Neoloy® Tough-Cells is a reliable, long-term solution for reinforcing earth retention walls

Neoloy Tough-Cells offer a significant advancement in retaining wall technology, offering long-design life, ease of installation, versatility, and cost-effectiveness.

Key Challenges

Construction and infrastructure sites often involve unstable slopes, sharp grade changes, irregular topography, or lack of land. Wall structures using cellular confinement systems must not only resolve problems of erosion control, logistics, aesthetics and cost-effectiveness. They must be durable and resilient. According to the ASTM standard for geocells (D8269-21) the ability of the geocell to provide long-term stabilization of earthen retaining structures depends on its resistance to accumulated permanent deformation (creep resistance).

There are several types of Neoloy retention walls:

    • Retaining structures– gravity walls and steep slopes
    • Reinforced walls– Neoloy combined with horizontal geogrid reinforcement for high and steep retaining walls
    • Free-standing walls
    • Integrated erosion control and earth stabilization – cost-effective combination of Neoloy gravity retaining wall and back slope protection

As a sustainable construction method, Neoloy Tough-Cells uses marginal, locally available materials for backfill, while the exposed fascia cells can be filled with topsoil and vegetation to create a green wall. Neoloy also has a small logistical footprint, making construction simple, fast and cost-effective.

Why Neoloy

The ASTM standard for geocells states that: “The polymeric properties of the geocell are directly related to its performance throughout the entire project design life.”Made of Novel Polymeric Alloy (NPA) Neoloy Tough-Cells exhibit ideal properties to maintain long-term stability in engineered structures such as retaining walls. This includes high creep resistance (<3% over the entire design life, validated by ASTM D6992 SIM (Simulated Isotherm Method) test), as well as high tensile (hoop) strength and environmental durability.

Due to Neoloy’s validated confinement mechanism, high reinforcement and safety factors validated in published research and projects in the field, very steep and high Neoloy walls can be built with small footing and minimal foundation excavation.

Time-consuming formwork and rebars are unnecessary as the Tough-Cells add tensile strength (>16 kN/m) to the concrete. This minimizes cracking as the Tough-Cells flexibility tolerates minor earth movements and has exceptionally high seismic resistance.

Neoloy retaining walls are more sustainable with a lower carbon footprint than other solutions and can be used to create visually appealing green walls. NPA Neoloy-Tough Cells are environmentally durable with high resistance to weathering, chemicals, and biological degradation.

Benefits

  • Neoloy offers very long-term stiffness and strength.
  • Neoloy and backfill form a composite structure that behaves as a monolithic mass, even in soft foundation soils.
  • Neoloy Tough-Cells absorb energy making it highly resistant to seismic activity.
  • Construction without forms or curing is faster than poured concrete.
  • Each layer is structurally sound as laid, without support, scaffolding or cranes.
  • Neoloy can use local soil for infill, eliminating the need for expensive aggregate.
  • Cost effective particular when compared to stone and concrete solutions
  • Low installation cost and Total Cost of Ownership

 

  • Green wall with vegetated fascia on the outer rows for a soft, green and aesthetic retention solution.
  • Non-degradable Neoloy polymer is resistant to weathering, extreme temperatures and water.
  • Permeability of Neoloy wall perforations facilitates onsite drainage and stormwater management.
  • High dimensional stability – low creep (even under high temperatures), high resistance to thermal cycling
  • High resistance to photochemical degradation – leaching of additives, oxidation and UV light

Neoloy Tough Cells Solution for Retaining Walls

Neoloy Tough-Cells retaining walls have a small logistical footprint, can be erected quickly, and use any available granular material for backfill. This makes them more cost-effective than other solutions, such as poured concrete, segmental retaining walls (SRW) and gabion walls.

PRS utilizes advanced geotechnical software programs for the analysis and design of PRS-Neoloy stabilized earth walls. The software enables analysis of global stability of slopes as well as the design of reinforced slopes according to industry guidelines (AASHTO); e.g., of safety reduction factors for sliding, overturning, bearing capacity and PGA – seismic hazard risk.

 


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