requirements, the excavation of mountains and stones is subject to more rigorous control, leading to a continuous increase in the cost of dry-stacked or mortared block stone retaining walls. Moreover, traditional concrete retaining walls have poor durability, with localized damage potentially causing more extensive destruction. Their difficulty in grass planting also affects urban and river landscapes, and their impermeability disrupts the natural ecosystem. The self-embedding vegetation retaining structure is a newly emerging and rapidly developing technology.
Internationally, interlocking green retaining walls, a type of dry-stacked retaining block, emerged as early as the 1960s and has been widely utilized [1-4]. Currently, similar self-embedding green retaining wall projects have also appeared domestically. The self-embedding green retaining structure continues to develop the interlocking design while making further improvements. This structure is a flexible retaining wall formed by layering self-embedding retaining blocks in a staggered manner; it relies on the interlocking action between blocks with rear edges and reinforced elements to prevent sliding and overturning; the ecological holes in the blocks enable rapid greening, and the self-embedding green retaining wall serves as a plant restoration tool. When applied to riverbank protection, the permeability of the retaining wall ensures material exchange between the riverbank and the river water, realizing the ecological function of the retaining wall. Due to its excellent seismic performance, quick construction, environmental friendliness, minimal land use, and low cost, the self-embedding green retaining wall is increasingly being used in engineering projects.