London Boulder System Rescues Wall Failure

For over 15 years, London Boulder has been preventing wall failure through maximum strength big block system technology with style. Back in 2019, a 20-foot small block retaining wall at the Glacier Vista development in Plymouth, Minnesota, collapsed. After the collapse, London Boulder Big Block Solutions stepped in to help renovate and restore. 

The wall’s failure was “mostly caused by excess water being directed at the back of the wall, causing excess lateral earth pressure against the wall face.” The biggest challenge in this repair was the proximity of the existing houses above the wall. “Due to the wall height and the slope above the wall, excavating the existing wall and putting in a geosynthetic reinforced (geogrid) retaining wall was not possible, as it would undermine the existing house deck foundations.” (LB Case Study, Retaining Wall: Roadway). 

 

Time Was Running Out 

“The Twinhomes of Glacier Vista Association turned to Vickery Engineering and Consulting (VEC) to come up with a solution. Time was of the essence because winter was right around the corner. The method of wall repair recommended by VEC was to leave the rest of the existing wall in place and construct a new wall in front of the existing, failing, wall.  After some debate with the City of Plymouth on wall location, VEC prepared a design using LondonBoulder to provide the earth retention solution needed.” (LB Case Study, Retaining Wall: Roadway). 

Alongside incredible strength and durability, London Boulder big block solutions don’t require geogrid for installation for walls up to 15’. Due to the sheer mass of the block pieces and the interlocking blocks, the London Boulder wall stands in place without geogrid. In the installation process, this means less excavation and a quicker installation. For this specific instance, geogrid wasn’t even an option. But because of London Boulder’s block designs, the lack of geogrid didn’t slow down the renovation process at all. 

 

London Boulder’s Lasting Solution

Fixing the failed wall began with driving Manta Ray earth anchors through the existing wall. “With the use of horizontal pipes and geogrid to attach the wall face, a new LondonBoulder wall was constructed in front of the existing wall. LondonBoulder was chosen because of the durability and the speediness of placement of the block.” (LB Case Study, Retaining Wall: Roadway). 

In November of 2019, Precision Hardscapes of Braham, MN, completed the construction of the new wall within several weeks. The final grading was performed right before the first snowfall of the year. “Through the rapidity and ease of the installation of the LondonBoulder units, the new wall will provide stability to the slope and peace of mind to the residents for years to come.” (LB Case Study, Retaining Wall: Roadway). Within a few weeks, London Boulder’s Big Blocks had solved a massive problem, and built a lasting solution. 

 

Become a Big Block Producer 

If you are considering becoming a London Boulder producer, we have more information for you! If you are curious about form options, and other producer-specific details, click here. London Boulder forms produce various types of forms. London Boulder block forms are royalty free, so you keep 100% of the profits you make!

When you become a London Boulder producer, you get access to both engineering and marketing support from the team at London Boulder. Our marketing and sales support includes online support training, trade show support materials, and sales and marketing literature. Our production and technical material support includes block production manuals, site training, and fully engineered system data. We test each block configuration and provide these details to form owners. Check out those data points by scrolling to the bottom of this page. 

Have additional questions or inquiries? Contact us today by calling 763-271-1956, or filling out this form on our website. If you fill out the website form, we’ll send you a packet of information to help you know how London Boulder can meet your specific needs.