Soil Nail UK lifting expectations in soil nailing
Soil Nail UK, a specialist arm of Piletec was established to be specifically tailored to meet the growing demand for soil nailing and ground anchoring solutions within the united kingdom.
The principle of soil nailing calls for narrow reinforcing bars to be inserted into the face of a soil slope. It is common to install the bars sloping slightly downwards into the slope and spaced at regular intervals. The bars themselves will sometimes be generic reinforcing bars, although various manufacturers produce solid or hollow-system bars explicitly designed for this usage.
Soil nailing may be used to ensure the stability of soil slopes threatening movement or collapse. It can also be used to increase the gradient of an existing soil slope safely, or in the construction of new soil slopes.
In certain situations, fill slope embankments and retaining walls showing signs of compromise may also be stabilised using soil nailing bars and techniques.
nailing bars and techniques.
Where solid bars are used, these are most commonly inserted into pre-drilled holes, and then grouted into place. Hollow bars are generally drilled and grouted in one procedure, by the use of a sacrificial drill bit and by pumping grout down the hollow bar as drilling progresses.
There are several ways of securing the top end of the bars at the face. All bars across an area may be pressure coated with concrete using the Shotcrete process. Alternatively, each bar can be capped off individually using a nail head plate and or whaling beams.
Where reinforcing mesh is to be used, this is forced into position against the soil of the slope by retaining it beneath each nail head plate. A variety of erosion control fabrics may be held in place in the same way.
Shotcrete
Recessed
Recessed Waling
Surface Mount Waling
While highly effective and versatile, soil nailing is not possible or advisable in all situations. Areas of low shear strength soil can call for unrealistically high density of nailing, while the process is generally not suitable at all for semi-permanent or permanent solutions on sensitive or expansive soils. Similarly, sand and gravels are often not suited to nailing, and its use is to be avoided where the water table is high.
Woodside Avenue, Newcastle upon Tyne. One of the largest soil nailed wall projects in Europe
Kenilworth, Warwickshire. Installation of soil nails to strengthen the existing retaining wall. Nails were installed in benches to allow the material to be removed as the nails are installed.
Whitley Junction
