Composite Structures

Composite retaining walls are geosynthetic reinforced soil segmental retaining walls utilize reinforcing sheets of geogrid or suitable woven geotextile which are attached to the fascia and are embedded in a body of engineered fill.

Introduction | Light gravity | Heavy gravity | Composite walls | Vertical/RC filled

Vertical or near vertical retaining walls with a split face block finish and a reinforced earth backfill design are a popular choice in many areas. The unique reversible nature of Terraforce blocks offers many advantages in this sector. While retaining all the Terraforce versatility it is possible to build walls with seamless transitions from vertical to inclined elevations or from split face appearance to smooth moulded face appearance.

Composite retaining, skingle skin, with geosynthetic reinforcemants

It is also possible to incorporate a plant supportive panel into a wall that is otherwise built in the split face appearance. Obtain a separate manual and design charts from your supplier for more information. See some case studies in colour.

Composite retaining wall design and construction prodcedures with Terraforce blocks have been subjected to rigorous laboratory test. These were conducted on a large-scale test apparatus to evaluate the mechanical performance of, among others, the connection between blocks and grids.

In all tests, the primary mode of failure was rupture of the geogrid outside the blocks, and performance was found to be above average based on experience with a large number of systems tested over many years.