A name truly cast in concrete

Prestressed
Hollow-Core Walls

RETAINING WALLS SECURITY WALLS

 ECHO PRESTRESSED HOLLOW-CORE
RETAINING WALLING (EPRW®)
INTRODUCTION
A retaining wall is a structure designed and
constructed to resist lateral soil pressure
when the desired change in ground eleva-
tion exceeds the soil’s angle of repose.
Two basic design concepts – CANTILEVER
and GRAVITY - are used for the construc-
tion of Echo prestressed hollow-core retain-
ing walls.
01 | prestressed hollow-core walls
THE CANTILEVERED
WALL SOLUTION
This concept is a freestanding EPRW®
with no lateral support at the top end of
the wall and no mechanical soil stabilisa-
tion. These walls cantilever loads to large
structural footings, converting horizontal
pressures from behind the wall to verti-
cal pressures on the ground. The walls re-
quire rigid concrete heel-and-toe footings
which are cast below ground to resist the
overturning moment. This design limits
the height of the wall to 5,0m maximum.
THE GRAVITY WALL SOLUTION
Gravity retaining walls are constructed on
and with soil stabilised with man-made
materials. This type of structure is able to
retain the earth behind it by virtue of its
weight. Gravity retaining walls have a de-
gree of flexibility that allows them to with-
stand minor deferential settlement without
incurring structural damage.
Gravity walling can be constructed in al-
most any situation where a rapid grade
change is desired. Gravity walling confines
the soil or other fill material as a reinforc-
ing mass. This walling solution can also be
used in cut-and-fill applications.
GRAVITY WALL
DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
A gravity retaining wall must have suf-
ficient weight and width to prevent ex-
ternal forces from overturning or shifting
the wall. The wall must form an integral
whole, ie, the individual slabs must func-
tion as a single unit to create a wall suf-
ficiently stable to handle the external
forces that might cause it to collapse and
the internal forces that might cause it to
lose shape.
 EXTERNAL STABILITY

External stability of an EPRW® is achieved

by designing to four potential external fail-
ure modes:
• Global stability : FSgl=1.5
• Base sliding : FSsl=1.5
• Overturning : FSot=2.0
• Bearing capacity : FSbc=2.0

INTERNAL STABILITY

Internal stability refers to the capacity of

individual Echo prestressed hollow-core
slabs forming a single integrated wall.
ADVANTAGES substantial land for development
The wall must be designed so that the in- purposes.
dividual slabs do not pull out, separate, or • Echo offers full turnkey retaining or se-
• Increased productivity and reduced on-
slide apart.
site labour. This wall solution is three curity wall solutions.
times faster than traditional in-situ
This is achieved with either of the follow-
ing options. construction.
• Efficient light-weight sections. Depth Normative referee
1) Echo’s standard edge profile: and reinforcing configurations can be
Grouted joints with key-formed varied to suit wall height and load SANS 10400-K: 2011, Edition 3
slab edges. requirements. SANS 10400-H: 2012, Edition 3

• Openings for air conditioning ducts SANS 207: 2011, Edition 1

2) Echo’s adapted edge profile: SANS 10400-A: 2010
and other services are easily accom-
Tongue-and-groove (T&G)
modated. SANS 10400-B
interlocking profiles.
• Controlled factory production yields du- SANS 10400-H

rable and aesthetically pleasing finishes. SANS 2001 – CC1:2007 Edition 1

The Echo Prestress retaining wall (EPRW®)
concept, either on its own or in combina- • Panels can retain fill material up to 10m BS 5896
tion with geogrid is as effective as more BS 8002
as specified by the principal engineer.
costly alternatives such as: cast in-situ BS EN 1897
• Unlike retaining block walls, which are
walls; steel-reinforced concrete retaining BS EN 13738
constructed at an angle, prestressed
walls; modular-block walls; or gabion bas- SANS 1200 D
walls are 100% vertical, thus saving
ket walls.
SANS 2001
SANS 10100-1
SANS 10100-2
Wall heights up to 5,0m are possible Cores filled solid
in the factory SANS 10162-1
with this design configuration.
for 100mm
Add geotextile and heights of SANS 10162-2.
6-7m walls are possible
Lifting hooks

Trowel finish this side

250mm Echo HANDLING ORIENTATION
wall panel
Water proofing by specialist
- VERTICAL
Fairface finish
Sub-soil drain to be this side
built by specialist
Grouting pockets at 200mm A 10m high wall requires
centres for pouring of non- intermediate support
shrink epoxy grout, SIKA 212
Mo or similar approved by the
Height of wall in m (meters)

me principal engineer
nt
con 10.0
nec
tion
ach
Starter bars cast on site iev 6.0
ed
as per engineer’s design
Foundation size 4.8
according
3.6
to principal
engineer’s design
2.4

A TYPICAL SECTION THROUGH A VERTICAL 0

120 150 200 250 250
HOLLOW-CORE RETAINING WALL
Wall slab depth in mm (millimeters)

02 | prestressed hollow-core walls

 ECHO PRESTRESSED HOLLOW-CORE
SECURITY WALLS (EPSW®)

INTRODUCTION
150 mm
120 mm
Echo security walls are not comparable Column flanges

with other walling products. In a class

of their own, they protect high-value
120 mm Echo T&G wall
properties of strategic significance such
as airports, military bases, industrial and
commercial parks, mines and prisons – Fair face finish

in fact any operation that requires over-

Wall panels are wedged
the-top security. 50MPa concrete and and grouted into the Steel column sizes are
column flange adapted to suit wall height,
prestressed steel on both sides of the wind and soil conditions
panels ensure robust and impregnable
4.8 m possible

walls. Handling orientation is horizontal

Heights up to

and panel jointing is based on a tongue-

and-groove shear-key connection.

Bolts to engineer’s
specifications
Base plate designed
according to
principal engineer
250 mm Echo solid precast base
slab. Alternatavely a column base
can be cast in-situ. Natural ground level

Lifting hooks
cast in
base slab

50 mm river sand blinding 95% Mod AASHTO density

A TYPICAL SECTION THROUGH A HORIZONTAL

HOLLOW-CORE SECURITY WALL

03 | prestressed hollow-core walls

 DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
• The soil quality - suitable for soil
conditions with a minimum 100KPa
bearing pressure.
• Wall panels are typically 120mm or
150mm deep.
• Wind resistance (Project specific).
• Water drainage weep holes supplied
by Echo.
• Typical centre-to-centre dimension
is 6.0m.
• Wall accessories (razor wire; electric
wires, cameras etc).
• Height specifications vary from 2,4m –
4,8m with a 0,6m section below ground
for added security.
04 | prestressed hollow-core walls
ADVANTAGES HANDLING ORIENTATION
- HORIZONTAL
1) This is the only precast concrete wall
constructed with 50MPa concrete and
reinforcing on both sides of the panels. The support columns are based
on a cantilevered design
Echo walls are virtually impregnable
Height of wall in m (meters)
and cannot be scaled or broken without
generating considerable and detectable
disturbance. 6.0
4.8
2) Speed of construction beats con- 3.6
ventional brick or in-situ methods. 2.4
3) Wall panels can be dismantled and re- 0
120 120 150 150
used because they are not grouted
Wall slab depth in mm (millimeters)
but assembled with tongue-and-groove
shear key joints instead.
 Echo Prestress (Pty) Ltd | Part of the Echo Group of Companies
Hollow-Core Concrete Floors and Walls

Cnr. Hytor & Chloor road, Chloorkop | Private Bag 1, Edleen, 1625
T: 011 589 8800 | F: 011 589 8955
E: sales@echo.co.za | W: www.echo.co.za
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lasting value of choice

international prestressed
Hollowcore association

Echo Prestressed reserves the right to alter any of the details contained herein without prior notice. © Echo Prestress (Pty) Ltd 2014. Issue No1.