Composite Wall Systems

PROJECT FACTS:  Wall Area = 15,800 SF; Max Ht = 27 FT

CHALLENGE:  The retail developer had to maximize the useable land on this site to accommodate the new store.

SOLUTION:  Pinnacle Design/Build constructed both MSE vegetated retaining walls and the MSE segmental block walls along the property edge.

VALUE:  The retaining wall structures were installed at lower cost than conventional types.  The “green” retaining wall blended well with the stream channel.

PROJECT FACTS:  Wall Area = 17,760 SF; Max Ht = 18 FT

PROJECT FACTS:  Wall Area = 5,000 SF; Max Ht = 20 FT

CHALLENGE:  The residential developer for this project required a storm water detention basin that was more cost effective and aesthetically pleasing than the continuous cast in place concrete wall originally designed for the project.

SOLUTION:  Our engineers redesigned the detention basin wall from a single large cast-in-place concrete wall to a composite segmental retaining wall/cast in place concrete retaining wall.  We constructed the concrete wall first then butted the segmental retaining wall into it.

VALUE:  This solution provided 25% cost savings over the previously designed wall and provided more pleasing appearance.

PROJECT FACTS:  Wall Area = 25,000 SF; Max Ht =  36 FT

CHALLENGE:  This high end residential development was to be situated on the steep bluffs above Pickwick Dam in Savannah, Tennessee.  However, the site was too steep and unstable to build conventional access roads and building lots.

SOLUTION:  Pinnacle Design/Build worked with the developer to design the most efficient combination of walls and usable building lots possible.  Then we constructed a gently curving, combination MSE/soil nail wall to create the space required without detracting from the natural beauty of the surroundings.

VALUE:  The Pinnacle Design/Build solution was implemented in less than three months and saved the developer significant money in terms of wall cost and lot production.  Moreover, the appearance of the finished product fits well with the surroundings.

PROJECT FACTS:  Wall Area = 5,000 SF; Max Ht = 22.5 FT

CHALLENGE:  Repair to the parkway at the several landslide locations.

SOLUTION:   Pinnacle Design/Build was part of a design team that utilized soil nailing, tiebacks and MSE retaining walls to stabilize the slide and support the reestablished roadway.

VALUE:   The solution of soil nailing and MSE retaining walls provided a high performance and reliable support system.

PROJECT FACTS:  Wall Area = 5,300 SF; Max Ht = 18 FT

CHALLENGE:  The commercial development required retaining walls to create a below grade stormwater detention pond on a congested construction site with limited right of way.

SOLUTION:  Pinnacle Design/Build designed and constructed a tied-back soldier pile and lagging walls with a cast-in-place concrete facing on three sides of the structure and a segmental retaining wall on the fourth.

VALUE:  The Pinnacle Design/Build solution enabled construction of the stormwater detention basin within the limited confines available.  The solution provided a substantial cost savings over the originally designed cast in place concrete retaining walls.

PROJECT FACTS:  Wall Area = 9,000 SF; Max Ht = 30 FT

CHALLENGE:  A below grade parking structure required thick, expensive reinforced concrete retaining walls to support lateral earth pressures and the structure to be constructed above it. 

SOLUTION:  Pinnacle Design/Build value engineered and constructed a composite soil nail and MSE retaining wall system to withstand the anticipated lateral loads.  A segmental block facing was constructed in front of the composite mass to form the  permanent interior wall facing for the parking garage.  This eliminated the need to build an additional facing wall.

VALUE:  The developer was able to save about 40% of the cost of traditional foundation walls and cut the timeline for completion by about 30%.

PROJECT FACTS:  Wall Area = 5,000 SF; Max Ht = 20 FT

CHALLENGE:  The retail developer needed a permanent retaining wall to support the heavy live loads of an adjacent rail spur.  Excavation for a conventional retaining wall system in the area adjacent to the spur would have undermined the existing rails and interrupted service.

SOLUTION:  Pinnacle Design/Build designed and constructed a permanent cantilever soldier pile retaining wall with wood lagging.  In areas where the spur was not present, we engineered and built a stone faced MSE wall to reduce costs. 

VALUE:  The combination of (top down) retaining wall construction with MSE technology allowed the developer to reduce retaining wall costs without interfering with adjacent property operations. 

PROJECT FACTS:  Wall Area = 14,000 SF; Max Ht =  22 FT

CHALLENGE:  The developer of this retail site was required to create a storm water detention structure in high ground water table and exposed surface rock conditions.

SOLUTION:  Pinnacle Design/Build engineered and constructed a composite wall system consisting of a free standing cast-in-place concrete wall abutted to a stone faced MSE wall.

VALUE:  This solution reduced the overall cost of the structure by reducing the amount of cast-in-place concrete required.  In addition, the design was easily adapted to meet the difficult ground water and surficial rock conditions. 

PROJECT FACTS:  Wall Area = 2,000 SF; Max Ht = 19 FT

CHALLENGE:  Commercial development near this busy interchange required construction of a new deceleration lane.  Insufficient space in the area where SR 171 passes over I-40 necessitated construction of a retaining wall in the confined space under the bridge.  However, the wall could not disturb with the existing bridge abutment or roadway. 

SOLUTION:  Pinnacle Design/Build engineered and constructed a soil nail retaining wall with a permanent segmental retaining wall facing to solve the problem.

VALUE:  This system limited the amount of excavation required and disturbance to the surrounding infrastructure.  The segmental block facing allowed the wall to blend nicely with the surroundings.

PROJECT FACTS:  Wall Area = 5,600 SF; Max Ht =  12 FT

CHALLENGE:  The developer of this upscale multi-family /collegiate residence development  desired the appearance of natural, stacked stone walls around the amenity areas.  However, the required wall heights would have rendered true stacked stone or standard masonry or concrete veneered walls extremely expensive. 

SOLUTION:  Pinnacle Design/Build engineered and constructed four stone faced MSE retaining walls designed to receive a stacked stone veneer.
 

VALUE:  This solution saved 30 to 40 percent in wall construction costs over traditional approaches while presenting the desired architectural appearance.  In addition, the overall construction duration was reduced significantly over the alternatives. 

PROJECT FACTS:  Slope Area = 4,000 SF; Max Ht = 22 FT

CHALLENGE:  An existing MSE segmental retaining wall (SRW) supporting this multi-family housing development was bulging and in danger of collapse.

SOLUTION:  An engineered system consisting of soil nails through the existing wall (to stabilize the mass) and a matching SRW facing was constructed.

VALUE:  This composite retaining wall solution of provided a quick and visually pleasing repair that did not require total demolition of the failing wall or major disruption to the residence of the community.