Drainage for earth retaining structures and bridge abutments
Water buildup behind conventional retaining structures and bridge abutments can increase the applied loading and movements on the rear of the structure and may require thicker structures to resist the loading.
This pressure is normally dealt with by the introduction of a granular fill or mineral layer behind the structure. This can be expensive and may cause sustainability issues as well as an increase of the construction time required to finish the project. Long-term performance of granular fill may also be affected by the intrusion of fine grained soil particles carried by the water from the backfill material.
An increase in water volume during construction may cause delays in construction time as this will need to be managed to avoid damage to the temporary works.
The use of Enkadrain geocomposite drainage layers instead of a granular fill offers a variety of benefits.
- A drainage core with a consistent 95% void which has a filter material that prevents the intrusion of fine soil particles from the backfill
- It allows for a uniform movement of water in all directions through the drainage layer
- It creates an air layer between soil and wall to decrease humidity in the concrete
- Speed of installation will reduce the construction time required
Pressure caused by water buildup is relieved by Enkadrain. Additionally, the use of Enkadrain with one or two filter layers decreases humidity in the concrete.
Enkadrain secures the stability of the earth retaining structure, by draining off destabilizing water flows.
Functions:
- Drainage with use of prefabricated screens
- Filtration
- Separation
- Protection
Relevant products:
