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Earth Retention Solutions

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Earth Retention Systems for excavation support may be the first stage of construction. Traditional techniques such as steel sheet piling or tied back soldier beam and lagging walls can be a very economical. However, not all sites are amenable to the vibration of driving sheet piling, the interference of underground utilities or other structures. This is particularly true in urban environments. Soil nailing can be a viable alternative to traditional earth retention. We can offer the optimum solution tailored to project requirements and subsurface conditions and restraints.

In congested environments with significant grade changes, excavation bracing (shoring) is often an economical and reliable way to create vertical grade separation for below grade construction.

Our goal is to provide the most cost-effective, least obtrusive earth retention system while affording the maximum protection to workers on the site and minimizing movement of the adjacent earth.

Temporary Excavation Support

In congested environments with significant grade changes, temporary shoring is often an economical and reliable way to create vertical grade separation for below grade construction. While these shoring walls do not allow full property line to property line use due to required interior space for cast-in-place foundation walls, they do offer advantages in specific situations.

Lagging Soil Nail Walls

Another economical earth retention system that ABE offers is soil nail wall construction. This wall type is also appropriate for cut applications and can be constructed either as temporary or permanent. Common applications for soil nail walls include site walls and retention walls for sub-grade basements and parking decks.

Soldier Beams

Soldier Piles are steel I-Beams driven into the ground to help with soil retention. Soldier pile walls are ideal for sites that aren’t conducive to excavation for geogrid walls, cantilever walls, and other retention techniques.

Permanent Excavation Support

The traditional method of below grade construction consisted of constructing a temporary earth retaining wall, then coming inside the temporary wall and constructing a permanent cast-in-place concrete foundation wall and interior foundations. The concept of a permanent shoring wall combines the effects of the temporary shoring wall and the permanent foundation wall. The result is that the owner of a project receives one wall for less than the price of two which serves both functions.

The permanent shoring wall also has benefits for schedule reduction and subcontractor congestion on the job site. This approach is particularly well suited for below grade parking deck construction in urban environments; however, its application is appropriate for a wide range of projects and environments.

Soldier Beams

Soldier Piles are steel I-Beams driven into the ground to help with soil retention. Soldier pile walls are ideal for sites that aren’t conducive to excavation for geogrid walls, cantilever walls, and other retention techniques.

Lagging Soil Nail Walls

Another economical earth retention system that ABE offers is soil nail wall construction. This wall type is also appropriate for cut applications and can be constructed either as temporary or permanent. Common applications for soil nail walls include site walls and retention walls for sub-grade basements and parking decks.

Secant Pile Walls

Secant pile walls are formed by constructing intersecting reinforced concrete piles. The secant piles are reinforced with either steel rebar or with steel beams and are constructed by either drilling under mud or augering. Primary piles are installed first with secondary (male) piles constructed in between primary (female) piles once the latter gain sufficient strength. Pile overlap is typically in the order of 3 inches (8 cm). In a tangent pile wall, there is no pile overlap as the piles are constructed flush to each other.

Including Self-Braced Ring Systems for Deep Access Shafts.

Since beginning this service line, ABE has self-performed the placement of several hundred thousand square feet of shotcrete in earth retention applications.

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ASA Certified Nozzlemen

ABE has several American Shotcrete Association certified nozzlemen.

Shotcrete

Shotcrete is concrete that is pneumatically projected at a high velocity onto a surface. It is a versatile and economical choice compared to cast-in-place concrete; however it requires a very high degree of skill on the part of the field crew.

In an effort to offer standardized high-quality shotcrete service, ABE has several American Shotcrete Association certified nozzlemen. These nozzlemen have the requisite experience for certification and have passed a written and field examination of their placement skill. At ABE we continue in-house training for field crews, improvement with new shotcrete equipment, mix designs and finishes.

Since beginning this service line, ABE has self-performed the placement of several hundred thousand square feet of shotcrete in earth retention applications. In addition, we have used shotcrete in underpinning applications and performed overhead shotcrete work.

Temporary & Permanent Shoring Applications

Temporary & Permanent Shoring Applications

Structural Repair with Shotcrete

Structural Repair with Shotcrete

Overhead & Miscellaneous

Overhead & Miscellaneous

Tiebacks

A tieback is a horizontal wire or rod, or a helical anchor used to reinforce retaining walls for stability. With one end of the tieback secured to the wall, the other end is anchored to a stable structure, such as a concrete deadman which has been driven into the ground or anchored into earth with sufficient resistance.

Temporary & Permanent Tieback Applications

Temporary & Permanent Tieback Applications

Structural Repair

Strand and Bar Type Anchors

Overhead & Miscellaneous

Helical Anchors

Underpinning

Underpinning is a solid foundation laid below ground level to support or strengthen a building.

Pit Underpinning

Pit Underpinning

Micropile Underpinning

Micropile Underpinning

Chance Helical Underpinning

Chance Helical Underpinning

Atlas Resistance Piers

Atlas Resistance Piers

Temporary Dewatering

Dewatering systems are routinely used in the construction industry to provide temporary reductions in groundwater levels for structures which extend to below groundwater level. Groundwater control extends this definition to encompass any pumping or recharge system used to manipulate groundwater levels for a range of purposes. This can be achieved in a variety of ways.

Construction Dewatering

Below grade structures often extend below the local groundwater table. We often encounter the need to temporarily dewater excavations in conjunction with the construction of shoring walls. Typically the dewatering system operates until the permanent drainage system of the structure can be put online.

Our dewatering systems are geared for large drawdown requirements (i.e. 10 feet or greater). The dewatering wells are drilled down into the upper layer of bedrock and a submersible pump is placed inside the well. The groundwater is then pumped from the bottom of the well and either discharged or, if contaminated, treated before discharge.

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