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Minor Works
Farnham, Surrey
Structural Support to Existing Masonry Retaining Wall
Geolex were invited to present proposals to support a old failing masonry wall on a completed new housing site in Tattingstone, Farnham for developer Millgate Homes Limited.
Following an inspection and discussions we proposed to rebuild a section of the end of the existing wall that had collapsed and then install a number of soil nails to effectively tie the existing wall back into good ground at the rear.
Pull out tests were carried out to confirm the soil nail frictional capacities in the ground assumed in the design.
Upon completion of the drilling and grouting in of the nails double plate heads were put in – one to the face of the wall and one at the intersection of the wall face and back steel mesh to provide support to the mini gabion facing.
As the works were essentially carried out in the rear gardens of occupied properties, careful consideration was necessary to minimise disturbance to the residents and damage to existing surfaces around the wall working area and access routes.
Scaling the Heights at Glen Mount Drive, Bournemouth
Earth Support to Exposed Soil Slopes
Earth support was required to the exposed slopes flanking a 5m high reinforced concrete retaining wall forming the integral section of the rear wall of proposed dwellings.
Geolex proposed a reinforced soil option using the excavated sand arisings on site as backfill with a gabion stone facing, thus saving cost of muck away and import of quarried material.
Access was severely restricted so the RS structure had to be constructed in sections using extra reach 360 excavators with all compaction equipment having to be lifted in from the front side of the wall.
Geolex Step Up at Walkers Lane, Leeds
Ground Anchors Applied to Retaining Wall
IKE Supported Housing are a specialist Housing Association for vulnerable adults.
The have a property in Leeds LS12 and were concerned with the state of a retaining wall which they considered wasn’t fit for purpose. Preliminary inspections indicated it was poorly designed, constructed, poorly backfilled and without any weep holes. It was cracking in several places, approx. 20’ high, and overlooks the tenants rear door and garden, hence the concerns.
Geolex inspected the site and found that taking down this retaining structure and building a replacement would not have been viable as this wall supported rear gardens of neighbouring properties and access to the wall face could only be gained via a side footpath. Geolex installed a number of ground anchors through the face of this wall using light weight hand held drilling equipment and coring techniques.
Pull out testing of the anchors proved the bond strength at the anchor/soil interface assumed in the design.
