The safe way is the only way

Reinforced Earth, Terre Armée, Bewehrte Erde…テールアルメ, Terra Armata, Terra Armada, Tierra Armada…

Index of contents

The Company Terre Armée International (TAI) The Technology ApplicationsThe Design of Reinforced Earth wallsErectionApprovalsDurabilityVehicle shockDrainageMaintenanceReferencesAdvantages

Terre Armée International (TAI) in Soletanche Freyssinet

TAI - The Value of Experience

Terre Armée Internationale (TAI) concentrates an unequalled combination of expertise and accumulated experience in the fields of engineered backfills and soil-structure interaction.

TAI’s portfolio of techniques applies to a wide range of structures for an extended array of market segments: roads and motorways, environment, railways, hydraulic works, mining, industry, energy, commercial, housing or military.

Terre Armée International in a nutshell :

Turnover 2012 : € 265 Mio. (SF: € 2.5 billion)More than 800 employees Present in 40 countries on the 5 continents

TAI - A global network

TAI - The innovation gene

Invented in the early 1960’s, the Reinforced Earth technique has been recognized as one of the most significant development in civil engineering during the second half of the 20th century

From the initial breakthrough, it has been improved by numerous technological advances and 50 years later, Terre Armée Internationale perpetuates the pioneering spirit of its inventor by implementing an active research and development policy.

Original Reinforced Earth® concept HA EcoStrap™ reinforcement GeoMega® wall for railway application

True bridge abutment with TerraTrel®

systemTemperature regulated

Reinforced Earth® stadium

50th anniversary - video

TAI- Technologies

Reinforced Earth® TechSpan® TerraNail™

Reinforced Earth® structures combine selected granular, engineered backfills

with steel or synthetic tensile reinforcements and a modular facing

system. This ideal combination creates a durable, mass gravity retaining wall

TechSpan® is a precast concrete arch system associating a three pin, two

piece, funicular curve shaped arch to an engineered backfill

The TerraNail™ technique allows building new Reinforced Earth® type

walls connected to retaining structures such as slopes stabilized by nailing or

existing retaining walls

The perfect arch, custom designed A logical complementary development

TAI - A successful business model

Support through each stage of the projectwe‘re not selling concrete + steel like in a hardware store, but a custom engineered solution to best suit the project requirementsFeasibility studies, cost estimates & preliminary designsIn contract: Final construction drawings + static calculationsSourcing and supply of materials to sitesTechnical training by experienced staff

TAI - A business model getting closer to construction

Local trendsOn site precastingInstallation of structuresBackfilling

Technology - Reinforced Earth®

Reinforcement (strips)

Facing Selected granular fill

Reinforcements act as a hoopingTerre Armée = composite material, with an artificial cohesionOrigin of logo

terre armée

Technology - La Terre Armée® (Reinforced Earth®)

Technology - Reinforced Earth®, soil reinforcements

HA and HAR steel strips

Steel ladders and bar mats

Geostrips : GeoStrap®, EcoStrap™

HA EcoStrap™

Technology - HA and HAR steel strips

The most widely used reinforcementDimensions 50 mm x 4 mm HA 45 mm x 5 mm HAR 40 mm x 5 mm HA

Steel standards ASTM and EN

Zinc cover 70 m (EN, EN 14475), 86 m (ASTM), 140 m (BS)

Technology - geosynthetic reinforcements

The most recently developed and fastest growing reinforcementsGeoStrap®

High tenacity polyester fibres (PET) LLDPE sheath Width: 50 mm & 90 mm

EcoStrap™

PVA fibres LLDPE sheath Width: 50 mm

HA GeoStrap® & HA EcoStrap™

High friction geostrips High tenacity polyester & PVA fibres LLDPE sheath Width: 50 mm

GeoMega® connection, embedded shaped sleeve

Technology - Reinforced Earth® facings

TerraMid (concrete)

TerraPlus (concrete) TerraVert (concrete)TerraClass (concrete)

TerraTrel® (steel) TerraMet® (steel)

Technology - Concrete panels, the most widely used

TerraClass® (1.5 m x 1.5 m) TerraSquare® (1.5 m x 1.5 m)

TerraPlus® (3.0 m x 1.5 m) TerraSet® (1.7 m x 2.1 m)

Technology - Noise absorbing panels

K20n Haan Gruiten (Germany)

Technology - TerraTrel® wiremesh facing

Mineral TerraTrel®

Mineral TerraTrel®

Mineral TerraTrel® With synthetic strips

With steel strips

Technology - TerraTrel® versatile systems

Green TerraTrel® (after vegetation)

Green TerraTrel® (before vegetation) Temporary TerraTrel®

TerraTrel® Lite (Canada)

Technology - TerraMet® metallic facing

TerraMet®

TerraMet®

The original facing (1964)

TerraMet® Freeport Mine (Indonesia)

Applications - Roads and motorways

Retaining walls

Springfield interchange (USA)

Applications - Roads and motorways

Gateway Upgrade project –Brisbane, Queensland (Australia)

Applications - Roads and motorways

Bridge abutments (piled, true, integral)

Applications - Railways (High Speed)

Kyung-Bu High speed rail (South Korea)

Shinkansen Ohmihachiman (Japan)

Channel Tunnel Rail Link - Kent (UK)

Hannover-Leinhausen (Germany)

Applications - Railways (Intercity & regional)

Snider Diamond - Toronto (Canada) Haan-Gruiten (Germany)

Ralston Holly-San Carlos – California (USA) Mandurah (Western Australia)

Applications - Railways (LRT, commuter trains & metro)

Charlotte Rapid Transit - NC (USA) Homebush Bay - NSW (Australia)

Tramway - Issy les Moulineaux (France) Rapid Transit Denver - CO (USA)

Applications - Railways (freight)

Yale-Trestle replacement (Canada)

Ft Worth Intermodal (USA)North Kiama bypass (Australia)

Endeavour Rd (Australia)

Applications - Hydraulic works (Dams & reservoirs)

Taylor Draw dam – CO (USA)

Prado Dam - Corona - CA (USA)

Trekkopje Reservoir (Namibia)

Rietvlei dam - Pretoria (South Africa)

Applications - Hydraulic works (Rivers & waterways)

Ampang waterfront (Malaysia) Omaha marina - Nebraska (USA)

Majaz canal - Sharjah (UAE) Owensboro - Kentucky (USA)

Applications - Hydraulic works (Marine structures)

Gaspé peninsula - Quebec (Canada)

Langkawi seawall (Malaysia) Richards Bay (South Africa)

Bing Bong Wharf (Australia)

Applications - Mining

Chapada mine (Brazil)

Veladero mine (Argentina)Mafube colliery (South Africa)

Applications - Mining

Cloudbreak (Western Australia)

Syncrude - Alberta (Canada)

Iron ore mine (Western Australia)

Moatize mine (Mozambique)

Applications - Industry & energy

Port Valdez oil terminal - Alaska (USA) Dorstfontein coal storage (South Africa)

Supporting oil sands tanks - Alberta (Canada) Dikes for ammonia tanks - Montoir (France)

Applications - Airports

Carrasco airport (Uruguay)

Atlanta airport - Georgia (USA)

Bangalore airport (India)

Detroit airport - Michigan (USA)

Applications - Buildings

Shopping center - St Herblain (France) Messina stadium - Sicily (Italy)

Medical center - Atlanta (USA) Putrajaya Convention Center (Malaysia)

Applications - Housing

Den Bosch (Netherlands) Pueblo Bonito hotel - LC (Mexico)

Ghantoot polo club (UAE) Prados del Este - Caracas (Venezuela)

Applications - Risk Mitigation

Natural disasters Industrial hazards Nuisances

Design of Reinforced Earth walls

The Design of Reinforced Earth Walls (Jérémy Plancq)

Erection

placement of fill material in layers of 30 – 40 cm + compaction (Dpr = 97% - 100%)erection of facing at the same time as placement of the fillonly a few big machinery (tamping roller or vibrating plate compactor, wheel loader)Erection efficiency Depending on site conditions (straight wall, ramp), cleverness and motivation of staff, logistic of fill material Depending on type of facing Erection of facing elements, bringing in strips + connection, with 5 – 6 persons it is possible to reach the following rates

TerraClass™ TerraTrel™

Concrete elements / day m² / day Steel meshes /

day m² / day

Difficult walls (bridge abutments, ramps) ca. 15 ca. 30 ca. 15 ca. 30

Easy, straight walls(common retaining walls) ca. 30 ca. 60 ca. 25 ca. 50

Erection

Placing of the 1st row of bottom half panels Placing of the 1st row of bottom half panels by using spacer Adjustment of panels (vertical, balance)

Placing of the 1st row of standard panels Placing of the 1st row of standard panels between the

bottom half panels Adjustment of the panels – slightly inclined towards the fill

material (1-1.5%, depending on the fill) – fixed by props Adjustment of standard panels between the bottom half

panels by applying the spacer – fixing by clamps

placement of non-woven geotextile behind the jointsplacement of the 1st layer of fill up to 1st layer of connection points + compactionplacement of 1st layer of strips + connection by bolts (or fully synthetic connection)video

Approvals

Different approvals in France, UK and Germany

Durability

Most structures are designed for 100 – 120 years, temporary structures possibleprotection of the strips by Thermical galvanization (zinc layer thickness between 70 – 140 μm) Sacrificial thickness es

Chemical requirements of the fill material, limitation of SO42-, Cl- - content and pH value

priciple of cathodic corrosion protection of the steel by a sacrificial anode of zinc3 phases of corrosion Phase 1: zinc layer completely intact, oxidation of zinc leads to zinc corrosion products which band together with the grains close to

the steel, both generate a kind of protecting layer Phase 2: zinc layer partially destroyed, steel surface partially exposed, but cathodic protected, rest zinc acts as anode Phase 3: zinc layer completely dissolved, corrosion of steel starts, but protection layer avoids any attack of the steel surface

Research project of MPA Stuttgart with long-term study of black and galvanized strips in soil report from Prof. Nürnberger, test strips in Reinforced Earth structures (collection of data for many decades)

ELEKTROLYT

Stahl

KathodeKathode

Vehicle shock

Special frition slab for vehicle shock combined with copingDesign elements will be connected to our facing panels in the same way as for the cast in place concrete wall (maybe minor adaptations)

Tested and proven system since the 1970ies, 1980iesVideo vehicle shock (USA)Video vehicle shock (France)

Drainage

Selected backfill is a granular backfill (type 1 and 2 EN 14475) with water permeability of 10-3 to 10-4

Joints between the panels prevent from the case of having a waterpressure only at the back of the panelNon-woven geotextile prevent the backfill from penetrating through the joints (erosion)Water during erection will be drained off by drainage layer + drainage at the bottom of the RE wallRoad on top: Salty (NaCl) water cannot penetrate into the RE body, because of waterproof membraneIn cold areas like Canada (temp. -40°C): Draining layer of gravel (type 1 EN 14475) will be placed 50 cm behind the panels.

Maintainance/Repair

Reinforced Earth structures does not need to be maintained more than common concrete structures!In general, RE structures can be subjected to a regular programme of inspection and maintenance (e.g. visual inspection while bridge inspection) Durability samples are incorporated in the structure to monitor corrosion rates over the life of the structureSamples can be extracted during inspections (frequency is usually of 2 samples each 10 to 15 years)Samples are tested to compare actual strength of reinforcement with design assumptions

In the 1970ies use of stainless steel – damaged wallsdue to corrosionBased on that the French ministry of transport publisheda guideline to repair MSE walls

Maintainance/Repair

Different recommendations to repair MSE walls (like anchoring, nailing, retaining walls in front, etc.)There are internal procedures to repair panels (because of e.g. vehicle shock, damage during erection, etc.)

References

We have references in countries with comparable climate conditions Denmark (Frederiksund, Copenhagen-Ringsted TP41 (in design)) Canada & USA Russia (Achalansk, Kaliningrad, Sotchi) Norway (different projects in the mid 1980ies)

Benefits - Strength

Significant load-bearing capacity

Severn crossing (UK) – 12 m high ramp designed for the loading from 2,600 t caissons

A 41 La Ravoire (France)22 m high true abutments

Ehime prefectural road - 56m (Japan)

Benefits - Flexibility

Superior performance with differential settlement on poor foundations

No concrete to concrete contact (peripheral gap)

Elastomeric bearing pads

Tanger – Malabata (Morocco) Road over railway

Final settlements > 50cm

Rouen (France)• Approach ramps to 6th Seine crossing• Anticipated settlement : 60cm• Solution : Reinforced Earth® and stone columns• Measured settlement : ~15cm

Benefits - Flexibility

Combination with soil improvement

Benefits - Resilience

Exceptional seismic response

Designed for ground acceleration of 0.10 g; actual event of 0.40 g; Reinforced EarthWall adjacent to epicenter - Izmit (Turkey)

SeaTac airport 3rd runway (USA) 45 m high wall designed for ground acceleration of 0.60 g

Benefits - Resilience

Effective absorption of dynamic loads from High speed and heavy trains Industrial and mining equipment Avalanches, rock falls, waves … Explosions

Benefits - Cost effectiveness

Construction time and methodMaterials and life cycle cost

60

160

260

360

460

560

3 6 9 12 15

Reinforced ConcreteRetaining wall

Reinforced ConcreteCrib Wall

Metal Crib Wall

MSE Wall with steel reinforcement

MSE Wall with geosynthetic reinforcement

Cos

t pe

r sq

m (

USD

)

Height of wall (m)

From FHWA Demo ’82Manual, 1995

Benefits - Aesthetics

Through a wide range of facings and architectural treatments

Benefits - Aesthetics

Following architects’ requirements

Benefits – Limited environmental footprint

Low impact water retaining structures

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1000

Galvanised steel+ Quarry fill

Omega + Quarryfill

Omega + lime-treated fill

CIP

ConstructionSupply transportFill transportFillStrips & ConnectionsPanels / Concrete

Reinforced Earth® vs CIP - CO2 emissions

Economy of materials (concrete, steel)Use of natural or recycled materials for the backfill Low land useDurabilityPrism software to make EcoDesign

DLB Gonesse (France)Use of recycled construction materials

Benefits of Reinforced Earth®, to summarize…

Time saving by the use of precast elements (concrete or steel elements)Costs savings because of easy construction method and use of just small machineryPossibility of architectural finishing of the facings, both made of concrete or steelSimultaneous erection of both the facing and the fill body, thereforeNo need for sheathing and scaffoldingLittle place requirement (almost not in front of the wall)Based on the technology itself, big advantages compared to deep founded concrete structures in areas of soft soil – synergy with Ménard (soil improvement) possible

When can Reinforced Earth be applied technically and cost effective? In general: Anywhere where common structures would be applied – in fill section! Where there is enough room for the strips (app. 0.7 – 1.0 · H) Starting to be economical up from a height of 3.50 – 4.00 m → depending on surface area Soft soil → in combination with soil improvement Straight walls → working effectively and quickly When the time schedule is tight Selling price := quality of fill, height of wall, system, load, surface

Thank you for your attention

New Acland mine - Queensland (Australia)