INTRODUCTION > 03TECHNOLOGIES > 04ROADWAY APPLICATIONS > 06RAILWAY APPLICATIONS > 08INDUSTRIAL AND PROTECTIVE APPLICATIONS > 09HYDRAULIC APPLICATIONS > 10

CONTENTS

REINFORCED EARTH® A MAJOR INNOVATION

Reinforced Earth is recognised as a majorinnovation in the field of civil engineering. Owners,engineers and contractors, worldwide, make useof it for the construction of many types ofstructures, predominantly retaining walls andbridge abutments.

The merging of the Reinforced Earth andFreyssinet Groups in 1998 further widens therange of materials and applications and confirmsthe group as the world leader of soilreinforcement, both metallic and synthetic. Thegroup is present on all five continents, andbenefits from both local experience and worldwideexpertise.

The Reinforced Earth Group has developed severaltechniques that have advantages in common:

• Long service life due to use of reliable and

durable materials;

• Considerable savings in both construction time

and material costs;

• Aesthetically pleasing structures that blend with

the environment.

The Reinforced Earth technique has revolutionizedconstruction, and can be applied to all types ofretaining structures, including:

• Roadway structures;

• Railway structures;

• Industrial and protective structures;

• Marine and river structures.

Soil reinforcement is the main field of activity ofthe Reinforced Earth Companies, combining boththe geotechnical and structural engineeringdisciplines. The technology is based on theformation of a composite material through theassociation of compacted frictional fill and linearsoil reinforcement. The soil reinforcement may beeither metallic (like the high adherence galvanisedsteel strips) or synthetic (like the polyester-basedFreyssisol strips). Reinforced Earth provides:

• STRENGTHThe resistance and stability of the compositestructure provides significant load-bearingcapacity.

• COST EFFECTIVENESSThe ease and speed of construction aresignificant advantages in reducing overall cost.

• RELIABILITYThe durability of the materials used is welldocumented and the safety of the structuresunrivalled.

• ADAPTABILITYThe technology provides solutions to complexcases and often proves to be the best answer tocircumstances such as restricted right-of-way,unstable natural slopes, marginal foundationconditions and large settlements.

• AESTHETIC APPEARANCE The variety of facings can meet all architec-tural requirements.

SOIL REINFORCEMENTTECHNOLOGY

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1. TerraTrel wall in Annecy,France.

2. Installation of precast facing units.

3. Backfilling over syntheticFreyssisol strips.

4. Installation of galvanised steel strips.

5. Backfilling over galvanised steel strips.

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PRECAST ARCHTECHNOLOGY

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6. Lengthening of existing tunnelsin Orte-a-Fiano,

Italy.

7. Prefabrication of TechSpan arch units,

Spain.

8. TechSpan arch under high-speed train line,

Torremocha,Spain.

9. Construction of CTRL (Channel Tunnel Rail Link),

United Kingdom.

10. Installation of TechSpan archover Homebush Bay railroad,

Australia.

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Invented and developed by the Group, theTechSpan arch system also involves theinteraction between the structure and thesurrounding fill. TechSpan is used for theconstruction of cut-and-cover buried tunnels,for roadway, railway, industrial, protective andhydraulic applications.

The TechSpan system is based on assemblingshort half sections of arch. The prefabricatedreinforced concrete units are set on stripfootings at the toe of structure, and lean againsteach other at the crown. A half-length offset ofunits allows rapid construction with one crane.

The curvature of the arch is optimised for everyproject based on site constraints, application,and design requirements.

Structures with spans exceeding 20 meters orwith heights of surcharge backfill in excess of30 metres have been successfully constructedand put in service.

For soil reinforcement, as well as forprefabricated arches, the Reinforced EarthCompanies are involved in all stages of eachproject, including:

• Feasibility;

• Design;

• Supply of prefabricated units, reinforcement,

and accessories;

• On site technical assistance during

installation.

All supplied materials are manufactured inplants either operated by, or carefully selectedby the local Reinforced Earth Company.

The Reinforced Earth Company in your regionmay offer other prefabricated products andconstruction systems.

The Reinforced Earth technique is widely used inhighway and municipal projects. Most applicationsare for the construction of retaining walls andbridge abutments that support roadways in bothurban and suburban environments, and in ruralmountainous terrain.

The completion of Reinforced Earth projectsrequires only a short construction time andminimum right-of-way, so the disruption to trafficis considerably reduced.

The versatility of the technology allows for a widevariety of geometry. Prefabricated units in variousattractive finishes can be used for the facing.

The main uses of the technology include:

• Walls to support roadways, either single,

or tiered;

• Bridge abutments;

• Curtain walls around pile supported abutments;

• Walls for access ramps;

• Reinforced slopes.

ROADWAY APPLICATIONS1. Supporting bridge abutments

above railroads,A87-A71, Vierzon,France.

2. Walls supporting East ring-road,Limoges,France.

3. Supporting bridge abutments,Pozo Cañada,Spain.

4. Ramp walls in Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia.

5. TechSpan arch under high-speed train line,Torremacha,Spain.

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TechSpan arches are used for:

• Road underpasses or overpasses;

• Cut-and-cover tunnels;

• River crossings.

Such structures are often completed withReinforced Earth head-walls and wing-walls.

6. Retaining wall in Raon l’Etape,

France.

7. Twin arch,Spain.

8. A75, Pégairolles de l’Escalette,

France.

9. A29, Rogerville valley,France.

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Reinforced Earth retaining walls are used in manycountries along railway, metro and light rail transitlines. The technology is the same as for roadwayapplications, except for a few specific details.

The design of the retaining structures is adaptedto comply with the stringent requirements relatedto heavy loads and safety, especially for high-speed railways. Reinforced Earth structuresabsorb the vibrations induced by passing trains,inherently well.

Building a Reinforced Earth retaining wall along arailway does not require any scaffolding, or any

structural footing in front of the cladding. As aresult, the wall can be built without interruption oftraffic.

TechSpan arches are frequently used as well forthe construction of railroad tunnels beneathearthen embankments. They can be constructedover existing railway tracks without closing theline.

RAILWAY APPLICATIONS1. Homebush Bay tunnel,

Australia.

2. Shenton Avenue tunnel,Australia.

3. Railway retaining wall,Lisbon,Portugal.

4. Light rail transit system,Portland,Oregon USA.

5. Railway relocation,Ralston Holly,USA.

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Applications along rivers, lakes and coastal areasare common for Reinforced Earth technologies.Several reasons justify the owners’ choice:

• Resistance to severe loading conditions such

as flooding and drawdown, tidal fluctuations,

storms, ice and other impacts;

• Rapid construction, especially for the works

carried out in the tidal range, by virtue

of simultaneous placement of fill, reinforcement

and facing.

Underwater construction of Reinforced Earthquay-walls is achieved with a uniquely modifiedsystem. This method was successfully used inseveral countries, for marinas and fishing ports.

The Freyssisol strip is particularly well suited tosalty and marine environments.

A significant part of the TechSpan referencesbelongs to their use in hydraulic applications. Theadaptability of the arch shape allows optimisationof the section while respecting the anticipatedwater flow. This optimisation and the inherentsavings of using prefabricated units, combinedwith the ability to construct without diverting thestream, makes TechSpan a solution of choice forsuch applications.

HYDRAULIC APPLICATIONS1. TerraClass and TerraTrel

retaining walls in Den Bosch,The Netherlands.

2. Taylor Draw dam, Rangely,Colorado,USA.

3. TerraSet headwalls,Millau detour,France.

4. Retaining wall in Louveciennes,France.

5. TechSpan arch and TerraTrelsloping wall, RN 200,Pont de Valle, Corsica,France.

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Photographs:

Francis Vigouroux,

Claude Cieutat,

Freyssinet photographs

and subsidiaries

trademarks.

July 2003.

Reinforced Earthare registered trademarks

of the Freyssinet Group.

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1. Springfield interchange,Springfield, Virginia,

USA.

2. Access ramp wall,Roissy-en-Brie,

France.

3. Bridge abutments,Western Beltway near Orlando,

Florida,USA.

4. Retention dikes,Montoir de Bretagne,

France.

5. Channel Tunnel Rail Link,United Kingdom.

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The Reinforced Earth technology is well suited foruse in industrial applications. Specific solutionshave been developed for the bulk handling of coaland other minerals, as well as for dump-wallsadjacent to crushers, or screening plants. Today,several hundred dump-walls are in servicethroughout the world, and many of them rankamong the highest Reinforced Earth structures.

Industrial applications have unique features, such as:

• Versatility of the facing technology. Concrete

panels, steel sections or wire mesh can be used

to conform to the required geometry (face

inclination, straight or curved alignment);

• Resistance to vibrations (crushing and screening);

• Outstanding resistance to thermal variations.

Reinforced Earth is also an ideal material for theconstruction of civil, military or industrialprotective works. Many such structures havewithstood impact, explosion, liquid gas and otherfluid spills, and fire.

TechSpan arches prove to be a reliable, speedy andeconomical solution for the construction ofmilitary shelters and ammunition bunkers, as wellas for conveyor tunnels at industrial plants.

INDUSTRIAL AND PROTECTIVE STRUCTURES6. TerraTrel and TerraClass

walls, Moranci mine,USA.

7. TerraMet wall in the PilbaraIron Ore Region,

Australia.

8. “Glory hole”coal handling facility,

Canada.

9. Foam tanker, Muskeg,Canada.

10. Avalanche barrier,Iceland.

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