The reinforced soil walls have established themselves as a reliable solution for road, urban and industrial projects thanks to their high structural performance and competitive cost. However, to guarantee their long-term stability, it is essential to apply good practices in design, material selection and construction.

Below, we present 5 key tips to achieve safer, more durable and efficient walls, incorporating the use of geotextiles. FORTEX BX and geogrids FORTGRID UXmaterials designed to maximize the strength of the system.

1. Select the right reinforcement system for your floor type

The choice of reinforcement defines much of the behavior of the wall.

  • For granular soils or when high initial stiffness is required, the FORTGRID UX geogrids offer excellent tensile strength and confinement.

  • In variable soils or where separation, filtration, or drainage functions are required, the FORTEX BX geotextiles biaxial type help control filler deformation.

Tip:

  • Requests mechanical parameters such as tensile modulus, stiffness and long-term creep resistance.

  • If a UX geogrid is replaced by a geotextile reinforcement, a design analysis should be performed considering the soil-geosynthetic interaction coefficientwhich will define a new reinforcement length.

2. Design considering loads, drainage and allowable displacements.

Proper design prevents failures and reduces costs.

  • Be sure to include internal, external and global stability.

  • Install an efficient subdrain to mitigate hydrostatic pressures.

  • Verify that the projected deformations are compatible with nearby structures.

Tip: The use of FORTGRID UX ensures long-term strength and minimizes creep deformation. In the case of geogrids, remember that they do not provide permeability, a critical aspect in thin soils because of their influence on the stiffness of the system.

3. Use an appropriate and well compacted backfill

Filling is as important as reinforcement.

  • Use granular material with good gradation and low plasticity.

  • Compacted in 20-30 cm layers depending on the equipment used.

  • Avoid saturated material so as not to affect the overall stiffness of the system.

Tip: On complex soils, an amelioration layer with FORTEX BX geotextiles improves the interaction between layers and avoids contamination of the structural filler.

4. Install bracing correctly to ensure load transfer.

Poor installation can reduce the effective strength by up to 50%.

  • Tighten the geogrids FORTGRID UX evenly before coating.

  • Ensures proper overlap between rolls.

  • Keep the reinforcements aligned, without wrinkles and avoiding joints in the direction of the main stress.

Tip: Do not allow the transit of machinery over the reinforcements without a minimum layer of protection.

5. Controls quality at every stage: design, materials and construction.

Quality is the basis for system durability.

  • Verify that the reinforcements have updated certifications and tests.

  • It registers compaction density, thickness and tensioning.

  • Ensure that the wall meets its final geometry before moving forward with other work.

Tip: geotextiles FORTEX BX and geogrids FORTGRID UX have stable mechanical properties that facilitate quality audits.

Conclusion: how to improve the performance of reinforced soil walls

Applying these best practices will allow you to build reinforced soil walls more stable, durable and efficient. The correct selection of materials, combined with proper design and good job control, ensures the long-term performance of the system.

For more technical information on international standards and criteria, you can consult the official FHWA guidelines at https://highways.dot.gov.