Company:
Propex

Project Details

Fabric 1

PYRAWALL
Producer/Manufacturer: Propex Geosynthetics
Primary Use: Main Fabric


Engineer Company 1
Braun Intertec

Design Company
Braun Intertec & Propex

Fabrication Company
Propex

Installation Company
Belair Sitework Services


Please describe the project specifications

In 2019, Edgewood Middle School underwent renovations and expansion, including the construction of a new parking lot. The school needed to maximize the use of its property, however, there was not enough level space needed for the parking lot. To create more space within the confines of the existing area, a retaining wall was needed to reach the desired grade.

The project required design and installation of a mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) wall to expand available space for a new parking lot. The design was required to have a chain-link fence installed at the top of the MSE wall. All solutions used on the project were required to be MN DOT Approved/qualified reinforcing materials and drainage products.


What is unique or complex about the project?

Initially, a modular block wall was considered for the project. This option was expensive and offered no aesthetic enhancement to the school. The design engineer selected PYRAWALL, an engineered wrap-face vegetated solution consisting of High-Performance Turf Reinforcement Mat (HPTRM) and fiber-composite internal bracing. The system produces reinforced soil mass to resist lateral earth pressures and provides immediate erosion protection upon installation.

PYRAWALL was used to construct eight lifts, each at one foot tall, to raise the grade for the new parking lot. Onsite soil was used to fill the lifts, eliminating the need to transport fill materials on site. This saved significant costs and reduced the project’s amount of transportation emissions. The design of the MSE wall included an almost 90-degree bend. PYRAWALL’s flexibility made it easy to incorporate the curve during installation.

The MSE wall successfully provided additional, stable space for the parking lot. Within only four months, the PYRAWALL installation was vegetated, providing an environmentally friendly and aesthetically pleasing solution.


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