South Okanagan Concrete Products has the products to get the job done. We offer a wide variety of retaining wall solutions to fit your budget.
Large precast modular blocks (PMB) are often the easiest and most cost effective way of retaining soil. PMB walls have many advantages over traditional poured-in-place concrete retaining walls. Because of their inherent modular form, PMB walls are often better suited to withstand the forces of nature. Earth quakes, freeze thaw cycles and other outside forces often put enormous stress on rigid poured-in-place retaining walls, while PMB walls have the ability to move slightly to absorb these forces.
When it comes to PMB retaining walls, there are essentially two types – Gravity and Reinforced.
A gravity retaining wall is as it sounds a wall that uses gravity to retain soil. In the simplest of terms, the wall is using its “mass” to lean against the soil and prevent it from moving. This is often the most cost effective way to retain soils. See diagram below.
A reinforced retaining wall, often referred to as a Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) wall use geosynthetics or other devices to stabilize the earth behind a retaining wall. Soil is placed behind the retaining wall in controlled layers. Geosynthetic fabric is placed between the controlled layers of soil. The material is then compacted with a mechanical compactor. These walls can be built taller than traditional gravity walls and are often designed to endure extreme forces.
SOCP manufactures the industry leading large block retaining wall system, Redi-Rock. Redi-Rock is “Designed by Engineers for Engineers”. This large block retaining wall system offers a coordinated product line like no other.
The Redi-Rock Gravity System has the ability to build tall walls without requiring geosynthetics or tiebacks in many applications. This makes it possible to build close to property lines and existing infrastructure, minimizing excavation and installation costs. Each 41” gravity block weighs 2,351 lbs. Redi-Rock blocks utilize a knob and groove technology, which means that the entire retaining wall structure is interlocked.
South Okanagan Concrete Products is proud to offer not only a gravity retaining wall system, but also an unparalleled geosynthetic reinforced system—the Redi-Rock Positive Connection (PC) System. The heart and soul of the PC System is its superior connection strength. Unlike friction connections featured in other geosynthetic reinforced wall systems, there is virtually no chance of a pullout connection failure with the PC System because the grid wraps through the block.