Steel reinforcements (welded wire mats, bar mats, high adherence strips) offer the following advantages:
Inextensible.
Steel reinforcements undergo very low strains when loaded, so there is negligible structure deformation due to reinforcement elongation.
High Adherence.
Steel reinforcements embedded in specified granular backfill do not pull out, assuring internal structural stability.
High Tensile Capacity.
Steel reinforcements have high strength, which is well suited to MSE structures over a wide range of heights and loadings.
Long Service Life.
Steel reinforcements are galvanized with 2 oz of zinc per sq ft of metal surface (ASTM A-123), helping them achieve a long service life. When embedded in backfill conforming to AASHTO requirements for pH, resistivity, chlorides and sulfates, the reinforcements can be designed to meet AASHTO’s permanent MSE wall 75-year service life requirement (100 years for critical structures like bridge abutments).
Economical.
Steel reinforcements attached to precast concrete MSE facing panels are straightforward to install using simple connection devices cast into the panels. Only modest construction equipment and a small labor crew are necessary for wall erection. The required granular backfill is easy to place and compact and the more free-draining backfills can be placed almost regardless of weather, increasing productivity and economy.