You have little control over the land you would want to construct on. Having weak or unstable soil should not stop you from building or mining on your land. One of the best methods of reinforcing soil is soil nailing. This technique is used for retaining walls, excavations, and slopes, among others. In this method, the ground will be stabilized using reinforcing bars known as nails. These are inserted into pre-drilled holes at a 10-20-degree angle before grouting.
Many drilling companies in the UK use soil nailing for clay, sandy clay, glacial soils, and gravel. The procedure can also be used on weathered rock provided the weathering has no weakened planes. Other than soil stabilization, nailing will suffice for landslide redemption, steep cutting stabilization, and the provision of long-term stability to concrete structure; therefore, eliminating the need for rebuilding or demolition.
The technique also suffices for temporary excavation, shorting, and retrofitting, as well as the construction of bridge abutments. Here are the soil nailing techniques that the drilling company might use for your project:
Drilled and Grouted Method
With this option, holes will be drilled into the slope face or walls before soil nails are inserted into the holes. Afterwards, the gap will be filled using grouting materials such as shotcrete and concrete. The diameter of the soil nails used in the drilled and grouted method range from 100 to 200mm and have spaces of 1.5m.
Driven Soil Nailing Method
This is generally used for temporary soil slope stabilization and is a considerably fast option. The nails, in this case, will be pushed into the slope face during the excavation process. The soil nails used in this method are 19-25mm with a spacing of 1-1.2m. Though relatively cheap, the driven soil nailing method will not provide corrosion protection to the soil nails or reinforcement steel.
Self-Drilling Methods
In this option, hollow bars will be used. These bars are drilled into a slope’s surface with grout injected concurrently with the soil nailing process. Self-drilling soil nailing is faster compared to drilled and grouted nailing and offers more corrosion resistance for your soil nails. This makes it an ideal choice for moist soils and coastal areas.
Jet Grouted Technique
Here, jets will be used to erode the soil and create holes in the slope’s surface. After this, the drilling company will install steel bars into the holes and grout them with concrete. The jet grouted soil nailing technique has exceptional corrosion resistance for the nails used.
Launched Soil Method
With this option, steel bars will be forced into the ground using a single shot from a compressed air machine. The fitting of soil nails will be fast in this case, but controlling the length of the nail that will penetrate the ground is challenging. The nails used in the launched soil method are 38mm in diameter with lengths of 6m.
There exist several options for stabilizing soils. The above soil nailing techniques are, however, the best options for confined spaces and have no height restrictions. Moreover, they have a minimal environmental impact, use less shoring and materials compared to other alternatives, and are flexible. Either way, it is essential to get an experienced drilling company to handle your soil stabilization project.
