Multi-Wall Replacement
LOCATION
Kingsport, TN
TOTAL WALL AREA
1,184 total square feet
MAXIMUM HEIGHT
10’-8”
Challenge
This home in Kingsport, TN, required a new retaining wall surround an existing pool. Since one retaining wall would be under construction, the home-owners opted to replace several existing retaining walls on site. The existing retaining walls were CMU with a brick veneer, but would be replaced by segmental MSE walls. The existing walls near the front entrance of the home, were tiered and beginning to fail. The existing CMU wall behind the pool had completely failed. The homeowners liked the aesthetic of the existing tiered CMU walls, but also were concerned about increased cost a tiered MSE system would incur. Additionally, it was unknown if the CMU wall closest to the home was supporting the foundation of the home.
Solution
Dean Engineering and Design designed several walls to accomplished aesthetic and structural goals of the homeowners. The new wall behind the pool and retaining the soil of the neighboring property was designed to match the existing wall. The tiered walls in front of the home were demolished, but the uppermost tier was left intact, to ensure the existing home foundation was not disturbed. A new MSE walls was built in front of the undisturbed CMU wall. Then, a second MSE wall was built in front of the first MSE wall to create a curved staircase leading to the front door of the home. This new curved orientation created the effect of a tiered wall system, without creating undue cost while also making a convenient path to the front door. The segmental block units were carefully saw-cut to create each step of the staircase. In the areas where the second MSE wall was placed in front of the first, geotextile fabric stretched from the second, outer wall to the full geogrid length of the first, inner wall to ensure stability throughout both.
