With complete geosynthetic system solutions, noise barriers, retaining walls, reinforced embankments or other structures with inclinations of up to 90° can be built.

Reinforcement
The use of Secugrid^® geogrids for the reinforcement of steep walls and retaining structures is necessary in cases where the shear strength of the soil material alone is insufficient to provide the required stability. Uniaxial Secugrid^® R geogrids are designed for, and especially well suited for this purpose. They are made from high strength polyester (PET) or polypropylene (PP) resin which has been extruded into flat monolithic bars, and welded together to create junction stiffness. This special geogrid design provides an immediate interlocking with the surrounding soil. Its frictional properties further enhance the structural strength of the application. Secugrid^® is designed to accept high construction stresses with low elongation, as is necessary to minimize unacceptable deformation. A tensile strength of up to 800 kN/m can be achieved with an extremely low strain at failure of less than 8 %. In addition to bearing capacity as well as frost and drainage behavior, the bond strength and robustness of the reinforcement should also be taken into consideration when installing the backfill. The required compaction of the backfill material will typically create high installation loads. Due to their large surface area and as demonstrated in numerous tests as well as field trials, the flat monolithic bars of Secugrid^® are extremely robust and resistant to dynamic installation loads. Secugrid^® geogrid design and specification recommendations are available in our Secugrid^® Design Manual.

Construction of an Outer Face
To create low impact structures that blend into the landscape, there are different types of faces for reinforced steep slopes and walls that can be constructed. For steep reinforced slopes with inclinations up to 45°, Secugrid^® can be installed horizontally, without special face elements. For protection against potential washout of the fill soil between the reinforcing layers, a filter stable soil or Secumat^® erosion control mat infused with grass seed is especially well suited. On steeper slopes with inclinations up to 60°, the enveloping method for Secugrid^® geogrid installation is necessary. To facilitate this construction technique, temporary or expendable formworks must first be installed. To prevent erosion or soil washout, it may be necessary to use a mechanically bonded Secutex^® nonwoven geotextile on the inner side of the reinforcement. Using vegetated Secumat^® erosion control mat may also prevent soil washout. The outer face of steep walls with inclinations of up to 90° can also be designed to use natural stones, gabions, broken rocks and prefabricated concrete units. The outer face/geosynthetic connection is made with either factory-made connections, or with special clamping or on-site fastening methods.

Foundation of Massive Face Elements
Foundation requirements for massive face elements are described in the different national recommendations for geosynthetic reinforcement. In principle, the general engineering standards for earth and concrete construction are valid. In wrap-around walls, a special foundation is not typically required.