Two-Stage Walls
Retaining walls built on soft soils risk post-construction settlement issues, including deformation at the wall face. Conventional solutions for constructing over areas of excessive total or differential settlement may first require excavation and replacement of settlement-prone soils, deep pile foundations or temporary surcharge embankments. However, each of these methods is time-consuming and can be extremely expensive.
By contrast, two-stage wall construction saves time and expense to meet both structural and aesthetic objectives. In the first stage, the retention structure is built, allowing foundation settlement to occur. The second stage adds a permanent aesthetic wall facing.
Tensar International’s ARES® Two-Stage Construction Wall System combines a flexible, settlement-tolerant mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) retaining wall structure with a permanent facing element. Following installation of the MSE structure, facing options include precast ARES Modular or Full Height panels, Mesa® Segmental Retaining Wall (SRW) Units or cast-in-place concrete.