{"id":223,"date":"2012-07-05T14:18:12","date_gmt":"2012-07-05T21:18:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/maxumstone.co.uk\/?p=223"},"modified":"2019-09-05T15:44:07","modified_gmt":"2019-09-05T22:44:07","slug":"hollow-cores-offer-advantages-for-retaining-wall-systems","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/maxumstone.co.uk\/hollow-cores-offer-advantages-for-retaining-wall-systems\/","title":{"rendered":"Hollow Cores Offer Advantages for Retaining Wall Systems"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The History<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Large precast retaining wall blocks have had great success in the \nconstruction industry based initially on their sheer weight and \ndurability in freeze\/thaw conditions. However, contractors\u2014striving to \nbe in step with green building trends\u2014are building structures with both \nlower environmental impact and greater design flexibility in mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Segmental retaining walls (SRWs) are segmental retaining walls that \nrely primarily on their mass (weight) for stability and connection with \nGeogrids. The units are manufactured of high compressive strength, \nlow-absorption concrete, which helps make them resistant to spalling, \nscour, abrasion, the effects of freeze-thaw cycles, rot, and insect \ndamage. These concrete masonry units are dry-stacked and rely on a \ncombination of mechanical interlock and mass to keep them in place. They\n can be seen along highways, bridge abutments and in areas requiring \nerosion control. SRW uses range from soil reinforcement, extending into \nbackfill and increasing the effective width and weight of gravity mass, \nto backyard landscaping enhancements. Additionally, a single worker \nalone can place multiple units.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Large, precast retaining walls systems, PMB\u2019s (Precast Modular \nBlocks) while proffering a sense of durability due to their sheer size \nand mass, have definite limitations and disadvantages when compared to \nSRWs. In instances of high areas to buttress, connection strength of \nunit to geogrid reinforcement is an important factor for geogrid \nreinforced walls; the unit\u2019s mass is only one contributing factor to the\n connection strength. Additionally, solid precast retaining wall units \ndo not lend themselves to a wide range of engineering design options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From the manufacturing point of view, cost considerations on large \nblock, precast retaining walls units are driven by how much concrete is \nrequired to produce units, the cost and number of moulds required for \nproduction and the cost of transporting finished units. Solid or mostly \nsolid units require more concrete per foot to manufacture than systems \nwith larger hollow cores and require larger equipment to move.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Green Building Factor<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The environmental impact of the cement manufacturing process, though,\n remains an issue. Producing one ton of cement results in the emission \nof approximately one ton of CO2, created by fuel combustion and the \ncalcination of raw materials. Cement manufacturing is a source of \ngreenhouse gas emissions, accounting for approximately 7 to 8 percent of\n CO2 globally. Because a typical concrete mix design requires 10 to 15 \npercent cement, producers have been working together with scientists and\n governmental organizations on a variety of approaches to minimize the \nnegative environmental impacts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One approach has been the use of supplementary cementing materials \n(SCMs) to replace a portion of the cement used in concrete. Waste \nmaterials such as fly ash or ground granulated blast-furnace slag are \nnow more commonly incorporated in the mix and have the secondary benefit\n of being saved from going to landfills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another approach has been the use of hollow cores as an alternative \nto large block precast retaining walls. Properly designed, hollow core \nunits do not sacrifice structural integrity and must pass rigorous \nindustry standard testing requirements. Having the hollow cores as part \nof the integral design of each unit automatically brings environmental \nadvantages in a number of areas:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Manufacturing Raw Materials<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Less cement and aggregates required to produce the same face area of retaining wall. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reduced Transportation Costs <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

\nLighter unit weight results in more face feet of wall product delivered \nto distribution points or job sites and lower transportation fuel costs.\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Installation<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

\nLighter unit weight means quicker installation and lighter equipment \nrequired for installation, not to mention reduced fuel costs.\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One firm striving for innovation, Canadian-based Cornerstone Wall \nSolutions, has designed the MaxumStone\u2122 retaining wall system \ncontaining design features that provide improvements and savings at all \nstages of the process from manufacturing to design to installation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The MaxumStone\u2122 retaining wall system represents a further extension\n of the hollow core trend; the size of the voids including the hollow \ncore in an eight-square-foot face MaxumStone unit is 6.35 cubic feet. \nEven producing a small retaining wall of 8000 square feet saves 6000 \ncubic feet of concrete, compared to construction using a solid wall \nsystem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When comparing system specifications on the basis per square foot of \ninstalled precast retaining wall versus hollow core wall, the hollow \ncore system\u2019s superiority surfaces. The weight per square foot of wall \nface, which was previously 487 pounds per square foot, then reduced to \n242 pounds per square foot, has fallen once more (using MaxumStone) to \n170 pounds per square foot\u2014a drop of almost 30 percent. Maximum square \nfootage able to be placed on a truck (with a 48,000-pound capacity) was \nincreased from 96 square feet to 192 square feet as well. In other \nwords, using MaxumStone\u2122 increased the capacity 45 percent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The MaxumStone\u2122 system consists of a large block, hollow core, \nprecast segmental retaining wall system that utilizes five basic units, \nincluding a full-block, base unit, top unit, and a half-high block and \nend corner unit\u2014all manufactured from the same mold. Full blocks are two\n feet tall, four feet wide and two feet deep and have an \neight-square-foot face size. Unit to unit connections use a patented, \nmortarless, SecureLug interlock system and are light enough to be moved \nin pairs with a standard Bobcat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MaxumStone\u2122 has been thoroughly tested for connection and strength \nin accordance with the design methodology promoted by the National \nConcrete Masonry Association (NCMA). The wet-cast manufacturing process \nprovides the units with high strength, low absorption and excellent \nfreeze\/thaw results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The vertical and horizontal hollow cores provide a number of creative\n and engineering design possibilities including: internal drainage \nsystems, top of wall penetrations for posts or guard rails and Jersey \nBarriers, vertical and horizontal steel\/concrete reinforcement, steel \nladder configuration, through-wall services and drainage systems, and \ngreen wall options, such as planting pockets or terraces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The National Concrete Masonry Association, (NCMA), offers an SRW \nInstaller Education Course and the Certified SRW Installer Certification\n Program. Open to NCMA this Train-the-Trainer course teaches SRW \ninstallation guidelines, material and system component properties, soils\n and compaction, site practices, and how to effectively instruct \ninstallers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The United States House of Representatives recently passed the DOD \nAuthorization Bill (H.R. 5658), which was proposed and endorsed by the \nNCMA, with directives to incorporate \u201cprinciples of sustainable design\u201d \nto be included \u201cin documents submitted as part of military construction \nprojects\u201d and, further, that those projects are to incorporate \n\u201clife-cycle cost-effective practices as an element in project budgets.\u201d \nThe bill\u2019s approval will undoubtedly impact the continued growth of the \nsegmental retaining wall industry, making hollow core retaining wall \nsystems a smart alternative to traditional solid systems.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The History Large precast retaining wall blocks have had great success in the construction industry based initially on their sheer weight and durability in freeze\/thaw conditions. However, contractors\u2014striving to be in step with green building trends\u2014are building structures with both lower environmental impact and greater design flexibility in mind. Segmental retaining walls (SRWs) are segmental […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":200,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[10,61,5,7,14],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nHollow Cores Offer Advantages for Retaining Wall Systems - Blog - MaxumStone<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Hollow Cores Offer Advantages for Retaining Wall Systems. 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