Geosynthetics October/November 2023 - 26

Leveraging soil nail technology for MSE retaining wall
in the written safety plan. Crew members
were diligent about keeping pedestrians
off the property and redirecting vehicular
traffic.
FIGURE 4 GeoStabilization utilized
soil nail technology as the stabilization
component to rehabilitate this existing
mechanically stabilized earth wall.
can happen when there is an existing
compromised joint in a pipe or electrical
conduit in the same area. Fortunately,
there were no electrical issues or loss of
power for the residents.
Leveraging soil nail
wall technology
avoided the additional
construction time
and costs associated
with conventional
repair methods that
would have been
inappropriate for
this site.
Safety
Because the complex was part of a highly
urbanized, well-traveled area with ongoing
vertical construction of the adjacent highrise
project, ongoing site and construction
safety was paramount. Throughout the
duration of this project, many building
occupants and visitors were interested in
walking around the construction site and
inquiring about the work being done. The
team was also challenged by vehicular
traffic ignoring construction signage as
they tried to find a quicker way to reach
their final destination.
To ensure safety throughout the
entirety of this project, the team activated
an on-site communications system, conducted
regular equiptment checks and
consistently followed protocols outlined
26
Geosynthetics | October November 2023
Results
There are many construction methods
available to achieve the same end result,
but sometimes site challenges and constraints
limit what can really be considered
a viable solution. In this instance,
soil nail technology made the most
sense to pursue, and to pursue immediately.
If left unrepaired or delayed by
conventional construction, the wall was
at risk of " blowing out " in the bulging
section, necessitating a more significant
repair. Leveraging soil nail wall technology
avoided the additional construction
time and costs associated with conventional
repair methods that would have
been inappropriate for this site. Equally
important, this soil nail repair allowed
for minimal impact on residents while
minimizing potential displaced income of
the adjacent businesses dealing with road
closures around a critical area construction
footprint.
The project was completed in less
than eight weeks, with minimal disruption.
None of the condominium residents
were displaced during the repair process,
and local businesses at the adjacent
Phipps Plaza Mall had only minor disruption
during this significant emergency
repair project.
GeoStabilization utilized soil nail
technology as the stabilization component
to rehabilitate this MSE wall. Drilled
and grouted holes effectively created a
matrix of reinforced concrete tension elements
that keep the wall stable through
the interface of the soil nails with the
reinforced shotcrete wall face. This is a
different technology and design methodology
than the typical MSE wall system,
which uses geotextiles/geosynthetics or
Geosynthetics October/November 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Geosynthetics October/November 2023
