Construction work can be difficult when unstable or loose soil is a factor. The good news is that retaining walls made with precast lagging panels will help.
The soil found on your construction site will directly affect your structure’s stability and lifespan. If this soil isn’t suitable for construction, you could end up having to make repairs or deal with total structural failure down the line.
But difficult soil conditions don’t immediately spell doom for construction projects – at least, not if you take precautions such as building a retaining wall. Here’s how walls made with engineered precast lagging panels can help your next project go off without a hitch.
What is Lagging in Construction?
Lagging is the material placed between vertical piles to hold back earth along an excavation or retaining wall face. In a soldier pile and lagging system, steel piles are driven or drilled at regular intervals to form the primary support, and the lagging — often made of timber boards or precast concrete panels — spans the open gaps between them. The lagging acts as a structural member that transfers loads from the retained soil back to those piles, which then carry the load down into stable ground. In short, lagging resists retained soil loads and transfers them to the pile system rather than carrying them on its own.
This is one of the most common temporary shoring systems used to support deep excavations, but the same approach shows up in permanent retention systems used along road cuts, hillside builds, and any site where a grade change has to be held in place. A well-designed panel efficiently resists lateral pressure from the soil behind it and transfers it to the piles without deflecting, which is what keeps the cut face stable while work continues below.
How Challenging Are Your Site’s Soil Conditions for Steel Piles or Concrete Panels?
Before you do anything else on your construction site, you’ll want to test the soil you’re planning to build on. Knowing the exact soil conditions you’re dealing with is a must if you want to create structures that are safe, stable, and long-lasting.
While going through this process, you’ll also want to be familiar with some “red flags” that can indicate your construction site’s soil needs extra attention. A few soil varieties that can negatively affect construction projects include:
- Loose/poorly compacted soils. When soils are too loose, they aren’t able to support a structure’s weight. That can lead to uneven settling or even foundation damage.
- Expansive soils. If your building site’s soil is high in clay, it will expand when it gets wet and shrink when it dries. As a result, you may face problems like cracked walls and shifting foundations.
- Excessively moist soils. High water content can easily reduce soil’s stability. That can lead to settlement, erosion, or (in severe instances) landslides.
- Sandy soils. Sandy soils aren’t as cohesive as other soils, and they can shift under pressure. Because of that, they’re a poor choice for heavy structures.
- Soft or weak soil layers. Surface-level soil isn’t the only thing you need to worry about on a construction site. Weak or soft soil layers under the surface could contribute to failure under load or uneven settling.
The Benefits of Precast Lagging Panels
The key to dealing with issues like these is to make your soil as stable as possible – and for that, you’ll need a retaining wall. These structures excel at holding back soil, so they can reduce your risk of erosion and other soil stability problems.
A retaining wall built with precast lagging panels will give you:
Enhanced Stability
If your construction project is sitting on loose or sandy soil, stability can be a serious concern. Precast lagging panels are excellent at retaining and stabilizing soil, making it far safer to build in places with these soil types.
Excellent Load-Bearing Capacity
Precast concrete is incredibly strong, with some products in this category boasting compressive strength of 6,000 psi or higher. Thanks to this strength, retaining walls that incorporate this material are a great choice for excavation work and other demanding projects.
Minimal Soil Disturbance
Retaining wall construction isn’t the only soil stabilization method you can use, but methods like over-excavation will require you to remove a significant amount of soil. In contrast, a precast concrete retaining wall will disrupt as little soil as possible.
Exceptional Long-Term Performance
Precast concrete has low maintenance requirements – it doesn’t usually require more than yearly inspections to keep functioning as intended. That means your lagging panels will deliver best-in-class performance over the long term, even if they have to deal with difficult soil conditions.
Precast Concrete vs. Timber: Choosing the Best Lagging Panels
Despite precast concrete’s popularity, this material isn’t the only choice for lagging panels. For example, you may have thought about using timber lagging panels for your retaining wall. However, precast concrete comes with a number of advantages that make it the number-one choice for retaining wall construction.
One of the biggest benefits of choosing precast concrete over timber is its longer lifespan. While treated timber panels can last for a few decades at most, precast concrete should last considerably longer than that. According to the National Precast Concrete Association, precast concrete products have an average service life of 50-100 years.
Precast concrete is also much more stable than other lagging panel materials, timber included. That will reduce your retaining wall’s risk of settlement, making this structure even more likely to keep delivering results over the long term.
The Importance of Engineering in Precast Lagging
No two construction projects are exactly the same, so it’s never a good idea to settle for “generic” lagging panels in your retaining wall. Instead, it’s best to install panels that have been crafted with your project’s soil type and other site-specific factors in mind.
To get the most out of your precast lagging panels, keep an eye out for a supplier that offers truly custom solutions. These companies can engineer panels to meet the exact soil conditions found on your site. As a result, your panels will deliver the best possible performance for years to come.
Other things to prioritize in your search for a precast concrete supplier include:
- Additional customization options. Your site’s soil composition isn’t the only factor your panel supplier needs to account for. Instead, they should be able to provide panels that meet your exact load and pile spacing requirements.
- Full control over your panels’ appearance. The best retaining walls combine reliable functionality with strong visual appeal. With that in mind, look for companies that manufacture panels in a wide range of colors and textures.
- Helpful support services. You shouldn’t have to figure out the logistics of retaining wall construction by yourself. Truly trustworthy precast lagging panel companies will assist with panel storage, delivery, and (if you ask for it) installation coordination.
Protect Your Project With the Best Precast Lagging Panels
If you’re looking for a panel supplier that delivers all the benefits listed above and more, American Precast Concrete Inc. is here to help. When you choose us for your project, you’ll get exceptional precast lagging panels designed to meet your soil type, desired specifications, and ideal retaining wall appearance.
Do you want to get started on your next construction project? Take the first step by contacting us today!