Though the average driver doesn’t give much thought to highway and DOT retaining walls, these structures are responsible for stabilizing slopes, controlling water runoff, and supporting embankments. With that in mind, your civil engineering project should include truly reliable retaining walls.
If you’re in charge of one of these projects, you should know that the materials you use in your wall will determine its future. Keep reading to learn why precast lagging panels are the perfect solution for any highway retaining wall.
The Challenges of Highway Retaining Wall Projects
You’ll need to overcome problems when installing any retaining wall, but building these structures near a highway comes with a unique set of challenges. Retaining walls designed for environments like these need to be:
- Long-lasting. As a permanent civil engineering project, your highway retaining wall will have to stand in place for more than a decade or two.
- Minimally disruptive. While planning to install a highway or DOT retaining wall, you’ll need to find ways to minimize the impact of this work on traffic.
- Secure. Drivers rely on retaining walls to protect them from landslides and other safety threats.
- Affordable. Though retaining wall installation shouldn’t be cost-prohibitive, long-term savings opportunities are just as important.
- Eco-friendly. Ideally, the materials you use in your retaining wall will have a minimal environmental footprint.
Can You Use Timber Panels in Highway Retaining Walls?
Timber lagging panels work well enough for some retaining wall applications (especially temporary retaining wall projects). However, these panels can’t meet all the requirements listed above; because of that, you’ll want to think twice before using them in a highway retaining wall.
One of the most notable problems with timber lagging panels is their lifespan. While treated timber can last for decades, even that isn’t enough for demanding use cases like highway and DOT retaining walls. These walls call for lagging panels that can stay in place for as long as possible – even up to a century.
That isn’t the only issue that can arise when you use timber lagging panels for DOT retaining walls. No matter how much you can save with these panels upfront, they’ll struggle with moisture, come with high maintenance requirements, and run the risk of attracting pests. As a result, timber lagging panels are a poor choice for permanent civil engineering projects.
Why Precast Lagging Panels Are the Right Choice
Fortunately, there’s a much better product for construction projects like these – namely, precast lagging panels. When you buy these lagging panels, you’ll be blown away by their:
Durability and Longevity
According to the National Precast Concrete Association, precast concrete products (including precast lagging panels) normally last anywhere from 50 to 100 years. That makes them a perfect choice for highway and DOT retaining walls.
Ease of Installation
The key to reducing traffic disruption from a highway retaining wall project is installing your wall as quickly as possible. Precast concrete panels can help – since these panels meet strict specifications, you won’t have any trouble putting them in place. Plus, you don’t have to spend time manufacturing these components on-site.
Minimal Maintenance Needs
Unlike timber lagging panels, precast concrete needs little maintenance once it’s been installed. For the most part, you’ll just have to check your lagging panels for damage once a year (or even every other year).
Cost-Effectiveness
Since precast lagging panels are so undemanding in terms of maintenance and repairs, they’re an excellent choice when you’re looking to control long-term expenses. And thanks to their long service lives, you shouldn’t have to spend money on replacement panels anytime soon.
Safety
Precast lagging panels deliver the reliable performance you need to keep motorists safe day in and day out. These products are also manufactured in controlled environments, meaning you’ll have a reduced risk of workplace injuries.
Low Environmental Impact
Compared to cast-in-place concrete, precast concrete typically produces less waste – minimizing your wall’s impact on the environment. Meanwhile, the long lifespan of these panels will let you use your existing panels for as long as possible.
Extending Your Highway Retaining Wall’s Lifespan
Even though precast concrete lagging panels last longer than timber panels, thinking ahead is a must if you want these materials to stand the test of time. When you’re planning to install a retaining wall near a highway, you’ll need to:
Consider Your Wall’s Surroundings
A retaining wall’s location will have a massive impact on its lifespan. Before you start construction on your wall, make sure to consider groundwater, soil composition, freeze-thaw cycles, and any other location-specific factors that could have an effect on its service life. Once you have that information, you can start taking steps to mitigate the impact of factors like these.
Pick the Right Concrete Mix
Not all concrete mixes are identical, and the mix you choose will play a role in determining your retaining wall’s lifespan. For example, a mix could be perfect for lightweight projects but a poor choice for lagging panels. Finding the right concrete mix for your needs can be tricky, but your precast lagging panel supplier should be able to help you with this decision.
Think About Corrosion Protection
Steel rebar and other metal components used in retaining wall panels are at risk of corrosion. Luckily, you can keep these parts safe with cathodic protection. This is an electrochemical process that slows the rate of corrosion by lowering the electric potential of a metal surface.
Take Drainage Seriously
Without sufficient drainage to keep it under control, hydrostatic pressure will seriously damage (or outright destroy) your new retaining wall. Chimney drains, weep holes, and geocomposite drains can all help walls deal with this form of pressure. At the same time, outlet protection will stop the water flow from these drains from eroding the ground near your wall.
Keep Cracks Under Control
No matter how careful you are, even the best concrete lagging panels will eventually crack. That said, you can have some control over where these cracks occur with control joints. When your lagging panels have these intentional weak points, cracks will be more likely to form in a straight line – and less likely to appear at random.
Make Maintenance a High Priority
Finally, keeping up on regular maintenance will help your retaining wall last longer than it would otherwise. To make maintenance as simple and effective as possible, make sure your maintenance plan includes panel access and predetermined inspection intervals.
Get Great Precast Lagging Panels for Your Highway Retaining Wall
The best highway and DOT retaining walls are built with precast lagging panels, so you’ll want to find a panel supplier you can count on. American Precast Concrete Inc. is the right choice for these materials – we can manufacture lagging panels that are perfectly suited to your retaining wall’s unique needs. Get started by reaching out today!