Soil is good in compression but has low tensile strength. Tensile strength can be added to soil by placing layers of polymer or steel reinforcement between compacted soil. The reinforcement restricts the soils ability to spread out forcing it to stand at steeper angles than it would achieve in its un-reinforced state. The composite mass of soil and reinforcement acts as a homogeneous block, this block forms the retaining wall.
Reinforced soil can be faced with a variety of materials forming either slopes (face angle up to 70˚) or walls (face angle >70˚) with a wide range of aesthetic finishes.
Reinforced soil is most cost-effective for walls built in areas of fill. If a project requires fill to be placed to increase the ground level as part of the main site works then the incorporation of reinforcement can be included within the existing works package providing a cost saving. Reinforced soil systems also become cost effective when compared to mass gravity walls for structures with a retained height greater than 4m.
E-Slope ®
E-Slope is a steel fascia panel which forms a 70˚ face and has an integral erosion control layer. The facing panel is designed to allow for a 300mm layer of topsoil to be retained within the outer surface of the slope. Vegetation can be established by hand seeding the top soil as its placed or by hydroseeding upon completion of the build.
- E-SLOPE units are constructed from 75 x 75mm square welded mesh with a green polymeric coating to provide a discreet, environmentally sympathetic aesthetic prior to the vegetation establishment.
- All units are factory assembled and supplied as a flat pack for rapid deployment. The erosion control layer and brackets to support the face are factory fitted so as not to delay construction once the units have been delivered.
- E-Slope is compatible with any form of geogrid and can utilise a range of connection methods such as frictional overlap or bodkins.
- No specialist pneumatic tools are required to install E-Slope, each unit arrives with factory fitted helical connectors at either end allowing for adjacent units to butt up against each other before a pin is dropped between the overlapping coils.
E-Wall ®
E-Wall uses our BBA Certified gabions as a fascia to a reinforced soil mass. Compacted fill is reinforced with high tensile strength polymer geogrids allowing for quick and simple construction of large retaining structures. A physical connection between the gabions and the geogrid reinforcement ensures minimal distortion when constructing vertical walls.
- E-WALL provides a method of forming large gabion faced reinforced soil walls and can be used as an alternative or in conjunction with traditional mass gravity gabions.
- Stone can be hand-placed and dressed to the front to provide a pleasing aesthetic or for areas where aesthetics do not take priority a tighter mesh and smaller stone fill can be placed rapidly for construction of temporary walls.
- E-Wall is compatible with any form of geogrid and can utilise a range of connection methods.
- E-Wall reduces the amount of gabion stone required compared to similar height mass gravity walls reducing aggregate costs and installation time.
