SAND AND FIBER RETAINING WALL BUILT WITHOUT BACKFILL

Using a new process for the first time in this country, a Maine contractor installed a 420-ft-long fiber-reinforced sand retaining wall as an alternate to gabions, reducing the cost by about 13%. The wall was part of the reconstruction of 1.7 miles of State Route 4 north of Turner, Maine. The Research Network of the French Ministry of Public Works developed Texsol technology and owns the original patent. The process consists of building the wall up from the base in layers. Sand is blown through hose to the top of the wall and placed. Continuous polymer threads are injected into the sand soil mix as it is placed and the composite is compacted to form a cohesive material stabilized by the tensile strength of the thread. A computer program designs the wall for active earth pressures, based on traditional gravity retaining wall principles. Seeded and landscaped the wall is inconspicuous to motorists. Further details are provided in this article.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/03620506
• Corporate Authors:

  Cahners Publishing Company

  275 Washington Street
  Newton, MA  United States  02158-1630
• Authors:
  • Klemens, T L
• Publication Date: 1990-7

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Photos;
• Pagination: p. 42-44
• Serial:
  • Highways and Heavy Construction
  • Volume: 133
  • Issue Number: 9
  • Publisher: Cahners Publishing Company
  • ISSN: 0362-0506

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Construction management; Cost effectiveness; Fiber reinforced materials; Innovation; Retaining walls; Sand; Structural design; Technology
• Geographic Terms: France
• Old TRIS Terms: Fiber reinforced
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Construction; Design; Highways; I24: Design of Bridges and Retaining Walls; I53: Construction of Bridges and Retaining Walls;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00496721
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Aug 31 1990 12:00AM