Soil nailing consists of the passive reinforcement (i.e., no post-tensioning) of existing ground by installing closely spaced steel bars (i.e., nails), which are subsequently encased in grout. As construction proceeds from the top to the bottom, shotcrete or concrete is also applied on the excavation face to provide continuity. Soil nailing is typically used to stabilize existing slopes or excavations where top-to-bottom construction is advanatageous compared to other retaining wall systems. For certain conditions, soil nailing offers a viable alternative from the viewpoint of technical feasibility, construction costs, and construction duration when compared to ground anchor walls, which is another popular top down retaining system. While the terms “soil nail wall” and “soil nailing” are broadly applied to soil systems, the technique is also applicable to excavations in soil-like materials (e.g., soft rock or weathered rock).
The Collin Group has been engineer of record for both temporary and permanent soil nail wall projects.
