Gloucestershire Retaining Wall Stabilisation

CLIENT : Private
INSTALLER : Site7 Construction

REQUIREMENT

Customer approached Anchor Systems (International) Ltd with concerns regarding a failing timber crib retaining wall, specifically a timber crib wall. The structure was experiencing movement of the material behind the timber soldiers, indicating a significant loss of structural integrity. Following an online search, the client found Anchor Systems’ Vulcan Earth Anchor solutions and requested a site visit for technical guidance and reassurance.

The objective was clear: stabilise the existing timber crib wall and prevent further movement of retained soil, ideally within a short timeframe for the customer.

SOLUTION

After a thorough on-site evaluation by our project manager, a tailored anchoring solution was designed using the Vulcan Earth Anchor system:

50 x AS50 Vulcan Anchors were installed to the face of the wall at depths of 3 metres.
24 x AS-05 Geo-Textile Anchors were positioned at the crest and to hold down the mesh
A roll of Deltax meshing was applied to the wall face, anchored by the geo-textile units.
All components were fully galvanised for durability.

The site presented access challenges due to a slope in front of the wall. To mitigate this, a 13-tonne excavator with steel tracks and a pecker was used. Anchor Systems’ proprietary 20T ram and battery-powered pump were employed for loading and lock-off procedures.

Load requirements specified by the engineer (Tellus Design) were:

Proof load: 20kN
Lock-off load: 14kN
A test anchor (AS50) successfully reached a load of 57kN, validating the design assumptions.

Result

Despite occasional weather delays and some difficulty with proof loading due to deterioration of the timber during testing, the system achieved full lock-off across all anchors. The solution provided by Anchor Systems (International) Ltd met the structural goals of stabilising the timber crib wall and ensured long-term integrity of the retaining structure.

The client was satisfied with the outcome, particularly given the challenges of site access and urgency. This project once again demonstrates the versatility and performance of Vulcan Earth Anchors in retaining wall applications, particularly when dealing with timber crib failures.