Everything You Need To Know To Find The Best Geogrid Mesh Retaining Wall

Utilizing Geogrid in a Retaining Wall Installation

Retaining walls are designed for landscaping and civil engineering to hold back soil and stop erosion. These structures are used in many different applications such as home gardens and large infrastructure projects. To increase the stability and longevity of these walls, geogrids are the chosen product.

In this article, we will go over the benefits of using geogrids, choosing the right geogrid for your project, and how to install and maintain geogrid-reinforced retaining walls.

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About Geogrids

Made from geosynthetic materials, geogrids reinforce soils and other similar materials. Geogrids are made from polymers such as high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene, or polyester. Geogrids are designed in a grid-like pattern with openings or spaces allowing soil particles to interlock for reinforcement and stability in the soil structure.

The Benefits Of Using Geogrids

Increased Stability And Load-Bearing Capacity: Geogrids are the chosen product for stabilizing and providing load-bearing sizes of retaining walls. By reinforcing the soil, geogrids distribute loads more evenly. Geogrids will reduce the chances of wall failure and the movement of soil.

Save On Costs: Geogrids will cut back on the cost of fill material and allow for steeper wall designs by cutting construction costs. The increased stability offered by geogrids will lower the need for maintenance and repairs, giving you savings in cost over time.

Adaptability: Geogrids are a popular choice for different kinds of retaining walls including gravity walls, reinforced soil walls, and hybrid systems. This is a great product for both residential and commercial projects.

Improved Appearance: Designing steeper walls that blend in with the surrounding landscape, and geogrids can increase the attraction of retaining walls. This is significant in residential and public places where appearance is important.

Environmental Benefits: Geogrids will reduce environmental impacts caused by the construction of retaining walls because they require less concrete and other materials. Geogrid is a more sustainable approach for soil reinforcement.

Selecting The Right Geogrid

Selecting the right geogrid for your project requires several ingredients:

The Kind Of Geogrid: There are three kinds of geogrids - uniaxial, biaxial, and triaxial. Uniaxial geogrids are created to bear loads in one direction and are used for retaining walls. Biaxial and Triaxial geogrids offer reinforcement in many directions and are used in road construction and stabilizing the ground.

Materials: Because geogrids are made from different materials including HDPE, polyester, and polypropylene, each has different properties such as tensile strength, durability, and resistance to chemicals. Know the requirements of your project before choosing the material.

Opening Size: The size of the opening in the geogrid will affect how well soil particles interlock. The larger openings are good for ground with coarse soils. While smaller openings are best for fine-grained soils. Make sure the opening is the right size for the kind of soil you are working with.

Control Vegetation: Keep an eye out for vegetation growing near the retaining wall and prevent the growth of roots that could harm the wall. Remove any plants or trees that could add pressure to the wall or unsettle the backfill material.

Make Repairs: If you notice any damage like displaced wall units or geogrid damage, make repairs immediately. Follow up by checking to ensure the repairs are working.

Case Studies

One: Residential Retaining Wall:

The homeowner was faced with soil erosion on a sloped area of the property leading the owner to invest in a retaining wall. Using uniaxial geogrids, he was able to build a stable and visually attractive wall that successfully held back the soil. Geogrids offered the mandatory reinforcement by allowing for a steeper wall design and reducing the amount of backfill material required.

Two: Commercial Development Project: During a commercial development project, it was determined they needed a large retaining wall to create level building pads on the sloped site. Using geogrids in the retaining wall design would allow for the construction of a tall and stable wall. The geogrid-reinforced wall offered the required support for heavy loads required by the buildings for long-term stability while reducing maintenance costs.

In Conclusion

Geogrids are adaptable and an effective solution for increasing the stability and longevity of retaining walls. Enforcing the soil and evenly distributing loads, geogrids helped prevent wall failure and reduced the need for extensive maintenance and repairs. When selecting geogrids, consider the kind of geogrid, the material, the opening size, and tensile strength to ensure you have the best product for your project.

A retaining wall is a structure designed to hold back soil or other materials and prevent them from collapsing. Retaining walls are near-vertical structures designed to hold back soil on one side and create level areas on both sides of the slope. These structures must remain stable, endure changing climatic conditions, and withstand installation with regular wear and tear. These structures are erected to maintain soil stability on one side, thereby facilitating construction on the level areas. Under defined loading conditions, retaining walls alone are not enough to ensure long-term stability or to prevent slope failures. Slope stabilization requires the integration of geogrids, which stabilize and reinforce layers of soil and similar materials. These grids are made from polymer plastics such as polypropylene, polyethylene, or polyester.

The primary role of a retaining wall is to create level ground near sloping terrain, prevent soil erosion, and provide structural support for buildings, roads, or other structures built on or near slopes. By restraining soil laterally at different elevations, retaining walls enable construction on challenging topography. Retaining walls create stable foundations for buildings on slopes, shaping the land for agriculture and transportation infrastructure. These walls are used to construct bridges, roads, basements, and other structures, where retaining embankments or soil in a nearly vertical position is critical. The wall’s load distribution must be managed carefully, considering the active and passive pressures being applied. Active pressure determines the wall’s minimum lateral resistance, while passive pressure determines its maximum lateral resistance. This is where geogrids become a solution, redistributing loads through their tensile strength.

An increase in wall height results in higher pressure exerted by the soil on the wall.  Walls that are not reinforced and rely on their own mass for stability have a limit beyond which the wall’s mass becomes inadequate to resist overturning forces. This limit depends on soil properties but typically ranges between 1 m (3.3 ft) and 4 m (13 ft). While permissible limits vary by local building codes, these are general guidelines.

The restrained soil directly impacts the retaining wall’s strength, as each soil type has a unique angle of repose and friction. Since soil varies in its particle size and other factors, the need for reinforcement also varies accordingly.

Cohesive soils, such as clay, stick together due to fine particles and moisture, which increases their internal friction and raises soil stability. They resist deformation, which raises the soil’s internal stability. Reinforcement is recommended for taller walls (> 3m) or when dealing with loose cohesive soils with friction angles below 20 degrees.

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Cohesionless soils, such as sand and gravel, consist of loose, granular particles that do not stick together and rely on external forces for stability. Retaining walls holding back such soils almost always require reinforcement, particularly for taller walls.

The geocells manufactured by Strata are strategically perforated to confine the in-fill material while allowing liquids to pass through. Thus, material migration is minimized while reducing hydrostatic pressure. It’s worth mentioning that the design of Strata’s geocells takes into account the optimal cavity distance to ensure the structure meets core confinement requirements without deformation. This fundamental aspect of geocell design makes StrataWeb a preferred product for a nuanced understanding of geocell perforations.

Additional weight acting on the top of the wall or behind the backfill (e.g., traffic loads, stockpiles) significantly increases the design pressure. Surcharge loads, like traffic which have a pressure of 200-800 psf* or stockpiles (300- psf), can dramatically increase the pressure on retaining walls by up to 50%. Geogrid reinforcement becomes a requisite in such cases to ensure the wall can handle these added loads.

Excessive water buildup behind the wall raises hydrostatic pressure. Again, this is a function of the soil type, which must also be considered while building a retaining wall. Proper drainage systems become key in such cases to minimize the hydrostatic pressure to considered level In some instances, geogrids also reduce the amount of backfill needed through improved distribution of loads, thus reducing costs. However, in the event of high moisture content, geotextiles are recommended in cases of high moisture content, as they provide drainage, reinforcement, and separation depending on their application.

Gravity walls depend on their own mass to resist earth pressure. They are made of materials such as concrete or stone and are appropriate for lower walls (under 4 meters) because of their reliance on weight. Gravity wall design needs to consider the risk of overturning, sliding, and bearing capacity to ensure stability. Furthermore, poor soil conditions, high surcharge, or high loads can lead to a situation where a geogrid is needed for reinforcement and load distribution.

Cantilever walls use  a thin, reinforced concrete slab that cantilevers out from a base slab to restrain soil. Highly efficient in terms of material usage when compared to gravity walls (typically used for 8–10 meters), they also require proper foundation design to overcome overturning moments exceeding 150% of the stabilizing moment (weight of the wall multiplied by the distance to its center of gravity). While the structure itself is stable, many civil engineers consider the use of a geogrid to stabilize the basal structure in embankments over soft soils. This is done to ensure robust bearing capacity, prevent failure of the base, mitigate settlement issues, and achieve overall stability of the cantilever base.

Counterfort walls and buttress walls are similar, as they incorporate vertical elements (counterforts or buttresses) at regular intervals behind the wall to bolster against overturning. The difference lies in the location of the vertical elements. Counterforts are constructed within the backfill, while buttresses are found on the front face of the wall.  These walls are appropriate for taller retaining walls above 8 meters in height.

Gabion walls consist of rectangular wire baskets filled with rocks or stones. These structures are flexible and can accommodate some settlement. They are well-suited for applications where aesthetics or drainage take precedence. Gabion walls are usually constructed using galvanized steel or stainless steel coated wires for durability.

One key component in choosing geogrids for wall retention is the height of the wall to be reinforced. Heights pose a challenge owing to the slope height and the amount of pressure they are likely to experience.

An increase in wall height leads to a corresponding increase in lateral earth pressure. A geogrid with a higher tensile strength may be used to evenly distribute and absorb these forces. Additionally, engineers may choose a multi-layered geogrid system, placing layers strategically within the backfill for taller sections of the wall.

Such imposing structures require a durable geogrid reinforcement system for stability and safety. These high-tensile layers are positioned strategically within the backfill to create a composite mass that can handle the large amount of lateral earth pressure.  Collaboration with geotechnical engineers is advisable, as their expertise is essential in selecting the optimal type, strength, and configuration for such demanding situations.

Reinforcing retaining walls is crucial to ensuring the integrity of these structures. By carefully considering the factors requiring reinforcement, engineers can determine the best course of action regarding material and design. Geogrids create a composite mass with the surrounding soil, making them a popular choice to bolster retaining walls. Constructing such structures should be done with meticulous planning and collaboration with experts owing to the high stakes involved.  Work with India’s leading geosynthetics brand known for its manufacturing capabilities, alongside zero failure RS Walls. Contact us today to see how we can help you find the ideal solution for your site.

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