Earth Retaining System

Publication No.
FHWA-SA-96-038
1111111111111111111111111111111
REPRODUCED BY
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
NATIONAL TECHNICAL
INFORMATION SERVICE
SPRINGFIELD, VA 22161
The FHWA Geotechnical Engineering Circulars are a series of comprehensive and practical
manuals that provide state-of-the-practice methods and techniques to assist the highway engineer
in the design and construction of highway facilities. No other agency or group has assembled
such a complete set of manuals for geotechnical engineering. The manuals are modeled after the
well-respected set of hydraulic engineering circulars and hydraulic design series, and they are
expected to become a mainstay of geotechnical engineering practice worldwide.
The published circulars in this series are the following:
Geotechnical Engineering Circular No. 1 - Dynamic Compaction FHWA-SA-95-037

Geotechnical Engineering Circular No.2 - Earth Retaining Systems FHWA-SA-96-038
Geotechnical Engineering Circulars are currently being developed in the following areas:
Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering for Highways

Ground Anchor Structures
Technical Report Documentation Page
1. Report No.
P887-173628 3. Recipient's Catalog No.
FHWA-SA-96-038
1111111 111111111111111111111111111111
4. Title and Subtitle 4. Report Date

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING CIRCULAR NO.2 February 1997
Earth Retaining Systems 6. Perfonning Organization Code:
7. Author(s) 8. Perfonning Organization Report No.

P.J. Sabatini, V. Elias, G.R. Schmertmann, R. Bonaparte
9. Perfonning Organization Name and Address 10. Work Unit No.(TRAIS)
GeoSyntec Consultants
1100 Lake Hearn Drive 11. Contract or Grant No.
Atlanta, Georgia 30342-1523 DTFH61-94-C-00099
12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address 13 Type of Report and Period Covered
Office of Technology Application
Office of Engineering/Bridge Division
Federal Highway Administration 14. Sponsoring Agency Code
400 Seventh Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20590
15. Supplementary Notes
Contracting Officer's Technical Representative (COTR) Chien-Tan Chang, HTA-20
FHWA Technical Consultant Jerry A. DiMaggio, HNG-31
16. Abstract
This document presents information on temporary and permanent earth retaining systems for use on
highway projects. Earth retaining systems discussed in this document include:
• rigid gravity and semi-gravity walls;
• prefabricated modular gravity walls;
• mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls;
• reinforced soil slopes;
• non gravity cantilevered walls and anchored walls including sheet-pile walls, soldier pile
and lagging walls, slurry (diaphragm) walls, tangent pile and secant pile walls, and soil
mixed walls; and
• in-situ reinforced walls such as soil-nailed walls and micropile walls.
The document provides comparative information on earth retaining system components, methods of
construction, contracting practices, and construction monitoring and inspection practices. The document
also provides general information on design/analysis procedures and identifies references where detailed
design/analysis information can be obtained. The document is intended as a broadly-scoped primer and
resource document for highway planning, design, and construction specialists.
17. Key Words 18. Distribution Statement

Earth retaining system, contracting, No restrictions. This document is available to the
specifications, construction monitoring public from the National Technical Information
Service, Springfield, Virginia 22161.
19. Security Classif. (of this report) 20. Security Classif. (of this page) 21. No. of 22. Price
Unclassified Unclassified Pages
Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-72) Reproduction of completed page authOrized

DISCLAIMER
The information in this document has been funded wholly or in part by the U.S. Department of
Transportation, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), under Contract No. DTFH61-94-C-00099
to GeoSyntec Consultants. The document has been subjected to peer and administrative review by
FHWA, and it has been approved for publication as a FHWA document.
In this document, several commercially-available earth retaining systems have been identified by trade
name. Also, photographs of several of these systems have been included in the document to illustrate
earth retaining system construction. Commercially-available systems which are not identified in this
document may be equally viable to those which are identified. The mention of any trade name or
photograph of a particular system does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use by either
the authors or FHWA.
11
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors would like to express their appreciation to Mr. Jerry A. DiMaggio and Mr. Chien-Tan
Chang of U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) who
provided significant technical assistance and review during preparation ofthe document. Also, Professor
J.K. Mitchell ofVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State University reviewed the document and prov~ded
many valuable suggestions. The authors would also like to thank the following individuals who
reviewed the document and served on the Technical Working Group for this project:
• Rich Barrows - FHWA;

• Richard Cheney - FHWA;
• James Lyons - FHWA;
• Mark McClelland - Texas Department of Transportation;
• Andy Munoz - FHWA;
• Blake Nelson - Minnesota Department of Transportation;
• Bruce Pfister - Wisconsin Department of Transportation; and
• Tom Saad - FHWA.
The authors would also like to acknowledge the following firms and agencies that provided photographs
of earth retaining systems and product information:
• Criblock Retaining Walls Inc.;

• Contech Construction Products Inc.;
• Doublewal Corporation;
• FHWA;
• KB Technologies Ltd.;
• Maccaferri Gabions Inc.;
• Nicholson Construction Company;
• Reinforced Earth;
• Schnabel Foundation Company;
• U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service;
• Tensar Earth Technologies, Inc.; and
• VSL Corporation.
Finally, the authors would like to thank Mrs. Ann Taylor of GeoSyntec Consultants who drafted many
of the figures and assisted in the layout of the document.
111
PREFACE
Temporary and permanent earth retaining systems are often used on highway projects for grade
separation, bridge abutments, slope stabilization, and excavation support. Prior to 1970, earth retaining
systems used for highway consisted primarily of rigid gravity and semi-gravity concrete gravity walls.
During the past 25 years, however, numerous alternative earth retaining systems have been introduced
into the United States marketplace. These alternative systems are undergoing continuing modifications
as a result of advances in analysis techniques, interpretation of field performance data, and construction
methods, materials, and equipment. Owing to the large number of available earth retaining systems,
selection of a specific system for use on a project may not be straightforward as several systems may
be technically viable, practical to construct, and cost-effective.
This document has been written to provide up-to-date information on earth retaining systems currently
being constructed in the United States for highway applications. Earth retaining systems discussed in
this document include:
• rigid gravity and semi-gravity walls;

• prefabricated modular gravity walls;
• mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls;
• reinforced soil slopes;
• non gravity cantilevered walls and anchored walls including sheet-pile walls, soldier pile
and lagging walls, slurry (diaphragm) walls, tangent pile and secant pile walls, and soil
mixed walls; and
• in-situ reinforced walls such as soil-nailed walls and micropile walls.
This document is a synthesis of practical information on construction, selection, contracting practices,

and inspection for these earth retaining systems. A description of detailed design of these systems is
beyond the scope ofthis document, however, a list ofreferences that include information on state-of-the-
practice design methods for earth retaining systems is provided.
IV
TABLE OF CONTENTS
DISCLAIMER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ii
ACl\J'JO~LED<iMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. iii
PREFACE iv
LIST OF TABLES x
LIST OF FI<iURES xi
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION , 1
1.1 Purpose. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 1
1.2 Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 1
1.3 Relevant Publications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.4 Earth Retaining System Classification 4
1.5 Document Organization 7
CHAPTER 2: TYPES OF EARTH RETAININ<i SYSTEMS 9
2.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2.2 Wall System. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 10
2.3 Description of Wall System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 10
Earth Retaining System (ERS) Summaries

ERS Summary No.1: Cast-in-place (CIP) Concrete Gravity Wall 12
ERS Summary No.2: Cast-in-place (CIP) Concrete Cantilever/Counterfort Wall
.................................................... 14
ERS Summary No.3: Crib Wall 16
ERS Summary No.4: Bin Wall 18
ERS Summary No.5: Gabion Wall 20
ERS Summary No.6: Segmental, Precast Facing
Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) Wall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 22
ERS Summary No.7: Prefabricated Modular Block Facing
ERS Summary No.8: Geotextile/Geogrid/Welded Wire Facing
ERS Summary No.9: Reinforced Soil Slopes (RSS) 28
ERS Summary No. 10: Sheet-pile Wall 30
ERS Summary No. 11: Soldier Pile and Lagging Wall 32
ERS Summary No. 12: Slurry (Diaphragm) Wall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 34
ERS Summary No. 13: Tangent Pile/Secant Pile Wall 36
v
ERS Summary No. 14: Soil Mix Wall (SMW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 38
ERS Summary No. 15: Anchored Wall 40
ERS Summary No. 16: Soil-Nailed Wall 42
ERS Summary No. 17: Micropile Wall 44
CHAPTER 3: CONSTRUCTION OF EARTH RETAINING SYSTEMS. . . . . . . . . . .. 46
3.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 46
3.2. Fill Wall Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 47
3.2.1 General. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 47
3.2.2 Rigid Gravity and Semi-Gravity Walls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 48
3.2.3 Prefabricated Modular Gravity Walls 49
3.2.4 Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) Walls and
Reinforced Soil Slopes (RSS) 52
3.2.5 Construction Equipment and Materials 55
3.3 Cut Wall Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 57
3.3.1 General 57
3.3.2 Nongravity Cantilevered Walls 58
3.3.2.1 Soldier Pile and Lagging Wall. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 58

3.3.2.2 Sheet-Pile, Tangent Pile, and Secant Pile Walls. . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 58
3.3.2.3 Slurry (Diaphragm) Walls 60
3.3.2.4 Soil Mixed Walls (SMWs) 62
3.3.2.5 Construction Equipment, Methods, and Materials 64
3.3.3 Anchored Walls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 64
3.3.3.1 General 64
3.3.3.2 Construction Sequence. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 65
3.3.3.3 Ground Anchor Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 65
3.3.3.4 Corrosion Protection of Ground Anchors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 67
3.3.3.5 Testing and Load Transfer of Ground Anchors . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 68
3.3.4 Soil-Nailed Walls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 69
3.3.4.1 General 69
3.3.4.2 Construction Sequence. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 70
3.3.4.3 Construction Equipment and Materials 73
vi
3.3.5 Micropile Walls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 73
3.3.5.1 General 73
3.3.5.2 Construction Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 73
CHAPTER 4: SELECTION OF EARTH RETAINING SYSTEMS 75
4.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 75
4.2 Wall System Selection 75
4.3 Wall System Selection Summary Charts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 77
4.3.1 General. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 77
4.3.2 Selection Summary Chart for Fill Walls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 78
4.3.3 Selection Summary Chart for Cut Walls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 79
4.4 Wall System Selection Examples 80
4.4.1 General. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 80
4.4.2 Fill Wall Selection Example 83
4.4.3 Cut Wall Selection Example 87
CHAPTER 5: DESIGN OVERVIEW 91
5.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 91
5.2 Geotechnical Investigation 92
5.2.1 Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 92
5.2.2 Subsurface Investigation and Testing Program. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 93
5.2.2.1 Background...................................... 93
5.2.2.2 Field Reconnaissance 93
5.2.2.3 Subsurface Investigation and In-situ Soil Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 93
5.2.3 Laboratory Soil Testing

- \
, 96
5.3 Earth Pressures 98
5.3.1 General. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 98
5.3.2 Earth Pressure Diagrams 99
5.3.2.1 Introduction 99
5.3.2.2 Theoretical Earth Pressure Diagrams 101
5.3.2.3 Semi-Empirical Earth Pressure Diagrams. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 103
vii
5.3.3 Earth Pressures due to Surface Loads 104
5.3.3.1 Surcharge Loads 104

5.3.3.2 Point Loads, Line Loads, and Strip Loads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 104
5.4 Earth Retaining System Design 105
5.4.1 Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 105

5.4.2 Fill Walls 105
5.4.2.1 External Stability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 105

5.4.2.2 Backfill Soil 111
5.4.2.3 Wall Foundations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 112
5.4.2.4 Internal Stability and Structural Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 113
5.4.3 Cut Walls '. . . . . . . .. 117
5.4.3.1 Earth Pressure Diagrams 117

5.4.3.2 Corrosion Protection of Anchors and Soil Nails 119
5.4.3.3 Internal Stability and Structural Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 120
5.5 Other Design Issues. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 127
5.5.1 General. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 127

5.5.2 Wall Embedment 128
5.5.3 Wall Drainage Systems 129
5.5.3.1 Introduction 129

5.5.3.2 Drainage Systems for Fill Walls 129
5.5.3.3 Drainage Systems for Cut Walls 131
5.5.4 Seismic Wall Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 133

5.5.5 Wall System Appurtenances 135
5.6 Design References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 136
CHAPTER 6: CONTRACTING METHODS AND DOCUMENTS 138
6.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 138

6.2 Method Contracting Approach. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 139
6.2.1 Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 139

6.2.2 Required Elements for Method Specifications .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 140
viii
6.3 Performance Contracting Approach. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 143
6.3.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 143

6.3.2 Required Elements for Performance Specifications. . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 145
6.3.3 Review and Approval 146
CHAPTER 7: INSPECTION AND MONITORING 147
7. 1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ., 147
7.2 Inspection of Construction Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 148
7.2.1 Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 148

7.2.2 Conventional Materials 148
7.2.3 Specialized Materials , 149
7.3 Inspection of Construction Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 150
7.3.1 Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 150

7.3.2 Lines and Grades 150
7.3.3 Construction Methods 151
7.3.3.1 Fill Walls 151

7.3.3.2 Cut Walls 152
7.3.4 Performance Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 154
7.4 Post-Construction Monitoring 155
7.4.1 Introduction , 155

7.4.2 Limited Monitoring. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 155
7.4.3 Comprehensive Monitoring , 156
REFERENCES 157
ix
LIST OF TABLES
1. List of ERS summaries 9
2. Fill and cut wall systems 46
3. System selection chart for fill walls 81
4. System selection chart for cut walls 82
5. Typical design steps for earth retaining systems 91
6. Approximate penetration depths for cantilevered sheet-pile walls

(after NAVFAC, 1986) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 121
7. Ultimate lateral resistance for soil nails and tieback anchors

(modified after Foundation Engineering Handbook, Chapter 26, 1991) . . . . . . . . .. 124
8. Design references for earth retaining systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 137
x
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure
1. Applications of earth retaining systems. . 4
2. Earth retaining system classification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
3. Wall system project tasks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . " 8
4. Form outline for cantilever wall footing 49
5. Formwork and reinforcing steel for wall stem of cantilever wall . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 49
6. Cross-sectional view of cantilever wall showing drain pipe 49
7. Erection of first course for a concrete bin wall 51
8. Erection of subsequent courses for a concrete bin wall 51
9. Compaction within metal bin wall module 51
10. Erection of spacers and stringers for metal bin wall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 51
11. Erection of gabion wall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 52
12. Leveling pad for a MSE wall 53
13. Erection of MSE facing panels 53
14. Spreading and compaction of select fill for MSE wall. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 54
15. Attachment device for metallic grid reinforcement to MSE facing panels 54
16. Frictional connection for concrete modular block MSE wall. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 54
17. Wrap-around and no-wrap construction for reinforced soil slopes

(modified after FHWA-SA-96-071, 1996) 56
18. Driving soldier piles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 59
19. Installation of wood lagging 59
20. Typical sheet-pile installation 59
xi
Figure
21. Completed tangent pile wall 59
22. Conventional grab bucket for slurry (diaphragm) wall 61
23. Hydromill for slurry (diaphragm) wall construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 61
24. Guide wall construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 61
25. Hydraulic clam shell for excavation 61
26. Desanding unit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 62
27. Lowering steel reinforcement cage into slurry trench .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 62
28. Construction sequence for soil mixed walls

(modified after Pearlman and Himick, 1993) 63
29. Mixing equipment for soil mixed wall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 63
30. Mixing of soil cement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 63
31. Components of a ground anchor

(modified after FHWA-RD-82-047, 1982) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 65
32. Rotary drilling equipment for ground anchor installation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 67
33. Auger drilling equipment for ground anchor installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . " 67
34. Anchored wall with precast concrete lagging (ground

anchors connected at soldier piles) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 67
35. Anchored soil mixed wall (ground anchors

connected at walers) 67
36. CIP permanent facing being constructed on an anchored wall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 68
37. Load testing and stressing setup for a ground

anchor proof test 69
38. Excavation of first lift and placement of drainage strips

for a soil-nailed wall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . " 71
xii
Figure
39. Drilling for a soil nail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 71
40. Shotcreting of excavated face 71
41. Grouting of a soil nail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 72
42. Steel placement prior to second stage of shotcreting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 72
43. Construction of CIP permanent facing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 72
44. Construction sequence for Insert WallsM (modified after Bruce, 1992) 74
45. Wall system selection flowchart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 77
46. Geometry and site stratigraphy for fill wall example. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 84
47. Geometry requirements for candidate wall systems 86
48. Geometry and site stratigraphy for cut wall example 88
49. Magnitudes and patterns of movement to develop lateral earth pressures . . . . . . . " 100
50. Active earth pressure distributions based on Rankine and

Coulomb theories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 102
51. Variation of stress ratio with depth for MSE wall

52. Modes of external instability for a fill wall

(modified after NCHRP, 1991) 106
53. Forces on an earth retaining system 107
54. Typical dimensions for rigid gravity and semi-gravity

walls (modified after Bowles, 1982) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 110
55. Cantilever wall geometries for limited right-of-way conditions 111
56. Active and resistant zones for MSE walls

xiii
Figure Page
57. Patterns of movement for braced or anchored wall

(modified after Clough and O'Rourke, 1990) 118
58. Terzaghi and Peck apparent earth pressure diagrams for

braced and anchored walls (modified after Terzaghi and Peck, 1967) . . . . . . . . . .. 119
59. Load transfer mechanism in ground anchors (modified after Foundation

Engineering Handbook, Chapter 26, 1991) 122
60. Global stability analysis for an anchored wall (modified after Foundation
Engineering Handbook, Chapter 26, 1991) 123
61. Load transfer mechanism in soil nails (modified after Foundation Engineering
Handbook, Chapter 26, 1991) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 125
62. Failure conditions to be analyzed for soil-nailed walls (modified after

FHWA-PL-93-020, 1993) 126
63. Forces on a root-pile wall (modified after Lizzi, 1978) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 127
64. Drainage systems for fill walls 130
65. Drainage system for soil-nailed wall (modified after

FHWA-SA-93-068, 1994) 132
66. Map of horizontal seismic acceleration (after Algermissen et al., 1982) 134
XIV
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 PURPOSE
The purpose of this document is to present a broadly-scoped primer and resource document on
temporary and permanent earth retaining systems for use on highway projects. The intended audience
includes geotechnical, structural, and highway design and construction specialists involved with the
selection, design, contracting, and construction of these systems. Issues related to earth retaining
system selection, appropriate contracting practices, and construction monitoring are discussed in detail
in this document. This document also presents general information on system design/analysis
procedures and identifies references where detailed design/analysis information can be obtained.
Once the necessity for an earth retaining system has been identified for a particular highway project,
this document can be used to identify wall system alternatives and their key features. Information in
this document is presented within a framework designed to enable the reader to systematically evaluate
and select specific wall systems for a particular project application based on technical, physical, and
economic factors. During project implementation, the reader can use this document to obtain
information on wall system design requirements, construction detailing, contracting practices, and
construction monitoring and inspection.
1.2 BACKGROUND
Prior to 1970, earth retaining systems for highway applications were predominantly of concrete
gravity and semi-gravity construction (Cheney, 1990). If excavation support was required, internally
braced excavation procedures were employed. Design methodologies, performance characteristics,
construction methods, and contracting procedures were, and continue to be, relatively well-establi~hed
for these wall systems.
Since the early 1970s, numerous alternative wall systems have been introduced into the U.S.
marketplace. Many of these newer systems have application to highway projects. Examples include
mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls and reinforced soil slopes (RSS) employing metallic or
polymeric internal reinforcement; anchored walls, such as soldier pile and lagging walls, slurry
(diaphragm) walls, tangent pile walls, secant pile walls, and soil mixed walls; prefabricated modular
gravity wall systems including cribs, bins, and gabions; and in-situ reinforced wall systems such as
soil-nailed walls and micropile walls. O'Rourke and Jones (1990) provide an overview relating to
the changes and developments in earth retaining system materials, design, and construction for the
period 1970-1990. They discuss the increased necessity for excavation support due to the growth in
urban underground construction, advances in construction materials and equipment for anchored wall
systems, advances in the manufacturing of polymeric materials for MSE wall reinforcement, and the
use of soil nailing as a viable means of excavation support.
1
Chapter 1 - Introduction
During the 25-year period since 1970, the development and project application of these earth retaining
systems has grown at a rate that makes it difficult to keep abreast of the changes. These changes have
led to significant cost savings for many highway construction projects, but occasionally, design and
construction-related problems have resulted from inadequate knowledge of the characteristics of the
new system. Problems have included misapplication of wall systems, use of inadequate materials or
design details, inadequate specifications, lack of specifications enforcement, inequitable bidding
procedures, and inconsistent selection, review, and acceptance procedures (Federal Highway
Administration (FHWA), 1988). Furthermore, during the period of 1970-1990, a variety of earth
retaining system contracting procedures have evolved. In addition to traditional contracting methods,
methods involving material-supplier developed designs, specialty contractor design/build
specifications, and performance-based specifications have found widespread use. As a result of the
rapid rate of evolution of earth retaining system technology and contracting procedures, an
information gap sometimes exists amongst highway professionals regarding the selection, design,
contracting, and construction of these wall systems. This document is intended, in part, to address
this information gap.
A number of earth retaining systems introduced in the past 25 years were originally protected from
general use by patent or trademark. These proprietary systems included patented features such as wall
components, methods of construction, and specialized construction equipment. Presently, most
patents for complete earth retaining systems have expired; however, several commercially-available
systems still contain proprietary features. As a result of technical innovation and a trend toward
proprietary components, a wide variety of earth retaining systems is now available for use on highway
projects. These systems have been actively marketed by system developers, manufacturers, suppliers,
and specialty contractors. Available literature on these systems tends to highlight the system
advantages, making it difficult to understand the technical limitations, cost effectiveness, and
recommended applications of each system and to distinguish between similar systems. This document
presents information that will enable the user to better understand similarities and differences between
various commercially-available systems.
1.3 RELEVANT PUBLICATIONS
A number of manuals describing selection, design, contracting, and construction of specific earth
retaining systems are available to the interested reader. These manuals have typically emphasized
analysis and design aspects of earth retaining systems. This document has been developed utilizing
information from these and other manuals and publications. It should be noted that many manuals
on earth retaining system design contain conflicting specific guidance, particularly for more recently
developed systems. It is not the intent of this document to resolve such conflicting information, but
instead to present information on design concepts for categories of earth retaining systems. This
information is presented for purposes of earth retaining system selection and preliminary design.
Several of the manuals used in the development of this document are listed below along with a brief
description of the pertinent contents.
2
• "American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) -

Standard Specifications for Highway Bridges, Sixteenth Edition, 1994"
This manual presents design and construction related specifications and commentary
for ordinary highway bridges. Sections of this manual (Division I - Section 5; Division
II -Section 7) address the design and construction of earth retaining systems for bridge
applications. General design and construction related specifications are described for
conventional gravity and semi-gravity walls, MSE walls, non-gravity cantilevered walls
including anchored walls, and prefabricated modular gravity walls.
• "Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) DM7.02, Foundations and Earth

Structures, Department of the Navy, 1986"
This manual contains general design and analysis procedures for conventional gravity
and semi-gravity walls, non-gravity cantilevered walls including sheet~pile walls and
soldier pile and lagging walls, and anchored walls. Methods for computing earth
pressures for design are also described.
• "National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Report 343, Manual for the
Design of Bridge Foundations, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council,
1991"
This manual contains general design and analysis procedures for conventional gravity
and semi-gravity retaining walls and abutments. Design and analysis procedures are
also included for shallow foundations, driven piles, and drilled shafts. Methods of
estimating movements and load factor design specifications are also provided.
• "U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Mechanically

Stabilized Earth Walls and Reinforced Soil Slopes, Design and Construction Guidelines,
FHWA-SA-96-071, 1996"
This manual contains guidelines for the analysis and design of MSE walls and
reinforced soil slopes. Also included are descriptions of construction procedures,
construction inspection and performance monitoring, and contract specifications for
these systems.
• "U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Permanent Ground

Anchors, FHWA-DP-68-1R, 1988"
This manual contains guidelines for the analysis and design of anchored walls. Also
included is information on ground anchor applications, corrosion of ground anchors,
load testing of ground anchors, and construction inspection.
• "U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Manual for Design

and Construction Monitoring of Soil-Nailed Walls, FHWA-SA-96-069, 1996"
This manual presents information on design and analysis for soil-nailed walls. Also
included is information on appropriate applications of soil-nailed walls, construction
3
procedures, performance monitoring, and the use of shotcrete for wall facings.
The proceedings from the 1990 American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) conference on "Design
and Performance of Earth Retaining Structures" (ASCE Geotechnical Special Publication No. 25,
1990) is a valuable resource in that the papers in the proceedings trace the emergence, development,
and application of many different types of wall systems during the period of 1970 to 1990. The series
of papers in the proceedings also contains detailed information on selection, design, construction, and
contracting practices for many of the wall systems described in this document.
1.4 EARTH RETAINING SYSTEM CLASSIFICATION
The purpose of an earth retaining system is to stabilize an otherwise unstable soil mass by means of
lateral support or reinforcement. For highway applications, wall systems are used for grade
separations, bridge abutments, slope stabilization, and excavation support (figure 1). Many of the
available wall systems are capable of providing adequate lateral support for some or all of the
applications shown in figure 1. Most systems are, however, designed to work best and prove to be
most economical or efficient for only a limited range of earth retaining system applications.
Therefore, it is useful to classify common wall systems based on the factors that will govern their
selection and use.
GRADE SEPARATION BRIDGE ABUTEMENT
000
000
000
000
SLOPE STABILIZATION EXCAVATION SUPPORT
Figure 1. Applications of earth retaining systems.
4
A classification system for earth retaining systems is presented in figure 2. This classification system
represents a modification to a previous classification system developed by O'Rourke and Jones (1990).
In figure 2, earth retaining systems are classified according to construction method (i.e., fill
construction or cut construction) and basic mechanisms of lateral load support (Le., externally
stabilized or internally stabilized). Fill wall construction refers to a wall system in which the wall is
constructed from the base of the wall to the top (Le., "bottom-up" construction). Cut wall
construction refers to a wall system in which the wall is constructed from the top of the wall to the
base (Le., "top-down" construction). It is important to recognize that the "cut" and "fill" designations
refer to how the wall is constructed, not necessarily the nature of the earthwork (Le., cut or fill)
associated with the project. For example, a fill wall, such as a prefabricated modular gravity wall,
may be used to retain earth for a major highway cut. Externally stabilized wall systems utilize an
external structural wall, against which stabilizing forces are mobilized. Internally stabilized wall
systems employ reinforcement which extends within and beyond the potential failure mass. Using
figure 2, each wall system is given a two-part classification. For example, a sheet-pile wall is
classified as an "externally stabilized cut wall system" whereas a mechanically stabilized earth (MSE)
wall is classified as an "internally stabilized fill wall system".
FILL WALL CONSTRUCTION

I
Rigid Gravity and Semi-Gravity Walls Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) Walls
Cl
W
• Cast-in-place (CIP) concrete gravity wall
• CIP concrete cantilever/counterfort wall
Prefabricated Modular Gravity Walls
• Crib wall
• Segmental, precast facing MSE wall
• Prefabricated modular block facing
MSEwall
• Geotextile/GeogridlWelded Wire facing
MSEwall
l Cl
N • Bin wall Reinforced Soil Slopes (RSS) W
:::i • Gabion wall N
iii :::i
lD
~
en ~
CUT WALL CONSTRUCTION en
~ ~
...J
«
Z
I ...J
«
~ Z
W ~
Non-gravity Cantilevered Walls In-situ Reinforced Walls W
~
W • Soil-nailed wall
~
Z
• Sheet-pile wall
• Soldier pile and lagging wall • Micropile wall
• Slurry (diaphragm) wall
• TangenUsecant pile wall
• Soil mixed wall (SMW)
Anchored Walls
• Ground anchor (tieback)

• Deadman anchor
Figure 2. Earth retaining system classification.
5
Each earth retaining system presented in this document can be assigned to one of the categories listed
below.
• Rigid Gravity and Semi-Gravity Walls: these walls derive their capacity through a
combination of the dead weight of the wall and structural resistance.
• Prefabricated Modular Gravity Walls: these walls employ interlocking soil-filled or rock-
filled concrete, timber, or steel modules that resist lateral load by acting as a gravity wall.
• Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) Walls: these walls employ either metallic (strip, grid,
or wire mesh) or polymer (strip, grid, or sheet) reinforcement in the backfill soil that resists
lateral load through interface shear and passive resistance between the soil and the
reinforcement. The reinforcement is connected to a vertical or near-vertical facing.
• Reinforced Soil Slopes (RSS): these systems employ tensile reinforcement in the backfill
soil in a manner similar to MSE walls. The inclination of the slope face is typically less
than 70 degrees. The reinforcement extends to the slope face and is connected to a facing,
where present.
• Non-gravity Cantilevered Walls: these walls derive resistance through shear and bending
stiffness and embedment of vertical structural elements.
• Anchored Walls: these walls derive resistance similarly to a non-gravity cantilevered wall,
but, substantial additional support is obtained through the use of anchors. Anchors may be
prestressed tiebacks (ground anchors) which extend from the wall face back to a grouted
zone or deadman anchors which extend from the wall face back to a mechanical anchorage
such as a steel sheet-pile or concrete block.
• In-situ Reinforced Walls: these walls employ metallic bars that are drilled and grouted, or
driven into the retained soil mass to develop lateral resistance at each level.
The earth retaining systems shown in figure 2 are technically feasible for both temporary and
permanent applications. In most cases, however, certain systems may not be cost-effective for
temporary applications. Compared to permanent walls, walls used for temporary applications
generally have less restrictive requirements on material durability, design factors of safety,
performance, and overall appearance. Also, walls that can be constructed rapidly are often used for
temporary applications. For example, MSE walls with segmental, precast facings are not typically
used for temporary applications since the cost of the facing components and the select backfill may
be more than 50 percent of the total wall cost. More information on the use of wall systems for
temporary and permanent applications is presented in chapters 2 and 4.
6
1.5 DOCUMENT ORGANIZATION
This document is concerned with the process of selection, preliminary design, construction of, and
contracting practices for, currently available temporary and permanent earth retaining systems. The
overall goal of this document is to present information to enable highway design and construction
specialists to evaluate alternative wall systems and ultimately select an appropriate wall system(s) for
a project application. To assist the reader in understanding the sequence of events for any wall system
project, the flowchart in figure 3 was developed. The flowchart outlines the typical tasks involved
in a wall system project and the responsible party for each task. The flowchart also indicates where
information on each specific task can be found in this document. The organization of the remainder
of this document is as follows:
• A two-page description of each wall system, termed an Earth Retaining System (ERS)
Summary is presented in chapter 2. Each ERS Summary provides general information on
a specific wall system and specific selection-based issues pertinent to the particular system.
• Construction methods, equipment, and materials for fill and cut wall construction are
presented in chapter 3. Technical issues associated with the construction of wall systems
for particular project applications are also discussed.
• A systematic approach for evaluating the applicability of a wall system to a specific project
is detailed in chapter 4. A system selection flowchart and selection tables for both fill and
cut walls are developed and their use is illustrated through two examples.
• An overview of analysis techniques and design concepts for earth retaining systems is
presented in chapter 5. References to publications addressing detailed analysis and design
are provided.
• Available options for contracting earth retaining system design and construction, including
owner design and design-build are presented in chapter 6. Method-based and performance-
based specifications are defined and the applicability of these types of specifications for the
contracting of specific wall systems is described.
• Construction inspection and monitoring as it pertains to construction contract acceptance,

construction materials, the execution of construction, and wall system performance is
discussed in chapter 7.
The organization within each chapter of this document is based on the earth retaining system
classification chart shown in figure 2. Throughout this document, information on construction,
selection, design, and contracting approaches are presented for these wall systems, but the
relationships between these components for a particular wall system project are not discussed in detail.
7
Chapter of Document
Where Discussed
Need for Wall System

· 4
Is Identified
Perform Subsurface Investigation

and Prepare Geotechnical Report · 5
Select Feasible Wall Systems · 2,4
Develop Contracting Approach ' · 5,6

Method Approach Performance Approach
•
Prepare Design
+
Develop Geometric and
Design Requirements · 5
· 6
........ 6
_ _.R.e.vi.eW~B.id.S_ _ 1 · 5,6
· 6
· 3
· 7
+
I Acceptance of Work I · 6
Note: Each task is the responsibility of the Owner, unless otherwise noted.
Figure 3. Wall system project tasks.
8
CHAPTER 2
TYPES OF EARTH RETAINING SYSTEMS
2.1 INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this chapter is to provide a quick reference to, and summary information on, a variety
of earth retaining systems (ERSs). This goal is accomplished through use of a two-page ERS
Summary for each wall system. Table 1 provides a list of the 17 wall systems for which ERS
Summaries have been developed. The classification of each wall system is also presented in table 1.
Table 1. List of ERS summaries.
ERS Summary Wall Wall

No. Type Classification
1 CIP concrete gravity wall externally stabilized fill wall
2 CIP concrete cantilever wall externally stabilized fill wall
3 crib wall externally stabilized fill wall
4 bin wall externally stabilized fill wall
5 gabion wall externally stabilized fill wall
6 segmental, precast facing MSE wall internally stabilized fill wall
7 prefabricated modular block facing MSE wall internally stabilized fill wall
8 geotextile/geogrid/welded wire facing MSE wall internally stabilized fill wall
9 reinforced soil slope (RSS) internally stabilized fill wall
10 sheet-pile wall externally stabilized cut wall
11 soldier pile and lagging wall externally stabilized cut wall
12 slurry (diaphragm) wall externally stabilized cut wall
13 tangent pile/secant pile wall externally stabilized cut wall
14 soil mixed wall (SMW) externally stabilized cut wall
15 anchored wall externally stabilized cut wall
16 soil-nailed wall internally stabilized cut wall
17 micropile wall internally stabilized cut wall
9
Chapter 2 - Types of Earth Retaining Systems
The organization of each ERS Summary is described below. For easy reference, each ERS Summary
has been prepared as a "stand-alone" two-page table.
2.2 WALL SYSTEM
Each ERS Summary begins with a list that includes: (1) the name of the wall system; (2) the category
of the wall system; and (3) the classification of the wall system as defined using figure 2.
2.3 DESCRIPTION OF WALL SYSTEM
A standardized format is used in each ERS Summary to present information relating to. selection,
design, and construction of the considered earth retaining system. The format is subdivided into
categories that are delineated in the ERS Summary by section headings. Section headings are listed
below along with a commentary on the purpose of each section.
• Description
In this section, the physical appearance and constituent materials of the wall system are
described. Conceptual design procedures, load transfer mechanisms, and construction-
related issues are also noted.
• General
In this section, the following information is summarized: (1) typical applications; (2)
special applications, if applicable; (3) unit cost range; (4) items included in the unit
cost; (5) size requirements; (6) typical height range; and (7) commercially-available
systems, if applicable.
The reported unit cost ranges (presented in 1995 U.S. dollars) are approximate as
actual costs will depend on wall height and costs of labor, materials, and equipment,
which are dependent on the actual site location and other project-specific factors. For
each ERS Summary, the cost range reported corresponds only to the height range
reported. Unit costs for high walls and permanent walls are on the upper end of the
range of unit costs reported in the ERS Summaries. These cost ranges can be used for
comparisons of the relative costs of different wall systems. Cost estimates for wall
systems should be developed based on project-specific information.
Size requirements refer to the base width of the wall system required to ensure a
satisfactory design for a particular wall system. It is convenient to report this as a
function of wall height because as the height of a wall increases, the base width must
also increase to ensure that the wall remains stable.
10
• Advantages and Disadvantages

General advantages and disadvantages associated with each wall system are listed in
each ERS Summary. Advantages or disadvantages relate to such factors as cost and
availability of materials, labor, and equipment, relative ease of wall system
construction, aesthetics of the wall system, performance characteristics, maintenance
requirements, applicable site and soil conditions, and geometric requirements. For
example, an advantage of a slurry (diaphragm) wall is that it can be constructed in
varying soil conditions, while a disadvantage of a sheet-pile wall is that it is difficult
to construct in gravelly soils.
• Primary System Components

The major structural and geotechnical components of a particular wall system are
identified in this section.
A primary component of all fill walls is the backfill soil. Ideally, granular soil should
be used for backfill since it is free-draining. For simplicity, "granular soil backfill"
is presented as a primary system component for each of the fill walls described in the
ERS Summaries. Clayey soils, however, which have relatively poor drainage
characteristics, may be used as backfill for certain wall applications. The use of clayey
backfill is discussed further in section 5.4.2.2.
A primary component of most earth retaining systems is a drainage system. A

properly constructed and maintained drainage system will minimize potential for poor
wall performance resulting from the effects of surface-water infiltration and runoff and
high ground water. For the ERS Summaries, "drainage system(s)" are presented as
a primary component for all fill walls and several cut walls. Wall systems such as
slurry (diaphragm) walls, tangent and secant pile walls, and soil mixed walls are most
cost-effective when used for applications in areas where ground water exists at an
elevation significantly higher than that of the base of the excavation. These walls can
be designed to resist significant water loads such as those associated with a high
ground-water table and, as such, drainage systems are not incorporated into the wall
system design. Several types of drainage systems for fill and cut wall systems are
illustrated and discussed in section 5.5.3.
• Additional Comments
Additional items which relate specifically to the wall system are noted in this section.
These items relate to construction techniques, construction monitoring, specific design
and analysis considerations, and other aspects of the particular wall system.
Since the reader may be unfamiliar with some of the identified wall systems, figures and photographs
are provided in each ERS Summary.
11
ERS SUMMARY NO.1: Cast-in-place (CIP) Concrete Gravity Wall
Category of Wall: Rigid Gravity Wall

Classification of Wall: Externally Stabilized Fill Wall
Description
A CIP concrete gravity wall is generally trapezoidal in shape and constructed of mass concrete. The
wall relies on self-weight to resist overturning and sliding due to the lateral stresses of the retained
soil. Design procedures are well established for overturning and sliding analyses, and for evaluation
of the bearing capacity of the underlying foundation soils. Backfill soil should be free draining to
prevent water pressure from acting on the back of the wall.
General
Typical applications: Retaining walls
Unit cost range: $270-$370 per square meter of wall face
Unit cost includes: Concrete, granular soil backfill, drainage elements, labor, equipment,
foundation preparation, and construction of wall and drainage system(s)
Size requirements: Base width ranges from 0.5 to 0.7 of the wall height
Typical height range: 1-3 m
Advantages
• Conventional wall system with well-established design procedures and performance
characteristics.
• Concrete is very durable in many environments.
• Concrete can be formed, textured, and colored to meet aesthetic requirements.
• Wall system is economical for wall heights less than 3 m.
Disadvantages
• Wall system requires a reJatively long construction period because formwork must be
erected and concrete must be poured and allowed to cure before backfill loads can be
applied to the wall.
• Wall system cost will significantly increase if adequate source of select backfill is not
available near project site.
• Wall system may not be economical for
cut applications due to additional cost
associated with constructing temporary
excavation support to provide sufficient
base width to construct the wall.
• Deep foundation support, which
increases wall system cost and
construction time significantly, may be
required if wall is founded on weak or
12
marginal soils.
• Wall system is rigid and is sensitive to total and differential settlement.
• Wall system is typically not cost-effective for temporary applications.
Primary System Components

• Mass concrete, generally without steel reinforcement
• Granular soil backfill
• Drainage system(s)
Additional Comments
• Batching, placement, and curing times of concrete should be monitored.
• Foundations should be adequately compacted before concrete is placed.
13
ERS SUMMARY NO.2: Cast-in-place (CIP) Concrete Cantilever/Counterfort Wall
Category of Wall: Semi-gravity Wall

System Classification: Externally Stabilized Fill Wall
Description
A CIP concrete cantilever wall consists of a steel-reinforced concrete wall stem and base slab
connected to form the shape of an inverted "T". A CIP concrete counterfort wall is a cantilever wall
which employs triangular braces at regular intervals along the length of the wall to provide additional
lateral resistance. These walls rely on self-weight plus the weight of soil above the base slab to resist
overturning and sliding due to lateral stresses of the retained soil behind the wall. Design procedures
are well established for overturning and sliding analyses, and for evaluation of the bearing capacity
of the underlying foundation soils. The structural design of a cantilever and counterfort wall assumes
that the wall stem and the base slab are fixed at the junction between the two members and act as
cantilever beams. Counterforts tie the wall stem and the base slab together and reduce bending
moments and shears in the wall members through the transfer of tensile forces in the counterforts.
Backfill soil should be free draining to prevent water pressure from acting on the back of the wall.
General
Typical applications: Bridge abutments, retaining walls, slope stabilization
Unit cost includes: Concrete, reinforcing steel, granular soil backfill, drainage elements, labor,
equipment, foundation preparation, and construction of wall and drainage
system(s)
Typical height range: 2-9 m (cantilever wall); 9-18 m (counterfort wall)
Advantages
• Conventional wall system with well-
established design procedures and CANTILEVER WALL COUNTERFORT WALL
performance characteristics.
• Concrete is very durable in many
REINFORCED
CONCRETE (
GRANULAR
environments. SOIL
BACKFILL
• Concrete can be formed, textured, and

colored to meet aesthetic requirements. j
• Counterfort walls undergo less lateral
displacement than cantilever walls.
14
Disadvantages
• Wall system requires a relatively long construction period because formwork must be
erected and concrete must be poured and allowed to cure before backfill loads can be
applied to the wall.
• Wall system cost will significantly increase if adequate source of select backfill is not
available near project site.
• Wall system may not be economical for cut applications due to additional cost associated
with constructing temporary excavation support to provide sufficient base width to construct
the wall.
• Deep foundation support, which increases wall system cost and construction time
significantly, may be required if wall is founded on weak or marginal soils.
• Wall system is rigid and is sensitive to total and differential settlement.
• Since counterfort walls typically deflect less than cantilever walls, it may be necessary to
design these walls to resist higher earth pressures.

• Reinforced concrete
Additional Comments
• Batching, placement, and curing times
of concrete should be monitored.
• Foundations should be adequately
compacted before concrete is placed.
• Wall stems which are less than 3 m in
height are typically constructed with
constant cross-sectional thickness.
• Resistance to sliding can be increased
by constructing a key into the
underlying foundation.
• Counterfort walls are used for situations
in which unusually high pressures are
expected to act on the back of the wall
or for wall heights generally greater
than 9 m.
• L-shaped cantilever wall may be
necessary in areas with strict right-of-
way requirements.
15
ERS SUMMARY NO.3: Crib Wall
Category of Wall: Prefabricated Modular Gravity Wall

Description
A concrete crib wall is a gravity retaining structure constructed of interlocking prefabricated
reinforced or unreinforced concrete elements. Timber crib walls can be constructed of either stacked
"log-cabin style" prefabricated timber elements or stacked timber beams that are nailed together using
steel spikes. Each crib is comprised of alternating transverse and longitudinal horizontal beams.
Each crib unit is filled with granular, free draining soil, which is compacted inside each unit. Design
of a crib wall for global stability is similar to that of a CIP concrete gravity wall. The weight of a
soil-filled crib unit resists overturning and sliding due to the lateral stresses of the retained soil behind
the wall. Backfill soil should be free draining to prevent water pressure from acting on the back of
the wall.
General
Typical applications: Retaining walls, slope stabilization
Unit cost includes: Precast concrete or timber elements, granular soil backfill, drainage
elements, labor, equipment, foundation preparation, and construction of wall
and drainage system(s)
Commercially-
available systems: Criblock® (concrete); Permacrib® (timber)
Advantages
• Construction is rapid and does not
require specialized labor or equipment.
7',//'
GRANULAR /
i/i/
• Wall elements are relatively small in PREFABRICATED

CONCRETE OR
SOIL
BACKFILL /
/
TIMBER ELEMENTS i
size. i
i
i
i
• Wall system construction does not i
/
require heavy equipment. /
/,/
/
--_//
Disadvantages
cut applications due to additional cost associated with constructing temporary excavation
support to provide sufficient base width to construct the wall.
• On-site design changes are difficult since components are prefabricated off-site.
• Limited space within bins makes use of hand compaction equipment necessary.
• Standard components may require modification for use in wall systems with significant
16
horizontal curvature.
• Wall system can only accommodate
minor differential settlements.
• Wall system is typically not cost-
effective for temporary applications.

• Prefabricated concrete or timber
elements
• Granular soil backfill (inside crib units
and behind wall)
Additional Comments
• Proper compaction of fill in the crib
Completed timber crib wall
units is necessary to minimize wall
settlement and distortion.
• At a given level, the fill inside the crib
units should be placed and compacted
prior to backfilling behind the wall.
• Walls can be constructed with batters.
• Open-faced crib walls require coarsely
graded backfill or filter protection such
as a geotextile to prevent flow of soil
through openings in the face of the wall.
Completed concrete crib wall
17
ERS SUMMARY NO.4: Bin Wall

Description
Concrete and metal bin walls are gravity retaining *". '."fI:",'f"".
~'
structures built of adjoining closed-face or open-

face bins. Each unit of a metal bin wall is
comprised of lightweight steel members which are
bolted together on-site. Each unit of a concrete
bin wall is comprised of interlocking prefabricated
reinforced concrete modules that are placed like
building blocks. Each bin unit is filled with
granular, free-draining soil which is compacted
inside each unit. Design of a metal or concrete
bin wall for global stability is similar to that of a Completed concrete bin wall
cast-in-place (CIP) concrete gravity wall. The
weight of the soil-filled bin unit resists overturning and sliding due to the lateral stresses of the
retained soil behind the wall. Backfill soil should be free draining to prevent water pressure from
acting on the back of the wall.
General
Unit cost includes: Prefabricated metal or reinforced concrete elements, granular soil backfill,
drainage elements, labor, equipment, foundation preparation, and
construction of wall and drainage system(s)
Commercially-
available systems: Contech®; Syro Steel® (metal)
Doublewal®; Evergreen®; Stresswall®; Stawal® (concrete)
Advantages
• Construction is rapid and does not PREFABRICATED METAL
OR CONCRETE
ELEMENTS _ _~
require specialized labor or equipment.
• Wall system does not require significant
maintenance.
• Closed-face bins prevent the loss of
backfill.
18
Disadvantages
excavation support to provide sufficient
base width to construct the wall.
• On-site design changes are difficult
since components are pre-fabricated off-
site.
• Limited space within bins makes use of
hand compaction equipment necessary.
• Standard components may require
modification for use in wall systems
with significant horizontal curvature.
• Soil erosion can occur in open-faced bin
walls.
• Wall system can only accommodate
minor differential settlements.
• Metal bin walls are subject to corrosion
in aggressive soils.
• Wall system is typically not cost-
effective for temporary applications.

• Prefabricated metal or reinforced
concrete elements
• Granular soil backfill (inside bin units Backfilling of concrete bin wall
and behind wall)
Additional Comments
• Proper compaction of fill in the bin
units is necessary to minimize wall
settlement and distortion.
• At a given level, the fill inside the bin
units should be placed and compacted
prior to backfilling behind the wall.
• Walls can be constructed with batters.
• Metallic elements can be galvanized or
aluminized for corrosion protection.
Completed metal bin wall
19
ERS SUMMARY NO.5: Gabion Wall

Description
Gabion walls are compartmented units filled with stone that is 100 to 200 mm in size. Each unit is
a rectangular basket made of galvanized steel, geosynthetic grid, or polyvinylchloride (PVC)-coated
wire. Each gabion unit is laced together on-site and filled with select stone. Design of a gabion wall
for global stability is similar to that of a cast-in-place (CIP) concrete gravity wall. Gabion walls can
be designed with wire mesh or geosynthetic reinforcement that extends back into the retained soil
from between the gabion unit. These wall systems are termed tailed gabions. Design of tailed gabions
is similar to mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls.
General
Typical applications: Retaining walls, slope stabilization, bank stabilization
Unit cost range: $270-540 per square meter of wall face
Unit cost includes: Gabion baskets, select stone, granular soil backfill, drainage elements, labor,
equipment, foundation preparation, and construction of wall and drainage
system(s)
Commercially-
available systems: Maccaferri Gabion; Terra Aqua; Hilfiker (gabion)
Maccaferri Teramesh System; Tensar Structural Gabions (tailed gabion)
Advantages
• Wall system is flexible and can accommodate large total and differential settlements without
distress.
• Wall appearance well-suited to rural areas.
• Since wall system is flexible, it is well-suited for applications in regions of high seismicity.
• Wall system is pervious and is therefore well-suited for bank stabilization applications.
Disadvantages
;
cut applications due to additional cost GABION
BASKETS ;
/
;
associated with constructing temporary /
/
;
excavation support to provide sufficient SELECT
;
/
STONE
base width to construct the wall. ;
;
:'
• Source of stone must be available
nearby for wall system to be ----L'~EOTEXTILE
; SEPARATOR
;
economical. --_/
20
• Gabion wire baskets are subject to corrosion in aggressive soils.

• Construction of wall system requires significant manual labor.
• Abrasion of the gabion baskets may occur in waterway applications where flowing water
contains heavy sediment.

• Gabion baskets
• Select stone
• Geotextile separator
Additional Comments
• Stone must be placed tightly to
maximize weight of gabion units and to
minimize wall settlement and distortion Construction of gabion wall
due to shifting of stone fill.
• Sharp and/or irregular asperities must
be removed from foundation to avoid cutting gabion basket wires.
• Outer stone layer along all exposed gabion faces should be hand-placed to ensure proper
alignment.
• Wall system is highly permeable.
• Gabion counterforts can be used to increase stability against sliding.
• PVC coated or geosynthetic gabions should be used where aggressive soil or water
conditions are present.
Backfill being spread behind gabion wall Completed gabion wall
21
ERS SUMMARY NO.6: Segmental, Precast Facing

Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) Wall
Category of Wall: Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) Wall

Classification of Wall: Internally Stabilized Fill Wall
Description
A segmental, precast facing mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) wall employs metallic (strip or bar
mat) or geosynthetic (geogrid or geotextile) reinforcement that is connected to a precast concrete or
prefabricated metal facing panel to create a reinforced soil mass. The reinforcement is placed in
horizontal layers between successive layers of granular soil backfill. Each layer of backfill consists
of one or more compacted lifts. A free draining, nonplastic backfill soil is required to ensure
adequate performance of the wall system. For walls reinforced with metallic strips, load is
transferred from the backfill soil to the strip reinforcement by shear along the interface. For walls
with ribbed strips, bar mats, or grid reinforcement, load is similarly transferred but an additional
component of strength is obtained through the passive resistance on the transverse members of the
reinforcement. Metallic reinforcement and high modulus geosynthetic reinforcement, which are
relatively inextensible, require less deformation to mobilize shear strength as compared to geotextiles
and lower modulus geogrids. Facing panels are typically square, rectangular, hexagonal, or
cruciform in shape and are up to 4.5 m2 in area.
General
Typical applications: Bridge abutments, retaining walls, slope stabilization
Special applications: Seawalls, dams, storage bunkers
Unit cost includes: Facing panels, reinforcement, concrete leveling pad, granular soil backfill,
Size requirements: Typical minimum reinforcement length is 0.7 of the wall height
Commercially-
available systems: Reinforced Earth® (steel strip)
Mechanically Stabilized Embankment®; VSL Retained Earth®;
Georgia Stabilized Embankment®; Strengthened Earth®;
Isogrid® (steel bar mat)
Advantages
• Wall system construction is relatively ) ~ REINFORCEM;f"r
,!
/
rapid and does not require specialized "-- GRANULAR SOIL
BACKFILL -..,
labor or equipment.
/'
• Limited foundation preparation IS
required.
------ ------ ---- -}/'
• Wall system is flexible and can CONCRETE
LEVEUNG PAO
22
accommodate relatively large total and

differential settlements without distress.
• Reinforcement is light and easy to
handle.
• Concrete facing panels permit greater
flexibility in the choice of facing and
architectural finishes.
• Since wall system is flexible, it is well-
suited for applications in regions of high
seismicity.
Disadvantages Construction of MSE wall

associated with constructing temporary excavation support to provide sufficient base width
to construct the wall.
• Wall system requires relatively large base width.
• Use of metallic reinforcement requires that backfill meet minimum electrochemical
requirements for corrosion protection.
• Allowable load for geosynthetic reinforcement must be reduced to account for creep,
durability, and construction damage.
• Wall system may not be appropriate for applications: (l) where it may be necessary to gain
future access to underground utilities; (2) at locations subject to scour; or (3) involving
significant horizontal curvature.

• Facing panels
• Reinforcement (steel strip, steel bar
mat, geosynthetic)
• Concrete leveling pad
Additional Comments
• Position and alignment of facing must
be monitored to ensure proper fit and
appearance. Completed MSE wall
• Design of metallic reinforcement
requires provisions for loss of section
thickness due to corrosion over design life.
23
ERS SUMMARY NO.7: Prefabricated Modular Block Facing


Classification of Wall: Internally stabilized Fill Wall
Description
A modular concrete block facing wall consists of vertically stacked, dry cast concrete blocks in which
geogrid, metallic grid, or geotextile reinforcement is secured between the blocks at predetermined
levels. The reinforcement extends from the blocks into a granular soil backfill. Each layer of backfill
consists of one or more compacted lifts. The reinforcement may be connected to the wall face
through friction developed between vertically adjacent blocks or through the use of special connectors.
The concrete blocks may be solid or have a hollow core. Hollow core blocks are filled with crushed
stone or sand during construction. A free draining, nonplastic backfill soil is required to ensure
adequate performance of the wall system. Load is transferred from soil to the reinforcement through
passive resistance on transverse members of the grid and interface friction between the soil and the
surface of the reinforcement.
General
Unit cost range: $175-$275 per square meter of wall
Unit cost includes: Modular concrete blocks, reinforcement, leveling pad, granular soil backfill,
Typical height range: 2-6m
Commercially-
available systems: Allan Block™ Retaining Walls; Genesis™ Highway Wall System;
Newcastle Retaining Wall System; Mesa™ Retaining Wall System
(geogrid reinforcement)
Pyramid™ (metallic grid reinforcement)
Advantages
• Wall system construction is relatively
rapid and does not require specialized
labor or equipment.
REINFORCEMENT /
• Limited foundation preparation is r'--+--+-G-RA-NU-LA-R !
SOIL /
required.
• Wall system is flexible and can BAC(7//
accommodate relatively large
settlements without distress. c:=:::::=J""' ,
LEVELING PAD
• Modular blocks are relatively light and
24
easily handled.
• Reinforcement is relatively lightweight
and easy to handle.
• Modular blocks permit flexibility in the
choice of sizes, shapes, weights,
textures, and colors.
• Wall system can adapt to fairly sharp
curves and significant front batter.
Disadvantages
cut applications due to additional cost Completed modular block wall
excavation support to provide sufficient base width to construct the wall.
• Use of metallic reinforcement requires that backfill meet minimum electrochemical
requirements for corrosion protection.
• Allowable load for geosynthetic reinforcement must be reduced to account for creep,
durability, and construction damage.
• Wall system may not be appropriate for applications where it may be necessary to gain
future access to underground utilities or where scour is anticipated.
• Geosynthetic reinforcement may be damaged by oversize backfill or excessive compaction.

• Modular concrete blocks
• Reinforcement (geogrid, metallic grid,
geotextile)
• Leveling pad (concrete or crushed
stone)
Additional Comments
• Position and alignment of modular
concrete blocks must be monitored to
ensure proper fit and performance.
• Front batter is usually required to stack
modular concrete blocks.
• Freeze-thaw durability of modular blocks can be improved by applying a sealant to the wall
face following construction.
25
ERS SUMMARY NO.8: Geotextile/Geogrid/Welded Wire Facing


Description
These wall systems consist of continuous or semi-
continuous layers of geotextile, geogrid, or
welded wire mesh laid down alternately with
horizontal layers of compacted soil backfill. The
wall facing is constructed by wrapping each layer
of reinforcement around the overlying layer of
backfill and then reembedding the free end into
the backfill. Each layer of backfill consists of one
or more compacted lifts. For permanent wall
applications, a free draining, nonplastic soil is
required to ensure adequate performance of the
wall system. Permanent facings include shotcrete, Geotextile wall
gunite, galvanized welded-wire mesh, or
prefabricated concrete or wood panels.
General
Special applications: Sound/noise absorbing embankment wall
Unit cost includes: Reinforcement, facing elements (if required), granular soil backfill, drainage
elements, labor, equipment, foundation preparation, and construction of wall
and drainage system(s)
Commercially-
available systems: Hilfiker Retaining Wall Company (welded wire)
Advantages
• Wall system construction is relatively REINFORCEMENT /
i?'-<=Z=----L-- /
rapid and does not require specialized GRANULAR
/
/
labor or equipment. SOIL
BACKFILL /
/
• Limited foundation preparation is /
/
required. ,it'
• Wall system is extremely flexible and ~/~~:/.~>:y""'~~.,,.-----L.~---- /
/
can accommodate large total and
26
differential settlements without distress.

• Reinforcement is light and easy to
handle.
• Certain geotextiles may improve
drainage characteristics of clayey
backfill.
• Since wall system is flexible, it is
well-suited for applications in regions
of high seismicity.
• Vegetated facing can provide
ultraviolet light protection to polymer
reinforcement. Geogrid wall
• Wall system is often appropriate for
temporary applications.
Disadvantages
• Wall system may not be economical
for cut applications due to additional
cost associated with constructing
temporary excavation support to
provide sufficient base width to
construct the wall.
• Wall system requires relatively large
base width.
• Geotextile or geogrid wall face may Welded wire wall
not meet aesthetic requirements.
• Geotextile and geogrid life may be
reduced due to exposure to ultraviolet
light.

• Reinforcement (geotextile, geogrid,
welded wire)
• Facing elements (if required)
Formwork for geotextile wall
Additional Comments
• Appropriate orientation of geotextile sheets or geogrid should be verified on-site.
• Allowable load for geosynthetic reinforcement is reduced by factors accounting for
creep, durability, and construction damage.
• Geotextile or geogrid walls require forms to support wall face as lifts are constructed.
27
ERS SUMMARY NO.9: Reinforced Soil Slope (RSS)
Category of Wall: Reinforced Soil Slope

Description
These earth retaining systems incorporate planar reinforcement, typically geotextile or geogrid, in
constructed earth slopes with face inclinations of less than 70 degrees. The reinforcement is laid
down alternately with horizontal layers of compacted soil backfill. Each layer of backfill consists
of one or more compacted lifts. If slope facing is used to prevent erosion or provide a desired
appearance, the facing may be constructed by: (1) extending reinforcement layers outside the slope
face and wrapping each layer around the overlying backfill and then reembedding the free end into
the backfill; or (2) extending reinforcement to slope face and then either vegetating the face, or
placing erosion control mats or prefabricated elements against the slope face.
General
Typical applications: Slope stabilization, embankment construction
Special applications: Sound/noise absorbing embankment wall
Unit cost includes: Reinforcement, facing elements (if required), erosion control measures,
soil backfill, drainage elements, labor, equipment, foundation preparation,
and construction of wall and drainage system(s)
Size requirements: Typical minimum reinforcement length is 0.5 to 1.0 of the wall height;
actual length typically varies with face inclination
Advantages
• Wall system construction is relatively
·Q.<,-?M%~%'\\ I
rapid and does not require specialized
•
labor or equipment.
Limited foundation preparation is
FACING ~ CKF-<ILo---L-.~
.........
SO>-IL+-BA /
required.
• Wall system is extremely flexible and REINFORCEMENT ,//
,I
can accommodate large total and --6s"~y~~y)'",,,.~~~~~---j
differential settlements without

distress.
• Reinforcement is light and easy to handle.
• Certain geotextiles may improve drainage characteristics of clayey backfill.
• Since wall system is flexible, it is well-suited for applications in regions of high
seismicity.
• Lower quality backfill can be used as compared to other fill wall systems.
• Vegetation on slopes can provide ultraviolet light protection to polymer reinforcement
28
and a pleasing appearance.

• System can be used for the construction of very high embankments and slopes (30 m).
Disadvantages
• Non-vertical slope increases required right-of-way compared to a vertical wall.
• Wall system may not be economical for cut applications due to additional costs
associated with constructing temporary excavation support to provide sufficient base
width to construct the wall.
• Wall system requires relatively large base width.
• Geotextile or geogrid wall face is irregular and may not meet aesthetic requirements.
• Geotextile and geogrid life may be reduced due to exposure to ultraviolet light.
• Specifications and contracting practices have not been standardized.
• Reinforced soil slopes with vegetated facing may require significant maintenance.

• Reinforcement (geotextile, geogrid)
• Facing elements (if required)
• Erosion control measures
• Soil backfill
Additional Comments
• Appropriate orientation of geotextile sheets or geogrid should be verified on-site.
• Allowable load for geosynthetic reinforcement is reduced by factors accounting for
creep, durability, and construction damage.
• Geotextile or geogrid walls require temporary forms to support wall face as lifts are
constructed.
• Selection of slope vegetation should be based on project site climactic conditions.
Reinforced soil slope during construction Reinforced soil slope with vegetated face
29
ERS SUMMARY NO. 10: Sheet-pile Wall
Category of Wall: Non-gravity Cantilevered Wall

Classification of Wall: Externally Stabilized Cut Wall
Description
A sheet-pile wall consists of driven, vibrated, or pushed, interlocking steel or concrete sheet-pile
sections. The required depth of embedment (i.e., length of sheet-pile below final excavated grade)
is evaluated based on the assumption that the passive resistance of the soil in front of the wall plus
the flexural strength of the sheet-pile can resist the lateral forces from the soil behind the wall. Sheet-
pile walls can be constructed with anchors (see ERS SUl11II1ary No. 15).
General
Typical applications: Retaining walls, slope stabilization, excavation support
Special applications: Marine walls, docks
Unit cost includes: Steel or concrete sheet-piles, labor, equipment, and construction of wall
Size requirements: N/A
Advantages
• Conventional wall system with well-established design procedures and performance
characteristics.
• Wall system can be used for applications in which the wall penetrates below the ground-
water table.
• Work area inside wall face is not required.
• Wall system is suitable for temporary applications.
Disadvantages
• Construction of wall system requires specialized equipment.
• Driving sheet-pile is noisy and it can induce vibrations which may be detrimental to nearby
structures.
• Sheet-pile interlocks may be lost during
driving which will allow water (for
walls constructed in areas of high TOP VIEW
ground water) to advance into the
excavation.
• Difficult to drive sheeting in hard or
dense soils; also difficult to drive in
gravelly soils. [
CONCRETE
SHEET-PILE
• Wall height is limited based on [ [ [ [

required structural section.
30
• Wall system may undergo relatively large lateral movements which may be detrimental to
nearby structures.

• Steel or concrete sheet-pile
Additional Comments
• Proper selection of pile hammer and cushioning is necessary to avoid tearing of pile
interlock and excessive damage at the top of the sheet-pile.
• Wall system is typically used in potentially squeezing or running soils such as soft clays and
cohesionless silt or loose sand below the water table.
Temporary sheet-pile wall
Completed sheet-pile wall
31
ERS SUMMARY NO. 11: Soldier Pile and Lagging Wall

Description
A soldier pile and lagging wall is a non-gravity
cantilevered wall which derives lateral resistance
and moment capacity through embedment of
vertical wall elements (soldier piles). The soil
behind the wall is retained by lagging. The
vertical elements may be drilled or driven steel or
concrete piles. These vertical elements are
spanned by lagging which may be wood,
reinforced concrete, precast or CIP concrete
panels, or reinforced shotcrete. The spacing of
the lagging varies from 2 to 3 m with a common
spacing of 2.4 m. A portion of the load from the
retained soil is transferred to the vertical elements Completed soldier pile and lagging wall
through arching; (Le., load is redistributed away
from the lagging to the much stiffer soldier piles). The purpose of the lagging is to prevent the
retained soil from eroding, which would destroy the arching effect. Soldier pile and lagging walls
can be constructed with anchors (see ERS Summary No. 15).
General
Typical applications: Slope stabilization, temporary excavation support, retaining walls
Unit cost includes: Soldier piles (steel or concrete), lagging (wood, reinforced concrete, precast
or CIP concrete panels, or reinforced shotcrete), facing panels (if required),
drainage elements, labor, equipment, and construction of wall
Size requirements: N/A
TOP VIEW
Advantages STEEL
~
• Conventional wall system with well- SOLDIER PILE
~k/ /zz /z/,:/zz·z / zz/y~

established design procedures and
performance characteristics. WOOD
LAGGING
• Less soldier piles are driven than for the
construction of a sheet-pile wall.
• Soldier piles can be drilled or driven.
• Wall system requires minimal work area
CONCRETEJ
inside wall face. lAGGING
32
Disadvantages
• Construction of wall system requires
skilled labor and specialized equipment.
• Driving piles is noisy and it can induce
vibrations that may be detrimental to
nearby structures.
• Difficult to drive piles in hard or dense
soils; also difficult to drive in soils with
large cobbles and boulders.
• Pre-drilling of soldier piles, if required,
is a significant cost component.
• Vibration may induce settlement in
loose ground. Drilling of soldier beam
• Wall height is limited based on required
structural section.
• Wall system may undergo relatively large lateral movements which may be detrimental to
nearby structures.

• Soldier piles (vertical wall elements)
• Lagging
• Facing panels (if required)
Additional Comments
• Construction of wall system in hard
clays, shales, or cemented materials
enables temporary lagging to be widely
spaced or omitted provided soldier piles
are sufficiently close.
• Wall system is highly pervious. Completed soldier pile and lagging wall
• Wall stiffness can be controlled by
increasing or decreasing number of soldier piles.
• Wall system develops passive resistance only at the soldier pile locations.
33
ERS SUMMARY NO. 12: Slurry (Diaphragm) Wall

Description
A slurry (diaphragm) wall is acontinuous concrete wall consisting of either steel-reinforced CIP
concrete or precast concrete panels that are constructed within an excavated trench. A temporary
concrete guidewall is built to maintain the alignment. The trench is constructed from the surface and
is stabilized with a mineral or polymer slurry as the excavation proceeds. As an individual section
of wall (panel) is excavated, the slurry is cleared of sediments so that subsequently placed tremie
concrete will fully displace the slurry. For a CIP panel, a reinforcing cage is inserted into the trench
and a high slump concrete is then tremied into the trench. Following a specifi~d set time, the next
panel is constructed. After construction, the ground in front of the wall is excavated to final grade.
Slurry walls develop earth pressure and moment resistance through embedment. Slurry walls are
typically constructed using anchors (see ERS Summary No. 15). Precast or CIP concrete panels may
be constructed for permanent applications.
General
Typical applications: Retaining walls, slope stabilization, excavation support
Special applications: Cut and cover tunnels, building foundations
Unit cost includes: Slurry, concrete and reinforcing steel or precast concrete panels, facing
panels (if required), anchors, labor, equipment, and construction of wall
Size requirements: Wall width is typically 0.4 to 1.0 m
Advantages
TOP VIEW
• Wall system is relatively impermeable.
• Lateral movements are relatively small CONCRETE
STEEL BEAM
compared to more flexible wall systems.
• Wall system is suitable for construction
in all soil types.
• Unobstructed working space can be SLURRY {DIAPHRAGM} WALL - STEEL BEAM REINFORCED
achieved on-site. REINFORCING

CONCRETE BARS
• Wall system construction does not
produce significant noise or vibrations. • • . . -4
4 04
• Wall system may be used for permanent • • • • • • 4. •
support of vertical loads. SLURRY (DIAPHRAGM) WALL· REINFORCING BARS
34
Disadvantages
• Construction of this system requires specialty contractor and equipment.
• Difficult to obtain a smooth finished wall face.
• Disposal of slurry may be costly due to
environmental restrictions.

• Slurry
• Precast or CIP reinforced concrete
panels
• Anchors
Additional Comments
• Slurry should be tested periodically to
ensure that the required specific gravity
and viscosity are maintained.
• Concrete placement records should be
kept to determine concrete overpours
and underpours that would indicate
trench collapse.
• Panel connections should be inspected to
ensure continuity.
• Panel width is determined by size of
excavation tool.
Excavation of trench
Top of wall panel Completed slurry (diaphragm) wall
35
ERS SUMMARY NO. 13: Tangent Pile/Secant Pile Wall

Description
A tangent pile wall consists of a single row of tangentially touching drilled, reinforced-concrete piles.
The reinforcement of each pile may consist of a steel beam, a single reinforcing bar, or a reinforcing
bar cage. A secant pile wall consists of a single line of alternating drilled, reinforced and
unreinforced concrete piles. Alternating unreinforced piles are constructed and allowed to set for a
short period of specified time. Subsequently, a reinforced concrete pile is constructed between the
previously drilled piles by cutting through a section of the previously constructed concrete piles.
Tangent pile and secant pile walls can be constructed with anchors (see ERS Summary No. 15).
Precast or CIP concrete panels may be constructed for permanent applications.
General
Typical applications: Retaining walls, excavation support
Unit cost: $430-$810 per square meter of wall face
Unit cost includes: Concrete, reinforcing steel, facing panels (prefabricated or CIF), anchors (if
required), labor, equipment, and construction of wall
Size requirements: Pile diameter is typically 0.5 to 1.0 m
Typical height range: 3-9 m without anchors; 6-24 m with anchors
Advantages
• Lateral movements of these wall systems are relatively small compared to more flexible wall
systems.
• Wall system is adaptable to an irregular installation arrangement and is also well-suited for
wall alignments with significant horizontal curves.
TOP VIEW
Disadvantages
• Construction of wall system requires STEEL BEAM OR BAR REINFORCED
specialty contractor and equipment.

• Difficult to construct watertight tangent
pile wall because small gaps can exist
between piles.
TANGENT PILES

• CIP reinforced concrete piles
• Anchors (if required) SECANT PILES
36
Additional Comments
• Vertical alignment must be maintained to eliminate gaps between tangent piles.
• Wall systems are typically permanent.
• Watertight tangent pile wall can be constructed by installing a second row of smaller piles
behind first row of piles.
Tangent pile wall
Drilling of anchors for tangent pile wall
37
ERS SUMMARY NO 14: Soil Mixed Wall (SMW)

Description
A soil mixed wall consists of overlapped soil-cement columns in which in-situ soils are mixed with
a cement slurry or other hardening agent. A multiple axis auger and mixing paddles are used to
construct overlapping soil-cement columns without soil removal or unmixed zones between columns.
Steel structural members are typically used for reinforcement and are placed into alternating columns
before substantial hardening of the soil-cement takes place. The unreinforced soil-cement columns
are designed to resist and redistribute horizontal stress to adjacent reinforced members. Soil mix
walls are typically constructed using anchors (see ERS Summary No. 15). Precast panels or CIP
concrete may be constructed for permanent applications.
General
Typical applications: Retaining walls, excavation support
Unit cost includes: Cement slurry or other hardening agent, reinforcing steel, facing panels (if
required), anchors, labor, equipment, and construction of wall
Size requirements: Soil-cement column diameter is typically 1.0 m
Typical height range: 6-24 m with anchors
Advantages
• Reduced excavated spoil is produced as compared to slurry (diaphragm) walls.
• Wall system is adaptable to an irregular installation arrangement.
Disadvantages
• Design procedures are not well-established.
• Construction of wall system requires specialty contractor and equipment.
• When exposed to freeze-thaw cycles, soil-cement surface may form layers that flake away
from the surface.
• Quality control/quality assurance TOP VIEW
protocol is not well-documented for this STEEL BEAM
wall system.
• Disposal of excavated spoil resulting
from the soil mixing process may be
costly due to environmental restrictions.
• Special anchor details are required to
maintain water-tightness.
SOIL CEMENT
38

• Cement slurry or other hardening agent
• CIP unreinforced and reinforced soil-cement columns
• Anchors
Additional Comments
• Samples of soil-cement should be obtained for laboratory strength testing.
• Continuity of soil-cement requires careful quality assurance and quality control during
construction.
• Wall system can be designed to be relatively impermeable.
• Required engineering properties can be achieved through proper mix ~esign of soil-cement.
~.
Mixing augers
Completed soil mixed wall
39
ERS SUMMARY NO. 15: Anchored Wall

Description
An anchored wall is any non-gravity cantilevered wall (i.e., sheet-pile wall, soldier pile and lagging
wall, slurry (diaphragm) wall, tangent pile/secant pile wall, or soil mixed wall (SMW)) which relies
on one or more levels of ground anchors (tiebacks) or deadman anchors for additional lateral support.
The use of anchors enables these walls to be higher and deflect less than walls without anchors, (i.e.,
cantilever walls). An anchor is a structural system designed to transmit tensile loads to the retained
soil behind a potential slip surface. Construction of the vertical wall elements and lagging (if
required) for an anchored wall proceeds from the top-down as for all non-gravity cantilevered walls.
When the elevation of the excavation in front of the wall reaches approximately 1 m below the
specified elevation of an anchor, the process of excavation is temporarily suspended and anchors are
installed at the specified elevation. An anchor is installed using drilling and grouting procedures
consistent with the anchor type and prevailing soil conditions. Each anchor is tested following its
installation. Typical permanent facing panels include CIP or precast concrete with natural, textured,
or architectural finishes.
General
Typical applications: Bridge abutments, retaining walls, slope stabilization, excavation support
Unit cost includes: Soldier piles (steel or concrete), lagging (wood, reinforced concrete, precast
or CIP concrete panels, or reinforced shotcrete), facing panels (if required),
drainage elements, anchors, grout, labor, equipment, construction of wall,
and installation, proof testing, and stressing of anchors
Size requirements: Unbonded anchor length is typically 0.6 of wall height; actual length depends
on minimum specified total anchor length and distance to a bearing strata
Typical height range: 5-20m
Advantages
• Design procedures for anchors are well-
established. j~»>,~'y~
C
. BOND LENGTH
• Unlike internally braced excavations, an

unobstructed working space can be . -
/---
-:-:::1
achieved on the excavation side of the ~~~~NENT -----..".

~
........ -...
wall for an anchored wall. ANCHORS
• Relatively large horizontal earth

"V'l..~,/",
pressures can be resisted by an I'--- SOLDIER
PILE
anchored wall.
• Quality assurance is achieved through
40
proof testing of each anchor.

Disadvantages
• Construction of wall system requires
skilled labor and specialized equipment.
• Underground easement may be required
for anchors and anchor zone.
• Anchors may be difficult to construct
where underground structures or
utilities exist.
• Anchor capacity may be difficult to
develop in some cohesive soils.
Primary System Components Anchor testing

• Soldier piles
• Lagging
• Anchors
Additional Comments
• Corrosion protection of anchors is based
on aggressiveness of soil and proposed
design life (i.e., temporary or
permanent) of wall system.
• Lateral movements associated with
excavation can be minimized through
prestressing of the anchors.
• Boring must be made behind wall face
to identify materials in anchor bond
zone.
Completed anchored wall
41
ERS SUMMARY NO. 16: Soil-Nailed Wall
Category of Wall: In-situ Reinforced Wall

Classification of Wall: Internally Stabilized Cut Wall
Description
Soil nailing is an in-situ soil reinforcement technique wherein passive inclusions (soil nails) are placed
into the natural ground at relatively close spacing (e.g., 1.0 to 2.0 m) to increase the strength of the
soil mass. Construction is staged from the top-down and, after each stage of excavation, the nails are
installed, drainage systems are constructed, and shotcrete is applied to the excavation face. If the wall
is permanent, shotcrete or precast or CIP concrete facing panels may be installed after the wall is
complete.
General
Typical applications: Retaining walls, slope stabilization, excavation support, widening under
existing bridge
Special applications: Tunnel facing support
Unit cost includes: Shotcrete, facing panels (if required), drainage elements, soil nails, grout,
labor, equipment, construction of wall and drainage system(s), and
installation and field testing of nails
Size requirements: Soil nail length typically ranges from 0.6 to 1.0 of the wall height; actual
length depends on nail spacing and competency of in-situ soils
Advantages
• An unobstructed working space can be achieved on the excavation side of the wall.
• Surface movements can be limited by installing additional nails or by stressing nails in
upper level to small percentage of working loads.
• Wall system is adaptable to varying site conditions.
• Wall system is well-suited for construction in areas of limited headroom.
• Wall embedment is not required as with other cut wall systems.
Disadvantages
• Construction of wall system requires PERMANENT
FACING
experienced contractor.
• Underground easements for nails may
be necessary.
• Construction of wall system below
ground water requires that slope face be
permanently dewatered.
42
• Closely spaced nails may interfere with

underground utilities.
• Nail capacity may be difficult to
develop in some cohesive soils.

• Shotcrete
• Permanent facing (if required)
• Soil nails
Additional Comments Installation and grouting of soil nails

• Initial depths of excavation should be
decreased if wall face cannot be
supported prior to shotcreting.
• Continuity in vertical drains from level
to level must be ensured.
• Wall system performance relies on rapid
placement of nails and shotcrete after
each stage of excavation.
• Nails must be designed with appropriate
corrosion protection schemes.
Soil-nailed wall with precast concrete facing

panels
_ 1
before construction of
43
ERS SUMMARY NO. 17: Micropile Wall
Category of Wall: In-situ Reinforced Wall

Classification of Wall: Internally Stabilized Cut Wall
Description
Micropile walls (i.e., root-pile walls and insert walls) consist of an array of drilled and grouted
micropiles that penetrate below a potential surface of sliding. For these wall systems, the micropiles
are connected at the ground surface to a reinforced concrete cap beam. The design of a root-pile wall
uses small diameter piles spaced closely together in a complex three-dimensional network. The
purpose of this micropile system is to "knit" the soil into a coherent mass that behaves as a gravity-
retaining structure. The vertical and battered piles of an insert wall are large~ in diameter and are
spaced farther apart in comparison to a root-pile wall. This wall system provides sliding resistance
through tensile and flexural resistance developed in the piles.
General
Typical applications: Slope stabilization, ground reinforcement, landslide stabilization and repair
Unit cost: $3200-$9800 per linear meter of wall
Unit cost includes: Concrete, reinforcing steel, grout, labor, equipment, and construction of wall
Size requirements: Cap beam width is typically 2.0 m
Typical height range: N/A
Commercially-
available systems: Nicholson Construction - Insert WallsM (type A)
Advantages
• Methods are well-suited to landslide stabilization since they do not require excavation that
could induce movements in unstable or marginally stable slopes.
• Aesthetics is not an issue since wall is buried.
Disadvantages
• Design and quality control/quality assurance procedures are not well established.
• Construction of wall systems require a specialty contractor.

• CIP reinforced concrete micropiles
44
Additional Comments
• Wall system behavior is influenced by complex soil-pile interaction.
• Cost of wall system is influenced by depth of assumed slip surface.
Excavation for cap beam Formwork for cap beam
Installation of micropiles
45
CHAPTER 3
CONSTRUCTION OF EARTH RETAINING SYSTEMS
3.1 INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this chapter is to describe the construction of the earth retaining systems introduced
in chapter 2. It is convenient to describe the construction of these systems according to their general
method of construction, that is, fill or cut wall construction. The sequence of construction,
construction equipment and materials, and constructability issues are described for each of the fill and
cut wall systems listed in table 2. Common construction problems and construction inspection are
described in chapter 7. The remainder of this chapter is organized as described below.
• A general, step-by-step procedure for the construction of fill walls is presented in section
3.2. Equipment typically used in the construction of fill wall systems is also described.
Relevant code specifications for the construction materials and procedures used with these
wall systems are provided.
• Similar information to that described above is provided for cut wall systems in section 3.3.
Table 2. Fill and cut wall systems.
Fill Walls Cut Walls
Rigid Gravity and Semi-Gravity Walls Non-Gravity Cantilevered Walls

Prefabricated Modular Gravity Walls • Soldier Pile and Lagging Walls
Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) Walls • Sheet-Pile, Tangent Pile, and Secant Pile Walls
Reinforced Soil Slopes (RSS) • Slurry (Diaphragm) Walls
• Soil Mixed Walls (SMW)
Anchored Walls
Soil-Nailed Walls
Micropile Walls
46
Chapter 3 - Construction of Earth Retaining Systems
3.2. FILL WALL CONSTRUCTION
3.2.1 General
Fill walls represent the most common category of earth retaining system. These wall systems are
generally associated with embankment construction where right-of-way (ROW) is not available for
the construction of stable slopes to original grade, situations in which obstructions interfere with the
placement of fill slopes, or bridge abutment construction.
Common characteristics relating to the construction of all fill wall systems include the preparation of
the wall foundation, the placement and compaction of select fill behind the wall, and the installation
of drainage systems. Key characteristics of the different types of fill walls are given below. An
overview of the construction materials and procedures used with fill wall systems is presented in the
following subsections of this document.
• Rigid Gravity and Semi-Gravity Walls: These wall systems utilize gravity, cantilevered, or
counterforted concrete construction. The placement of select fill occurs after the wall has
been constructed.
• Prefabricated Modular Gravity Walls: These wall systems utilize off-site prefabricated
concrete, steel, timber, or basket enclosures that are filled with either granular fill or rock.
These enclosures are assembled, erected, and filled on-site. The placement of select fill
occurs as the wall is being constructed.
• Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) Walls: These wall systems utilize off-site
prefabricated facing units and metallic or geosynthetic soil reinforcing elements that are
erected on-site. The placement of select fill occurs as the wall facing is being constructed.
• Reinforced Soil Slopes (RSS): These systems utilize soil reinforcing elements (typically
geosynthetics) for the construction of stable earth slopes. The placement of fill occurs just
after each layer of reinforcement is placed.
Drainage systems are required for all fill wall systems. A major cause of unsatisfactory performance
of fill wall systems has been improperly designed or poorly constructed drainage systems. Drainage
systems typically include slotted drain pipes which run parallel to the wall alignment and which are
generally located at the rear of the reinforced soil mass for MSE walls and RSS, and just behind the
heel of the wall base or the back of the wall for other fill wall systems. Drain outlets are connected
to the drain pipes at regularly spaced intervals and serve to transport water collected in the drain pipes
away from the wall.
47
3.2.2 Rigid Gravity and Semi-Gravity Walls
The sequence of construction for rigid gravity and semi-gravity walls is described below.
• The first stage of construction consists of excavating to the wall foundation grade and
preparing the wall foundation. If stable excavation slopes cannot be maintained during the
period of wall construction, temporary excavation support needs to be provided.
Foundation preparation includes removing unsuitable materials such as organic matter and
vegetation from the area to be occupied by the wall and leveling and proofrolling the
foundation area. Preparation of the wall foundation is extremely important as it must be
relatively stiff and uniform, since rigid concrete walls cannot tolerate significant differential
settlement. For walls founded on compressible soils, foundation preparation may require
ground improvement to increase bearing capacity and stiffness or the construction of deep
foundations (i.e., piles or drilled shafts) for wall footing support.
• The footing outline is formed and the reinforcing steel, if any, for the footing is placed. If
a cantilever or counterfort wall is to be constructed, the reinforcing steel is extended into
the wall stem. For a counterfort wall, reinforcing steel is also extended into the
counterforts. The footing concrete is then poured.
• The wall stem is formed and concrete is poured. For counterfort walls, reinforcing steel
for the counterforts is placed and the counterforts are then formed and the concrete is
poured. Typically, concrete is poured in sections between expansion joints and, wherever
possible, it is poured for the full wall height to eliminate cold joints.
• Drainage systems are then constructed behind the wall. Concurrent with this activity is the
placement and compaction of select fill to finished grade. Care should be taken to ensure
that the backfill soils are not overcompacted just behind the wall face. Overcompaction can
induce large lateral earth pressures which may overstress the wall and, if prefabricated
drainage material is constructed against the back wall face, damage the drainage component.
Figures 4 through 6 illustrate several stages of construction for these wall systems.
48
Figure 4. Form outline for cantilever wall

footing.
FIgure 5. Formwork and reinforcing steel for Figure 6. Cross-sectional view of cantilever
wall stem of cantilever wall. wall showing drain pipe.
3.2.3 Prefabricated Modular Gravity Walls
Prefabricated modular gravity walls are constructed from either precast concrete, steel, or timber
units. Bin or crib type walls are assembled on-site from prefabricated precast concrete, steel, or
timber members (stringers and spacers) to form rectangular or square enclosures that are then
backfilled. Alternatively, the bins or cribs may be self-standing precast concrete units with standard
49
heights and face widths and variable lengths. The units are "stacked" on each other and backfilled
progressively in lifts. A gabion wall is a prefabricated modular gravity wall that is constructed from
preformed wire baskets filled with clean rock.
The sequence of construction for prefabricated modular gravity walls is described below.
• Excavation to the wall foundation grade, foundation preparation, and construction of

temporary excavation support are performed similarly to that for rigid gravity and semi-
gravity walls.
• Typically, walls using discrete stringers and spacers, which are field assembled, do not
require a wall footing. In contrast, precast concrete units are erected on small longitudinal
footings supporting both the front and back face of the units. The purpose of these footings
is to provide the necessary erection tolerances and, for some proprietary systems, to
transmit the load to the foundation. For walls designed with a front batter, the footing
surface is inclined at the design batter angle. Wall alignment should be checked frequently,
especially for battered walls with horizontal curves.
• Erection of the wall consists of assembling the stringers (longitudinal members) and spacers
(transverse members) into their final square or rectangular geometry. For fully precast
bins, cranes or front end loaders equipped with slings are used to unload the bins and erect
the wall through the successive stacking of units on top of each other. For gabion walls,
the units are filled with rock at the site either in-place or the units are constructed adjacent
to the wall and subsequently lifted into place.
• A clam shell or front end loader is used to place the backfill within each enclosure. The
backfill is then hand spread, if possible, and compacted with portable vibratory plate
tampers. The backfill used should be a select fill. For open-faced units, the backfill surface
should be graded away from the wall face at the end of each day of construction. This
minimizes the potential for stormwater to penetrate into the wall backfill and wash out
backfill materials through wall face openings.
Figures 7 through 11 illustrate some of the stages of construction for various prefabricated modular
gravity walls.
50
~ .....•
Figure 7. Erection of first course for a concrete Figure 9. Compaction within metal bin wall
bin wall. module.
~,
Figure 8. Erection of subsequent courses for a Figure 10. Erection of spacers and stringers for
concrete bin wall metal bin wall.
51
Figure 11. Erection of gabion wall.
3.2.4 Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) Walls and Reinforced Soil Slopes (RSS)
All MSE wall systems with precast facing elements use a common construction method. This method
involves a step-by-step procedure that is repeated until the full wall is erected. The method differs
slightly depending on the type of facing (prefabricated modular panels or blocks versus geosynthetics
or welded-wire mesh).
The sequence of construction for MSE wall systems having prefabricated modular panels or blocks
is described below.
• Excavation to the wall foundation grade, foundation preparation, and construction of

temporary excavation support are performed similarly to that for rigid gravity and semi-
gravity walls except additional foundation support is typically not required. In some cases,
ground improvement methods such as wick drains or stone columns may be required to
meet project specific criteria.
• A small (300-mm wide by 150-mm thick) unreinforced concrete leveling pad is placed prior
to erection of the facing units. This pad is used to control erection tolerances. For
prefabricated modular block facing MSE walls, a compacted gravel leveling pad is often
used in lieu of unreinforced concrete.
• Facing units, which may be precast concrete panels or metal panels, or dry cast concrete
modular blocks, are erected. If precast concrete panels are used, temporary bracing is
required to maintain stability and alignment.
• Select backfill is placed on the subgrade in one or more lifts to the level of the first layer
of reinforcing elements. Prior to placement of the reinforcement, each lift of the backfill
is compacted to a specified density with self-propelled compaction equipment operating to
within 1 m of the back face of the wall. Smaller vibratory plate tampers are used closer to
52
the back face of the wall to prevent compaction-induced damage or distortion to the facing
panels. Frequent surveys should be performed to ensure that appropriate wall alignment
is maintained.
• The first layer of reinforcing elements is placed on the compacted backfill and connected
to the facing unit. The method of facing/reinforcement connection depends on the specific
MSE wall system being constructed. These methods include bolt connections, insertion of
a shear bar, or a frictional or mechanical connection for concrete modular block units.
• Select backfill is placed in lifts over the reinforcing elements to the level of the next layer
of reinforcement and the backfill is compacted. The backfill should be dumped into the rear
or middle of the reinforcements and bladed towards the back face of the wall.
• The sequence of erecting additional facing units, placing reinforcing elements, connecting
reinforcing elements to the facing panels, and placing and compacting the select fill in lifts
is repeated until the wall reaches the final height.
Figures 12 through 14 illustrate a complete sequence of construction for an MSE wall system with
precast facing panels and figures 15 and 16 show typical facing/reinforcement connections for two
different MSE wall systems.
figure 12. Leveling pad for a MSE wall. Figure 13. Erection of MSE facing panels.
53
Figure 14. Spreading and compaction of select

fill for MSE wall.
Figure 15. Attachment device for metallic grid

reinforcement to MSE facing panels.
Figure 16. Frictional connection for concrete

modular block MSE wall.
54
The sequence of construction for MSE wall systems which use either geotextile, geogrid, or welded-
wire mesh facing is slightly different than described above if the reinforcement is also used as the
facing unit. In this case, the facing is formed by wrapping each layer of reinforcement around the
overlying layer of backfill (i.e., wrap-around construction). For geotextile and geogrid walls,
specialized facing forms are used to construct each lift and to permit compaction of the backfill against
the wall face.
The sequence of placing reinforcing elements and placing and compacting fill for a reinforced soil
slope is similar to that for a wrap-around MSE wall. RSS, however, can also be constructed with no-
wrap construction wherein the reinforcement is terminated at the slope face. The decision to employ
either wrap-around or no-wrap construction generally depends on the slope angle. For slope angles
less than approximately 45 degrees, no-wrap construction can be used if the reinforcement is placed
at close vertical spacing. Alternatively, primary reinforcement can be placed at greater vertical
spacing if secondary reinforcement is installed at the slope face between vertical levels of primary
reinforcement. If slope facing is required to prevent sloughing or erosion of the soil, several options
are available. These include: (1) providing sufficient reinforcement length to permit wrap-around
construction; (2) vegetating the slope face; and (3) constructing erosion control mats or prefabricated
elements on the slope face. Figure 17 illustrates wrap-around and no-wrap construction for reinforced
soil slopes.
3.2.5 Construction Equipment and Materials
Specialized equipment is typically not required for fill wall construction. Earthwork associated with
foundation preparation only requires conventional equipment including backhoes and hand-tools.
Cranes or front end loaders equipped with slings are used to unload and erect precast concrete crib
units and MSE wall facings. Where concrete modular block units are used, only light lifting
equipment may be necessary as the typical weight of each block ranges from 35 to 70 kg. Placement
and compaction of select fill requires conventional equipment such as bulldozers and vibratory rollers.
Within a 1 m zone from the back face of a wall, hand tampers or small self-propelled compactors are
used.
Construction and material specifications for fill walls are given in Section 7 of AASHTO (1994),
Division II-Construction.
55
WRAP-AROUND CONSTRUCTION NO-WRAP CONSTRUCTION

(SLOPE ANGLES GREATER THAN 45°) (SLOPE ANGLES LESS THAN 45°)
o Compact fill
and face
<::::::=PRIMARY -SECONDARY
REINFORCEMENT
REINFORCEMENT
(a) Lift 1 plus reinforcement for lift 2

Optional face construction:
1. Over extend fill, compact, and cut back or
2. Use a form
\ : PRIMARY
REINFORCEMENT
(b) Second primary reinforcement layer
(c) Completion of second stage
SHRUj:8 _
COMPACTION
(9'
FORM ..
(d) Facing alternatives
Figure 17. Wrap-around and no-wrap construction for reinforced soil slopes (modified after FHWA-
SA-96-071, 1996).
56
3.3 CUT WALL CONSTRUCTION
3.3.1 General
Cut wall construction is typically employed to provide retention support where construction must
proceed from the top-down due to geometric and/or environmental constraints. Cut walls are
typically used in applications such as underpass construction.
The methods of construction for cut walls depend on the specific wall type. An overview of the
construction materials and procedures for cut wall systems is provided below.
• Nongravity Cantilevered Walls: These wall systems employ either discrete (e.g., soldier
pile) or continuous (e.g., sheet-pile) vertical wall elements that are either driven or drilled
to depths significantly below the finished excavation grade. Support is provided through
the shear and bending stiffness of these vertical elements and passive resistance from the
soil below the finished excavation grade. Discrete vertical wall elements may consist of
steel piles or drilled shafts that are spanned by a structural facing. The facing may be wood
lagging, precast concrete, or CIP concrete. Alternatively, the vertical wall elements and
facing may be continuous and, therefore, also form the structural facing. Typical
continuous wall elements include steel sheet-piles, CIP concrete slurry (diaphragm) wall
panels, tangent/secant piles, and soil-cement columns.
• Anchored Walls: These wall systems are composed of the same elements as nongravity
cantilevered walls, but obtain additional horizontal support from one or more tiers of
ground anchors (tiebacks). Anchors may be prestressed elements (usually strand steel or
bars) with appropriate corrosion protection that extend from the wall face to a grouted zone
located significantly behind the wall face.
• Soil-Nailed Walls: These wall systems consist of a reinforced shotcrete face constructed
incrementally from the top-down. An array of relatively closely spaced (1 to 1.5 m) nails
are placed in drilled holes through the facing which are subsequently grouted. For
permanent walls, shotcrete, CIP concrete facing, or prefabricated precast concrete panels
can be subsequently constructed on or in front of the shotcreted face.
• Micropile Walls: These wall systems consist of an array of micropiles that are installed
from the ground surface to an underlying strata that is below a potential sliding surface.
This type of construction does not form a visible wall and is often used to stabilize unstable
slopes.
The need for drainage for cut wall systems depends on the specific project requirements. For some
applications, a watertight wall may be required and a drainage system is, therefore, not required.
This situation may occur when surrounding ground water is contaminated, when ground-water
57
drawdown may induce settlements in nearby structures, or when it is necessary to maintain a "dry"
excavation. In other cases, drainage measures may be needed to: (1) reduce water pressures and
freezing water pressures from acting on the back of the wall; (2) protect facing elements from
potential deterioration induced by contact with water; and (3) prevent saturation of the retained soil
mass (Foundation Engineering Handbook, Chapter 26, 1991). Drainage is usually achieved, where
needed, by installation of drainage media immediately behind the wall facing and/or by drilling
horizontal drains into the retained soil mass at an appropriate stage of construction.
3.3.2 Nongravity Cantilevered Walls
3.3.2.1 Soldier Pile and Lagging Wall
The sequence of construction for soldier pile and lagging walls is described below.
• The initial step of construction consists of installing the soldier piles from the surface to
their final design elevation. Horizontal spacing of the soldier piles typically varies from 2
to 3 m with a common spacing being 2.4 m. The soldier piles may be steel H beams or
drilled shafts. Steel H beams are normally driven using pile driving equipment and drilled
shafts are constructed by drilling and subsequently concreting the shaft.
• The next phase of construction consists of excavation at the wall face in 200- to 500-mm
deep increments, followed by the installation of wood or concrete lagging between the
flanges of the H beams. Lagging should be placed as soon as possible after excavation to
minimize erosion of materials into the excavation. Where drilled shafts are utilized, the
incrementally excavated face is often initially shotcreted for temporary support and then
permanently faced with CIP or precast concrete panels suitably connected to the drilled
shaft.
Figure 18 shows the installation of a soldier pile, and figure 19 shows the installation of wood lagging
between steel H beam soldier piles.
3.3.2.2 Sheet-Pile, Tangent Pile, and Secant Pile Walls
The sequence of construction for sheet-pile, tangent pile, and secant pile walls is described below.
• Sheet-pile walls are constructed in one phase in which interlocking sheet-piles are driven
to the final design elevation using pile driving equipment. Where difficult driving
conditions are encountered, a template is often utilized to achieve proper longitudinal
alignment of the sheet-piles. Interlocking sheet-piles may be either steel or precast
concrete. Steel sheet-piles are normally used for temporary applications as they are
typically more readily available and stronger than precast concrete sheet-piles.
58
Figure 18. Driving soldier piles.
Alternatively, drilled shafts, cased or

uncased as necessary, are drilled in a
secant or tangent layout to the final
design elevation. The required
reinforcement is lowered into the shaft
and the shaft is then concreted using an
appropriate method.
Figure 19. Installation of wood lagging.
• Excavation then proceeds to finished
grade in front of the wall. If a uniform planar wall finish is required, the front face can be
covered with CIP or precast concrete panels.
Figure 20 shows a steel sheet-pile being driven and figure 21 shows a completed tangent pile wall.
Figure 20. Typical sheet-pile installation. Figure 21. Completed tangent pile wall.
59
3.3.2.3 Slurry (Diaphragm) Walls
A slurry (diaphragm) wall is constructed within a narrow trench that has been excavated to the full
wall depth. The trench is stabilized with a mineral or polymer slurry as the excavation proceeds. The
wall is constructed by placing the structural elements into the trench from the ground surface.
The sequence of construction for slurry (diaphragm) walls is described below.
• The initial step of construction consists of installing two 1.0- to 2.0-m, high guide walls at
the ground surface along the edges of the trench alignment. The guide walls usually consist
of 150- to 250-mm thick CIP or precast reinforced concrete elements. The guide walls
serve to support the ground at the surface, guide the trench excavation equipment, support
the reinforcing steel cage during concrete placement, and protect the top edge of the trench
as the equipment is lowered and raised. The width of the trench, which is also the width
of the completed wall, is usually between 0.4 and 1 m. Care must be taken in constructing
the guidewalls as horizontal and vertical construction controls such as wall alignment and
wall verticality are based on measurements which are referenced to the guidewalls.
• Soil is excavated from the trench using a backhoe (for trench depths less than 7 m), a
hydraulic clamshell bucket (figure 22), or, for difficult excavation through soil and rock,
a reverse circulation boring unit. The latter unit is suspended from a crane and consists of
a heavy metal frame at the base of which are two counter-rotating drums with teeth. The
most widely used unit of this type is known as a hydromill (figure 23). After an individual
panel (primary panel) is excavated, the sediments in the suspended slurry are removed using
a pump centrally mounted within the unit and a desanding process. The desanded slurry
is reused for the construction of subsequent panels.
• Temporary end tubes or end stops are lowered into place at both ends of the excavated panel
to provide a form for concrete placement. These elements usually consist of steel pipes
with diameters slightly less than the width of the trench. The steel reinforcing cage is then
lowered into place through the slurry. Concrete is then placed in the excavated panel
through the slurry using tremie methods. The end tubes are removed slowly after the
concrete has begun to set. Concreting proceeds in alternate panels until the wall is
complete.
Figures 24 through 27 illustrate several stages of construction and some of the types of equipment
utilized for slurry (diaphragm) wall construction.
60
Figure 23. Hydromill for slurry

(diaphragm) wall construction.
"0'J("" '. "
~ . f1[~.k. '."
';' ''''', ",--
\ l .
'''\~\t~~
Figure 25. Hydraulic clam shell for excavation.
61
I
J
:fi,\
'~~'I~
·~UIl&7c."~~,.~.i,-~~." ~... ~,
Figure 26. Desanding unit. Figure 27. Lowering steel reinforcement cage
into slurry trench.
3.3.2.4 Soil Mixed Walls (SMWs)
Soil mixed walls are constructed in-situ using specialized auger equipment. The equipment typically
consists of a number of mixing augers mounted in a side-by-side arrangement with overlaps between
adjacent augers. As the mixing augers are advanced into the soil, cement grout is pumped through
the auger shafts and injected into the soil at the tip of the augers or through the mixing blades of the
augers. During insertion, the soil and the grout are continuously mixed. The mixing process is
repeated during auger withdrawal. A panel of overlapping soil cement columns remains in place after
mixing is completed. These overlapping columns form a soil-cement wall after adequate curing.
The sequence of construction for soil mixed walls (SMWs) is described below and is shown
schematically in figure 28.
• A three- to five-hole pattern is drilled to form a primary panel. Upon completion of this
primary panel, the equipment is moved along the alignment of the wall to the appropriate
position for constructing the next primary panel. This primary panel is then constructed
similarly to the first primary panel.
• A secondary panel is then constructed to span the interval between the two adjacent primary
panels. This secondary panel is positioned to establish wall continuity.
• The final step consists of installing structural members such as H beams or steel pipes, as
required for reinforcement, into the soil cement columns prior to curing. The above
sequence is then repeated until the soil mixed wall is completed. Wall construction
produces excess soil spoil with a volume of approximately 20 to 30 percent of the completed
wall volume.
The equipment used in constructing this wall system is shown in figures 29 and 30.
62
STEP 1.
Primary holes _~m(~p;~11
STEP 2.
Primary holes
,
STEP 3. \
,
Secondary holes I
/
/
STEP 4.
Install piles in
primary holes
LEGEND
,...-- ...... /-----
Hole being
drilled
i
\
I '
" Previously
;' drilled holes
,/ I ",
\
Soldier pile
;' added to hole
\ ..... _----/ "- - //
Figure 28. Construction sequence for soil mixed walls (modified after Pearlman
and Himick, 1993, Anchored Excavation Support Using SMW, Deep Foundations
Institute (DFI). Reprinted by permission of DFI) .
.j
:t~
Figure 29. Mixing equipment for soil mixed Figure 30. Mixing of soil cement.
wall.
63
3.3.2.5 Construction Equipment, Methods, and Materials
A variety of equipment and methods are utilized for nongravity cantilevered wall construction. The
type of equipment used depends on the type of wall system to be constructed. For the installation of
steel H beams and sheet-piles, conventional pile driving equipment is used. For tangent/secant drilled
shaft construction, suitable drilled shaft equipment is utilized. For slurry (diaphragm) wall
construction, specially constructed hydraulic clam shells or hydromills. A desander unit or settling
pond must be provided with ultimate disposal volumes for excavated soil being approximately equal
to the volume of the completed wall. For soil mixed walls (SMW), proprietary multiple-flight auger
units suspended from crawler crane booms are used, and provisions must be made for spoil disposal.
Construction and material specifications for non-gravity cantilevered wall systems are contained in
the following sections of AASHTO (1994), Division II - Construction:
• Section 4 (driven piles);

• Section 5 (drilled shafts); and
• Section 7.6.2 (sheet-pile and soldier pile walls).
Standard industry construction and material specifications are not yet available for slurry (diaphragm)
walls and soil mixed walls. Additional information on slurry (diaphragm) wall construction,
materials, and construction quality control can be found in ASTM (1992).
3.3.3 Anchored Walls
3.3.3.1 General
Anchored wall construction is similar to that for non-gravity cantilevered walls, except that
construction of this type of wall also involves installation ofground anchors (tiebacks) or deadman
anchors. The significant construction characteristics associated with ground anchors are placement,
proof testing, and lock off of a predetermined, prestressed anchor load to a structural member at the
wall face.
A ground anchor is a structural system that is used to secure a tendon that applies a force to the
structure. The major components of a ground anchor are shown schematically in figure 31. The
tendon is composed of a steel rod, or cable, with sheathing and an anchorage. The ground anchor
transmits the tendon force into the soil well behind the wall face; the anchor bond zone (anchor
length) extends behind any potential active soil wedge that stresses the wall face. The anchorage is
made up of an anchor head or nut and a bearing plate that provides the load transfer mechanism to
the structure.
64
JACK
ANCHOR HEAD
BEARING PLATE
:- .;.:.:- ~
~ ~~ ~
WALL JkJ... ~ :....
'.
'.
~
UNBONDED TENDON
~
,
~
~
.
"-
• ~.~
'. .' •.~
'~. ....
l'
~
"IyO",
(~OA.
'r(
~~
~""G;<90~ Gl'1y
"--~Iy ~
)<. .~
ANCHOR GROUT "'.,."'-, ) ~
BONDED TENDON
"'.
'r..---Z"'1~
()L "ty,
~",~~",
I ~",
Figure 31. Components of a ground anchor (modified after
FHWA-RD-82-047, 1982).
3.3.3.2 Construction Sequence
The construction sequence for anchored walls is the same as that for nongravity cantilevered walls
until excavation reaches approximately 1.0 m below the location of each ground anchor. At this stage
of construction, a ground anchor is installed. Ground anchors can be installed by a variety of drilling
and grouting procedures. The procedures used for any particular project are often chosen based on
local experience and contractor preference. Common methods of drilling and grouting, as well as
anchor corrosion protection and anchor proof testing, are described in subsequent subsections.
3.3.3.3 Ground Anchor Installation
Straight Shaft Ground Anchors Using Low Grout Pressure
This type of ground anchor is typically installed in rock or soil using either rotary drilling or hollow-
stem augers. Grouting is achieved either by low pressure injection (grouting pressures less than 1
MPa) or by gravity tremie methods.
When rotary drilling is used, the drill hole is made by rotating a casing into the soil and periodically
cleaning out the soil plug with drag or roller bits and water or air flushing. Where soil conditions
allow, the hole may be drilled without casing. When casing is used, the hole is drilled, cleaned and
65
tremie grouted, and the tendon is then inserted through the grout to the bottom of the hole. The
casing is reconnected to the drill and additional grout is pumped during extraction. If no casing is
employed, the hole is tremie grouted along its entire length and then the tendon is inserted.
The drill hole for ground anchors can also be made using a continuous flight, hollow-stem auger.
With this method, the tendon is inserted in the auger prior to drilling. The tendon is equipped with
a locking device that allows the tendon to be advanced into the soil with the auger, but which leaves
the tendon in place in the soil when the auger is withdrawn. The auger is positioned and the hole is
drilled. As the auger is extracted, grout is pumped down the hole.
Pressure Injected Ground Anchors
This type of ground anchor is typically installed in sandy or gravelly soils using a driven or drilled
casing. With this type of anchor, grouting pressures are in excess of 1 MPa. After the casing is
installed, the tendon is fitted with a closure point or drag bit and then inserted down the hole inside
the casing. The casing is then extracted a short distance using centerhole hydraulic jacks and the
tendon is driven into the soil at the bottom of the drill hole. Grout is then pumped down the casing
under pressure while the casing is extracted until the entire anchor bond length is grouted.
Postgrouted Ground Anchors
Postgrouted ground anchors are used primarily in cohesive soils. Postgrouting is used to enlarge the
grout bulb located within the anchor bond length. This is done by making supplemental grout
injections into the initially grouted anchor bulb. The time period between each supplemental injection
is approximately 1 day. This technique is intended to fracture the grout already in place and wedge
it outward into the soil. The method requires that a special grout tube with valves located along the
anchor length (tube a manchette) be placed in the drill hole along with the tendon. The grout tube
is designed so that a double packer can be used inside the tube to selectively grout each section with
a predetermined volume of grout. As many as three or four periodic grout injections may be used
for anchor installation in cohesive soils.
Centralizers and Spacers
Centralizers and spacers are placed along the anchor bond length at a typical maximum spacing of 3
m. Centralizers enable the tendon to be positioned in the drill hole such that the specified minimum
grout cover is achieved around the tendon. For multiple element tendons, spacers are used to separate
the wires, strands, or bars of the tendons so that each element is adequately bonded to the anchor
grout.
Rotary and auger drilling equipment used for installation of ground anchors is shown in figures 32
and 33. Several completed anchor walls are shown in figures 34 through 36.
66
Figure 32. Rotary drilling equipment for ground Figure 33. Auger drilling equipment for ground
anchor installation. anchor installation.
Figure 34. Anchored wall with precast concrete

lagging (ground anchors connected at soldier
piles)
3.3.3.4 Corrosion Protection of Ground Anchors
Ground anchors for permanent earth retaining wall applications require corrosion protection. This
is achieved by the application of one or more levels of protection depending on the criticality of the
wall, the aggressiveness of the soil and ground-water regime, the cost of the protection measure, and
the design life of the wall.
Single protection schemes rely on the cement grout to protect the anchor tendon, bar, or strand in the
anchor bond length. The unbonded length is protected by methods which include the use of smooth
sheaths filled with anti-corrosion grease, heat shrink sleeves, and/or secondary grouting of the
unbonded length after the anchor has been stressed.
67
Double protection schemes for the anchor bond

length involve the cement grout as a first level of
protection, and complete coverage of the cement
grout with a plastic or steel tube as the second
level. Alternately, the tendon can be coated with
a layer of epoxy to provide the second level of
protection.
Material specifications for corrosion protection

elements can be found in Section 6.3.4 of
AASHTO (1994).
3.3.3.5 Testing and Load Transfer of Ground

Anchors
Ground anchor load testing is performed on each

installed anchor to evaluate the ability of the
system to sustain the design load for the service
life of the wall system. The testing is performed
by loading all components of the anchor to above
the design load, thus providing a basis for
acceptance of the entire anchor.
being Each anchor is tested either by a performance test

or a proof test. Typically, 5 percent of the anchors
are performance tested, and the remaining anchors
are proof tested. In a proof test, the anchor is incrementally loaded up to approximately 133 percent
of the design load. At each load increment the movement of the anchor is recorded and evaluated.
In a performance test, the maximum anchor load is approximately the same as that in a proof test,
but loading and unloading increments will be used and loading durations will be greater. Both
performance and proof tests are used to evaluate anchor capacity and likely permanent deformation.
After the design load of a ground anchor has been verified by testing, the required load is transferred
from the testing jack used in either the proof or performance test to the structure. This load, termed
the "lock-off load," may be smaller than the design load.
A typical set up for a ground anchor proof test is shown in figure 37.
68
J~
~
Figure 37. Load testing and stressing setup for
a ground anchor proof test.
Equipment and materials for the construction of anchored walls are the same as that for non-gravity
cantilevered walls and specific requirements depend on the type of vertical wall element to be
constructed. For the installation of ground anchors, auger or rotary drilling methods and equipment
is typically used. For grouting, combination drilling and grouting rigs developed especially for
anchor installation are often used.
Construction and material specifications for ground anchor construction are contained in AASHTO
(1994), Division II - Construction, Section 6; AASHTO-AGC-ARTBA Task Force 27 (1990); and
FHWA DP-68-1R (1988). Recommendations for ground anchors utilizing high strength steel can be
found in PTI (1995).
3.3.4 Soil-Nailed Walls
3.3.4.1 General
Soil nailing is an in-situ reinforcement technique wherein nails are inserted into a soil mass to
reinforce the soil. The installation of soil nails differs from that of tieback anchors in that soil nails
are passive inclusions (i.e., unlike ground anchors, soil nails are not post-tensioned). Also, soil nails
are more closely spaced than ground anchors. Soil-nailed walls are built from the top-down in
incremental construction lifts. The construction of each lift includes excavation, nail installation, and
shotcreting of the excavated face.
69
The sequence of construction for soil-nailed walls is described below.
• An initial excavation in the soil is made to a specified depth. This excavation depth is
governed by the ability of the soil to stand unsupported, but is no greater than the required
vertical spacing of the nails. The initial excavation depth may also be controlled by the
allowable cantilever span of the temporary shotcrete facing above the first row of nails.
• Prefabricated drainage strips are placed and then the exposed excavated soil face is covered
with a steel mesh-reinforced shotcrete layer. If the excavated face has sufficient stand-up
time, nails can be installed before the exposed excavated soil face is shotcreted.
• Nails of specified length and inclination are installed at predetermined locations. A method
of drilling is used that is appropriate for the in-situ soil type. Typical installation methods
include rotary and auger drilling. Drill holes constructed using rotary drilling equipment
range in diameter from 90 to 120 mm, while for auger drilling, drill hole diameters range
from 150 to 300 mm. Usually, the nails are standard reinforcing bars with typical
diameters of 25 to 35 mm. Nails are usually fitted with centralizers at 3- to 4-m intervals.
Tremie grouting is used to complete nail construction and a plate and nut are used to lock
the nail to the shotcrete face.
• This sequence is repeated until the final excavated grade is reached.
• For permanent wall applications, a CIP or precast concrete facing or other type of facing
is connected to the complete shotcreted structure. Various connection methods are used
depending on the facing type and expected loadings.
Soil nails are tested to verify that the nail design loads can be carried without excessive movement
and with an adequate factor of safety for the service life of the structure. In addition, testing is usedto
verify contractor's drilling, installation, and grouting operations. The frequency of nail testing will
vary depending on the size of the project and the variability of the retained soils (FHWA-SA-93-
068,1994). Figures 38 through 43 show the sequence of construction for soil-nailed walls.
70
Figure 38. Excavation of fIrst lift and placement

of drainage strips for a soil-nailed wall.
Figure 39. Drilling for a soil nail.
71
Figure 41. Grouting of soil nail.
Figure 42. Steel placement prior to second stage

of shotcreting.
:tt~~ lfu··~ " I

... ,
!.·"*l",:;)~)~H!· .
~'~"; '~·~~~i
Figure 43. Construction of CIP permanent
facing.
72
3.3.4.3 Construction Equipment and Materials
Construction of soil nailed walls requires either auger or rotary drilling equipment for nail
installation. A grout/shotcrete plant is required to mix both the nail grout and the shotcrete.
Shotcrete is normally pumped and applied through a high pressure nozzle, while the nail grout is
tremied in the hole by gravity. The excavation face is cut by any suitable excavation machinery and
requires considerable operator care to minimize overexcavation.
Construction and material specifications for soil-nailed walls are contained in FHWA-SA-93-068
(1994) and FHWA-SA-96-069 (1996).
3.3.5 Micropile Walls
3.3.5.1 General
The construction of this wall system consists of the installation, from the surface, of a relatively
closely spaced array of micropiles to a competent underlying strata. Micropile arrays may be installed
in a crisscrossing pattern (root-pile walls) or in a combination of vertical and batter orientations
(Insert Wall SSM) . The construction sequence for both of these systems is generally the same.
The sequence of construction for micropile walls is described below.
• A steel reinforced, CIP concrete cap beam that spans and anchors the micropile array is
constructed at the ground surface. The concrete cap beam is typically 2 m wide by 1 m
deep. Short corrugated polyethylene sleeves are cast through the cap beam at appropriate
locations and inclinations for each of the micropiles. The cap beam concrete is then poured.
• Drilling equipment is aligned in the sleeves and then holes are drilled into the subsurface
for the micropiles. Rotary drilling techniques are typically used. Once the casing has been
advanced to the final depth, the hole is tremie grouted. The diameter of the micropiles is
typically between 130 and 200 mm.
• The micropile, which consists of a reinforcing bar (typically 25 to 50 mm in diameter) or

a steel pipe of suitable dimensions, is inserted into the drill hole and then pressure grouted
in place as the casing is removed.
Figure 44 shows the stages of construction for a commercially-available micropile wall system.
73
Conventional rotary drilling and low pressure grouting equipment is used for the drilling and
installation of micropiles for these two wall systems. Construction and material specifications for
micropile wall systems can be found in FHWA-RD-96-016 (1997).
1 2m (typ) [
1 m (typ)
STE P 1. Excavate for concrete cap beam. STEP 2. Place reinforcing steel and corrugated
polyethylene sleeves for the reinforcing units.
~====-I-==CONCRETE ,J,
CAP BEAM
~ ;:
I
I
\ \'
\ \ "
\ \ ' ...
I \ \ "
REINFORCING~ I \ \ "
STEP 3. Pour concrete cap beam. UNITS ~ \ \ ......
I \ \ ......
I \ \ ...
STEP 4. Drill and grout reinforcing units into place.

Pressure grout at 200 to 275 kPa.
Figure 44. Construction sequence for Insert WaUSM (modified after Bruce, 1992, Two New Specialty
Geotechnical Processes for Slope Stabilization, Geotechnical Special Publication No. 31. Reprinted
by permission of ASCE).
74
CHAPTER 4
SELECTION OF EARTH RETAINING SYSTEMS
4.1 INTRODUCTION
An earth retaining system for a highway project application should be cost-effective, practical to
construct, stable, and aesthetically and environmentally consistent with its surroundings. These
objectives can be accomplished if well-defmed fonnal review and acceptance procedures are employed
by an owner agency for wall system evaluation and selection. Through systematic evaluation of all
feasible wall systems, the most appropriate wall system can be selected and the maximum potential
for cost savings can be realized. In this chapter, the key factors related to the selection process are
discussed and the importance of each factor is explained. This chapter also provides general guidance
on the selection of earth retaining systems for fill and cut wall applications. The remainder of this
chapter is organized as described below.
• Wall system selection is described in section 4.2. This section includes discussion of
factors commonly considered in the evaluation and selection of wall systems. In
addition, a selection flowchart provides a concise and logical methodology for
evaluating and selecting wall systems for a specific project application.
• Wall system selection summary charts are presented in section 4.3. Separate charts
are presented for fill and cut wall systems. Each chart presents specific infonnation
related to cost, wall geometry, and wall perfonnance. Each chart also includes a
summary of advantages and disadvantages of each system related to wall
constructability, aesthetics, and environmental requirements.
• The evaluation and selection of technically feasible fill wall and cut wall systems is
illustrated through two project examples in section 4.4. Each example begins with a
description of the project requirements and constraints. The examples then illustrate
the application of both the system selection flowchart and the summary charts.
4.2 WALL SYSTEM SELECTION
This section presents a discussion of the factors involved in wall system evaluation and a flowchart
illustrating how these factors are considered during the wall system selection process. This flowchart
(figure 45) is intended to serve as a guide for highway design and construction specialists for
evaluating and selecting wall system alternates for a project application. Aspects of wall selection that
are outside the scope of this flowchart, but which may be part of a fonnal review and acceptance
program, include appropriate contracting procedures, review of approved wall system lists by an
owner agency, establishment of technical guidelines and criteria by which feasible wall system
alternates can be judged, and perfonnance of a life cycle cost analysis for candidate wall systems.
75
Chapter 4 - Selection of Earth Retaining Systems
These aspects are generally agency-specific.
The first step in the selection process is to identify the need for an earth retaining system in the
specific project application. A decision on the permanency (i.e., temporary wall or permanent wall)
of the wall system is made by the owner agency as part of this step. It is important to note, however,
that if sufficient right-of-way (ROW) is available, it may be possible to construct stable soil slopes
and thus eliminate the need for a wall system.
The second step in selection involves identifying specific site constraints and project requirements.
This information can be obtained during a preliminary site review. Items affecting wall selection
include, for example: (1) site accessibility and space restrictions that may include limited ROWand
headroom, availability of on-site storage for wall materials, access for specialized construction
equipment, and restrictions on traffic disruption; (2) location of underground utilities and nearby
structures; (3) aesthetic requirements imposed by project surroundings; and (4) environmental
concerns that may include local policies concerning construction noise, vibration, and dust, on-site
stockpiling and/or transport and disposal of excavated material, discharge of large volumes of water,
and encroachment on existing waterways. The relative importance of each of the above items should
be assessed for the specific project under consideration so that the more important items are given
priority during the selection process.
Based on the preliminary site review, several wall systems may be eliminated from consideration and
others may be recommended for further consideration. Also, this review will provide information
necessary to develop a subsurface investigation and laboratory testing program that is consistent with
the project requirements. This program can be tailored to provide the information required for
establishing design parameters for wall systems that are still under consideration.
The remaining wall systems are evaluated during step three of selection. This step first involves
development of more detailed requirements and acceptance criteria related to wall cost, design,
performance, and construction. For example, ranges of values for allowable differential settlements
for a fill wall application or allowable lateral movements for a cut wall application are prescribed.
In addition to cost, the following specific factors are evaluated:
• wall system geometry;

• performance requirements;
• constructability issues;
• aesthetic requirements; and
• environmental concerns and requirements.
In evaluating the above factors for each of the remaining candidate wall systems and the costs
associated with them, one or more of the remaining wall systems may be eliminated from further
consideration. Finally, based on geotechnical information, cost estimates, and project requirements,
several wall systems are selected. The owner agency makes recommendations for the selected wall
76
systems, detailed design is carried out (if appropriate based on the contracting method, see chapter 6)
and appropriate construction drawings, specifications, and bid documents are prepared. Contracting
methods and formal review and acceptance procedures for earth retaining systems are discussed in
greater detail in chapter 6.
Step 1: Identify Need for an

Earth Retaining System
Step 2:
Step 3:
Geometry II Performance
; ;
Select Acceptable
Step 4:
Wall System(s)
Figure 45. Wall system selection flowchart.
4.3 WALL SYSTEM SELECTION SUMMARY CHARTS
4.3.1 General
Selection charts for fill and cut wall systems are presented in this section. The purpose of these charts
is to summarize, in a one-page format, the key selection factors for these categories of wall systems.
Separate charts are presented for fill and cut wall systems since key selection factors differ depending
on the wall type.
Wall system selection involves an evaluation of candidate systems based on wall geometry,
performance, constructability, aesthetic and environmental constraints, and cost. The system selection
charts presented herein provide information for each of the wall systems described in the ERS
Summaries (chapter 2). These charts condense information from the ERS Summaries to a format that
enables convenient comparisons between systems. The reader of this document can use these charts
77
along with the wall system selection flowchart as a framework for the systematic selection of
acceptable wall systems on a project-specific basis.
4.3.2 Selection Summary Chart for Fill Walls
The selection summary chart for fill walls (table 3) is presented and discussed in this section. In
Section 4.4, this chart is employed to illustrate the selection of a fill wall system for a specific project
application.
The design life (i.e., temporary or permanent) for fill wall systems is indicated in table 3. Temporary
wall systems typically have a design service life of less than three years. Permanent wall systems are
designed for a service life greater than three years and up to 75 to 100 years (AASHTO, 1994)
depending on the criticality of the structure. For rigid gravity and semi-gravity walls and
prefabricated modular gravity walls, specific provisions for design life are not included in the design
calculations and, under normal conditions, these walls are designed for a 75 to 100 year design life.
For permanent MSE wall systems and RSS, provisions for the design life are included in the design
calculations. For steel reinforcement, loss of reinforcement thickness during the design life resulting
from corrosion is calculated and, for geosynthetic reinforcement, time-dependent strength loss (i.e.,
creep) of the reinforcement is calculated. Design life is normally not a factor for selection of these
systems, but for project applications where long-term material durability concerns arise from, for
example, exposure to deicing salts, sulfate-rich soils, or frequent freeze-thaw cycles, it may be
necessary to include costly protective measures in the design.
As indicated in table 3, all fill wall systems can be used for permanent wall applications. Most of
these systems, however, are not typically used for temporary applications due to the high cost of their
facing components. For MSE walls with flexible facings and for RSS, however, it is possible to use
low-strength, inexpensive, geosynthetic materials for temporary applications as reinforcing-material
creep and durability are not major concerns. For walls with metallic components, galvanized
components may be employed to provide corrosion protection. This feature may add to the overall
cost of the system. For temporary applications, it is cost-effective and technically feasible to fabricate
the components without these corrosion protection measures.
Key selection factors related to wall system geometry and cost are also presented in table 3. Typical
ranges of values are given for (1) cost-effective height range; (2) cost per square meter of wall face;
and (3) required ROW. The lower values for cost and ROW requirements are for low walls and the
upper values are for high walls and walls that support sloping backfills or large surcharge loads. In
some cases, a significant portion of the cost of a fill wall can be attributed to the cost of the wall
backfill. For permanent highway applications, fill wall systems generally require granular,
nonplastic, free-draining backfill. The cost effectiveness of a MSE wall system, which typically
requires a greater quantity of select backfIll than rigid gravity and semi-gravity wall systems, may be
reduced if select backfill is unusually expensive at a specific project site.
78
A performance criterion that is usually prescribed for fill wall systems for highway projects is
allowable differential settlement. If substantial differential settlements are expected for a fill wall
system, a relatively flexible wall system, i.e., a wall system that can tolerate differential movements
without undergoing significant structural distress, should be considered. Representative tolerances
for fill wall systems are given in table 3.
Advantages and disadvantages related to performance, constructability, and aesthetics of each fill wall
system are also presented in table 3. Comparisons between systems are made where appropriate.
4.3.3 Selection Summary Chart for Cut Walls
The selection summary chart for cut walls (table 4) is presented and discussed in this section. The
presentation and format of this table are similar to that for fill walls (table 3), but the selection issues
related to performance are different. This is due primarily to the difference in the overall method of
construction of cut walls (i.e., top-down). In section 4.4, table 4 is employed to illustrate the
selection of a cut wall system for a specific. project application.
The design life for cut wall systems is indicated in table 4. Most cut walls can be used for both
temporary and permanent applications. The differences between temporary and permanent cut wall
systems are that permanent systems are typically designed with greater corrosion protection measures
and are constructed with permanent facing elements such as CIP or precast concrete panels.
Micropile walls, however, are used primarily to stabilize active landslides, and are thus considered
as permanent wall systems only.
The various selection factors for fill walls related to wall system cost and geometry are also applicable
to cut walls. In table 4, ranges of values for cost-effective wall height, cost per square meter of wall
face, and required ROW are provided. For cut walls without ground anchors, little or no ROW is
required. For anchored walls and soil-nailed walls, significant ROW or permanent easements may
be necessary so that adequate pullout resistances of the ground anchors or soil nails can be developed.
For permanent applications, it may be necessary to purchase permanent easements for the ground
anchors or the soil nails. Cut walls typically require specialized equipment and labor.
Costs can vary significantly for cut walls depending on the specific wall being constructed and the
availability of experienced contractors and equipment in the project location. For cut walls, the unit
cost of the wall increases as the height of the wall increases. For wall heights greater than
approximately 5 meters, an anchored wall or a soil-nailed wall is necessary. Additional cost results
from the material procurement, drilling, installation, corrosion protection, and testing of the anchors
or soil nails. For all permanent wall systems except micropile walls, factors affecting costs include
constructing an aesthetically pleasing wall finish, fabricating and installing special connections for the
facing panels, and, if necessary, providing adequate long-term corrosion protection and constructing
drainage systems. As such, the upper end of the cost range reported in table 4 is generally applicable
79
to permanent cut wall systems.
In table 4, two key performance factors are summarized for cut wall systems. These issues are: (1)
lateral movements; and (2) water tightness. Depending on the wall system, the lateral movements of
cut walls depend in large measure on the bending stiffness of the vertical wall elements, the strength
of the retained soil, the size and spacing of anchors or soil nails, and the workmanship involved in
constructing the wall. Lateral wall movement provides an indication of likely ground surface
settlements behind the wall, with the maximum lateral wall movement and the maximum ground
surface settlement being approximately proportional. Watertightness of the wall is controlled by
minimizing gaps in the wall system and decreasing the "permeability" of the wall. The importance
of controlling lateral movements and/or flow of water in and around the wall is a function of the
specific project constraints and requirements. For example, if a structure founded on shallow footings
is located near the wall, large lateral movements and/or drawdown of the ground- water table may
induce settlements that may cause architectural or structural damage. Conversely, if the ground-water
table is located below the base of the wall and if lateral movements are not a concern, these two issues
may be considered irrelevant to the selection process.
Advantages and disadvantages related to performance, construction, and environmental issues of each
cut wall system are also presented in table 4.
4.4 WALL SYSTEM SELECTION EXAMPLES
4.4.1 General
In this section, the process of initial selection of fill and cut wall systems is illustrated using two
examples. In each example, it is assumed that the need for an earth retaining system has been
identified (Step 1, figure 45). An overview of the project application including a description of the
function of the wall and the project location is provided for each example.
Wall system selection is illustrated in each example using the wall system selection flowchart (figure
45) and the information provided in the wall system selection summary tables (i.e., table 3 for fill
walls or table 4 for cut walls). The commentary provided for each example explains the logic and
decision-making involved in eliminating wall systems from consideration and in selecting one or
several wall systems for the example project application.
It should be noted that these examples are intended to be instructive and have been developed for
conditions that may exist for a given highway application. Therefore, general conclusions concerning
wall system selection should not be drawn from the information presented in these examples.
80
Table 3. System selection chart for fill walls.
Wall Perm. Temp. Cost Cost in $ per Required Differential Advantages Disadvantages
Type Effective m2 0fwall ROW(2) Settlement
Height face(l) Tolerance(3)
Range
Concrete gravity ./ 1- 3m 270 - 370 0.5 - 0.7H(4) 1/500 durable deep foundation support may be necessary
wall requires smaller quantity of select backfill as compared . relatively long construction time
to MSE walls
concrete can meet aesthetic requirements
Concrete cantilever ./ 2-9m 270 - 650 0.4 - 0.7H(4) 1/500 durable deep foundation support may be necessary
wall requires smaller quantity of select backfill as compared . relatively long construction time
to MSEwalls
Concrete ./ 9 - 18 m 270 - 650 0.4 - 0.7H(4) 1/500 durable deep foundation support may be necessary
counterforted wall requires smaller quantity of select backfill as compared' relatively long construction time
to MSEwalls
Concrete crib wall ./ 2 - 11 m 270 - 380 0.5 - 0.7H 11300 does not require skilled labor or specialized equipment . difficult to make height adjustments in field
rapid construction
Metal bin wall ./ 2 - 11 m 270 - 380 0.5 - 0.7H 11300 does not require skilled labor or specialized equipment . difficult to make height adjustments in field
rapid construction subject to corrosion in aggressive environment
Gabion wall ./ 2-8m 270 - 540 0.5 - 0.7H 1/50 does not require skilled labor or specialized equipment . need adequate source of stone
construction of wall requires significant labor
MSEwall ./ 3 - 20 m 240 - 380 0.7 - 1.0H 1/100 does not require skilled labor or specialized equipment . requires use of select backfill
(precast facing) flexibility in choice of facing subject to corrosion in aggressive environment
(metallic reinforcement)
MSEwall ./ 2 -7 m 175 - 275 0.7 - 1.0H 11200 does not require skilled labor or specialized equipment . requires use of select backfill
(modular block flexibility in choice of facing subject to corrosion in aggressive environment
facing) blocks are easily handled (metallic reinforcement)
positive reinforcement connection to blocks is
difficult to achieve
MSE wall ./ ./ 2 - 15 m 165 - 380 0.7 - 1.0H 1/60 does not require skilled labor or specialized equipment . facing may not be aesthetically pleasing
(geotextile/geogrid/ flexibility in choice of facing geosynthetic reinforcement is subject to
welded wire facing) degradation in some environments
Reinforced Soil ./ ./ 3 - 30 m 80 - 260 0.5 - 1.0H 1/60 does not require skilled labor or specialized equipment . facing may not be aesthetically pleasing
Slopes (RSS) flexibility in choice of facing geosynthetic reinforcement is subject to
vegetation provides ultraviolet light protection to degradation in some environments
geosynthetic reinforcement vegetated soil face requires significant
maintenance
Notes: (1) Total installed costs in 1995 U.S dollars.

(2) ROW requirements expressed as the distance (as a fraction of wall height, H) behind the wall face where fill placement is generally required for flat backfill conditions, except where noted.
(3) Ratio of the difference in vertical settlement between two points along the wall to the horizontal distance between the points.
(4) ROW requirement given is the typical wall base width as a fraction of wall height, H.
Table 4. System selection chart for cut walls.
Wall Perm. Temp. Cost Effective Cost in $ per Required Lateral Water Advantages Disadvantages
Type Height Range m2 0fwall ROW(S) Movements Tightness
face(1)
Sheet-pile wall .I .I up to 5 m 160 - 430 None large fair rapid construction difficult to construct in hard ground or
readily available through obstructions
Soldier pileI .I .I upt05m 110 - 380 None medium poor rapid construction difficult to maintain vertical tolerances in
lagging wall soldier beams can be drilled or hard ground
driven potential for ground loss at excavated face
Slurry .I .I 6 - 24 m(2) 650 - 930 None(6) small good can be constructed in all soil types requires specialty contractor
(diaphragm) wall or weathered rock significant spoil for disposal
watertight requires specialized equipment
wide range of wall stiffness
Tangent pile wall .I .I 3-9m 430-810 None(6) small fair adaptable to irregular layout difficult to maintain vertical tolerances in
6 - 24 m(2) can control wall stiffness hard ground
requires specialized equipment
significant spoil for disposal
Secant pile wall .I .I 3-9m 430-810 None(6) small fair adaptable to irregular layout requires specialized equipment
6 - 24 m(2) can control wall stiffness significant spoil for disposal
Soil mixed wall .I .I 6 - 24 m(2) 430 - 590 None(6) small fair adaptable to irregular layout requires specialized equipment
relatively small bending capacity
Anchored wall .I .I 5 - 20 me]) 160 - 810 0.6H + small- N/A can resist large horizontal pressures requires skilled labor and specialized
anchor medium adaptable to varying site conditions equipment
bond length anchors may require permanent easements
Soil-nailed wall .I .I 3 - 20 m 160 - 600 0.6 - 1.0H small- N/A rapid construction nails may require permanent easements
medium adaptable to irregular wall alignment . difficult to construct and design below
water table
Micropile wall .I N/A 3,200-9,800(4) Varies N/A N/A does not require excavation requires specialty contractor
Notes: (1) Total installed costs in 1995 U.S. dollars.

(2) Height range given is for wall with anchors.
(3) For soldier pile and lagging wall only.
(4) Cost per linear meter of wall.
(5) ROW requirements expressed as the distance (as a fraction of wall height, H) behind the wall face where
wall anchorage components (Le., ground anchors and soil nails) are installed.
(6) ROW required if wall includes anchors.
4.4.2 Fill Wall Selection Example
An existing highway embankment needs to be widened by 5 m to provide space for an additional

traffic lane. A fill wall system is required because insufficient ROW is available to widen the
embankment and maintain 2H: 1V embankment side slopes. The overall geometry of this project
example and soil stratigraphy are shown in figure 46. The selection of a permanent fill wall system
is described below for this project example. The discussion presented for this example follows Steps
2 to 4 of the wall system selection flowchart (figure 45).
Step 2: Identify Site Constraints and Project Requirements
The following site constraints and project requirements exist for this example:
• the proposed wall height is 3.75 m;

• the available ROW extends 6 m from the edge of the existing highway shoulder;
• a minimum of 1 m clear space is required in front of the wall;
• a fiber optic cable, which cannot be relocated during wall construction, is located 1 m directly
below the edge of the existing shoulder;
• vehicle traffic on the existing highway cannot be disrupted during construction;
• excavated material, if any, must be removed from the site;
• to minimize the possibility of damage to the cable and to provide worker safety, construction
activities must occur beyond the edge of the existing shoulder;
• a traffic barrier must be constructed along the top of the wall; and
• the wall facing must have an exposed aggregate finish.
Based on the above factors, several fill wall systems can be eliminated from further consideration.
The proposed wall height of 3.75 m is outside the cost-effective height range for concrete gravity
walls and concrete counterfort walls. Gabion walls and wrap-around facing (i.e., geotextile, geogrid,
and welded wire) walls and RSS are also inappropriate for this project example based on the wall
facing requirement. Also, prefabricated modular concrete blocks are not available with an exposed
aggregate finish. All remaining fill wall systems such as concrete cantilever walls; MSE walls with
segmental, precast facing; bin walls; and crib walls can be constructed to meet the height, facing, and
traffic barrier requirements.
Further evaluation of the remaining candidate wall systems requires information on subsurface
conditions. A subsurface investigation is needed to evaluate the strength and compressibility of the
wall foundation soils and retained soils as well as the ground-water conditions. The investigation
should also include identification of potential sources of acceptable borrow material to be used as wall
backfill. For this project example, several test borings were advanced to a depth of 8 m
(approximately twice the wall height) below the ground surface along the alignment of the wall and
in front of the wall. The following geotechnical information was obtained from the borings:
83
ROW
6m
SmWIDENING 2.4 m EXISTING TRAFFIC LANE

SHOULDER MUST BE MAINTAINED
2
FIBER OPTIC
CABLE
3.75m
CLAYEY SILT FILL

N=8-12 blows/300mm
SAND AND GRAVEL

N=20-30 blows/300mm
Figure 46. Geometry and site stratigraphy for fill wall example.
• The soil stratigraphy at this site consists of a 3.75-m thick layer of a clayey silt fill overlying
sands and gravels. The sand and gravel layer extends to at least a depth of 8 m.
• In the upper fill layer, standard penetration test (SPT) blowcounts (N) range from 8-12
blows/300-mm and in the underlying sand and gravel layer, the SPT blowcounts range from 20-
30 blows/300-mm. Based on the consistency of the clayey silt fill layer, the steepest safe
excavation slope in the material is judged to be IH:IV.
• Ground water was not encountered.
The sand and gravel layer is mined in a nearby quarry. This material is free-draining and appropriate
for wall backfill for a permanent fill wall application.
84
Step 3: Evaluate Wall System Alternates
Based solely on the results obtained from the subsurface investigation, none of the remaining wall
systems need be eliminated from consideration. Aside from cost, the selection of a fill wall system
for this example is primarily influenced by the geometric constraints of the project. The necessary
ROW for the candidate wall systems is shown in figure 47. These are based on minimum ROW
requirements for these types of wall systems as reported in table 3. The feasibility of each of the fill
wall systems is discussed below in relation to the five selection factors included as part of Step 3 of
the selection flowchart.
• Performance
The wall will be founded on the sand and gravel layer. It is not expected that excessive
settlements will occur, nor, if a concrete cantilever wall is selected, will it be necessary to
construct a deep foundation.
• Construction
There are no constructability constraints associated with the construction of any wall system for
this project example. Deep foundation support is not necessary for cantilever wall construction
so large pile driving and/or drilling equipment is not required. All existing vegetation and
topsoil should be stripped to minimize backfill settlement; this does not present any problems
for the systems being considered. Specialized equipment and labor are not required for the
construction of a MSE wall with segmental, precast facings, a crib wall, or a bin wall.
As shown in figure 47, the steepest safe allowable excavation slope for the embankment soils
is IH:IV. This requirement necessitates the use of temporary excavation support for the
construction of an MSE wall with segmental, precast facings, a bin wall, or a crib wall.
• Aesthetics
All of the candidate wall systems can be constructed with an exposed aggregate wall finish.
• Environmental
The sand and gravel to be used as wall backfill meets gradation requirements and minimum
electrochemical criteria for MSE walls. Also, the ground-water table is located below the level
of where any in-situ reinforcement would be constructed. This environment is suitable for both
metallic and geosynthetic reinforcement.
The construction of MSE walls with segmental, precast facings, bin walls, or crib walls requires
excavation of the embankment materials. The costs associated with removing excavated material
from the site should be considered.
85
ROW
I!-~>----~1-m~-"-I-..~~~~--~-5-m-W~ID-E-NI-N-G~~~~~~~~~~~~~----:
6m 1
.---r----------------------~----------
I
I I
I
I
I
I
I
V- CANTILEVER
I
I
I
I
I
1 .
I ! 1 ~'-- safe allowable 3.75m
. excavation slope
I !
I
I
,!
I
I I
I i .
I I.'
~MSE
I
i 1-------- --------, .' I I

I--L..:
I I
---1..:
I
...!..I
1
----L: ----l'----
I 0.4 H
I I"
I 0.5H
I
I: 0.7H
Figure 47. Geometry requirements for candidate wall systems.
• Geometry
The ROW requirements, position of the fiber optic cable, and the maximum safe allowable
excavation slope indicate that several wall systems will require temporary excavation support for
construction. Cantilever walls, however, can be constructed within the available area without
temporary excavation support.
Step 4: Select Wall Systems
The selection process has identified that concrete cantilever walls, MSE walls with segmental, precast
facing, bin walls, or crib walls are well-suited to the project requirements. All of these systems are
technically feasible and practical to construct for this project application. At this stage, a detailed cost
estimate of each wall system should be prepared. A factor to be considered is whether the cost of a
concrete cantilever wall is greater than the cost of other wall systems which require constructing
temporary excavation support and removing excavated material from the site.
86
The width of the wall base assumed for the concrete cantilever wall (Le., 0.4 H) is on the low end
of the range of typical base width sizes for concrete cantilever walls. For walls with small base
widths, it may be difficult to achieve an acceptable factor of safety against sliding. Typically,
concrete cantilever walls may be designed with shear keys that penetrate the underlying foundation
to provide additional sliding resistance. This should be considered for the cantilever wall described
herein and all costs associated with constructing a shear key should be included in the cost estimate.
4.4.3 Cut Wall Selection Example
The construction of a depressed section of a highway requires an earth retaining system to support
an excavation with a length of 500 m and a maximum height of 10 m. Several five story, masonry
apartment buildings are located approximately 5 m behind the proposed wall location. The buildings
are founded on shallow footings. The overall geometry and soil stratigraphy for this project example
are shown in figure 48. The selection of a permanent, cut wall system for this project example is
described below. The discussion presented for this example follows Steps 2 to 4 of the wall system
selection flowchart (figure 45).
Step 2: Identify Site Constraints and Project Requirements
The following site constraints and project requirements exist for this example:
• the maximum excavation height is 10 m;

• the nearby apartment buildings could be damaged as a result of ground movements and ground-
surface settlements and/or construction-induced vibrations;
• there is a town ordinance limiting construction noise; and
• the wall face must be aesthetically pleasing.
Based on the above factors, all non-gravity cantilevered walls can be eliminated from further
consideration since the height of the excavation is 10 m. Without ground anchors, the cost effective
height range for relatively flexible steel sheet-pile and soldier pile and lagging walls is only up to 5
m, and for large diameter, more heavily reinforced tangent and secant pile walls, the maximum height
is 9 m. Either an 'anchored wall or a soil-nailed wall is needed to meet the wall height requirement
for this project. Based on discussions with the property owner, it is determined that underground
easements are available to allow installation of ground anchors or soil nails.
87
)-- --{I'
DODD
DODD
DODD
-
DODD
r--- r--
5m
"";'i$}>;y~
v ,'
GRANULAR AND COHESIVE FILL,

CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS 5m
N=10-50 blowsl300 mm
10m
RESIDUAL SANDS AND SILTS

N=20-100 blows/300 mm
15 m
- ~ni~m BEDROCK ~iil~m
Figure 48. Geometry and site stratigraphy for cut wall example.
Micropile walls can also be eliminated from further consideration. These walls are typically used for
slope stabilization and ground reinforcement, and are generally not cost-effective for the specific wall
application described in this example.
Further evaluation of the remaining candidate wall systems requires information on subsurface
conditions. It is necessary to evaluate the strength and stiffness of the in-situ soils as well as the
ground-water conditions to adequately assess the influence of ground movements and ground surface
settlements on the integrity of the apartment buildings. Information on subsurface conditions will also
allow evaluation of wall system constructability. A subsurface exploration program was undertaken
to address these issues. Several test borings were advanced to a depth of 20 m below the ground
surface along the alignment of the wall and behind the proposed wall. The following geotechnical
88
information was obtained from the borings:
• The soil stratigraphy at this site consists of a 5-m thick layer of granular and cohesive fill with
construction debris overlying a 15-m thick layer of dense residual sands and silts. Bedrock was
encountered at a depth of 20 m.
• In the upper fill layer, SPT blowcounts range from 10-50 blows/300-mm and in the underlying
sand and silt layer, the SPT blowcounts range from 20-100 blows/300-mm.
• The ground-water table is located 20 m below the ground surface at the interface between the
sand and silt layer and the bedrock.
Step 3: Evaluate Wall System Alternates
Based on the site constraints, project requirements, and the results of the subsurface exploration
program, several additional wall systems can be eliminated from further consideration. The feasibility
of each cut wall system is discussed below in relation to the five selection factors included as part of
Step 3 of the selection flowchart.
• Geometry
Other than the restriction imposed by the required excavation depth of 10 m, no other geometric
constraints exist.
• Construction
Given the high density of the sand and silt layer, it would be difficult to drive steel sheet-pile or
soldier piles through this layer. Soldier piles could, however, be installed in predrilled holes if
appropriate drilling procedures are used.
Based on constructability, anchored walls with vertical wall elements installed in predrilled holes
are technically feasible for this project example.
• Performance
The masonry apartment buildings are susceptible to cosmetic or structural damage resulting from
excessive ground movements and ground-surface settlements. Such damaging movements could
be induced by lateral wall deformations. Although excessive ground movements and ground-
surface settlements are not expected due to the presence of the dense silt and sand layer, the close
proximity of the apartment buildings and the possible variability of the upper fill layer dictate
that only wall systems that typically undergo relatively small lateral deformations should be
considered for construction.
For some wall systems, a stiff, impermeable wall may be necessary to prevent excessive ground
movements. These systems include: (1) slurry (diaphragm) walls; (2) tangent pile walls; (3)
89
secant pile walls; and (4) steel-reinforced soil mixed walls. These wall systems are relatively
expensive since their construction generally requires specialized equipment and construction
materials, as well as a skilled specialty contractor. Therefore, unless excessive movements are
anticipated for the other wall systems, these wall systems are not considered to be cost-effective
for this project example.
The remaining feasible wall systems include: (1) an anchored soldier pile and lagging wall; and
(2) a soil-nailed wall.
• Aesthetics
For this project, it is necessary to construct an aesthetically pleasing wall. This requirement can
be met for any of the cut wall systems by constructing a permanent facing over the wall face.
For an anchored soldier pile and lagging wall, shear studs may be welded to the flanges of the
soldier beams and a permanent concrete facing can be cast, or precast concrete panels can be
connected to the wall using various connection devices. Cast-in-place concrete, steel reinforced
shotcrete, and precast concrete panels are used to provide a permanent facing for soil-nailed
walls. Various connection methods and devices are used in the construction of permanent
facings for soil-nailed walls.
• Environmental
Minimal noise and vibration is associated with the construction of anchored, predrilled, soldier
pile and lagging walls or soil-nailed walls.
Step 4: Select Wall Systems
The selection process has identified that anchored soldier pile and lagging walls and soil-nailed walls
are well-suited to the project requirements. Both systems are technically feasible and practical to
construct for this project application. Soil-nailed walls, however, typically undergo more lateral
deformation than anchored soldier pile and lagging walls. Therefore, a more detailed assessment of
the tolerable lateral movements of the wall system should be performed to ascertain the applicability
of a soil-nailed wall for this project example.
90
CHAPTERS
DESIGN OVERVIEW
5.1 INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this chapter is to present an overview of the design of earth retaining systems. It is
not the intent of this chapter, nor is sufficient information presented, to enable the user to carry out
detailed analysis and design for any of the earth retaining systems discussed. Instead, a discussion
of major design topics for fill and cut walls is presented herein. The reader is directed to appropriate
references for detailed design and analysis procedures.
A general design methodology that is valid for both fill and cut walls is outlined in table 5. Step (1)
involves establishing overall geometric requirements for the wall application and project requirements
and constraints. This involves developing the wall profile, locating wall appurtenances such as traffic
Table 5. Typical design steps for earth retaining systems.
(1) Establish project requirements including wall geometry, external loadings,

performance criteria, and construction constraints.
(2) Evaluate site subsurface conditions and properties of in-situ soil and rock.
(3) Select wall system.
(4) Select wall construction materials. Evaluate design properties.
(5) Establish design factors of safety.
(6) Determine preliminary wall dimensions.
(7) Evaluate lateral earth pressures on back of wall.
(8) Check external stability and revise dimensions if necessary.
(9) Check internal stability and revise dimensions if necessary.
(10) Estimate vertical and differential settlement and lateral wall movements. Revise
dimensions if necessary.
(11) Design auxiliary components such as drainage systems and facing systems.
(12) Identify contracting approach and prepare appropriate contract documents.
barriers, utilities, and drainage systems, establishing right-of-way (ROW) limitations, and
construction sequencing requirements. Project requirements and constraints may significantly affect
design, construction, and cost of the wall system and should therefore be identified during the early
stages of project implementation. Step (2) includes evaluating geotechnical properties necessary for
wall design, as discussed in this chapter; Step (3) involves wall system selection following the
methodology described in chapter 4. Steps (4) through (11) address specific geotechnical and
91
Chapter 5 - Design Overview
structural design requirements, several of which are briefly described in this chapter. Wall system
contracting, Step (12), is discussed in chapter 6.
The organization of the remainder of this chapter is described below.
• Geotechnical investigation is discussed in section 5.2. This section includes information on

developing a subsurface profile and identifying ground-water levels as part of subsurface
exploration activities. Descriptions of in-situ and laboratory testing techniques that may be
used to evaluate design parameters for backfill soils, retained soils, and foundation material
(i.e., soil or rock) are also discussed in this section.
• Earth pressures are discussed in section 5.3. This section includes descriptions of
theoretical and semi-empirical lateral earth pressure diagrams for use in design of fill and
/
cut walls. Earth pressures resulting from loads applied at the ground surface are also
described in this section.
• Design concepts related to fill and cut walls are described in section 5.4. Topics related to
external stability, internal stability, and structural design are presented in this section.
• Other design elements frequently included in the design of fill and cut walls are discussed
in section 5.5. These include: (1) wall embedment; (2) wall drainage systems; (3) seismic
wall design; and (4) wall system appurtenances.
• A list of relevant design reference manuals and publications is provided in section 5.6. The
listed references contain detailed analysis techniques and design methods for the wall
systems described in this document.
5.2 GEOTECHNICAL INVESTIGATION
5.2.1 Introduction
The engineering properties and behavior of backfill, retained soil, and foundation material must be
evaluated because these materials are the major sources of both loading and support for any earth
retaining system. The evaluation of retained soil and foundation materials is typically made through
a geotechnical subsurface investigation and borrow source evaluation and a laboratory or in-situ
testing program. The evaluation of backfill material is typically made through a laboratory testing
program. These evaluations are discussed in the remainder of this section.
92
5.2.2 Subsurface Investigation and Testing Program
5.2.2.1 Background
A subsurface investigation generally includes field reconnaissance, subsurface exploration, and in-situ
or laboratory soil testing. In addition to evaluating the engineering behavior of retained soil and
foundation material, the investigation should be designed to define:
• ground-surface topography;
• soil and rock stratigraphy;
• ground-water conditions;
• potential backfill borrow sources; and
• local conditions requiring special consideration.
The extent of the subsurface investigation should be consistent with the project scope (i.e., location,
size, risk, and budget), the project objectives (i.e., purpose of the wall system), and the project
constraints (i.e., geometry, constructability, performance, aesthetics, and environmental impact).
Typical elements of a subsurface investigation are described in the following sections.
5.2.2.2 Field Reconnaissance
Field reconnaissance typically involves visual inspection of the site and examination of available
documents pertaining to site conditions. Information collected during field reconnaissance should
include the following:
• surface topography;
• site access conditions;
• surface drainage patterns;
• surface geologic patterns including rock outcrops, landforms, and existing excavations;
• existing below-grade utilities and substructures;
• available right-of-way (ROW); and
• areas of potential instability such as deep deposits of organic soils, slide debris, and areas
with a high ground-water table.
5.2.2.3 Subsurface Investigation and In-situ Soil Testing
Subsurface investigation activities typically involve soil borings, rock coring, and/or test pits or
trenches. Information on the subsurface soil stratigraphy and ground-water conditions are typically
obtained from subsurface investigation activities. Subsurface investigation may also involve in-situ
93
soil or rock testing, i.e., testing of material in its natural position below ground, and obtaining
samples for laboratory testing. Specific details involved in developing a subsurface investigation
program (i.e., spacing and depths of soil borings, sampling procedures for soils, spacing and depths
of rock cores, location of test pits/trenches, etc.) are discussed in other documents (e. g., AASHTO,
1988).
Soil Stratigraphy
The soil stratigraphy at the project site, including the thickness and elevation of various layers,
should be evaluated through implementation of a project-specific subsurface investigation.
Problematic soils and rock should also be identified during the subsurface investigation as they may
significantly affect the design and construction of a wall system. Examples include:
• cohesionless sands and silts which tend to ravel (i.e., cave-in) and which may be susceptible
to seismically-induced liquefaction;
• weak soil or rock layers where the potential for sliding instabilities exist;
• highly compressible materials such as soft clays and organic soils;
• collapsible soils in arid regions; and
• obstructions, boulders, and cemented layers.
For example, if obstructions, hard soils, or bouldery soils are encountered during the subsurface
investigation, it may be necessary to use heavier equipment for slurry (diaphragm) wall construction,
whereas if running soils (i.e., cohesionless sands and silts) are encountered, modifications of the
slurry mix and/or shortening of the wall panel lengths should be considered to minimize the potential
for trench cave-ins.
Borings should be advanced at regular intervals along, behind, and in front of the wall alignment.
For anchored walls, borings should be advanced behind the proposed wall line within the anchor bond
zone, and for soil-nailed walls, within the potential failure zone. For MSE walls and RSS, borings
should be advanced just behind the reinforced backfill zone. Boring depths should be controlled by
the general subsurface conditions, but should penetrate to a depth of at least twice the height of the
wall system. Borings should be advanced deeper if there is a potential for soft, weak, collapsible,
or liquefiable soils at depth. Soil samples should be obtained at regular intervals and at changes in
underlying soil strata for visual identification and laboratory testing. Methods of sampling include
Standard Penetration Testing (SPT) (ASTM D 1586) and pushed thin-wall (Shelby) tube sampling
(ASTM D 1587).
Ground Water
Ground-water table and any perched ground-water zones must be evaluated as part of a subsurface
investigation program as it has a significant effect on the design and construction of an earth retaining
94
system. The presence of ground water affects lateral pressures applied to the wall facing, drainage
system design, and construction procedures. At a minimum, the following items need to be
considered for wall systems that will be constructed within or near the water table:
• corrosion potential of metallic components based on the acidity/alkalinity of the ground

water;
• reduction in interface frictional resistance between structural components (e.g. ,anchors,
micropiles, soil nails, embedded vertical wall elements, and reinforcing elements) and soil;
• lateral pressures applied to the wall facing;
• necessity for excavation dewatering and specialized underwater drilling and grouting
procedures; and
• liquefaction potential of loose, cohesionless soils.
Ground-water level information is often obtained by observation of the depth to which water
accumulates in an open borehole at the time of exploration. It is important, however, to allow
sufficient time to pass after borehole excavation so that water levels can reach equilibrium. More
accurate measurements of water levels in the subsurface can be made using piezometers or observation
wells, and by obtaining water level measurements over a duration of time to obtain an indication of
potential water level fluctuations.
In-situ Soil Testing
Various in-situ testing techniques can be used to estimate specific soil and rock properties such as
shear strength and in-situ state of stress. In-situ testing offers several advantages relative to laboratory
testing of samples recovered from the field, including low cost, ability to test large volumes of
material, and ability to test material in its natural state. The following testing procedures are widely
used in the United States: (1) standard penetration test (SPT) (ASTM D 1586); (2) cone penetration
test (CPT) (ASTM D 3441) (FHWA-SA-91-043, 1992); (3) vane shear test (ASTM D 2573); (4)
pressuremeter test (ASTM D 4719) (FHWA-IP-89-008, 1989); and (5) flat plate dilatometer test
(FHWA-SA-91-044, 1992). These tests are described below.
• SPT: This test is suitable for all soil types except gravels. This test can be used to estimate
the effective stress friction angle and relative density of granular soils and the undrained
strength of cohesive soils using correlations with SPT blow counts. Liquefaction potential
has been correlated with SPT blowcounts. A disturbed soil sample is obtained during
testing.
• CPT: This test is suitable for sands, silts, and clays. This test can be used to estimate the
effective stress friction angle of granular soils and undrained shear strength of cohesive
95
soils. Data obtained with this test can also be used to develop a detailed subsurface soil
profile. Liquefaction potential has also been correlated to measured cone resistances. In-
situ pore pressure can be measured with CPT devices equipped with pressure cells (i.e.,
piezocones) .
• Vane Shear: This test is suitable for cohesive soils. This test is used to measure the peak
and residual (remolded) undrained shear strength of these soils.
• Pressuremeter: This test is suitable for all soil types, except gravels. This test can be used
to estimate horizontal soil modulus and the in-situ lateral state of stress. This test can also
be used to evaluate the effective stress friction angle in granular soils and undrained shear
strength in cohesive soils.
• Flat Plate Dilatometer: This test is suitable for soils that are [mer than gravelly sands. This
test can be used to evaluate the effective stress friction angle in granular soils and undrained
shear strength in cohesive soils. This test can also be used to estimate the in-situ lateral
state of stress. Several other soil properties, including liquefaction potential have also been
correlated to test results.
Rock conditions should be evaluated for wall systems which are to be founded on rock or for systems
which derive lateral resistance through anchorage in rock. If rock conditions are of interest, rock
cores can be recovered and logged. A description of rock type, mineral fabric, foliation, degree of
weathering, and discontinuities is generally obtained. An estimate of intact rock strength can be
evaluated using percentage of core recovery and rock quality designation (RQD). The orientations
(strikes and dips) of discontinuities (including both bedding planes and principal fracture sets) should
be included in the rock description so that the potential for sliding instability resulting from the
expected wall loads can be evaluated.
5.2.3 Laboratory Soil Testing
Laboratory testing of soil samples recovered during subsurface exploration is often performed to
evaluate specific soil properties necessary for the design of an earth retaining system. In this section,
laboratory tests typically performed to evaluate engineering, mechanical, and chemical properties of
backfill, retained soil, and foundation materials are presented. This section also includes discussion
of the applicability of the tests for specific wall types and conditions. Appropriate ASTM and
AASHTO specifications are provided for the laboratory tests presented.
96
Soil Classification and Index Properties
All soil samples taken from borings should be visually identified in the laboratory and classified
according to the Unified Soil Classification System (USCS). Index soil properties used in the analysis
and design of earth retaining systems include unit weight, moisture content, gradation, and Atterberg
limits. Unit weight of foundation material, backfill soil, and retained soil are used in evaluating earth
pressures, and in evaluating the external and internal stability of the considered wall system.
Moisture content (ASTM D 2216) information and Atterberg limits (ASTM D 4318; AASHTO T89,
T90) may be used with existing correlations to estimate compressibility and shear strength of in-situ
soils. Also, these data are used as an index to evaluate the creep potential of clay soils; anchors and
soil nails are not appropriate for use in soils with high creep potential. The results of soil grain size
distribution testing (ASTM D 422; AASHTO T88) can be used as an index to evaluate permeability
and compaction characteristics of soil. Soil gradation information is also used to develop appropriate
drilling and grouting procedures for anchored, micropile, and soil-nailed walls.
Shear Strength
Unconfined compression (ASTM D 2166; AASHTO T208), direct shear (ASTM D 3080; AASHTO
T236), or triaxial compression (ASTM D 4767; AASHTO T234) testing is typically performed to
evaluate soil shear strength. Shear strength parameters are used in the design of all wall systems for
evaluation of: (1) foundation bearing capacity; (2) global stability of the wall system; (3) lateral earth
pressures; and (4) interface shear resistance between structural components and the surrounding soil.
For permanent wall applications involving cohesive soils, both undrained (end of construction) and
drained (long term) strength parameters should be obtained, and the design of the wall system should
consider both conditions. Total stress and effective stress strength parameters of cohesive soils are
typically evaluated from the results of undrained triaxial tests with pore pressure measurements. For
wall applications involving cohesionless soils, direct shear or triaxial compression testing can be used
to evaluate drained shear strength. Typically, however, drained shear strength of cohesionless soils
is evaluated based on correlations with in-situ test results (e.g., SPT and CPT testing), as it is difficult
to obtain undisturbed samples of these materials.
Consolidation Characteristics
Settlement analyses should be performed for walls founded on compressible soils. As indicated in
Chapter 2 of this document, excessive total and/or differential settlement may be detrimental to the
long-term performance of many types of wall system. For instance, large differential settlements
between the wall face and the backfill soil may induce significant distress in facing/reinforcement
connections. Differential settlements along the wall alignment may affect the overall wall appearance
(aesthetics) and performance of the wall facing for both fill and cut wall systems. The results of index
tests including moisture content (ASTM D 2216) and Atterberg limits (ASTM D 4318; AASHTO
T89, T90) can be used for initial evaluation of settlement parameters. The results of one-dimensional
97
consolidation (ASTM D 2435; AASHTO T216) tests are often used to evaluate the parameters
necessary for settlement analysis.
Drainage and Compaction Characteristics
Backfill soils for fill walls are typically granular, non-plastic, and free-draining to ensure adequate
performance of the wall system throughout the design life. Grain size distribution testing (ASTM D
422; AASHTO T88) and Atterberg limits testing (ASTM D 4318) are used to evaluate soil gradation
and plasticity. The effective particle size (D IO), which is obtained from grain size distribution testing,
can be used to estimate the permeability of uniform granular soils.
Backfill and foundation soils are compacted for fill wall construction to increase soil shear strength
and stiffness and decrease compressibility. Compaction tests can be performed in the laboratory using
either standard (ASTM D 698; AASHTO T99~ or modified Proctor (ASTM D 1577; AASHTO T189)
compaction effort to evaluate the moisture-density relationship for the backfill and foundation soils.
This relationship can then be used to establish minimum criteria for the field-compaction of each lift
of the backfill soils and for the preparation of the foundation soils.
Electrochemical Criteria
For wall systems that employ metallic or geosynthetic elements embedded in soil, the aggressiveness
of the soil must be considered. For metallic elements such as steel reinforcement in MSE walls and
anchors and soil nails, corrosion potential is of primary concern and is evaluated based on results of
tests to measure the following soil properties: (1) pH (AASHTO T289); (2) electrical resistivity
(AASHTO T288); (3) sulfate content (AASHTO T290); and (4) chloride content (AASHTO T291).
Although geosynthetic reinforcement typically has high durability in most soil environments, polymer
degradation can occur in some instances. Resistance to chemical attack may vary widely with
polymer type. Degradation potential is evaluated based on the results of soil property tests that are
appropriate for the polymer type being considered for use. These tests may include pH, calcium
content, and iron content. More detailed information on the corrosion and durability of metallic and
geosynthetic materials can be found elsewhere (FHWA-SA-96-072, 1996; FHWA-DP-68-1R, 1988).
5.3 EARTH PRESSURES
5.3.1 General
A wall system is designed to resist lateral earth pressures and water pressures that develop behind the
wall. Earth pressures develop primarily as a result of loads induced by the weight of the backfill and
retained soil, earthquake ground motions, and various surcharge loads. For purposes of earth
98
retaining system design, three different lateral earth pressures are usually considered: (1) at-rest earth
pressure; (2) active earth pressure; and (3) passive earth pressure.
• At-rest earth pressure is defined as the lateral pressure that exists in level ground for a
condition of no lateral deformation.
• Active earth pressure is developed as the wall moves away from the backfill and the
retained soil. This movement results in a decrease in lateral pressure relative to the at-rest
condition. A relatively small amount of lateral movement is necessary to reach the active
condition.
• Passive earth pressure is developed as the wall moves towards the bac~fill and the retained
soil. This movement results in an increase in lateral pressure relative to the at-rest
condition. The movements required to reach the passive condition are approximately ten
times greater than those required to develop active earth pressure.
Each of these earth pressure conditions can be expressed by an equation with the general form:
(1)
where Uh is the lateral earth pressure at a given depth behind the wall, U y is the vertical pressure at the
same depth, and K is an earth pressure coefficient that can relate to at-rest earth pressure (Ko), active
earth pressure (Ka), or passive earth pressure ~). Standard SI units are: Uh (kPa), U y (kPa), and K
(dimensionless) .
The magnitude of~, Ko, and Ka vary according to the following relationship: ~ > Ko > Ka • The
magnitude of the at-rest earth pressure coefficient is primarily a function of soil shear strength and
degree of overconsolidation. The magnitude of the active and passive earth pressure coefficients are
functions of the soil shear strength, the backfill geometry (i.e., horizontal backfill surface or sloped),
the orientation of the surface where the wall contacts the backfill or retained soil (i.e., vertical or
battered), and the friction that develops on this surface. The relationship between these earth pressure
coefficients and their associated lateral movements are illustrated in figure 49.
5.3.2 Earth Pressure Diagrams
5.3.2.1 Introduction
Earth pressure diagrams serve to illustrate the overall loading on a wall system resulting from lateral
earth pressures. The overall loading is illustrated in a cross-sectional view taken perpendicular to the
99
LATERAL
PRESSURE
WALL MOVEMENT / WALL HEIGHT - .6./H
PASSIVE __ ---- ACTIVE

CONDITION CONDITION
AT-REST
CONDITION
~ ~0----==="""'---
I r--'l~==~.- ---,-----\
~»~~~#
I \
I \
I \
I \
I H
\
I H
I
\
I \ Active pressure
I '-- ...I----'\--"'---_~ \ zone
\
Active pressure
\
zone
\
\
\
l
\
\
- Passive zone
I Passive zone \ ,.
i
,~ Passive pressure
zone
NON-GRAVITY CANTILEVERED WALL
RIGID GRAVITY WALL (CONTINUOUS VERTICAL ELEMENTS)
Figure 49. Magnitudes and patterns of movement to develop lateral earth pressures.
100
wall alignment. These diagrams are used during wall design to detennine the total, or resultant, earth
pressure forces acting on the wall system. Different earth pressure diagrams are used to design
different wall systems because earth pressures vary with many factors, including shear strength and
stiffness of the backfill or retained soil, stiffness and geometry of the wall, wall construction
procedures and workmanship, movements of the wall, and other factors. In this section, theoretical
and semi-empirical earth pressure diagrams used for external and internal stability analyses are
introduced and issues related to the use of a particular type of earth pressure diagram for a wall design
are discussed.
5.3.2.2 Theoretical Earth Pressure Diagrams
Values of the earth pressure coefficients, Ka and~, can be calculated using soil mechanics theories.
The two most commonly used theories are: (1) Rankine theory; and (2) Coulomb theory. The
primary difference between the two theories, for the common case of a horizontal backfill and a
vertical surface of contact between the wall and the backfill or retained soil (the wall/soil interface),
is that the Rankine theory assumes that no friction develops on the wall/soil interface, while the
Coulomb theory allows for the development of friction at this interface. For the case of zero wall
friction and horizontal backfill, the Coulomb and Rankine analyses are equivalent.
In many earth retaining wall applications, the backfill or retained soil settles relative to the wall and
induces downward friction on the wall at the wall/soil interface. This downward friction tends to
stabilize the wall. Therefore, for active earth pressure conditions the Rankine theory, which neglects
such friction, is generally conservative with respect to the Coulomb theory, which accounts for such
friction.
The Rankine and Coulomb theories are used for the design of all types of fill walls and for nongravity
cantilevered walls, particularly for external stability evaluations. The Rankine theory produces a
simple formula for Ka for the case of a wall with a vertical wall/soil interface and cohesionless,
horizontal backfill or retained soil. In design practice, the Rankine formula is often used for this case
because of its simplicity, despite the fact that wall/soil interface friction is neglected. The Coulomb
theory is typically used for walls with inclined backfills and/or irregular surcharge loads and for
horizontal-backfill walls where wall/soil interface friction is to be included. Active earth pressure
resultant forces based on the Rankine and Coulomb theories are illustrated in figure 50. In figure 50,
H is the height of the wall, y' is the effective soil unit weight, and Ka is the active earth pressure
coefficient. Standard SI units are: H (m); y' (kN/m3); and Ka (dimensionless).
A general equation for Ka and ~, which is applicable for cases with a sloping backfill, wall/soil
interface friction, and a sloping wall face, can be written as:
101
K = COS2 (<1>-6)
a
(2)
cos2 (6) cos (6+6) [1 + Sin(+6)Sin(-~)] 2
cos(6+6)cos(6-~)
K = cos2 (6+<I»
(+~) ] 2
(3)
P cos2 (a) cos (a-o) [1 _ sine<1>+0) sin
cos(a-o)cos(a-~)
where is the effective stress friction angle, 6 is the angle of wall inclination (6 =0 for vertical wall
0
face), 0 is the wall/soil interface friction angle, and ~ is the angle of backfill inclination (~=Oo for
horizontal backfill surface). Standard SI units are: (degrees); 6 (degrees); 0 (degrees); and ~
(degrees). It should be noted that passive pressures calculated according to Coulomb theory may be
significantly larger than that which can actually be mobilized in typical wall applications, especially
for cases in which the wall/soil interface friction angle exceeds approximately one-third of the
effective stress friction angle (NAVFAC, 1986).
RANKINE COULOMB
I ..
Figure 50. Active earth pressure distributions based on Rankine and Coulomb theories.
102
5.3.2.3 Semi-Empirical Earth Pressure Diagrams
Earth pressures used for the design of certain earth retaining systems are different from those
computed based on theoretical Rankine or Coulomb analyses. The theoretical approaches do not
consider the influence of wall system stiffness, the actual construction sequence of the wall system,
and the magnitude and pattern of wall and ground movements. These factors are often considered
semi-empirically by incorporating both theoretical considerations and information based on the
performance of previously constructed wall systems into the design earth pressures. The design of
anchored walls is generally performed using such semi-empirical earth pressure diagrams, as
discussed in section 5.4.3 of this document.
Semi-empirical earth pressure diagrams are typically employed in internal stability evaluations of wall
systems. For example, the maximum tension in each level of reinforcement for a MSE wall is
assumed to be related to the vertical overburden pressure according to Eq. (l). The value for K used
for this analysis varies depending on reinforcement type and is based on past performance data and
experimental results (figure 51).
1.0 1.2 17
o Or----------I--'------+-------=+---~K/Ka
----
E
....J
....J
~ II>
o
U. Gl
o C!)
Il.
o
I-
~
o....J
W 6 --------------
m
:::c
l-
ll.
W
C
j
Figure 51. Variation of stress ratio with depth for MSE wall
(modified after FHWA-SA-96-071, 1996).
103
The structural design of prefabricated modular gravity walls includes the evaluation of the lateral
pressures which develop inside the modules. The calculated maximum pressure used for design of
the wall members is based on bin pressure theory.
5.3.3 Earth Pressures due to Surface Loads
Additional earth pressures resulting from loads applied at the ground surface must also be included
in the design of an earth retaining system. These earth pressures are generated by surface surcharge
loads, point loads, line loads, and strip loads.
5.3.3.1 Surcharge Loads
Surcharge loads are vertical loads applied at the ground surface which are assumed to result in a
uniform increase in lateral stress over the entire height of the wall. The increase in lateral stress for
uniform surcharge loading can be written "as:
(4)
where aOh is the increase in lateral earth pressure due to the vertical surcharge load, K is an
appropriate earth pressure coefficient, and qs is the vertical surcharge load applied at the ground
surface. Standard SI units are: aOh (kPa), K (dimensionless), and qs (kPa). Examples of surcharge
loads for highway wall system applications include: (1) dead load surcharges such as that resulting
from the weight of a bridge approach slab or concrete pavement; (2) live load surcharges such as that
due to traffic loadings; and (3) surcharges due to equipment or material storage during construction
of the wall system. When traffic is expected to come to within a distance equivalent to one-half the
wall height, the wall should be designed for a live load surcharge pressure of approximately 12 kPa.
For design, it is common to assume a surcharge load of approximately 15 kPa to account for the
effects of storage of construction materials and equipment. For situations in which heavy equipment
must operate relatively close to the wall alignment, larger loadings may need to be considered.
5.3.3.2 Point Loads, Line Loads, and Strip Loads
Point loads, line loads, and strip loads are vertical surface loadings which are applied over limited
areas as compared to surcharge loads. As a result, the increase in lateral earth pressure used for wall
system design is not constant with depth as it is for uniform surcharge loadings. These loadings are
typically calculated using equations based on elasticity theory for lateral stress distribution with depth
(NAVFAC, 1986).
104
5.4 EARTH RETAINING SYSTEM DESIGN
5.4.1 Introduction
The purpose of this section is to present and discuss several design concepts relevant to fill and cut
wall systems. A list of design reference documents that contain detailed descriptions of analysis
techniques and step-by-step design procedures is provided in section 5.6. Topics discussed herein for
fill and cut walls are listed below.
• Fill walls
external stability
backfill soil
wall foundations
internal stability and structural design
• Cut walls
earth pressure diagrams
corrosion protection of anchors and soil nails
internal stability and structural design
5.4.2 Fill Walls
5.4.2.1 External Stability
External stability analyses are used in design to evaluate the ability of the wall to resist lateral
pressures applied by surcharges and the backfill and retained soil. The possible modes of external
instability that are generally considered are illustrated in figure 52. Although figure 52 shows a
cantilever wall, these modes of external instability are typically considered for all types of fill walls.
Figure 53 shows the external forces that act on a typical wall system. A wall must be proportioned
to ensure an adequate factor of safety (FS) against failure as described below.
Sliding
Sliding may occur when the lateral pressure on the wall exceeds the available lateral resistance
along the base of the wall. The lateral resistance may have several components including
frictional resistance and adhesion that can be mobilized between the base of the wall and the
underlying wall foundation soil or rock and passive resistance from the soil in front of the wall
or adjacent to any foundation keyways. Passive resistance from soil in front of the wall is
105
11 \\
\ \
I I \ \
I I \ \
I I \ \
I I \ \
I I \ \
\ \
I I \ \
I I \
I I
(a) SLIDING FAILURE (b) OVERTURNING FAILURE
\\ ~ti~44,*l>
\\
\\ \\
\
\\ ,,
--
(e) BEARING CAPACITY (d) DEEP-SEATED SLIDING FAILURE
Figure 52. Modes of external stability for a fill wall

(modified after NCHRP, 1991).
typically neglected for sliding stability calculations. For the case shown in figure 53, the factor
of safety, FS, against sliding would be given as:
FS = _F_r = _N_t_an_o_B_+C_B_B_ (5)

Ph Ph
where N is the resultant vertical load, 0B is the interface friction angle between the wall base and
the foundation, CB is the adhesion between the wall base and the foundation, B is the wall base
width, and Ph is the horizontal earth pressure resultant. Standard SI units are: N (kN/m); 0B
(degrees); CB (kPa); B (m); and Ph (kN/m). The minimum factor of safety against sliding is
typically taken as 1.5 (AASHTO, 1994).
If an adequate factor of safety against sliding cannot be achieved, design modifications should
be considered. Modifications may include: (1) increasing the width of the wall base; (2) using
an inclined wall base or battering the wall to decrease the horizontal load; (3) constructing a
shear key; and (4) embedding the wall foundation or slope base to a depth for which adequate
106
lateral resistance can be mobilized. Other types of modifications include lengthening the
reinforcement for MSE walls and RSS, using denser stone for gabion walls, and constructing a
berm at the toe of a reinforced soil slope to act as a buttress.
Pa
qmax ---(I)
I
I Xo e
8/2 8/2
--~
NOTATIONS:
Pp = passive earth pressure resultant (kN/m)
Pa = active earth pressure resultant (kN/m)
Ws = weight of soil above heel (kN/m)
We = weight of wall (kN/m)
N = vertical resultant force (kN/m)
F r = N tan 0B + eBB (kN/m)
Figure 53. Forces on an earth retaining system.
107
Overturning
Overturning may occur when the driving moments (generated by the lateral pressure against the
wall) are in excess of the resisting moments (generated by the self-weight of the wall and
wall/soil interface friction). The factor of safety against overturning is calculated by summing
moments about the toe of the wall (point 0, figure 53).
FS = L Resisting Moments (6)

L Driving Moments
The minimum factor of safety against overturning is typically taken as 2.0 for walls founded on
soil and 1.5 for walls founded on rock (AASHTO, 1994). The overturning criterion is not
considered applicable for the design 'analysis of MSE walls and RSS since these systems are
relatively flexible and thus the potential for failure resulting from overturning is minimal.
Overturning conditions can be improved by increasing the width of the wall or, for concrete
cantilever walls, relocating the wall stem towards the heel of the wall base.
In addition, for walls founded on soil, the line of action of the resultant vertical load, N, must
be within the middle third of the wall base. This condition can be expressed as:
e~ -B (7)
6
where the eccentricity, e, is the distance from the centerline of the wall to the line of action of
the resultant vertical force and B is the width of the base of the wall (figure 53). Standard SI
units are: e (m); and B (m). The load eccentricity is caused by the moment applied to the wall
foundation resulting from the horizontal component of earth pressure. This moment induces a
non-uniform pressure on the bottom of the wall foundation and, if the eccentricity is greater then
B/6, can lead to loss of contact pressure between the bottom of the wall and the ground. For
walls founded on rock, the allowable eccentricity must be less than B/4 (AASHTO, 1994).
Bearing Capacity
Bearing capacity failure may occur when the maximum bearing pressure along the wall base
(CLnaJ exceeds the allowable bearing pressure of the wall foundation soil or rock (qJ. The factor
of safety against a bearing capacity failure can be expressed as:
FS =!!!!- (8)
qmax
108
The value of qmax can be evaluated based on the magnitude and line of action of the resultant
vertical load, N (NCHRP, 1991). The value of qu can be established using bearing capacity
theory. Standard SI units are: ~ax (kPa); and qu (kPa). The minimum factor of safety for
bearing capacity failure is typically taken as 2.0 to 3.0 (AASHTO, 1994) depending on wall type
and foundation material. For RSS founded on soft soils, local bearing capacity at the toe of the
slope is evaluated (FHWA-SA-96-071, 1996).
Bearing capacity can be improved by one or more of the following methods: (1) ground
improvement; (2) increasing wall or slope embedment; (3) excavating weak soils and replacing
with compacted fill; (4) employing staged construction techniques; and (5) increasing wall width.
Global Stability
Global instability may occur if the shear stresses along a deep-seated surface under the wall
exceed the soil shear strength along the same surface. Both circular and non-circular surfaces
should be considered. Commercially available computer programs such as PCSTABL
(Archilleos, 1988), UTEXAS3 (Wright', 1995), and XSTABL (Sharma, 1994) employ limit
equilibrium analysis methods and can be used to analyze global stability. Global stability can
be improved by methods similar to those used for improving bearing capacity.
Typical dimensions for rigid gravity and semi-gravity wall systems are shown in figure 54. The
dimensions are based on external stability considerations assuming a range of backfill shear strengths
and geometries and stable foundation soils. These dimensions can be used for preliminary design
(Le., Step (6) in table 5), but external stability calculations should be performed for final design based
on the specific conditions and requirements of the project. For example, limited right-of-way in front
of a cantilever wall may make geometries such as that shown in figure 55(a) necessary. Similarly,
if right-of-way is restricted behind the wall, a system similar to that shown in figure 55(b) would be
necessary.
For prefabricated modular gravity wall systems, the system manufacturers typically provide tables
and charts for preliminary design that are based on external stability calculations. These charts,
however, are intended to be used as guidelines only for developing preliminary estimates of the
required wall geometry. Detailed design using project-specific information should be carried out on
a project-specific basis.
109
May be sloped
:G/8 to H/6
I0.5 to 0.7 HI
CONCRETE GRAVITY WALL
-j 1-200-300 mm min. (300 mm preferable)
48 r
min.
1
H
H/12 to H/10
CONCRETE CANTILEVER WALL
CONCRETE COUNTERFORT WALL
Figure 54. Typical dimensions for rigid gravity and semi-gravity walls (modified after Bowles, 1982,
Foundation Analysis and Design. Reprinted by permission of The McGraw-Hill Companies).
110
ROW ROW
I
Proposed road grade

~~~~~4
(a) (b)
Figure 55. Cantilever wall geometries for limited right-of-way
conditions.
External stability calculations are used to evaluate the required length of the reinforcement for MSE
walls and RSS. Factors of safety for bearing capacity used to evaluate MSE walls and RSS may be
lower than those used for the design of rigid gravity structures because MSE walls and RSS are more
flexible and tolerant of differential settlements and lateral deformations. For instance, a factor of
safety of 3.0 is generally used for bearing capacity for concrete cantilever walls, but a factor of safety
of 2.0 can be used for MSE walls.
5.4.2.2 Backfill Soil
Ideally, backfill soil for permanent fill walls should consist of relatively free draining sands and
gravels (i.e., cohesionless soils). These soils drain rapidly, are not susceptible to frost action or creep
movements, and are easily placed and compacted in confined areas. In contrast, clayey soils drain
slowly, are subject to seasonal volume changes, are susceptible to creep movements, and develop
cracks due to shrinkage. Problems with gravity earth retaining systems have developed almost
exclusively in cases where the backfill and/or the foundation consists of clayey soils (Duncan et al.,
1990). The following is noted concerning the use of clayey soils as backfill for fill wall applications.
• Clayey backfills generally have lower drained shear strength than cohesionless soils. This
results in: (1) larger lateral earth pressures against the back of the wall; (2) lower frictional
resistance along the reinforcement for MSE walls and RSS which employ frictional
reinforcement; and (3) lower bearing value for MSE walls and RSS which employ passive
reinforcement.
• Clayey backfills are more plastic and contain more fines than cohesionless soils. This
results in: (1) poor drainage and the potential for the development of water pressures behind
111
the wall; (2) the potential for freezing of retained water and development of ice pressures
on the back of the wall; and (3) greater potential for corrosion of metallic reinforcements
for MSE walls and RSS.
• Clayey backfills have the potential to undergo creep deformations that can lead to higher
earth pressures and greater wall face deformations than for soils that do not exhibit
significant creep potential. Earth pressures used for design of gravity walls employing
clayey backfills should be based on past performance and field experience, as wall design
methods do not consider the effects of creep.
Despite these problems, silts and clays may be used as backfill soils provided suitable design
procedures are employed and construction control measures are incorporated into the contract
documents (AASHTO, 1994). Zomberg and Mitchell (1992) have reviewed the use of poorly
draining backfill materials for MSE walls and RSS. They noted that although wall backfill drainage
was enhanced when low strength, nonwoven geotextiles were used as reinforcement, their low
stiffness and low strength has limited their use to low or temporary walls. Research is ongoing in
evaluating and formulating a design method for MSE walls and RSS with poorly draining backfill.
Regardless of backfill type, compaction is required to obtain increased backfill shear strength and
stiffness. Compaction also minimizes backfill settlement that may occur during and after construction.
Compaction, however, may induce large lateral stresses against the wall, particularly near the top of
the wall. A method for evaluating compaction-induced lateral stresses can be found elsewhere (e.g.,
NAVFAC, 1986; Foundation Engineering Handbook, Chapter 6, 1991). For walls designed for little
or no movement, at-rest earth pressures plus additional pressures due to compaction-induced lateral
stresses can be conservatively assumed. For more flexible walls, active earth pressures plus
compaction-induced lateral stresses can be used for design.
Certain backfill soils may be considered aggressive in that they accelerate corrosion of any metallic
wall components that they contact. Clayey and silty soils are generally more aggressive than more
granular soils because their fme-grained nature results in high water holding capacity, poor aeration,
and poor drainage. These characteristics tend to encourage corrosion. Therefore, metallic elements
in these soils are more susceptible to corrosion than those in sand and gravel where there is free
circulation of air (FHWA-RD-89-186, 1990). Specifications for gradation and electrochemical
requirements for backfill soils are given elsewhere (Section 7.3.6, AASHTO (1994); FWHA-SA-96-
071, 1996).
5.4.2.3 Wall Foundations
Wall systems should be founded on stiff, competent soil or rock whenever possible. Walls founded
on less competent materials may experience structural distress due to total or differential settlement.
112
If a wall must be founded on less competent soil, it may be necessary to improve the soil (e.g.,
dynamic compaction, installation of wick drains or stone columns, etc.), excavate weak soil and
replace with compacted fill material, or to support the wall with deep foundations.
Excessive differential settlement can result in structural distress and/or cosmetic damage for a number
of types of wall systems. For example, concrete structures may crack excessively and metal bin walls
may develop overstressed bolted connections. RSS and MSE and gabion walls are generally more
flexible and are therefore better-suited to situations in which large total and differential settlements
are anticipated. Even in more flexible MSE walls, however, the reinforcement/panel connection can
become overstressed due to differential settlement between the reinforced soil and the wall facing
panel. Flexible connections can be employed to alleviate this potential problem. Also, if significant
differential settlement is anticipated, sufficient joint width and/or slip joints should be included in the
design to preclude cracking of precast panels for MSE walls. Alternatively, flexible walls with
flexible facing units (e.g., geotextile faced MSE walls or gabion walls) may be used for the
application.
Allowable differential settlement criteria for fill walls were discussed in chapter 4. Methods that can
be used to estimate settlements in clays and sands based on in-situ and laboratory test results can be
found elsewhere (e.g., NCHRP, 1991; FHWA-HI-88-009, 1993).
5.4.2.4 Internal Stability and Structural Design
The internal stability of a wall system depends on the structural integrity of the wall components and
connections. Examples of internal stability design issues include the size and spacing of reinforcing
bars in a concrete cantilever wall and soil reinforcement elements in MSE walls. Although certain
prefabricated wall systems such as gabion walls and metal and concrete bin walls have all components
and connections pre-sized, the internal stability of these systems should be evaluated as part of the
design analysis.
Rigid Gravity and Semi-gravity Walls
For an unreinforced concrete gravity wall, structural design consists of checking that the maximum
shear, compressive, and tensile stresses acting in the wall are less than the available strength of the
concrete. For a concrete cantilever and counterfort wall, the wall stem, toe, and heel are designed
separately assuming each component is a cantilever beam fixed at the junction of the stem and the
base. Each component is designed for bending, shear, and axial stress using standard reinforced
concrete design methods (AASHTO, 1994).
113
Prefabricated modular gravity walls are designed to resist the forces resulting from bin pressures
inside the modules and from earth pressures behind the wall. Module members are designed for
bending in both the horizontal and vertical direction between their supports. For steel member
design, allowable stresses are calculated based on a net section that accounts for potential long-term
losses in steel area resulting from corrosion. Allowable stress requirements for both concrete and
steel module members are given in AASHTO (1994).
Mechanically Stabilized Earth Walls
The internal stability design of MSE walls principally involves the sizing and ,spacing of the soil
reinforcing elements. The internal stability design must preclude: (1) rupture of reinforcement due
to tensile overstress; (2) pull out of reinforcement from the backfill soil; (3) rupture of the connection
between the wall facing and the reinforcement; and (4) distress of the facing elements under
construction and service conditions.
For MSE wall design, the reinforced backfill is divided into active and resistant zones. The maximum
reinforcement tension is assumed to be developed along a line separating the two zones. The location
of this line for inextensible and extensible reinforcement is shown in figure 56.
The maximum tensile load transmitted to each reinforcing element (T max) is required to size the
element and is calculated as the horizontal stress at the elevation of each element multiplied by the
tributary area of coverage of each element. The horizontal stress used to calculate the maximum
tensile load in each reinforcing element depends on the value for the coefficient of horizontal earth
pressure (K in figure 51) within the reinforced soil mass.
Resistance to reinforcement pullout is assumed to be mobilized along the portion of the reinforcing
element extending into the resistant zone. Pullout capacity depends on the soil/reinforcement interface
friction and bearing between the soil and any transverse members of the reinforcement element.
Resistance to pullout is evaluated for each reinforcement level according to the following criterion:
Pullout Capacity ~ FS
(9)
Maximum Tensile Load
where FS is typically taken as 1.5. If insufficient resistance is calculated, the length of each
reinforcement in the resistant zone is increased, the spacing between reinforcing elements is
decreased, or other reinforcement types with better pullout characteristics are used. Pullout capacity
for specific reinforcement types is calculated as described elsewhere (FHWA-SA-96-071, 1996).
114
I.. 0.3 H _I
--
:
I
-----
I
~ ....... -+ -:: Tmax
H/2
f..;'/ 1
I
"'"
I
........1Tmax
- I--
V
/
I
I
I
I........
- ........
........
........
........
/"
/ -~max
H/2 / "" ........
I ........
I ...........
I
/
INEXTENSIBLE (METALLIC) REINFORCEMENT
/ /
/
/
II
/
I
~ /Tmax
t .-'- .--
"71"· /Tmax
1/
1'1-/
I .......
........
---
(1/// j-/1/
t --., / II-"T
max
"- ........
--
(VI
)U
I~',,-
(/ ,
\ 45+<1>/2
EXTENSIBLE (GEOSYNTHETIC) REINFORCEMENT
Figure 56. Active and resistant zones for MSE walls (modified after FHWA-SA-96-071, 1996)
115
Tensile rupture along the reinforcement is checked by comparing the allowable tensile load to the
calculated maximum tensile load. For metallic reinforcement a reduced cross-sectional area is used
in the calculation of allowable tensile load to account for expected material loss with time due to
corrosion. For polymeric reinforcement, allowable long-term reinforcement tension is evaluated for
limit states (i.e., the highest load level at which the creep-strain rate continues to decrease without
failure in the reinforcement) with reductions to account for durability and construction damage. The
connection of the reinforcement to the facing is checked to ensure that the tensile force in the
reinforcement at the connection is not greater than the tensile strength of the connection. Procedures
for calculating allowable reinforcement and reinforcement/facing connection tensile loads for MSE
walls can be found elsewhere (FHWA-SA-96-071, 1996).
Reinforced Soil Slopes
The fIrst step in the internal stability analysis of a reinforced soil slope involves evaluating the total
tensile resistance, T tota1 , that needs to be mobilized in the reinforcing elements such that a minimum
acceptable slope factor of safety (FSr) can be achieved. The slope stability factor of safety is typically
defIned as the ratio of resisting to driving moments (or forces). The slope stability factor of safety
of the unreinforced slope (FSJ is calculated using conventional slope stability analysis techniques and
assuming either circular or wedge-type slip surfaces, as appropriate. If the calculated factor of safety
exceeds the minimum acceptable factor of safety, then reinforcement is not necessary and the slope
is considered stable (i.e., T total =0). If FSu < FS p then reinforcement is necessary and Ttotal must be
evaluated.
The magnitude of Ttotal is evaluated by performing slope stability analyses that incorporate tensile
forces representing reinforcement layers that intersect a considered slip surface. These tensile forces
increase the slope stability factor of safety by increasing the resisting moment (or force). The
magnitude of Ttota1 is established as the sum of tensile forces that correspond to the minimum
acceptable slope stability factor of safety, FS r • The location of the critical potential slip surface
corresponding to FSr is also obtained from the evaluation. It is noted that chart solutions for Ttotal are
available for simple slope conditions (e.g., Schmertmann et al., 1987).
Once the magnitude of Ttotal is established, the second step in the internal stability analysis is to
evaluate the vertical spacing of the reinforcement and required allowable stress of the reinforcement.
Two alternative methods are typically used:
Method 1: The vertical spacing of the reinforcement is assumed based on project requirements
such as minimum backfIll lift thickness or constraints imposed by the facing. The spacing
assumption yields the number of reinforcement layers present in the slope. The required strength
of each layer is calculated as Ttotal divided by the number of reinforcement layers. This required
strength is compared to the allowable stress for the particular type of reinforcement.
116
Method 2: The number of reinforcement layers required is calculated as the ratio of Ttotal to the
allowable stress of each reinforcement. The vertical spacing of the layers is then dictated by the
required number of layers and the slope height.
For simplicity of design of low slopes (i.e., slopes less than 6 m in height), T total is usually assumed
to be equally distributed to each layer of reinforcement. For higher slopes, T tota1 is assumed to be
represented by a triangular earth pressure distribution. For this latter case, the slope is typically
divided into two or three zones of equal height with uniform reinforcement type and vertical spacing
within each zone. A lower zone may have a closer spacing for reinforcement layers compared to the
upper zone, or the reinforcement spacings may be uniform throughout the slope with stronger
reinforcement used in the lower zone. Recommendations on the appropriate distribution of
reinforcement can be found in FHWA-SA-96-071, (1996).
The embedment length of each reinforcement layer beyond the critical potential slip surface
corresponding to T tota1 is checked by calculating the factor of safety against pullout in the same manner
as for MSE walls. If insufficient resistance is calculated, the length of the reinforcement is increased.
The length of the reinforcement should also be adequate to extend beyond all potential slip surfaces
for which FSu < FS r •
5.4.3 Cut Walls
5.4.3.1 Earth Pressure Diagrams
The earth pressure distribution that develops on a cut wall varies with the in-situ soil shear strength,
method and sequence of wall construction, and overall wall stiffness (Le., stiffness of wall and other
lateral restraint components such as anchors). These factors affect the magnitude of lateral wall
deformation that occurs during construction. Some relatively flexible walls such as sheet-pile or
soldier pile and lagging walls can be expected to undergo lateral deformations sufficiently large to
induce active earth pressures. For design of these systems, theoretical active earth pressure diagrams
using either Rankine or Coulomb analysis can be used.
117
For stiffer wall systems such as anchored or braced walls, the deformation pattern is more complex
and not consistent with the development of a theoretical Rankine or Coulomb distribution. A typical
deformation pattern for an anchored wall is shown in figure 57. The stiffness, inclination, vertical
spacing, and time and method of installation of the supports directly influence the deformation pattern
and the earth pressures acting on this type of wall. The apparent earth pressure diagrams (figure 58)
HORIZONTAL
DISPLACEMENT
H-1 I I I I I
Excavation \ \
support '
Shaded areas
---
are incremental
movement
WALL
Potential toe
movement if wall
not keyed into stiff
underlying soil
Cantilever Deep inward Cummulative

movement movement movement
Figure 57. Patterns of movement for braced or anchored walls (modified after Clough and 0 Rourke,
I
1990, Construction Induced Movements of Insitu Walls, Geotechnical Special Publication No. 25.
Reprinted by permission of ASCE).
developed by Terzaghi and Peck (1967) are semi-empirical earth pressure diagrams commonly used
for designing both anchored and braced walls-. These diagrams represent conservative envelope values
back-calculated from field measurements of strut loads in braced excavations and they account for a
wide range of field conditions, soil types, and construction practices as well as theoretically predicted
behavior.
118
SAND OR PERMANENT WALL SOFT TO MEDIUM CLAY STIFF TO HARD CLAY

IN CLAY (4) (qu = 24 TO 96 kPa) (4), (5) (qu > 96 kPa) (4), (5)
0.25 H ~ 0.25 H
"'-....
'-..:
H
0.50 H
0.75 H
./
./ 0.25 H
7
r r . I.
'%4~"tJ~~~~$ I
\~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~
~%i}}f1i? '7~ I.. ...I ~~9' .. ~~0~~W I I
~
~~'
0.65 Ka y' H (1) Ka YH (2) • 0.4 yH (3) ..
NOTATIONS:
H= fmal wall height (m)
1<.= active earth pressure coefficient (dimensionless)
y',y= effective and total soil unit weight (kN/m3)
m= reduction factor (dimensionless)
qu= unconfined compressive strength (kPa)
Notes:
(1) I<. =tan2 (45-cj>I2)
(2) 1<.=1-m(2qu/yH)
m= 1 (overconsolidated clays)
m=O.4 (normally consolidated clays)
(3) Value of 0.4 should be used for long-term conditions
Value of 0.2 to 0.4 may be used for short-term conditions.
(4) Surcharge and water pressures must be added to these diagrams.
(5) Diagrams are not valid for permanent wall systems or wall systems
where water level lies above bottom of excavation.
Figure 58. Terzaghi and Peck apparent earth pressure diagrams for braced and anchored walls
(modified after Terzaghi and Peck, 1967, Soil Mechanics in Engineering Practice. Reprinted by
permission of John Wiley and Sons, Inc).
5.4.3.2 Corrosion Protection of Anchors and Soil Nails
As part of the design of an anchored wall or a soil-nailed wall, proper measures to prevent corrosion
of the anchors or soil nails must be considered. The type of corrosion protection employed will
depend on the aggressiveness of the soil environment, the proposed design life of the structure, the
risk associated with the failure of an anchor or soil nail, and the cost of the protection measures.
Experience pertaining to corrosion in the anchor length of permanent ground anchors is appropriate
119
for evaluating corrosion susceptibility for soil nailing applications. The mechanism of corrosion,
identification of corrosive soil environments, requirements for field testing, and case studies of field
corrosion problems are discussed in FHWA RD-82-047 (1982) and FHWA DP-68-1R (1988).
Forms of corrosion protection for the anchor length include grout-protected anchors and encapsulated
anchors. Grout-protected anchors (single corrosion protection) rely on a specified thickness of grout
(usually at least 100 mm) around the tendon, bar, or strand to inhibit corrosion, whereas encapsulated
anchors (double corrosion protection) rely on complete coverage of the grout-protected anchor with
either a corrugated plastic or steel tube.
The area around and including the anchor head of an anchor is most susceptible to corrosion due to
the combined effects of stress concentrations due to the gripping mechanism employed in stressing
the anchor and the availability of oxygen near the wall face (FHWA DP-68-1R, 1988). In several
reported cases of anchor failure, the failure occurred as a result of corrosion within 2.0 m of the
anchor head (Anderson, 1984). Typically, the anchor head is protected by constructing an enclosure
over the end of the unbonded tendon (see figure 31) and filling it with grout or anti-corrosion grease
(FHWA-RD-82-047, 1982).
5.4.3.3 Internal Stability and Structural Design
Non-gravity Cantilevered Walls
Non-gravity cantilevered walls resist lateral load through a combination of flexural resistance of the
vertical wall elements and passive soil resistance developed through wall embedment below final
excavation depth. A preliminary estimate of the design depth of embedment can be made based on
the relative density of the soil below the excavated depth; that is, shallower depths of embedment can
be used for wall construction in more competent soils as compared to weaker soils that require greater
depths of embedment. Approximate penetration depths for different soil relative densities for the case
of cantilevered sheet-pile walls in cohesionless soils are given in table 6. Typically, it is assumed that
the maximum bending moment occurs above the excavation depth, but if large movements are
expected, as in the case for excavations in soft clays, the loading on the embedded portion of the wall
may control design.
For the case of non-gravity cantilevered walls with discrete vertical elements (e.g., soldier pile and
lagging wall), design calculations differ somewhat from sheet-pile walls in that passive soil resistance
below final excavation depth develops only at the soldier pile locations. Design is typically performed
assuming that the effective width of each soldier pile is up to three times its actual width (AASHTO,
1994). This assumption reflects the fact that some passive resistance is mobilized in the soil between
the soldier piles. For soldier pile embedment in soft clays or very loose sands, less passive resistance
is available and the effective width is decreased accordingly.
120
Table 6. Approximate penetration depths for cantilevered sheet-pile walls

(after NAVFAC, 1986) .
SPT (N) Relative Depth of

blows/300 mm Density Embedment
0-4 very loose 2.0H(l)

5 - 10 loose 1.5H
11 - 30 medium dense 1.25H
31 - 50 dense 1.0H
>50 very dense 0.75H
Notes: (1) H is the height of the wall above [mal excavated grade
Anchored Walls
The design of an anchored wall includes choosing an appropriate earth pressure diagram to estimate
anchor loads, evaluating the local stability at the level of each anchor, and evaluating the global
stability of the wall system. An anchored wall relies upon the transfer of resisting tensile forces,
generated in the anchors, into the ground behind the wall through friction (adhesion) mobilized at the
anchor/ground interface (figure 59). The resisting tension force is mobilized by prestressing the
anchor to the design load after its installation.
Local anchor stability is evaluated in terms of the factor of safety against anchor breakage (in tension)
or pullout. Calculations to check breakage are similar to those for reinforcement in MSE walls where
the maximum tensile load in the anchor must be less than the allowable tensile load. Maximum
anchor tensile loads are typically obtained from the semi-empirical earth pressure diagrams of
Terzaghi and Peck (figure 58) (see FHWA DP-68-1R, 1988). Many contractors use similarly shaped
diagrams with different values for the earth pressure ordinate that are based on field measurements
.of anchor tension loads in previously constructed anchored wall systems in similar soils.
Adequate design against pullout requires that sufficient frictional resistance be developed in the anchor
bond zone. The pullout resistance of each anchor is a function of the size and shape of the drill hole,
strength characteristics and density of the soil in which it is placed, drilling method, length tested,
method used to clean the drill hole, and the grouting method or pressure used (FHWA DP-68-1R,
1988). Estimates of pullout capacity of anchors are mainly based on empirical values or field
experience. Table 7 provides a summary of estimated ultimate interface lateral shear resistances for
anchors as a function of soil type and method of installation. These values can be used to make
preliminary design capacity estimates.
121
WALL----...
FACING
I ~"""'"
1,1 ~~ ~
II ........ ~
I
Figure 59. Load transfer mechanism in ground anchors

(modified after Foundation Engineering Handbook, Chapter
26, 1991. Reprinted by permission of Chapman and Hall)~
The evaluation of the global stability of an anchored wall involves calculation of factors of safety of
the wall system and surrounding ground with respect to a rotational or translational failure along a
potential sliding surface. Two modes of global instability are checked as part of the detailed design.
They include: (1) overall external stability; and (2) pullout failure of the entire anchor system.
Conventional limit equilibrium methods for slope stability can be used to evaluate overall external
stability. These analyses are particularly important for evaluating wall systems for which nearby
structures on shallow foundations exist or for situations in which soft soils exist below the wall.
Pullout failure of the entire anchor system must also be checked to ensure that sufficient tensile
resistance is developed in the bond zone to resist a wall-anchor failure (e.g. figure 60). The
evaluation of pullout failure of the anchor system includes a determination of the geometry and
position of a critical potential sliding surface. The position of this critical surface is used to specify
the free length of the anchor. To account for variations in forming the anchor bond length, the free
length is extended to 1.5 m beyond the critical surface or to a distance equal to one-fifth of the wall
height, whichever is greater.
Anchors also induce a vertical load on the wall. For steeply inclined anchors, it should be ensured
that sufficient bearing capacity can be developed below the wall to support the downward force.
122
h/
H/,;,
'J~~~~%'WV
~ ~ /
/
/--- Potential slip surface
/
/
/
/
--------T
w
--------T
NOTATIONS:
W: weight of soil mass (kN/m)
S.: frictional component of soil strength (kN/m)
Sc: cohesive component of soil strength (kN/m)
Pp : passive earth pressure resultant force (kN/m)
T: anchor force (kN/m)
Figure 60. Global stability analysis for an anchored wall (modified after Foundation Engineering
Handbook, Chapter 26, 1991. Reprinted by permission of Chapman and Hall).
Soil-Nailed Walls
The design of a soil-nailed wall includes an evaluation of local and global stability. A locus of
maximum tensile forces in the nails separates the nail-reinforced mass into an active zone and a
resistant zone (figure 61). In the active zone, lateral shear stresses are mobilized at the perimeter of
the nail to restrain the outward ground movement, and, in the resistant zone, nail tension forces are
transferred into the ground behind the wall.
Several design methods exist for soil-nailed walls. Each is based on limit equilibrium concepts
wherein it is assumed that a failure surface can develop within the reinforced zone (internal failure),
outside the reinforced zone (external failure), or partially within the reinforced zone (mixed failure)
(see figure 62). Potential failure surfaces with different shapes are considered. These equilibrium
approaches can be used to evaluate a global factor of safety that IS defined as the ratio of resisting
123
forces to driving forces, or, alternatively, partial factors of safety can be applied to soil shear
strength, nail tensile resistance, and nail pullout resistance. The specified minimum values of these
partial factors of safety vary significantly among the different design methods.
Table 7. Ultimate lateral resistance for soil nails and anchors (modified after Foundation
Engineering Handbook, Chapter 26, 1991. Reprinted by permission of Chapman and Hall).
Construction
Method Soil Type Soil Nails(l) Anchors(l)
Rotary drilled Silty sand 30 to 59 73 to 131

Silt 18 to 23
Piedmont residual 22 to 37
Driven casing Sand 88 102 to 190

Dense sandigravel 117 146 to 292
Dense moraine 117 to 175
Sandy colluvium 29 to 58
Clayey colluvium 15 to 30
Jet grouted Fine sand 51 to 66

(medium dense)
Sand 117 66 to 124
Sandi gravel 292 124 to 168
Augered Soft clay 6 to 9

Stiff to hard clay 12 to 18 29 to 58
Clayey Silt 15 to 29 22
Calcareous sandy clay 58 to 88
Silty sand fill 6 to 9
Notes: (1) Values for ultImate lateral resIstance are m kN/m.
The internal stability design of a soil-nailed wall involves the sizing and spacing of the soil nails. The
overall approach includes: (1) computing the required total nail reinforcing force to achieve a
specified factor of safety; (2) developing a nail spacing for which there is sufficient nail cross-
sectional area to ensure that the required nail force can be provided without breakage of a nail or
failure at a nail head; and (3) determining nail lengths such that there is sufficient nail length behind
potential failure surfaces to prevent nail pullout. The nail/soil bond strength is estimated for design
(see table 7) and it is usually verified in the field through nail pullout tests (FHWA-SA-96-069,
1996). As with anchored walls, calculations to check breakage account for corrosion and are similar
to those performed for MSE walls.
124
Distribution of
maximum
tensile forces
WALL
FACING
SOIL NAIL
Resistant
zone
Figure 61. Load transfer mechanism in soil nails (modified

after Foundation Engineering Handbook, Chapter 26, 1991.
Reprinted by permission of Chapman and Hall).
Micropile Walls
The design of micropile walls is based on the general premise that the micropiles and the retained soil
between the micropiles act as a composite structure that together resist lateral earth pressures. Each
micropile is extended below potential failure planes and serves to physically connect, or anchor, the
potentially unstable soil mass to the underlying stable mass.
Root-pile walls employ numerous small diameter CIP micropiles that are closely spaced. The
assumption is made for design that micropile spacing is close enough such that the wall forms a
coherent mass that acts as a rigid gravity wall (figure 63). The shear stresses on any potential sliding
surface through the coherent mass must be resisted by the allowable shear stresses of the micropile-
soil combination with some prescribed factor of safety.
Insert WallssM also employ a network of vertical and battered micropiles, but they are spaced farther
apart than for a root-pile wall. Like root-pile walls, Insert Wall SSM are designed to resist lateral earth
pressures. The mechanism by which they achieve this goal is thought to be somewhat different than
the mechanism for gravity root-pile walls. Insert WallsM performance data have indicated that wall
movements are typically concentrated along a thin, localized plane. The implication is that these walls
are relatively flexible and do not behave as rigid gravity walls. The design procedure for Insert
WallssM includes: (1) conducting stability analyses to evaluate the resistance to lateral stresses along
125
INTERNAL FAILURE
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
/
/
------------------- ~ Potential slip surface

EXTERNAL FAILURE
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
/
/
_- - / / " " Potential slip surface
MIXED FAILURE
Figure 62. Failure conditions to be analyzed for soil-nailed walls (modified after FHWA-PL-93-020,
1993).
126
a potential or existing sliding surface required to provide a certain factor of safety; (2) checking the
potential for structural failure of the micropiles due to the lateral stresses; and (3) evaluating the
potential for soil movement around the micropiles (Pearlman et al., 1992).
Active
earth pressure
resultant
--I
I
I
Passive earth I
pressure I
resultant
W =Weight of soil-pile block

t5 = Micropile I soil interface friction angle
Figure 63. Forces on a root-pile wall (modified after Lizzi, 1978,

Reticulated Root Piles to Correct Landslides, ASCE Convention and
Exposition, Chicago. Reprinted by permission of ASCE).
5.5 OTHER DESIGN ISSUES
5.5.1 General
Several additional issues are frequently encountered in the design of both fill and cut wall systems.
These include the following: (1) evaluating the appropriate depth of embedment of the wall below
grade (fill walls) or below the bottom of the excavation (cut walls); (2) design and construction of
drainage systems for backfill and retained soils; (3) design for potential earthquake loading; and (4)
locating wall appurtenances and evaluating their influence on the design and construction of a wall
system. As discussed in this section, the significance of these issues in the design process depends
on site-specific conditions, wall application, and wall type.
127
5.5.2 Wall Embedment
The depth of wall embedment is a critical design issue for some site conditions and wall systems. In
other situations, however, it may be selected based on typical values. With fill wall systems, the
depth of wall embedment below grade is most critical at sites where the depth of seasonal volume
change is large or where the wall is located near the edge of a waterway where scour may result in
wall instability. For cut walls, the depth of embedment below the bottom of the excavation is usually
a critical design issue since embedment stabilizes the wall through the development of passive soil
resistance. Embedment depth can also be significant for cut walls if it is necessary to extend the wall
downward into the foundation soil to act as a seepage barrier.
With respect to wall stability, greater embedment depths allow for development of greater passive soil
resistance in front of the wall. This results in increased external wall stability. For fill wall systems,
however, this passive resistance is generally, neglected due to the possibility that the soil in front of
the wall may not remain permanently in place. For cut wall systems, determination of the depth of
wall embedment is a major design issue because the passive resistance developed below the level of
the excavation is the sole stabilizing force for non-gravity cantilevered wall systems and is a major
stabilizing force for anchored wall systems.
Wall embedment may be necessary for both fill and cut wall systems to provide adequate bearing
capacity. For a fill wall, it may be necessary to construct the wall foundation below the ground
surface to increase bearing capacity. Anchored walls with inclined anchors will generate vertical
loads when prestressed to design loads. These vertical loads must be resisted by the vertical wall
elements through frictional and point resistance developed below the depth of the excavation. These
components of resistance typically increase with increasing embedment depth.
Walls need to be founded below the depth of seasonal volume change to minimize the cosmetic
damage that can result from foundation swelling or subsidence. In extreme cases, foundation
swelling/subsidence can result in structural damage. This issue is only of concern for fill walls. The
most common seasonal volume change affecting walls results from soil freeze/thaw cycles and frost
heave. Walls constructed in cold climates should be founded below the frost line to avoid damage.
It is noted that frost heave generally occurs only in partially saturated silts and sandy silts, though
occasionally in low plasticity clays. Seasonal volume change may also occur in soils susceptible to
expansion and collapse. With these soils, local experience usually dictates appropriate design
measures.
Walls constructed in and along waterways are subject to erosion (scour) that can result in failure of
the wall due to undermining. Scour is a function of the direction, curvature, and velocity of water
currents. When scour is expected, cutoff walls and/or riprap and associated filter materials should
be employed in the design to protect the toe of the wall. Details related to the prediction and
evaluation of scour can be found elsewhere (FHWA-IP-90-017, 1995).
128
5.5.3 Wall Drainage Systems
5.5.3.1 Introduction
A factor which has resulted in the unsatisfactory long-term performance of earth retaining systems
is inadequate drainage of the wall backfill and/or retained soil. Unless a wall system is designed to
resist full potential water pressures, appropriate drainage measures must be included. Drainage
systems serve to prevent the accumulation of destabilizing water pressures which may develop as a
result of ground-water seepage and/or infiltration of surface water. Other detrimental effects resulting
from poor drainage may include: (1) excavation face instability; (2) decreased shear strength of
retained soils and soil interfaces; and (3) corrosion of metallic components.
Drainage system design depends on wall type, backfill and/or retained soil type, and ground-water
conditions. Drainage system components (e.g., granular soils, prefabricated drainage elements,
filters) are usually sized and selected based on local experience, site geometry, and estimated flows,
although detailed design is occasionally performed. Drainage systems may be omitted if the wall is
designed to resist full water pressure. This approach is used primarily in cases where the project
requires that the wall system be watertight (e.g., where ground-water drawdown in the retained soil
is prohibited or undesirable). Drainage systems are also occasionally used to maintain reasonably
constant moisture conditions in soils near the wall that are susceptible to volume change upon
wetting/drying (i.e., expansive or collapsible soils). Drainage systems for fill and cut wall systems
are typically designed using one or more of the following components: (1) free-draining granular soil
backfill; (2) sloping or horizontal drains; and (3) vertical drains.
5.5.3.2 Drainage Systems for Fill Walls
The most effective means of providing drainage for a fill wall is to use free-draining granular soil for
the wall backfill, thus allowing the entire backfill mass to serve as a drain. Since it may be costly to
obtain free-draining material for some project applications, it may be necessary to construct other
types of drainage systems. Typical drainage systems for fill walls are shown schematically in figure
64. The drainage systems shown include: (1) a column of clean coarse sand placed just behind the
back of the wall (figure 64(a)), or behind the back of the wall and over the wall base (figure 64(b));
(2) prefabricated drainage elements placed against the back of the wall (figure 64(c)); and (3) a
drainage blanket constructed against the backslope of the wall excavation (figure 64(d)).
Vertical drains (see figures 64(a), 64(b), and 64(c)) reduce water pressures against the back of the
wall resulting from ground-water seepage. The drainage system shown in figure 64(d), however, is
more effective in reducing water pressures as opposed to vertical drains since it permits drainage to
occur before ground-water seepage can enter the backfill. This system typically consists of either
coarse aggregate with a geotextile filter or a drainage geocomposite. Drainage geocomposites are
129
well-suited to fill wall applications where the excavation backslope is steep or nearly-vertical; under
these conditions, a coarse aggregate drainage blanket is difficult to construct.
BACKFILL BACKFILL
SOIL SOIL
DRAINAGE
BLANKET
LONGITUDINAL
DRAIN PIPE
(a) (b)
BACKFILL BACKFILL
SOIL SOIL GEOTEXTILE
PREFABRICATED
DRAINAGE
ELEMENT ./" .. ;" DRAINAGE SOIL
/~/: :.:/'
/ " • • 1.
I ::,'
/----
LONGITUDINAL
DRAIN PIPE
(c) (d)
Note: Requirements for location, extent, and material properties of wall drain systems will depend on
wall type, cut/filllimits, ground-water conditions, and wall function and design life.
Figure 64. Drainage systems for fill walls.
Appropriate drainage measures to prevent surface water from infiltrating into the wall backfill should
be included in the design of a wall system. During construction, the backfill surface should be graded
away from the wall face at the end of each day of construction to prevent water from ponding behind
the wall and saturating the soil. When final backfill grades are reached, a low permeability soil
should be placed over the top of the wall backfill as a means to limit infiltration. The ground surface
130
above the wall is then graded towards collection components such as concrete, asphalt, or vegetation
lined swales or ditches. These collection components also serve to prevent surface water from
overtopping the wall. Where significant use of potentially corrosive de-icing salts is anticipated,
relatively impervious barriers such as geomembranes may be constructed just above the backfill. For
permanent RSS, facing systems should be selected to minimize erosion resulting from rainfall and
surface-water runoff.
Typical conveyance components of drainage systems include: (1) longitudinal drain pipes with
periodic outlet pipes; and (2) weepholes. Both types of conveyance components are illustrated in
figure 64. Longitudinal pipes transport collected water to outlet pipes that discharge at appropriate
points in front of the wall. These pipes need to be large enough and sufficiently sloped to effectively
drain water from behind the wall while maintaining sufficient pipe flow velocity to prevent sediment
buildup in the pipe. Weepholes consist of holes that extend through the wall facing and are closely
spaced (typically less than 3 m apart) both vertically and horizontally along the wall. Water that
collects against the wall facing flows through the weepholes and discharges down the front of the
facing. Weepholes need to be protected from clogging with a gravel pocket or a geotextile filter in
the soil backfill. Non-continuous wall facings such as stacked masonry blocks or precast concrete
panels do not require weepholes, as water can discharge through the gaps between facing elements.
5.5.3.3 Drainage Systems for Cut Walls
The need for drainage in cut wall system applications varies with project requirements. Drainage
systems may be omitted in cases where ground-water drawdown in the retained soil is prohibited or
undesirable. In other cases, drainage is used as a means to control surface-water infiltration and
ground-water seepage. Other beneficial effects of drainage include:
• allowing excavations to be constructed in relatively dry conditions;

• reducing seepage so that instabilities such as soil heave at the base of the excavation, soil
softening due to saturation, or piping of materials at the wall face is minimized;
• reducing water levels which increases passive resistance of the soils below the excavation
depth; and
• enabling anchors and soil nails to be installed without the use of special drilling and
grouting techniques (ASCE, 1994a).
Surface drainage is usually achieved by directing water away from the wall face either by grading or
by collecting and transporting surface water in ditches or pipes. To minimize surface water that can
enter the excavation during construction and weaken the soils inside the excavation, dikes can be
constructed on the ground surface near the top of the wall or the vertical wall element can be extended
above the ground surface grade.
131
For cut wall systems, collection of subsurface flow is usually achieved with prefabricated drainage
elements placed between the wall and the permanent facing. With this type of system, vertical
drainage strips are extended over the full height of the wall. Single strips can be placed at appropriate
horizontal spacings along the wall or a continuous sheet can be placed over the entire wall face,
depending on the project drainage requirements and the expected flow rate. Water intercepted in the
drainage elements flows downward to the base of the wall where it is conveyed through the permanent
facing in longitudinal/outlet pipes or weepholes. In other applications, the drainage elements are
extended into the subgrade to a footing drain. Similar drainage systems may be used for face drainage
of soil-nailed walls where the prefabricated drainage elements are typically placed between the
excavated face and the back of the shotcrete facing layer. A drainage system for a soil-nailed wall
is shown schematically in figure 65.
CURB AND GUTTER
GEOCOMPOSITE DRAIN STRIP
TEMPORARY
SHOTCRETE
FACING
PERMANENT _ _---..
FACING
FOOTING DRAIN
Figure 65. Drainage system for soil-nailed wall (modified after FHWA-
SA-93-068, 1994).
In applications where subsurface flow rates are large, horizontal drains may be used to remove water
from behind the wall. A horizontal drain is a small diameter perforated pipe that is advanced into a
nearly horizontal drill hole in an existing slope. For example, a cut wall constructed on or at the base
of a steep slope will likely interfere with pre-existing natural drainage paths. This interference may
cause hydrostatic pressures resulting from trapped water to build-up against the wall. To relieve these
pressures, horizontal drains can be installed at appropriate vertical and horizontal spacing along the
wall alignment. For wall system applications, horizontal drains extend back from the wall face a
sufficient distance to intercept subsurface flow before it enters the retained soil mass.
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5.5.4 Seismic Wall Design
Earth retaining systems must be designed to resist both static lateral earth pressures and seismically-
induced dynamic earth pressures. The seismic design of most wall systems is based on a pseudo-static
external stability analysis originally proposed by Mononobe (1929) and Okabe (1926). This analysis
can be used to estimate the equivalent static earth pressure produced by the dynamic horizontal forces
resulting from horizontal seismic accelerations. The analysis assumes that sufficient lateral wall
movement occurs during a seismic event to fully mobilize peak soil strengths in the backfill or
retained soil.
A key parameter for the Mononobe-Okabe analysis is the horizontal seismic acceleration. A contour
map of horizontal seismic accelerations is presented in Division I-A - Seismic Design Commentary
(AASHTO, 1994). The magnitude of the seismic acceleration is reported as a percentage of gravity
and ranges from zero to 60 percent. These magnitudes depend on the seismic risk associated with
particular geographic locations.
In the AASHTO (1994) specifications, recommendations are given with respect to the magnitude of
the horizontal seismic acceleration for use in design. With AASHTO procedures, the acceleration
obtained from figure 66 is scaled based on the type of wall system and the magnitude of acceptable
lateral wall deformation. Vertical seismic accelerations are not included in the analysis. For
example, for rigid gravity and semi-gravity walls, prefabricated modular gravity walls, and non-
gravity cantilevered walls, the horizontal seismic acceleration for use in the Mononobe-Okabe analysis
is reduced by fifty percent from that shown on the horizontal acceleration contour map. According
to Elms and Martin (1979), this value is adequate for most design purposes provided allowance is
made to allow the wall to move laterally a sufficient amount. For walls that are designed to be
unyielding, such as bridge abutements restrained by batter piles or for anchored walls, AASHTO
procedures call for the horizontal seismic acceleration from figure 66 to be increased by 50 percent.
This type of design may lead to oversized wall components (AASHTO, 1994), so it is preferable to
design a wall for a small amount of seismically-induced lateral deformation.
The seismic design of MSE and soil nailed walls is also based on the Mononobe-Okabe method for
evaluating external seismic stability. An internal seismic stability analysis is also performed as part
of the design of these wall systems. This analysis incorporates the effects of the inertial force
generated by the reinforced soil volume during a seismic event. The reinforcing elements must have
sufficient length and cross-sectional area to resist this additional horizontal load. These analyses are
described in detail in FHWA-SA-96-071 (1996) and FHWA-SA-96-069 (1996).
133
(":)
:r
Co'
'S.
til
..,
til
o
Dl
dQ'
l ~
o=
til
~,
:e
w
.j:::..
-
EXPLANATION:
-5- Contour • Horizontal acceleration

expressed at a percent of gravity.
Figure 66. Map of horizontal seismic coefficient (after Algermissen et aI., 1982).
The potential for liquefaction should be evaluated when considering the seismic design of a wall
system that is to be founded on loose, saturated, cohesionless soil. A liquefaction potential evaluation
is typically performed using empirical methods based on past performance data of sand deposits in
previous earthquakes. Correlations that employ SPT and CPT results have been developed to evaluate
whether a soil may liquefy during the design earthquake (e.g., Seed and Idriss, 1982; Seed and De
Alba, 1986). Liquefaction analyses can also be performed using analytical methods based on
laboratory evaluation of liquefaction strength and the use of dynamic site response analyses to evaluate
the magnitude of earthquake-induced shear stresses.
5.5.5 Wall System Appurtenances
Pre-existing and proposed appurtenances may have a significant effect on design, construction, and
cost of a wall system and should therefore be identified during the early stages of project
implementation. Examples of appurtenances for wall systems associated with highway applications
include: (1) pre-existing and proposed facilities such as underground utilities and drainage systems;
(2) traffic barriers and parapet walls; and (3) noise walls.
As part of a site investigation, all pre-existing and proposed facilities that might affect wall system
design and construction need to be identified and located. Underground utilities such as telephone
cables and gas lines located in close proximity to the proposed wall system alignment may become
overly stressed and damaged as a result of vertical and horizontal deformations of the wall system.
In such cases, it may be necessary to relocate the utilities or incorporate protective measures during
construction, either of which will increase overall construction time and wall system cost. The
location of underground utilities will influence the inclination and spacing of anchors and soil nails,
and therefore the overall design and sequence of construction. Reinforcing elements for MSE walls
and RSS may need to be repositioned, shortened, or bent to permit construction of underground
utilities. If underground utilities must be located within the reinforced zone, these wall systems may
not be technically feasible or practical to construct.
Earth pressures resulting from dead weight and impact loads from traffic barriers and parapet walls
must be accounted for in the design of a wall system. For MSE walls, the upper row of
reinforcement is designed to carry additional load resulting from the design impact loads on the traffic
barrier or parapet wall.
Noise walls are often incorporated into earth retaining system designs for urban areas. The
foundation of a noise wall is designed to resist lateral forces resulting from wind loads. Noise walls
are integrally cast to CIP concrete gravity and semi-gravity walls. For MSE, bin, and crib wall
systems, the noise wall is typically designed with a foundation which is independent of the wall
system. For MSE walls, the columns of the noise wall are founded below the ground surface and
135
spaced so as not to interfere with the reinforcement. For bin and crib systems, a concrete slab may
be cast in the upper module to provide support for the base of the noise wall.
5.6 DESIGN REFERENCES
A list of references that contain detailed design and analysis information for the wall systems
described in this document are provided in table 8. The documents listed have been prepared by and
for public agencies and are generally considered to be representative of the current state-of-practice
in earth retaining system design. In addition to those documents listed in table 8, detailed information
relating to analysis and design can be found in many soil mechanics and foundation engineering
textbooks and handbooks. The reader is also encouraged to become fully familiar with the
assumptions, limitations, and content of all references prior to including any particular reference in
technical specifications and contract documents.
It should be recognized that design methodologies change for these systems as a result of advances
in analysis techniques, advances in construction methods, materials, and equipment, and interpretation
of field performance of constructed systems. For this reason, the user should check for any more
current guidelines published after the date of this document.
136
Table 8. Design references for earth retaining systems.
EARTH RETAINING SYSTEM TYPE DESIGN REFERENCES
Rigid Gravity and Semi-Gravity Wall l. American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials "Standard Specifications for Highway Bridges", Sixteenth Edition, 1994
2. American Society of Civil Engineers "Retaining and Flood Walls," 1994
3. National Cooperative Highway Research Report 343 "Manuals for the Design of Bridge Foundations," 1991
4. NAVFAC DM7.02 "Foundations and Earth Structures, " 1986
Prefabricated Modular Gravity Walls l. American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials "Standard Specifications for Highway Bridges", Sixteenth Edition, 1994
Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) Walls and l. American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials "Standard Specifications for Highway Bridges", Sixteenth Edition, 1994
Reinforced Soil Slopes 2. FHWA-SA-96-071 "Mechanically Stabilized Earth Walls and Reinforced Soil Slopes, Design and Construction Guidelines," 1996
3. FHWA-SA-96-0n "CorrosionlDegradation of Soil Reinforcement for Mechanically Stabilized Earth Walls and Reinforced Soil Slopes, " 1996
4. National Cooperative Highway Research Program Report 290 "Reinforcement of Earth Slopes and Embankments," 1987
5. National Concrete Masonry Association "Design Manualfor Segmental Retaining Walls," 1993
Non-gravity Cantilevered Walls l. American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials "Standard Specifications for Highway Bridges", Sixteenth Edition, 1994
2. FHWA-RD-74-57 "Precast and Cast-in-Place Diaphragm Walls Constructed Using Slurry Trench Techniques," 1974
3. FHWA-RD-75-130 "Lateral Support Systems and Underpinning", 1976
Anchored Walls l. American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials "Standard Specifications for Highway Bridges", Sixteenth Edition, 1994
2. FHWA-RD-74-57 "Precast and Cast-in-Place Diaphragm Walls Constructed Using Slurry Trench Techniques," 1974
3. FHWA-RD-75-130 "Lateral Support Systems and Underpinning", 1976
4. FHWA-DP-68-1R "Permanent Ground Anchors," 1988
5. FHWA-RD-81-150 "Permanent Ground Anchors, Soletanche Design Criteria," 1982
6. FHWA-RD-81-151 "Permanent Ground Anchors, Nicholson Design Criteria," 1982
7. FHWA-DP-90-068-003 "DP-68 Permanent Ground Anchors, Volume 2, Field Demonstration Project Summaries," 1990
8. FHWA-RD-82-047 "Tiebacks," 1982
9. NAVFAC DM7.02 "Foundations and Earth Structures," 1986
In-Situ Reinforced Walls l. FHWA International Scanning Tour for Geotechnology Federal Highway Administration "Soil Nailing Summary Report," 1993
2. FHWA-RD-89-193 "Soil Nailing for Stabilization of Highway Slopes and Excavations," 1991
3. FHWA-SA-93-068 "Soil Nailing Field Inspectors Manual," 1994
4. FHWA-SA-96-069 "Manual for Design and Construction Monitoring of Soil- Nailed Walls, " 1996
5. National Cooperative Highway Research Program Report 290 "Reinforcement of Earth Slopes and Embankments," 1987
6 FHWA-PA-86-047-84-36 "Pin-Pile Wall Evaluation," 1987
7. FHWA-RD-96-016, FHWA-RD-96-0l7, FHWA-RD-96-018, and FHWA-RD-96-019 "Drilled and Grouted Micropiles, State-of-Practice
Review," 1997
CHAPTER 6
CONTRACTING METHODS AND DOCUMENTS
6.1 INTRODUCTION
The various alternative earth retaining systems described in chapter 1 of this document have seen
increasing use on highway construction projects since the early 1980s. The alternative systems have
gradually displaced conventional systems through bid alternates, experimental applications, and value
engineering proposals. It is estimated that hundreds of millions of dollars have been saved through
the use of alternative systems (FHWA, 1988).
Also, as described in chapter 1, an increase in frequency of wall design and construction problems
of these alternative systems has accompanied the introduction of these alternative systems. Although
the actual causes of each particular problem are unique, the problems have been most commonly
attributed to use of alternative wall systems in inappropriate applications; use of inadequate materials
or design details; inadequate specifications; lack of specifications enforcement; inequitable bidding
procedures; and inconsistent selection, review, and acceptance practices on the part of owner
agencies. This chapter addresses issues relating to wall system contracting methods and
specifications.
Permanent earth retaining systems are typically contracted using either a method or performance
approach. These contracting approaches are defined below.
• Method Approach: This type of contracting approach is used for agency or material
supplier designs. In the contract documents, wall construction materials, drainage details,
and the execution of construction are explicitly specified. This contracting approach is
discussed further in section 6.2.
• Peiformance Approach: This type of contracting approach uses approved or generic wall
systems or components. Included in the contract documents are lines and grades, as well
as specific geometric and design criteria. For this approach, the contractor submits detailed
project-specific design calculations and plans for owner review in conjunction with normal
working drawing submittals. This contracting approach is discussed further in section 6.3.
Both contracting approaches are valid for most earth retaining systems, if properly implemented.
Often, the approach will be selected based on the experience of the owner agency and their
engineering consultants with various wall systems, the complexity of the project, the availability of
specialty contractors or material suppliers, and the agency philosophy with respect to contracting
methods. The advantages and disadvantages of each contracting approach are discussed in subsequent
sections of this chapter. In addition to the method and performance approaches, a mixed approach
employing both methods can be used. Mixed approaches are not discussed further in this chapter
because their appropriateness depends on project-specific conditions.
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Chapter 6 - Contracting Methods and Documents
Regardless of which contracting method is chosen for a specific project, it is highly desirable that each
owner agency develop a formal policy with respect to design and contracting of earth retaining
systems. The general objectives of such a policy are to:
• obtain agency uniformity in selection of earth retaining system alternatives;
• establish standard policies and procedures for technical review and acceptance of proprietary
and generic earth retaining systems;
• establish internal agency responsibility for the acceptance of new earth retaining systems
and/or components, and for plan preparation, design review, and construction control;
.
• develop uniform design and performance criteria standards and construction and material
specifications for earth retaining systems; and
• establish guidelines for the selection of method or performance contracting approaches.
6.2 METHOD CONTRACTING APPROACH
6.2.1 Introduction
The method contracting approach includes the development of a detailed set of plans and material and
construction specifications for the bidding documents. The advantage of the method approach is that
the complete design and specifications are developed and reviewed over an extended design period.
This approach enables agency engineers to examine various earth retaining system options during
design, but requires an engineering staff trained in all areas of earth retaining system technology.
A disadvantage of the method approach is that for alternate bids, more sets of designs must be
developed or reviewed. Therefore, agency resources must be expended even though only one wall
system will be constructed. Another disadvantage is that agency personnel may be unfamiliar with
newer and potentially more cost-effective systems and may not consider them during the design stage.
Similarly, wall systems whose construction is based on proprietary equipment and methods may be
unfamiliar to agency personnel and will therefore not be considered.
The method contracting approach is best suited to fill walls where the available technology is either
traditional or widely disseminated and reasonably well-established. Knowledgeable contractors and
material suppliers of fill wall systems are widespread throughout the United States. Complete detailed
plans based on the agency s geometric requirements and design criteria are often furnished, at no
I
expense, by proprietary material suppliers, especially those involved in MSE wall systems.
139
For cut wall applications, the method contracting approach is generally appropriate for the more
widely used and well developed wall systems such as non-gravity cantilevered sheet-pile walls,
anchored walls, and soil-nailed walls. The method contracting approach may also be suitable for cut
wall systems with which the agency has developed significant experience in design and construction.
6.2.2 Required Elements for Method Specifications
Plan and elevation sheets (drawings) prepared using the method approach should typically include
at least the following items:
• plan views showing the horizontal alignment and offset from the horizontal control line to
the face of the wall, the beginning and end stations for wall construction, and all
appurtenances that affect construction of the wall;
• elevation views indicating the elevation at the top and bottom of the wall, the beginning and
end stations for wall construction, horizontal and vertical positions at points along the wall,
whole station points, and locations and elevations of the final ground line;
• cross sections showing limits of construction, backfill requirements, excavation limits, as

well as mean high water level, design high water level, and drawdown conditions, if
applicable;
• any general notes required for design and construction;
• all construction constraints such as staged construction, vertical clearance, right-of-way

limits, construction easements, etc.;
• typical sections;
• dimensional and alignment tolerances during construction;
• required construction procedures;
• foundation preparation requirements (for fill walls);
• external and internal drainage requirements and details;
• all details for connections to traffic barriers, copings, parapets, noise walls, and attached
lighting; and
• payment limits and quantities.
140
In addition, the following items are required for specific wall types:
Rigid Gravity and Semi-Gravity Walls
• footing size and location and, for cantilever and counterfort walls, the location of all
footing reinforcing steel;
• location and details for deep foundations, if required;
• location of construction and expansion joints and applicable details; and
• typical sections of the wall showing all concrete dimensions and, for cantilever and
counterfort walls, the position of all reinforcing steel;
• length, size, and type of module, and positions for which module lengths change; and
• footing size and location;
MSE Walls and Reinforced Soil Slopes
• length, size, and type of soil reinforcement, and positions for which reinforcement
length, size, and/or type changes;
• facing panell-ayout and the type of panel, the elevation of the top of the levelling pad
and footings, and the distance along the face of the wall to all steps in the footings
and/or levelling pads;
• alignment and elevation of internal drainage systems, and method of passing

reinforcing elements around the drainage systems;
• details for facing panels and for erosion control for RSS showing all dimensions
necessary for construction, and the location of all reinforcement attachment devices;
• details for architectural treatment or surface finish of the facing panels;
• details for construction around drainage facilities, overhead sign footings, or other
structures; and
• corrosion protection requirements for reinforcing elements;
141
Non-Gravity Cantilevered Walls
• size, location, and minimum embedment depth of all vertical structural elements;
• for soldier pile and lagging construction, size of temporary lagging and all details for
final facing and final facing connections to soldier piles; and
• details for facing treatment or permanent facing installation;
Anchored Walls
• size, location, and minimum embedment depth of all vertical structural elements;
• for soldier pile and lagging construction, size of temporary lagging and all details for
final facing and final facing connections to soldier piles and/or walers;
• location of all anchors and structural connection details for the anchor head to the
soldier pile or waler system;
• corrosion protection requirements or details for the anchor head, the unbonded length,
and the anchor length;
• required anchor capacity, inclination, minimum unbonded length, and anchor bond
length for each anchor;
• required lock-off load;
• requirements or details for methods and frequency of proof and performance testing
of anchors; and
• details for facing treatment or permanent facing installation;
Soil Nailed Walls
• nail spacing, length, inclination, and size of nail;
• minimum drill hole diameter for each nail and required nail capacity;
• corrosion protection requirements or details for the nail;
• minimum thickness of temporary and/or permanent facing with details for

reinforcement and size of nail cover plates;
142
• requirements or details for methods and frequency of testing nail capacity; and
• details for facing treatment or permanent facing installation.
6.3 PERFORMANCE CONTRACTING APPROACH
6.3.1 Introduction
For the performance contracting approach (often referred to as "line and grade" or "two line drawing"
approach), the agency prepares drawings showing the geometric requirements of the wall system,
material specifications for the wall system or components that may be used, and wall performance
requirements. The wall systems or components that are permitted for use are either: (1) specified by
the agency; or (2) they are on a pre-approved list maintained by the agency.
The performance approach (also referred to as the end result approach) offers several benefits when
used with appropriate specifications and prequalification of suppliers, specialty contractors, and
materials. Design of the structure is the responsibility of the contractor and is usually performed by
a trained and experienced contractor, wall supplier, or engineering consultant. Prequalified material
components have been successfully and routinely used together; this may not be the case for in-house
design with generic specifications for components. This enables engineering costs and manpower
requirements for an agency to be decreased, and transfers some of the design cost to construction.
The disadvantage of the performance approach is that agency engineers may not be experienced with
the wall technology and, therefore, may not be fully qualified to review and approve the wall design
and any construction modifications. Newer and potentially more cost-effective systems may be
rejected by the agency due to the lack of confidence of agency personnel to review and approve these
systems.
With the performance contracting approach, bid quantities are obtained from specified pay limits
denoted on the "line and grade" drawings and can be bid on a lump sum or unit price basis. The
technical basis for detailed designs to be submitted after contract award are contained as complete
special provisions or by reference to AASHTO or agency manuals. Performance criteria, which
usually include permissible horizontal/vertical deformations at completion of construction and/or
maintenance of ground-water levels, must be defined and made part of the contract documents.
Three principal methods have been used to implement the performance approach. These methods are
described below.
• Method 1: Detailed wall designs are developed by preselected contractors based on line and
grade information approved by owner agency personnel. These designs are then included
in the bid documents. A non-proprietary design is often included as the base alternative.
143
• Method 2: "Schematic" or conceptual plans are developed by preselected specialty

contractors/suppliers based on geometries and performance requirements specified by the
owner agency. The plans are reviewed and approved by the owner agency. These, plans
are then included in the bid documents.
• Method 3: Complete performance based specifications, including geometric requirements,

design criteria, geotechnical parameters, and short and long-term wall performance criteria
are included in the bid documents.
The first method has been successfully and widely used for the construction of certain fill wall
systems (e.g., MSE walls and bin walls). In these cases, prefabricated construction materials are
supplied by national specialty suppliers, and the wall system is erected by the general contractor or
a subcontractor of his choice using the proprietary construction method, if chosen.
The advantage of the second method is that specialty contractors/suppliers are more likely to submit
their solutions for concept review and inclusion in the bid documents than for Method 1. This is
because Method 2 plans require only limited preparation effort, and development of a detailed design
is only necessary if they are the successful bidder. This results in a more competitive bidding
process. The disadvantage of this method is that total project requirements are less well-defined and
may lead to misunderstandings and claims. With this method, pay quantities are developed by the
agency for each conceptual plan so that the bids for different plans can be compared. Alternatively,
bids are based on a lump sum for each structure. General contractors have often objected to the use
of this method, particularly for certain cut wall applications (e.g., anchored walls, soil-nailed walls,
micropile walls) since public agencies have required general contractors to bond the work at a fixed
price and to use the agency-selected subcontractor to perform part of the work. The objection can
sometimes be removed by adding agency plans for a traditional solution to the retention problem that
can be constructed by a general contractor. This procedure further provides a framework to evaluate
the potential savings of alternative designs.
The third method is very advantageous for situations in which the agency has a well-defined
understanding of the performance requirements for the wall system, but where the agency may be
unclear on the most applicable technology to achieve those requirements. The disadvantage of this
method is that the agency must carefully develop the complete performance requirements, methods
for field checking and control, and a reasonable cost estimate without knowledge of the technology
to be used.
For any type of performance specification, different wall designs may have unique pay quantities
reflecting the materials and methods required, or it may be bid as a lump sum with unit prices for
added or deleted items based on changed conditions. A lump sum payment for the completed wall
system is often used as the pay quantity since actual quantities of materials may be wall-system
dependent.
144
6.3.2 Required Elements for Performance Specifications
Regardless of which of the three performance-based methods is used, the agency must prepare and
include as part of the contract documents, the information listed below:
Geometric Data
• plan views showing the horizontal alignment and offset from the horizontal control line to
the face of the wall, the beginning and end stations for the wall construction, and all
appurtenances that affect construction of the wall;
• elevation views indicating the elevation at the top and bottom of the wall, the beginning and
end stations for the wall construction, horizontal and vertical positions at points along the
wall, whole station points, and locations and elevations of the final ground line;
• cross sections showing limits of construction, backfill requirements, excavation limits, as

well as mean high water level, design high water level, and drawdown conditions, if
applicable;
• all construction constraints such as staged construction, vertical clearance, right-of-way

limits, construction easements, etc.;
• location of utilities, signs, etc., and any loads that may be imposed by these appurtenances;
and
• data obtained as part of a subsurface investigation and geotechnical testing program.
Design Requirements
• reference to specific governing sections of an agency design manual (materials, structural,

hydraulic, and geotechnical), construction specifications, and special provisions; if none is
available, reference to current AASHTO Standard Specifications (AASHTO, 1994), both
Division I - Design and Division II - Construction, may be used;
• magnitude, location, and direction of external loads due to bridges, overhead signs and
lights, and traffic surcharges;
• limits and requirements of drainage features beneath, behind, above, or through the
structure;
• geotechnical design parameters such as friction angle, cohesion, and unit weight, as well
as electrochemical properties of the soils to be utilized; and
145
• size and architectural treatment of permanent facing for the wall or slope erosion protection
requirements, if applicable;
Performance Requirements
• design life for the structure and, if applicable, required corrosion protection;
• tolerable horizontal and vertical movements of the structure and methods of measuring these
movements; and
• permissible range of variation in ground-water levels and methods of ground-water level

measurement.
6.3.3 Review and Approval
Where a performance contracting approach is used, the review process may be made prior to or after
the bid, depending on which of the three methods is used. The evaluation by agency structural and
geotechnical engineers must be rigorous and consider as a minimum the following items:
• conformance to the project line and grade;
• conformance of the design calculations to the special provisions or agency standards or

codes such as the current AASHTO Standard Specifications (AASHTO, 1994) with respect
to design methods;
• corrosion protection details, where required;
• development of design details at obstructions such as drainage structures or other

appurtenances;
• external and internal drainage features and details;
• architectural treatment of the wall face or slope erosion protection methods, if applicable;
• monitoring methods as required by the performance specifications; and
• field testing program details for evaluating the capacity of anchors, soil nails, etc., as
required.
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CHAPTER 7
INSPECTION AND MONITORING
7.1 INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this chapter is to provide guidance regarding inspection and monitoring of earth
retaining systems. Inspection refers to activities carried out during construction to verify that the wall
system is constructed in accordance with project plans and specifications. Inspection is the primary
component of plan and specifications enforcement. Monitoring refers to measurements of wall
performance that are not required by the project specifications and that are generally carried out after
construction is complete. The type of contracting approach used for the wall (i.e., method or
performance) affects the scope of inspection and monitoring activities and determines which party
(i.e., owner agency, contractor, or a combination of both) will carry them out.
Inspection activities, if properly conducted, playa vital role in the production of a high quality wall
system because conformance to project plans and specifications should result in a wall system that will
perform adequately for the intended design life. Inspection may involve evaluation of the following:
(1) conformance of wall components and soils to material specifications; (2) conformance of
construction methods to execution specifications; and (3) conformance to short-term performance
specifications, if any. Inspection activities can be carried out by either the owner agency, the
contractor, or a combination of both as described in the following paragraph.
For a wall system contracted using the method approach, inspection activities are typically carried out
by the owner agency. The specific inspection activities are described in the method specification and
the results of the activities form the basis for acceptance of construction. For a wall system
contracted using the performance approach, many of the inspection activities are carried out by the
contractor under his own volition. The owner agency will typically carry out only a limited number
of inspection activities as appropriate to verify the material and performance requirements of the
performance specification. The results of the limited inspection activities form the basis for
acceptance of construction.
Monitoring activities typically involve measurement of long-term performance of the wall system.
Monitoring is most often performed for critical wall systems or systems that employ new construction
methods or materials. Monitoring activities are carried out almost exclusively by the owner agency,
often to obtain local performance data on new wall systems. As monitoring activities are not required
by the project specifications, monitoring results are not used to form decisions for wall construction
acceptance. For the same reason, monitoring activities are not affected by contracting method,
although monitoring may often be motivated by performance requirements in a performance
specification (e.g., measurement of wall deformations).
The remainder of this chapter is organized as described below.
147
Chapter 7 - Inspection and Monitoring
• Inspection, as it relates to enforcement of material specifications, is described in section

7.2. Issues concerning conventional construction materials are discussed briefly. Issues
concerning specialized materials used for earth retaining system construction are discussed
in greater detail.
• Inspection, as it relates to enforcement of execution and short-term performance

specifications, is described in section 7.3. The section begins with discussion of
conventional issues concerning construction lines and grades. Issues concerning
construction methods are then discussed for specific fill and cut wall systems. The section
also includes discussion of issues concerning measurement of short-term performance.
• Monitoring is briefly discussed in section 7.4. The section includes a description of

information that may be obtained from post-construction monitoring.
7.2 INSPECTION OF CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS
7.2.1 Introduction
Contract specifications for earth retaining systems include a description of the acceptable materials
to be used for construction. Specifications describe minimum requirements for materials such as
steel, concrete, and geosynthetics, as well as prefabricated components such as bin or crib modules,
segmental facing panels and connection devices for MSE walls, and permanent facing elements for
cut wall systems. These minimum requirements may be defined explicitly by the owner agency or
reference to standard specifications such as AASHTO or ASTM may be incorporated into the contract
specifications. The purpose of this section is to describe inspection activities that are conducted to
verify compliance with material specifications. Conventional materials and more specialized
construction materials are discussed separately.
For both conventional and specialized construction materials, the determination of material
conformance to contract specifications can be made in several ways including: (1) conformance testing
of the materials at the construction site using field tests; (2) reviewing material certifications provided
by the fabricator at the construction site; (3) verifying that pre-qualified material and wall components
are used; and (4) verifying that prefabricated elements are of the appropriate dimensions and are
undamaged.
7.2.2 Conventional Materials
Conventional construction materials include steel, concrete, and soil. Material requirements for these
materials are well-established and defined in the AASHTO and ASTM specifications. Steel
components for wall construction typically include reinforcing bars, steel beams, and sheet-piles.
148
Standard requirements for these steel components include minimum yield strength and required shape
and dimensions. For concrete, minimum compressive strengths are prescribed in the contract
documents. Standard specifications for soil materials include gradation, minimum friction angle, and
electrochemical requirements for wall backfill soils, and compaction requirements for both foundation
and backfill soils.
7.2.3 Specialized Materials
The purpose of this section is provide information on issues involved in inspection of several
specialized wall materials. Specialized materials are those that are used for wall construction but are
not commonly encountered in highway construction. Agency personnel performing inspection of
these materials may therefore be unfamiliar with appropriate inspection activities. In addition, as
detailed material specifications for these materials may not be available in standard reference
documents, differences may exist between specifications for different projects. Such differences
further complicate the inspection process.
Discussion of significant inspection issues for a number of specialized materials is given below.
Geosynthetic reinforcement for MSE walls and RSS

Inspection should include examination of: (1) documentation of manufacturing quality control
procedures including quality control certificates; (2) handling methods to assess whether physical
or ultraviolet damage has occurred since manufacture; (3) documentation of laboratory testing
of tensile and creep characteristics of material, load-carrying seams, and geosynthetic-soil
interfaces; and (4) results of on-site conformance testing.
Erosion control material for RSS

Inspection should include examination of: (1) documentation of manufacturing quality control
procedures; and (2) documentation of laboratory testing of physical properties, tensile
characteristics, and ultraviolet radiation resistance.
Bentonite slurry for slurry (diaphragm) walls

Inspection should include examination of: (1) documentation of bentonite source and quality; (2)
records indicating age of slurry (i.e., time for bentonite hydration); and (3) results of on-site
tests for slurry viscosity, specific gravity, and sand content.
Cement slurry for soil mixed walls

Inspection should include examination of: (1) documentation of cement source and quality; (2)
records of cement mixing quantities; and (3) results of on-site tests for compressive strength of
partially cured soil-cement samples.
149
Cement grout for anchor, soil nail and micropile installation

records indicating water/cement ratio and quantity of any grout admixtures; (3) authorization for
use of any grout admixtures; and (4) documentation of chemical and physical suitability of mix
water.
Corrosion protection materials for anchors, soil nails, and micropiles

Inspection should include examination of: (1) documentation of laboratory testing for physical
and chemical properties of anti-corrosion grease (e.g., flash point, chloride content); (2)
documentation of source and quality of protection sleeves (usually polyethylene or
polypropylene); (3) continuity of epoxy coating applied to steel components; and (4) continuity
of grout fill in annular space between anchors, soil nail, or micropile and encapsulating sleeve.
Shotcrete facing for soil-nailed walls

records indicating water/cement ratio and quantity of any shotcrete admixtures (e.g., plasticizers,
accelerators); (3) results of laboratory tests for compressive strength; and (4) documentation of
chemical and physical suitability of mix water.
7.3 INSPECTION OF CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES
7.3.1 Introduction
Inspection of construction activities is performed to verify that the execution of construction is

consistent with that described in the contract documents. In this section, information on inspection
of construction is presented for specific fill and cut wall systems. Inspection activities generally
applicable to all wall systems are also discussed. Construction errors common to these systems are
also addressed. This information is intended to provide guidance for owner agency personnel on
issues and activities that should be considered as part of the inspection process.
7.3.2 Lines and Grades
Inspection for all earth retaining systems includes field verification that the wall is being constructed
in accordance with the geometric requirements described in the contract specifications. The following
items are typically considered wh~n inspecting for line and grade requirements:
• appropriate depth of wall embedment is achieved;

• vertical and horizontal position of all drainage outlets is correct;
• wall face batter is within appropriate tolerances over the entire height of the wall;
• wall foundation level is correct;
150
• wall and any necessary excavation are being constructed within the available ROW; and
• horizontal alignment, elevations of the top and bottom of wall, and wall termination points
are as shown on the construction drawings.
7.3.3 Construction Methods
The purpose of this section is to provide information on issues involved in the inspection of fill and
cut wall construction. Issues that may not be covered in a typical contract specification or those that
tend to be critical to quality construction are emphasized. Common construction errors are also
mentioned.
7.3.3.1 Fill Walls

Inspection of bin and crib wall construction may emphasize compaction of the soils within each
bin or crib module. These modules are relatively small and the compaction of the backfill
requires small, hand-operated equipment. This type of compaction is relatively time consuming
and labor intensive as compared to the compaction operations for other fill walls. An additional
issue is that bearing strips and/or padding may be required between successive levels of modules.
These elements must be installed prior to placing successive levels of modules.
Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) Walls

Inspection activities for a MSE wall include: (1) checking all tolerances and alignments as the
wall is being constructed; and (2) monitoring compaction and the placement of reinforcement.
For vertical walls with precast panels, the panels should be slightly battered so that any
compaction-induced movements of the wall will not be apparent in the profile of the final wall
face. The construction of walls with geotextile or geogrid facings requires special forms. These
forms enable the backfill to be compacted against the flexible wrapped face of the wall without
causing distortion of the wall face.
Proper compaction operations for MSE walls are critical to the appearance and performance of
the wall. Lightweight compaction equipment should be used immediately behind the wall and
compaction should start from the back of the wall and progress towards the retained soil. All
compaction equipment should have a smooth compaction surface to avoid damaging reinforcing
elements.
Inspection for the placement of reinforcement for MSE walls should include: (1) verifying that
the connection between the wall facing and the reinforcement is made properly; (2) ensuring that
the geosynthetic reinforcement is pulled tight towards the retained soil prior to dumping backfill;
151
(3) monitoring placement of reinforcement in and around appurtenances such as internal drainage
systems.
Reinforced Soil Slopes (RSS)

Many of the inspection activities performed for RSS are similar to those performed for MSE
walls. These include checking all tolerances and monitoring the placement of reinforcement and
soil backfill compaction. Specific inspection activities for RSS include: (1) checking that
secondary reinforcement is constructed to contract specifications including appropriate vertical
spacing and reinforcement length; and (2) monitoring the placement of temporary or permanent
erosion control material or other facing elements. Construction monitoring of erosion control
material should include verifying that anchor trenches are constructed in accordance with the
construction drawings and that the length and location of anchorage devices such as pins are also
as shown on the construction drawings.
7.3.3.2 Cut Walls
Sheet-pile Walls
The construction of a sheet-pile wall requires the use of pile-driving equipment. Pile-driving
equipment can induce significant ground vibrations and it is recommended that a survey of the
condition of any nearby structures be undertaken.
The performance of a steel sheet-pile wall is influenced by the quality of the ball and socket
interlock between adjacent sheet-piles. Steel sheet-piles are typically driven in pairs and so it
is important that the sheet-pile with the ball end be driven first. If the sheet-pile with the socket
end is driven first, it may clog with soil and make it difficult to drive the adjacent pile. Regular
inspection of the sheet-pile tops should also be performed to assess damage resulting from
driving through relatively hard soils. This may also be an indication that the pile-driving
hammer and/or cushion is inappropriate for the soil conditions.
Soldier Pile and Lagging Walls

Driven soldier piles should be inspected to assess damage at the pile tops. If precast concrete
lagging is employed, deviations of the soldier piles from vertical may make it difficult to place
the concrete lagging. Also, lagging must be placed at an appropriate time after excavation to
ensure that local soil failure does not occur. Excavation to place the lagging should be done
carefully to minimize the gap that exists between the lagging and the excavated soil face.
Slurry (Diaphragm) Walls

Slurry (diaphragm) wall construction requires relatively detailed construction inspection due to
the use of specialized equipment and materials. These walls are usually constructed by specialty
contractors and, as such, there are no currently accepted industry construction and material
specifications for these systems. Several key construction inspection issues are described herein.
152
The construction of a wall panel for a slurry (diaphragm) wall is performed in a narrow trench.
For this reason, construction tolerances related to panel width, depth of wall, and alignment of
the wall are critical. Proper construction of the guidewalls is essential to ensure that accurate
alignment is maintained. Guidewalls should be cast against compact subgrade.
On-site quality control of the slurry and concrete is also necessary. During placement of
concrete, plots of concrete volume placed versus the rise of the concrete within the excavated
trench should be recorded. This information can be used to evaluate whether a cave-in has
occurred.
After the wall has been exposed due to excavation, the wall should be checked to verify that
excessive seepage is not occurring through vertical panel joints or through any openings in the
wall face.
Tangent Pile/Secant Pile Walls

Construction inspection for tangent pile walls and secant pile walls is similar to that for drilled
shafts. Inspection includes verifying that drilling techniques that are consistent with the soil type
and ground-water conditions are being used and that all construction tolerances are maintained.
For tangent pile walls it is important that vertical tolerances are maintained if a relatively
watertight wall is required.
Soil Mixed Walls

Soil mixed walls employ specialized equipment, materials, and methods. For this reason,
industry-accepted construction and material specifications are not yet available. Inspection
personnel should monitor the following mixing and positioning parameters during construction
of a soil mixed wall:
• shaft rotation during penetration and withdrawal;

• velocity of shaft withdrawal;
• cement content of soil-cement mixture;
• pumping rate of soil-cement slurry mixture; and
• amount of overlap between adjacent piles.
Anchored Walls
For anchored walls, the spacing, inclination, method of drilling, drill hole size, and length of
each anchor must be consistent with the design assumptions. Inspection personnel must pay
close attention to these issues because the tieback anchors are the principal load-carrying
components of the wall system. Significant deviations in any of these items should be reported
to the design engineer.
Construction inspection during installation of the anchors in the drill hole includes: (1) checking
that centralizers are in place at appropriate locations along the anchor; (2) monitoring the anchor
153
insertion operation for indications that the drill hole has collapsed; and (3) assessing damage to
any anchors just prior to insertion. Construction inspection during grouting of a anchor should
include verifying that grout injection pressures and grout volumes are consistent with design
assumptions.
The major component of construction inspection activities for anchored walls is monitoring
proof and performance testing. These test procedures have been previously described in section
3.3.3.5. Construction inspection should include evaluating the results of proof and performance
tests against acceptance criteria outlined in the contract specifications. Prior to testing, an
assessment of the loading devices to be used for the proof and performance tests should be made.
This assessment includes checking the calibration certifications for all jacks, gauges, and load
cells. In addition, all deformation gauges should be checked to verify that the movements
generated in the anchor during testing will be accurately measured.
Soil-Nailed Walls
Construction inspection for soil-nailed walls includes verifying that: (1) admissible excavation
depths are not exceeded; (2) drill holes have not collapsed; (3) nail pullout testing meets
specifications; and (4) contract-specified procedures for structural shotcrete application are
followed. The excavated soil material should be examined during construction and any
differences in soil type between the excavated soil and that assumed for design should be
reported to the design engineer so that necessary construction and/or design changes can be
made.
Micropile Walls
Construction inspection activities for the installation of micropiles are similar to that for the
installation of anchors. It is particularly important that inspection personnel verify that the
appropriate length micropiles are used. If the purpose of the micropile wall is to stabilize an
active landslide, horizontal measurement devices may be required. Inspection should then
include verifying that measurements are made accurately and on a regular basis and that steps
are taken to minimize the potential for damaging the measuring devices.
7.3.4 Performance Requirements
Contract specifications may require that certain performance criteria be satisfied during construction.
These performance criteria may include: (1) maintaining a dewatered site; (2) limiting horizontal
movement of the wall face and/or settlement of adjacent structures; and (3) maintaining ground-water
levels in the backfill and/or retained soil to within an acceptable range of variation. If these items are
part of a performance specification, methods to monitor these items during construction will typically
be included in the contract documents. Inspection personnel should also be alert to construction
operations that may create locally unstable conditions which may be detrimental to wall system
performance. An example of such an operation is the stockpiling of materials on the edge of an open
154
Chapter 7 - Insp~ction and Monitoring
excavation. Any such operations should be brought immediately to the attention of those with the
authority to halt operations.
7.4 POST-CONSTRUCTION MONITORING
7.4.1 Introduction
Monitoring typically involves measurements of long-term wall performance that are carried out after
construction is complete. Such measurements are not generally required by the project specifications
but are conducted by the owner agency in order to monitor wall performance (e. g. , wall
displacements) and/or to gain insight into overall wall system behavior (e.g., loads in wall
components). Monitoring activities conducted primarily to monitor wall performance are categorized
as limited monitoring, while monitoring activities conducted primarily to gain insight into wall
behavior are categorized as comprehensive monitoring. Limited monitoring and comprehensive
monitoring are discussed in the following subsections.
Both levels of monitoring are performed using a variety of measurement devices, or instrumentation.
Instrumentation is selected based on its ability to measure the desired response and to survive the
expected project climate and environment. Selection of appropriate instrumentation should also
consider the range of response magnitudes that are anticipated relative to the range and sensitivity of
the candidate instruments. In addition, the required degree of automation for the instrumentation
depends largely on the anticipated time intervals between data collection. It is noted that
instrumentation to measure basic climate information at the project site (i.e., temperature and rainfall)
is sometimes included if temperature extremes and storm events are expected to affect wall
performance.
7.4.2 Limited Monitoring
Limited monitoring of earth retaining systems will typically consist of measurement of horizontal
movements of the wall facing, ground-water elevations in the backfill and retained soil, and/or
settlement of any adjacent structures. Such measurements would be recorded at a small number of
locations along the wall. Typical instrumentation used to record such measurements is described
below.
Horizontal movements of wall facing

This response may be assessed using visual observations of the magnitude of wall tilt. More
detailed measurements are performed through level and horizontal surveying of permanent
survey markers installed on the wall face. Photogrammetric surveying techniques have also been
used for these measurements.
155
Chapter 7 _. Inspection and Monitoring
Ground-water elevations behind wall

This response is most often measured using open standpipe piezometers installed in the backfill
and/or retained soil behind the wall.
Settlements of adjacent structures

This response is most often measured using level surveying of permanent survey markers
installed on the adjacent structure. Such markers are installed in close proximity to the structure
foundation.
7.4.3 Comprehensive Monitoring
Comprehensive monitoring of earth retaining systems will typically consist of measurement of both
internal and external responses of the structure. External responses include items such as those
mentioned above for a limited monitoring program (e.g., horizontal movements of the wall facing).
For comprehensive monitoring, however, such external measurements would likely be recorded at
a greater number of locations along the structure. Internal responses include items such as horizontal
and vertical movements within the structure, horizontal and vertical stresses within the structure, and
strains within wall system components. Typical instrumentation used for internal response
measurements is described below.
Internal movements
This response is most often measured using horizontal and vertical inclinometers. Extensometers
can also be used to measure horizontal movements. Vertical movements can also be measured
with surveyed settlement plates or liquid level gauges.
Internal stresses
This response can be: measured using earth pressure cells. The installed orientation of the cell
determines the plane for pressure measurement. In some cases, horizontal stresses on the wall
facing are measured indirectly for MSE walls and anchored walls by measuring tensile loads in
the soil reinforcements or anchors at points adjacent to the wall facing.
Strains within wall system components

This response is measured using strain or displacement gauges that are affixed to the wall
component during construction. Strain gauges include resistance-types and vibrating wire-types.
Displacement gauges include induction coil-types and wire telltales. Measurements of strain can
be used to estimate stresses through an established stress-strain relationship.
156
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161

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Publication No.

The published circulars in this series are the following:

Geotechnical Engineering Circular No. 1 - Dynamic Compaction FHWA-SA-95-037

Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering for Highways

4. Title and Subtitle 4. Report Date

7. Author(s) 8. Perfonning Organization Report No.

17. Key Words 18. Distribution Statement

Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-72) Reproduction of completed page authOrized

• Rich Barrows - FHWA;

• Criblock Retaining Walls Inc.;

• rigid gravity and semi-gravity walls;

This document is a synthesis of practical information on construction, selection, contracting practices,

CHAPTER 2: TYPES OF EARTH RETAININ<i SYSTEMS 9

Earth Retaining System (ERS) Summaries

CHAPTER 3: CONSTRUCTION OF EARTH RETAINING SYSTEMS. . . . . . . . . . .. 46

3.3 Cut Wall Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 57

3.3.2.1 Soldier Pile and Lagging Wall. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 58

3.3.3 Anchored Walls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 64

3.3.4 Soil-Nailed Walls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 69

CHAPTER 4: SELECTION OF EARTH RETAINING SYSTEMS 75

4.4 Wall System Selection Examples 80

CHAPTER 5: DESIGN OVERVIEW 91

5.2.3 Laboratory Soil Testing

5.3 Earth Pressures 98

5.3.3.1 Surcharge Loads 104

5.4 Earth Retaining System Design 105

5.4.1 Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 105

5.4.2.1 External Stability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 105

5.4.3 Cut Walls '. . . . . . . .. 117

5.4.3.1 Earth Pressure Diagrams 117

5.5 Other Design Issues. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 127

5.5.1 General. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 127

5.5.3.1 Introduction 129

5.5.4 Seismic Wall Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 133

5.6 Design References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 136

CHAPTER 6: CONTRACTING METHODS AND DOCUMENTS 138

6.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 138

6.2.1 Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 139

6.3.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 143

CHAPTER 7: INSPECTION AND MONITORING 147

7.2.1 Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 148

7.3 Inspection of Construction Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 150

7.3.1 Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 150

7.3.3.1 Fill Walls 151

7.3.4 Performance Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 154

7.4 Post-Construction Monitoring 155

7.4.1 Introduction , 155

1. List of ERS summaries 9

2. Fill and cut wall systems 46

3. System selection chart for fill walls 81

4. System selection chart for cut walls 82

5. Typical design steps for earth retaining systems 91

6. Approximate penetration depths for cantilevered sheet-pile walls

7. Ultimate lateral resistance for soil nails and tieback anchors

8. Design references for earth retaining systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 137

1. Applications of earth retaining systems. . 4

2. Earth retaining system classification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

3. Wall system project tasks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . " 8

4. Form outline for cantilever wall footing 49