MHB Consultants was commissioned by Albion Drilling to deliver the detailed design for a 8m high retaining wall as part of proposed works to improve the road safety at a sharp bend on the A72 near Peebles.

The retaining wall consisted of gabions baskets with combination of ground anchors and geogrid reinforcement. Our design adopted a change in the wall foundation type to what was originally shown in the specimen design, by the use of micro piles. This was welcomed by the client as it avoided the need for deep excavation below the river water level and accelerated the construction programme.

The durability of the various elements considered in the design was carefully chosen to achieve the client's specified design life.

The use of a hybrid solution between ground anchors and geogrid allowed construction operation to continue under a single lane closure for the A72 which minimised the impact on the traffic and the earthwork quantities.

We liaised closely with all key contractors delivering the works (Scottish Border Council Contracts, Albion Drilling Group Ltd. and Maccaferri UK & Ireland Ltd.) throughout the design and construction stages. This allowed the project to progress under a tight programme and enabled us to deal with construction and technical queries more efficiently.

Photos below provided by MHB Consultants, Maccaferri and Scottish Borders Council.

Read about the project in full detail from Scottish Borders Council by clicking the link below.