Here is a rock wall they were building at the project I worked on the other day.
The excavator operator is a lady, and she can really run that thing.
The rock wall is about 8 feet high and 4 feet wide. The earth is first cut near vertical and about 4 feet left for the rock. A red paint line was put on the ground at 4 feet and 5 feet I assume as a check line. Total tilt looks to be about an inch or two per foot back.
(https://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d184/glennkangiser/P1010112.jpg)
Geotextile fabric is placed over the excavated wall. A drain line is put at the back of the wall on top of the fabric.
(https://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d184/glennkangiser/P1010117.jpg)
Face rocks are chosen and placed with the backs running wild and filled with rubble to the earth wall. All large rocks in general tilt a bit toward the earth wall. Gravity holds the whole thing together. The large rocks here I would estimate to be in the 3 to 4000 lb range.
(https://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d184/glennkangiser/P1010115.jpg)
I posted this because it may be of interest to those wishing to landscape around their place , even if smaller rocks are used.
Online rock walling book. http://handbooks.btcv.org.uk/handbooks/index/book/61
(https://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d184/glennkangiser/th_P1010123.jpg) (https://s35.photobucket.com/albums/d184/glennkangiser/?action=view¤t=P1010123.flv)
If you are excited by ladies throwing rocks with excavators, here is a little longer video.
(https://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d184/glennkangiser/th_P1010119.jpg) (https://s35.photobucket.com/albums/d184/glennkangiser/?action=view¤t=P1010119.flv)