DHL is expanding their facilities at the Greater Cincinnati International Airport. As part of this expansion, 4 to 5 new buildings were to be erected. The new buildings would be adjacent to an existing parking lot at an elevation of 3 to 30 feet above the parking lot. Civil Solutions Associates (CSA) was contacted to design a big block retaining wall system that would safely retain and support the foundation soils of the proposed buildings. CSA designed an approx. 800 linear feet long wall ranging from 3 feet to 24 feet tall using Redi-Rock Positive Connection blocks. The wall system would combine both the benefits of a gravity wall with the benefits of reinforced soil. Thus protecting the foundations of the proposed buildings and eliminating the need for deep foundations.

CSA’s proposal was presented to the general contractor. The proposed buildings were later consolidated to be one large structure and shifted on site to reduce the elevation change between the proposed buildings and the parking lot. A deep foundation system was chosen and construction proceeded. The result was a 2:1 graded slope from the new buildings to the parking lot. This slope had created a drainage and long term maintenance issue for the site. Civil Solutions Associates was then contracted to design a smaller wall to correct the drainage and maintenance issues. The new design consisted of a Redi-Rock gravity wall system approx. 300 linear feet long and 3 feet to 9 feet tall.