Soil Nails Solve Slope Issues

Soil stability problems such as expansive soils, collapsible soils, and poorly compacted soils can present problems in new construction, excavation, and existing projects of all types, from residential and commercial to mining and infrastructure. Soil stability can potentially cause foundation problems ranging from wall cracks to settlement sinking.

Soil nailing is a method of earth reinforcement where unstable soils may be a problem.  This economical process allows a controlled improvement of the stability of the soil.  Typically soil nailing is used when dealing with soil slopes, or retaining walls and can be used when trying to stabilize excavated slopes.

The soil nailing process starts by installing threaded steel bars into slopes or cuts. Grouted bars are installed to create a stable mass of soil, the first step in building a solid wall. The nailing process creates a single block of earth able to hold-back its overburden.

Soil nailing is an economical means of creating shoring systems and retaining walls. Often, nailing is less disruptive than other means of constructing retaining systems. Soil nailing not only works for tension, but also bending and shearing forces.

Advantages

• Low impact on nearby infrastructure
• Flexible and easily modified for tight areas
• Easy to use when dealing with slopes or irregular curves

Generally, this process increases bonding strength of media through its ability to carry tensible loads.

A constructed face is usually required over shoring bars, typically made of a shotcrete cover, which is then reinforced using woven mesh over steel plates.

Permanent walls are usually built with a cast-in-place face over the wall surfaces. 

Typical Applications For Soil Nails

• Existing buildings, parking lots, hardscapes or other infrastructure remediation that rest on unstable soil
• Collapsible soil
• Expansive soils
• Under-compacted soils
• Deep slip zones
• Water infiltration

At Arizona Foundation Solutions, we know soil can present many challenges: underground slip zones, consolidation upon wetting, under or over compaction, or sometimes soil with normal parameters need to be strengthened to provide support for excavations or additional loads. Contact us today for help with your problem soils. Don't let soil problems create costly foundation repairs; we can help identify and fix foundation problems before they happen!