A power transmission company contracted GeoStabilization International® to mitigate not one but three landslides that nearly blocked a key access road to several mission-critical transmission lines.
GeoStabilization’s engineers developed a repair plan for containing the active ground movement and stabilizing the slopes by erecting a Geosynthetically Confined Soil (GCS™) earth wall with BioWall® facing.
This proposed solution would provide as many as four extra feet of roadway width at this limited-access mountainous site, allowing for easier transportation of essential vehicles.
GCS™ retaining walls are composite structures consisting of compacted backfill and closely spaced soil reinforcement elements attached to a wall facing. Unlike other composite wall systems, the purpose of the reinforcement in GCS™ walls is not to bear the load but to confine the backfill particles and prevent them from dilating.
When the particles cannot dilate, they become difficult to shear, requiring as much as 22,000 lbs/sf to fail. This feature makes GCS™ retaining walls highly effective at stabilizing failed slopes and containing active ground movement.
For this project, GeoStabilization’s crews erected the GCS™ wall on a foundation of reticulated SuperMicropiles™ and installed self-drilling SuperNails™ at the base to prevent toppling.
The BioWall® is a patented wall facing solution developed specifically for bare rock and mineral soil slopes that are too steep to regrow vegetation naturally. These eco-friendly and discreet facings come with a built-in irrigation system and can be planted with various plant species in the form of:
BioWall® facings are ideal for Geosynthetically Confined Soil walls. The facing can be installed on GCS™ systems with face batters of up to 70 degrees to give the retaining walls a living and breathing exterior surface.
GeoStabilization International® has extensive experience building GCS™ and BioWall® structures across the Eastern U.S. and the Pacific Northwest as well as in Australia and New Zealand in cooperation with the company’s local partners.
For this retainer wall repair project, GeoStabilization’s crews constructed and seeded the GCS™ wall with native flowers and then added a BioWall® facing. Eventually, the plants took over, completely concealing the facing and blending seamlessly with the local vegetation.
As an eco-friendly alternative to shotcrete, the BioWall® facing also significantly reduced the amount of concrete used. This minimized the total costs and the environmental footprint on a site with strict environmental requirements.
GeoStabilization International® is the leading geohazard mitigation company in the U.S., Canada, and Australasia.
The company uses the latest slope stabilization technology, including GCS™ walls and BioWall® facings. Thanks to its innovative solutions and proprietary equipment, GeoStabilization can stop shallow landslides without excavations, fluids, and drilling and with minimal site disturbance.
With over 20 years of experience and 5,500 successfully completed projects since 2002, GeoStabilization International® is the industry’s undisputed leader. Contact GeoStabilization today to learn more about its services, ask a question, or request help with a specific project.
If you are interested in a no-obligation site visit to determine if our services fit your geohazard mitigation needs, call us at 855-579-0536 or fill out our contact form.