Tensar Technology reinforces highway wall

Project to build a three tier, 16 metre high, walled embankment between bridges close to Sverepec, Slovakia, has been brought to a successful conclusion using Tensar geogrid technology.

The five year project to build a three tier, 16 metre high, walled embankment between bridges on the main D1 highway close to Sverepec, Slovakia, has been brought to a successful conclusion using Tensar geogrid technology.

The solution incorporated a novel combination of concrete and Tensar geogrids to overcome the space restrictions and extreme height of the embankment over unstable subsoil.

The new D1 highway between Ladce and Sverepec in western Slovakia, parallels an important local connecting road that could not be closed, which restricted the embankment width on one side with a local stream restricting space on the other side; these constraints also restricted site access for heavy plant.

The contract had taken some time to progress before the Tensar know-how was employed due to changes in contractor and bridge design, resulting in extensive stoppages.

The walled embankments were constructed as one, two and three tier retained structures over a length of 500 metres and up to 16 metres high.

The walls are separated by berms of widths between 0.8 and 2.4 metres, and the total wall surface area was 4000 sq.m.

Part of the embankments used retaining walls on both sides.

The method employed used concrete panels cast on another part of the site, with shorter lengths of geogrid cast into the panels at appropriate heights and projecting to the rear.

The projecting geogrids were then rapidly connected, using full strength bodkin joints, to layers of geogrid laid horizontally in the embankment as the fill operation progressed, in order to reinforce the imported mineral aggregate fill.

The site-cast concrete panels were up to 6 metres high - the full height for each embankment tier - and 1.5 metres wide, and included an attractive fluted face finish.

These were pitched onto a 'U' shaped footing, and temporarily propped and temporarily connected to each other by steel plates, while the geogrid reinforced fill was laid.

With the assistance of the experienced local Tensar distributor - Tectum, the embankment has now been successfully completed, connecting two parts of the new D1 highway, and the road was in use within weeks of the retaining wall structure being finished.

Engineering consultant: Prodex Bratislava.

Contractor: Inzierske stavby Koice.

Supplier: Tectum Bratislava.

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