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ë Soil Nailing is a procedure to reinforce and strengthen ground
adjacent to an excavation by installing closely spaced steel
bars called ³nails´ ,as construction proceeds from top down.

ë It is an effective and economical method of constructing

retaining wall for excavation support, support of hill cuts,
bridge abutments and high ways.

ë This process is effectively in cohesive soil, brocken rock, shale

or fixed face conditions.
ë Soil nail technology was first used in France to build a
permanent retaining wall cut in soft rock. The project,
undertaken in 1961, was the first where steel nails were
used to reinforce a retaining wall.

ë The first soil nail wall to use modern soil nailing

techniques was built near Versailles in 1972. The
technique included installing high-density, grouted soil
nails into a 60-ft.-high wall and facing it with
reinforced concreteÄ
ë Stabilization of railroad and highway cut slopes

ë Excavation retaining structures in urban areas for high-

rise building and underground facilities

ë Tunnel portals in steep and unstable stratified slopes

ë construction and retrofitting of bridge abutments with

complex boundaries involving wall support under piled
foundations

ë Stabilizing steep cuttings to maximize development

spaceÄ
ë The stabilizing of existing over-steep embankments.

ë Soil Nailing through existing concrete or masonry

structures such as failing retaining walls and bridge
abutments to provide long term stability without
demolition and rebuild costs.

ë Temporary support can be provided to excavations

without the need for bulky and intrusive scaffold type
temporary works solutions
ë criven Nails

ë Grouted Nails

ë Corrosion Protected Nails

ë Jet grouted Nails

ë Launched Nails
 criven nails

Generally small-diameter nails (15-46 mm) with a

relatively limited length (to about 20 m) made of mild
steel (about 50 ksi) that are closely spaced in the wall
(two to four nails per square meter). Nails with an axial
channel can be used to permit the addition of grout
sealing. criven nails are the quickest (four to six per
hour) and most economical to install (with a pneumatic
or hydraulic hammer).
 Grouted Nails
Steel bars, with diameters ranging from 15 to 46 mm,
stronger than driven nails (about 60 ksi). Grouted nails
are inserted into boreholes of 10-15 cm and then
cement-grouted. Ribbed bars are also used to increase
soil adhesion.

Corrosion-protected nails
For aggressive soils as well as for permanent structures.
 Ñ



§ composite of grouted soil and a central steel rod, up

to 40 cm thick. Nails are installed using a high-
frequency vibropercussion hammer, and cement
grouting is injected during installation. This method
has been shown to increase the pullout resistance of the
composite, and the nails are corrosion-resistant.
  

Nails between 25 and 38 mm in diameter and up to 6

m or longer are fired directly into the soil with a
compressed-air launcher. Used primarily for slope
stabilization, this technique involves the least site
disturbance
ë crilling Equipments

ë Grout Mixing Equipments

ë Shotcreting / Guniting Equipments

ë Compressor
  ! 

There are few common types of drilling equipment,

namely rotary air-flushed and water-flushed, down-the-
hole hammer, tri-cone bit. It is important to procure
drilling equipment with sufficient power and rigid drill
rods.
 

" ! 

In order to produce uniform grout mix, high speed

shear colloidal mixer should be considered. Powerful
grout pump is essential for uninterrupted delivery of
grout mix. If fine aggregate is used as filler for
economy, special grout pump shall be usedÄ
 



 ! 

cry mix method will require a valve at the nozzle

outlet to control the amount of water injecting into the
high pressurized flow of sand/cement mix. For
controlling the thickness of the shotcrete, measuring
pin shall be installed at fixed vertical and horizontal
intervals to guide the nozzle man.

!  

The compressor shall have minimum capacity to

delivered shotcrete at the minimum rate of 9m3/min.
Sometimes, the noise of compressor can be an issue if
the work is at close proximity to residential area,
hospital and school.
ë Steel Reinforcements

ë Grout Mix

ë Shotcrete/Gunite
 
 # ! 


For corrosion protection, all steel component shall be

galvanized. If machine threading after galvanization is
unavoidable, then proper zinc based coating shall be
applied onto the thread. For double corrosion
protection, the PVC corrugated pipe used shall be of
good quality and adequate thickness. Preferably
galvanized corrugated steel pipe shall be used.
 

"

For conventional soil nail, the water cement ratio of

the grout mix ranges from 0.4 to 0.5. §s most
cementatious grout will experience some grout
shrinkage, non-shrink additive can be used to reduce
breeding and grout shrinkage. The resistance at grout-
soil interface of nail will significantly reduced when
the grout shrinkÄ
 



Shotcrete or gunite can be
continuous flow of mortal or concrete
mixes projected at high speed
perpendicularly onto the exposed
ground surface by means of
pneumatic air blowing for dry mix or
spraying for wet mix.
ë Initial excavation

ë crilling of holes

ë Insertion of nail reinforcement and grouting

 4
 "$


This initial excavation will be carried out by trimming

the original ground profile to the working platform level where
the first row of soil nails can be practically installed. The pre-
requisite of this temporary excavation shall be in such a way
that the trimmed surface must be able to self support till
completion of nail installation. Sometimes, sectional
excavation can be carried out for soil with short self support
time. If shotcrete/gunite is designed as facing element, the
condition of the trimmed surface shall be of the satisfactory
quality to receive the shotcrete
 # 
crilling can be done by either air- flushed percussion
drilling, auguring or rotary wash boring drilling depending
on ground condition. The size of drilled hole shall be as
per the designed dimension. Typically, the hole size can
range from 100mm to 150mm. In order to contain the
grout, the typical inclination of the drill hole is normally
tilted at 15º downward from horizontal. Flushing with air
or water before nail insertion is necessary in order to
remove any possible collapsed materials, which can
potentially reduce the grout- ground interface resistance.
4 
# # ! 



The nail shall be prepared with adequate centralizers at

appropriate spacing and for proper grout cover for first defense
of corrosion protection. In additional to this, galvanization and
pre- grouted nail encapsulated with corrugated pipe can be
considered for durability. § grouting pipe is normally attached
with the nail reinforcement during inserting the nail into the
drilled hole. The grouting is from bottom up until fresh grout
return is observed from the hole. The normal range of
water/cement ratio of the typical grout mix is from 0.45 to 0.5
ë Ôith the right soil and site conditions, a rapid and
economical means of constructing earth retention support
systems and retaining walls.

ë Shorter drill holes.

ë Smaller diameter bars at shorter lengths.

ë Retaining walls are secured laterally into the soil,

eliminating piles and foundation footers.

ë Grouting only once is required, saving time and labor.

ë The technique is flexible, easily modifiedÄ

ë Creates less noise and traffic obstructions.

ë Less impact on nearby properties

ë §llow in-situ strengthening on existing slope surface

with minimum excavation and backfilling, particularly
very suitable for uphill widening, thus environmental
friendly,

ë §llow excellent working space in front of the

excavation face,

ë Can be used for strengthening of either natural slope,

natural or man- made cut slopes,
ë Nail encroachment to retained ground rendering unusable
underground space,

ë Generally larger lateral soil strain during removal of lateral

support and ground surface cracking may appear,

ë Tendency of high ground loss due to drilling technique,

particularly at course grained soil,

ë Less suitable for course grained soil and soft clayey soil, which
have short self support time, and soils prone to creeping,

ë Suitable only for excavation above groundwater

ë Since this process is effective in cohesive soil, broken rock,
shale, or mixed face conditions it permits flexibility to conform
to a variety of geometric shapes to meet specific site needs.
ë cue to its rather straightforward construction method and is
relatively maintenance free, the method has gained popularity
in India for highway and also hillside development projects.
Soil nailing is an economical means of creating shoring
systems and retaining wallsÄ
ë Federal Highway §dministration, 1998, Manual for cesign &
Monitoring Construction of Soil Nail Ôalls,
ë Ôikipedia
ë Google