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Allan Block Retaining Wall With Geogrid
This is a really good video. It hits all the main points in under 4 minutes. I frequently recommend this video to wall contractors (even experienced ones) and to homeowners, as well.
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Hand Tools Needed to Build a Retaining Wall
Retaining walls can be constructed using some simple hand tools. You’ll need: shovels, rakes, brooms, tape measure, string line, level, hammers and wheelbarrow, and gloves! Joseph Kowalski, P.E. www.RetainingWallExpert.com Current State PE Registrations
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Wall Construction Time Lapse
The lapse footage showing a recent job we completed. This video will be featured on our website. This difficult project located in Windham was quite a job. Interstate Landscape started with the removal of an old deteriorating timber wall. The homeowner wanted to create more living space in their back yard so after the wall was removed we excavated back 8ft of the hillside and removed about 120 yards of fill. When we were excavating we ran into three large […]
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How to Build a Retaining Wall in 2 Minutes!
In this video, we will mass-excavate a jobsite, make a trench, add a drainage pipe, install gravel, place wall blocks, geotextile and compact lean clay cap soils to make a beautiful retaining wall … ALL IN UNDER TWO MINUTES! FOLLOW THIS LINK FOR PROJECT PHOTOS Joseph Kowalski, P.E. www.RetainingWallExpert.com Current State PE Registrations
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Retaining Walls – Construction Review Services
Everyone involved with a retaining wall project benefits when the wall is constructed properly. To make every effort that a retaining wall is constructed according to the design drawings, the Owner should hire the Design Engineer to visit the site. During Construction Review, the Engineer should compare the actual field conditions and materials to the design drawings. This video is a little longer than most (it’s about 7 minutes) but I promise it is full of good information! Joseph Kowalski, […]
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Retaining Wall Base Course Installation
To have a level, attractive, well-built MSE wall (block retaining wall) the first course of wall blocks MUST be perfect. The first course must be straight and level, both side-to-side and front-to-back. Any errors in the base course become amplified as the wall is built up. For the leveling course, you need to use a well graded stone that is compacted in place. After compaction, each block should be carefully installed making sure that it is level and it is […]
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Retaining Walls – Layout and Surveying
One of the most important things you can do when building a retaining wall is to ensure that the wall is in the correct location, and at the correct elevation. You never want to have to “move” a wall because it is a few feet from where it should be, right? Also, you want to place the blocks to ensure that you have sufficient room to install the geogrid layers. This video shows some easy ways to help you with […]
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Retaining Walls Supported in Sliding Soils – How to Prevent a Failure
Global Stability includes the stability of the soils BELOW the retaining wall. If the foundation soils are sliding on a sloping surface of bedrock, then the retaining wall could begin to slide downhill! This 2-minute video shows two ways to prevent this type of global stability failure. Joseph Kowalski, P.E. www.RetainingWallExpert.com Current State PE Registrations
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Strata Systems Geogrid Video
Some excellent animations in this video on the layering that occurs during construction of a reinforced soil wall! Author: Strata Systems, Inc. www.geogrid.com
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Shoring Wall, Wood Lagging, and Allan Block Veneer
Soldier pile walls with wood lagging can squeeze right up to the property line – and can look GREAT when a segmental block veneer is added to the face. At this property, vertical steel beams were installed. Next, wood lagging was installed horizontally between adjacent vertical steel beams. Geogrid was looped around these wooden lagging panels and then Allan Blocks were connected to the geogrids. Joseph Kowalski, P.E. www.RetainingWallExpert.com Current State PE Registrations
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Retaining Wall Network
We specialize in the design of retaining walls, especially the kind of walls that are reinforced with high-strength geogrids, steel strips or steel mesh. We also make articles and videos about our retaining wall projects. Our videos have been viewed nearly 600,000 times, and Google analytics shows visitors from all over the world, but a majority of these visitors are from North America. Because we work on projects across the US, and in Canada and Mexico, it was necessary for […]
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Stone Strong Installation Video
With headquarters in Lincoln, Nebraska USA and a fast-growing international network of licensed dealers, Stone Strong Systems has earned a solid reputation for technical innovation, precision manufacturing, superior design, unmatched quality, and unparalleled customer support. These traits have helped make Stone Strong Systems the ideal solution for many diverse projects, from shoreline protection and erosion control applications to the most challenging retaining wall installations.
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Versa-lok Retaining wall project Bay area
Wood retaining wall had to come down after 40 years . Poor design, no drainage but hey it was 40 years ago… There are many factors that go into building a retaining wall. How tall should it be? Does it need to be engineered? Does the contractor have experience? We can take the guessing part out for you. At All Access we stand ready to serve you and answer any and all questions that may come up during the project. […]
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Time Lapse Timber Retaining Wall – Andrew Yaniuk
Fans of timber retaining walls: you will really appreciate this video. The camera work done by Andrew Yaniuk is amazing. Timber walls are good walls, when designed and constructed appropriately. Generous use of well-drained granular backfill will prolong the life of a timber wall. Remember, even pressure-treated timber will eventually decay. The appeal of timber walls is based on aesthetics, cost and ease of construction. (Video notes from Andrew Yaniuk: This is a Time lapse of a retaining wall being […]
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Thank You for 16 years!
What can I say except THANK YOU to all of our wonderful clients and friends! In March of 2014, Kowalski Engineering will celebrate SIXTEEN YEARS in business. Yes, of course, it is an uncommon anniversary to celebrate. But, common is boring. Which is why we’ve designed retaining walls with FOAM backfill, we’ve fixed landslides, we’ve investigated large retaining wall failures, and we’ve had some very creative solutions for our clients. We’ve had the good fortune of working in Hawaii, Canada, […]
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Allan Block Retaining Wall With Geogrid
This is a really good video. It hits all the main points in under 4 minutes. I frequently recommend this video to wall contractors (even experienced ones) and to homeowners, as well.
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Retaining Walls – What is Global Stability?
When dealing with retaining wall design, Global Stability means the stability of the soils above and below the retaining wall. If the soil that supports a wall kicks out, and the wall shifts downhill, that is a Global Stability Failure. This video is a short discussion of retaining wall global stability. Joseph Kowalski, P.E. www.RetainingWallExpert.com Current State PE Registrations
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Retaining Walls – Fence Required at Top?
Most building codes require a handrail or a fence if a wall is about 4 feet or higher. So, what’s the best way to get your fence constructed without damaging the blocks or the geogrids? FOLLOW THIS LINK FOR PROJECT PHOTOS Joseph Kowalski, P.E. www.RetainingWallExpert.com Current State PE Registrations
