Forensic examination of gravity block walls

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Publication Title
Forensic examination of gravity block walls

Abstract
The effective design, specification and construction of geotechnical assets or Special Geotechnical Measures (SGMs) are critical to the efficient operation of the National Highways Strategic Road Network (SRN) in England. Given the required performance of the SRN in terms of resilience, reliability, redundancy and recovery it is essential that SGMs are themselves reliable in terms of performance and life; resilient to external conditions such as earthworks deterioration and extraordinary conditions (e.g. climate change). Around 100 different types of SGMs are used on the SRN and the early installations of some SGMs are approaching the end of their design life; the design, specification and application of many of these techniques are based on limited studies. A detailed account of issues identified on the Strategic Road Network (SRN) is given resulting from the inspection of Block Walls of various types and in various settings. The results were used to develop advice on the design, construction, inspection, maintenance and decommissioning of such structures and to make a series of recommendations for their future use. Principle amongst these is that the evidence suggests that when properly designed, specified, constructed and maintained, including an appropriate inspection regime, Gravity block walls can meet the required design life of such SGMs.
Authors
Mike G. Winter; Michelle Duffy-Turner; Ian M. Nettleton; Philip Liew

Published In

18th European Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ECSMGE2024)

Theme

D - Current and new construction methods

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