The developer for this residential subdivision property needed a retaining wall to support a cut excavation at the rear of the project site. The proposed wall would be 9 feet tall and be located only 5 feet from the property line. MMC Materials, Inc., manufacturers of the Redi-Rock retaining wall system in Jackson, Mississippi, called on JC Hines and Associates to see if Redi-Rock would work for this site.
The soil on site was not ideal. The fat clay would require an undercut and replacement with lean clay fill to reduce settlement and shrink/swell potential of the retaining wall foundation. Excavation so close to the property line could threaten to undermine the foundation of an outbuilding on the adjacent property. Retaining wall systems that required geogrid reinforcement would not be an option here.
With the geotechnical considerations well established, the team at JC Hines and Associates went to work. The final design provided for a retaining wall at just over 930 square feet that would retain the cut excavation and allow enough space at the wall crest for a privacy fence. The Ledgestone face texture of the block in the custom multi-tone color allowed the developer to construct a retaining wall that would complement the appearance of the adjacent homes and deliver an attractive wall structure for their signature project.