WIRE FACE MSE RETAINING WALL
PART 1 GENERAL
1.1SECTION INCLUDES
A.Permanent wire face Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) retaining wall
using metal soil reinforcement.
1.2RELATED SECTIONS
A.Section 02056: Embankment, Borrow and Backfill
B.Section 02317: Structural Excavation
C.Section 02832: MSE Backfill
1.3REFERENCES
A.AASHTO M 111: Zinc (Hot-Dip Galvanized) Coatings on Iron and Steel
B.AASHTO T 85: Specific Gravity and Absorption of Coarse Aggregate
C.AASHTO T 96: Resistance to Degradation of Small-Size Coarse
Aggregate by Abrasion and Impact in the Los Angeles Machine
D.AASHTO T 104: Soundness of Aggregate by Use of Sodium Sulfate or
Magnesium Sulfate
E.ASTM A 641: Zinc-Coated (Galvanized) Carbon Steel Wire
F.ASTM A 975: Double-Twisted Hexagonal Mesh Gabions and Revet
Mattresses (Metallic-Coated Steel Wire or Metallic-Coated Steel Wire With Poly (Vinyl Chloride) (PVC) coating)
G.ASTM A 1064: Carbon-Steel Wire and Welded Wire Reinforcement, Plain
and Deformed, for Concrete
1.4DEFINITIONS Not Used
Wire Face MSE Retaining Wall
1.5SUBMITTALS Not Used
PART 2 PRODUCTS
2.1WELDED WIRE SYSTEMS
A.Wire Reinforcement and Cap Mesh
1.Facing, soil reinforcement, and backing mats
a.Use welded wire reinforcement according to ASTM A 1064
and according to the Wall Company’s requirements.
b.Galvanize according to AASHTO M 111 with a coating
thickness of at least 3.4 mils.
B.Hardware Cloth and Filter Fabric
1.According to Wall Company’s requirements.
C.Obtain wire mesh reinforcement mats, backing materials, and necessary
incidentals from the Wall Company.
2.2WOVEN WIRE MESH SYSTEMS
A.Use woven wire mesh according to ASTM A 975, and manufactured using
the dimensions and other requirements of Table 1 of ASTM A 975.
1.Galvanize according to ASTM A 641 with a coating thickness of at
least 3.4 mils.
B.Obtain wire mesh and necessary incidentals from the Wall Company.
C.Fabrication
1.Manufacture system with components mechanically connected at
the production facility.
a.The external face, reinforcing panel, and lid are woven into a
single unit.
b.Provide units with the ends, back, and diaphragms factory
connected to the base so that no additional lacing is necessary at the job site.
2.3FACING INFILL ROCK
A.Hard, durable, resistant to weathering, and free from seams, cracks and
other structural defects.
1.Do not use shale, mudstone, and other rock that may break into
smaller pieces during handling.
2.Do not use concrete or asphalt rubble.
Wire Face MSE Retaining Wall
B.Meet the properties listed in Table 1.
Table 1 Physical Properties Property Value Test Method Specific Gravity 2.4 min AASHTO T 85 Absorption 2% max AASHTO T 85 Soundness of Aggregate using 12% max Sodium Sulfate Or AASHTO T 104 or 17.5% Magnesium Sulfate Resistance to Degradation 45% max AASHTO T 96
C.Provide rock with diameters between 3 and 8 inch or as shown.
D.Retain 95 percent or more of the rock on a square screen having the
same opening size as the wire enclosure.
1.Control gradation by sample measurement or by visual inspection,
as determined by the Engineer.
E.Meet the electrochemical properties according to Section 02832.
2.4BEARING PAD
A.Use one of the following as shown:
1.Granular Backfill Borrow
a.Refer to Section 02056.
2.MSE Free Draining Backfill
a.Refer to Section 02832.
2.5MSE BACKFILL
A.Refer to Section 02832.
PART 3 EXECUTION
3.1GENERAL
A.Haul, store, and ship wall materials in a manner to minimize the potential
of producing defects.
1.Store soil reinforcement products as recommended by the Wall
Company.
Wire Face MSE Retaining Wall
2.Inspect soil reinforcement and attachment devices to verify they are
true to size and free from defects that may impair their strength and durability.
3.Keep the soil reinforcement and connections free of contaminants.
B.Construct the retaining wall system according to the authorized retaining
wall drawings and the Wall Company’s construction manual and recommendations.
1.Apply the stricter of the two requirements where the Department’s
and the Wall Company’s requirements differ.
3.2EXCAVATION AND FOUNDATION PREPARATION
A.Excavate and prepare foundation to the lines and grades shown, or as
directed by the Engineer.
1.Refer to Section 02317.
2.Make the width of excavation equal to or greater than the length of
soil reinforcing elements.
3.Compact the foundation using at least three passes of a
lightweight, steel, smooth-drum vibratory roller, or as determined by the Engineer before the wall construction.
4.Over-excavate unsuitable foundation soils and replace with MSE
backfill, or with other suitable material as directed by the Engineer.
3.3BEARING PAD
A.Place bearing pad to a compacted thickness of at least 6 inch or as
shown.
1.Provide a bearing pad that extends from at least 6 inch in front of
the wall face to at least 3 ft 6 inch behind the wall face, unless shown otherwise.
2.Compact according to Section 02056 or Section 02832, as
applicable.
3.Provide a level surface on which to place the first course of soil
reinforcement.
3.4WALL CONSTRUCTION
A.Check the facing for level and alignment after placing the first course of
soil reinforcement.
1.The first course is the most important to verify accurate and
acceptable results.
B.Install connecting devices as required by the Wall Company.
Wire Face MSE Retaining Wall
C.Wall Systems with Facing Baskets
1.Fill voids in facing baskets with facing infill rock.
a.Tamp fill as required by the Wall Company.
b.Completely fill, backfill, and compact each wall course before
proceeding to the next wall course.
c.Some manual placement is required during the filling
operation to minimize voids.
d.Fill the cells in stages to avoid local deformation.
1) Do not fill a cell to a depth exceeding 1 ft higher than the adjoining cell.
2.Slightly overfill the facing baskets by 1 to 2 inch to allow for
settlement of the facing infill rock.
3.Prevent significant bulging of the facing baskets between
reinforcing layers.
a.Where bulging exceeds 3.0 inch between reinforcing layers,
remove and reconstruct that portion of the wall.
b.Measure bulging by holding a plumb straight-edge, or a
plumb-bob string in front of the wall face. 1) The bulge measurement is the horizontal distance between the straight edge or plumb-bob string set at the location of maximum bulge and the reinforcement layer immediately above or below the bulge (whichever is greater).
4.Pull the facing basket lid tight until the lid meets the perimeter edge
of the facing basket.
D.Soil Reinforcement
1.Place the soil reinforcement on compacted backfill.
2.Connect soil reinforcement to the wire face as required by Wall
Company.
3.Provide at least 3 inch vertical separation between geosynthetic soil
reinforcement when overlapping.
E.Construct wall facing to the following tolerances:
1.Horizontal alignment
a.Not to exceed 1.0 percent (for example, 3.6 inch in 30 ft).
2.Vertical alignment
a.Not to exceed 1.0 percent (for example, 0.7 inch in 6 ft).
3.Plumbness from top of wall to bottom of wall
a.Positive (into the retained mass)
1) Not to exceed 0.7 percent (for example, 1.7 inch in 20 ft of wall height).
b.Negative (away from the retained mass)
1) Not to exceed 0.3 percent (for example, 0.7 inch in 20 ft of wall height).
Wire Face MSE Retaining Wall
4.Wall facing levelness
a.Not to exceed 1.0 percent (for example, 2.4 inch in 20 ft).
END OF SECTION
Wire Face MSE Retaining Wall
Utah revises spec sections through supplementals and new editions. We check this one every week and email you the day it changes. Free, no account.
Source: Utah Standard Specifications for Road and Bridge Construction, 2026 Edition. Pages 704–709 of 1,331.
View official source ↗