Precast Modular Block

(PMB) for Retaining

Wall Systems

Field Installation
Best Practices Manual
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 3

DEFINITIONS 3

CONSTRUCTION RESPONSIBLILITES 4
Precast Retaining Wall Dealer
Engineer or Owner’s Representative
Contractor

MATERIAL, DELIVERY, STORAGE AND HANDLING 4

EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES 4

Contractor-Supplied Materials and Tools

SITE PREPARATION 5

EXCAVATION 5

FOUNDATION PREPARATION 6

WALL BASE CONSTRUCTION 6

GRAVITY WALL UNIT INSTALLATION 7

First Course
Subsequent Courses

BACKFILL PLACEMENT AND COMPACTION 7

CONSTRUCTION TOLERANCES 7

CLEANUP 7

TROUBLESHOOTING 7

SAFETY AND LIABILITY 7

REFERENCES 8

Precast Modular Block Best Practices Manual NOTES

1. This manual does not claim or imply that it addresses all safety-related
Copyright 2010 by National Precast Concrete Association (NPCA) issues, if any, associated with its use. The manufacture of concrete
products may involve the use of hazardous materials, operations and
Third Edition, 2010 All rights reserved. equipment. It is the user’s responsibility to determine appropriate
safety, health and environmental practices, and applicable regulatory
No part of this manual may be reproduced in any form without permission requirements associated with the use of this manual and the manu-
in writing from the National Precast Concrete Association. facture of concrete products.
2. Use of this manual does not guarantee the proper function or
The association of the manufactured concrete products industry. performance of any product manufactured in accordance with the
10333 North Meridian Street, Suite 272 | Indianapolis, Indiana 46290 requirements contained in the manual. Routine conformance to the
(800) 366-7731 | (317) 571-0041 (fax) | www.precast.org requirements of this manual should result in products of an accept-
able quality according to current industry standards.

NPCA Best Practices Manual 2

Introduction
This Best Practices Manual is intended to provide general information on wet-cast precast modular block retaining walls and provide
guidance in the proper installation. This manual includes the basics of wall construction and presents many details encountered in site
work. Visit our website www.precast.org, NPCA’s BPM (Best Practice Manual) or consult with your local precast concrete wall design
engineer for additional information.

DEFINITIONS
backfill – earth or other material placed between a retaining wall manufacturer’s representative – a product representative able
and existing ground to replace material that has been previously to provide technical assistance to the contractor, engineer or
excavated. owner.

backfill soil -– either in-situ soils or borrow soil used to fill exca- OSHA – Occupational Safety and Health Administration
vated and over-excavated areas behind the wall system. These
soils shall be free of debris and deleterious material. owner –owner of the project or property, who is identified in the
project contract as being responsible for the payment for the
base course – first, or lowest, footing course to be installed; it work performed under the terms of the contract.
may be totally or partially buried.
Precast Modular Block (PMB) - wetcast modular retaining wall
base material – selected free-draining granular material of a block
planned thickness, compacted and leveled to support the base
course; in unusual applications, the base course may be a lean proof-rolling – several passes from a 10-ton smooth-drum vibra-
concrete as specified by the design engineer. tory roller or loaded tandem-axle truck used to compact subgrade
soils and/or indentify any soft or loose pockets that may require
borrow soil -– any soil imported from another location, typically removal and replacement, additional compaction, and/or further
offsite, to be used as backfill. investigation by the geotechnical engineer.

contractor – person or entity who undertakes responsibility of reinforced soil – compacted structural fill placed behind the PMB
the construction of the retaining wall. units to interact with the geogrid reinforcement; this area extends
from behind the PMB units to the tail end of the geogrid.
discing – to cultivate or break up soil using a harrow or plow that
turns and loosens soil with a series of discs retained soil – soil immediately behind the PMB units or gravel
fill in conventional gravity-wall systems or immediately behind the
drainage column – see gravel fill reinforced soil for mechanically stabilized PMB units.

engineer – owner’s designated organization or trained and shop drawings – graphics, usually in contract documents,
experienced individual with authoritative charge over engineering produced by the PMB supplier to show installation details for the
functions and responsibilities. contractor.

foundation soil – soil mass supporting the wall base. Founda- site contractor – organization responsible for the installation of
tion soil is typically undisturbed in-situ soils; these soils may be the wall system.
compacted to reduce settlement from base excavation work.
Proof-rolling may be required in order to obtain a firm, unyielding soil compaction – proper soil placement and consolidation
base for the wall. are essential to the successful performance of retaining wall
structures. Soils must be compacted in specified lifts to achieve
gravel fill – free-draining, coarse-grained aggregates placed either maximum soil shear strength and validate the design.
within the PMB unit cores and between their openings or directly
behind the units. Depth of gravel fill should be specified in the subbase soil – see foundation soil
contract documents. The gravel fill acts to facilitate drainage either
through the PMB units or behind them, depending on its place- subgrade soil – see foundation soil
ment, by accepting incidental water thereby relieving hydrostatic
pressures. Wall drainage should not be used for conveyance of swale – a depression or lower level in a stretch of flat land.
site runoff; adequate surface drainage structures above and be-
hind the wall should be provided within the site plan. wall base –- level surface either of gravel fill or lightweight con-
crete used to distribute the weight of the PMB units evenly over
leveling pad - see wall base the underlying subgrade.

NPCA Best Practices Manual 3

CONSTRUCTION DELIVERY, STORAGE
RESPONSIBILITIES AND HANDLING
Precast Retaining Wall Dealer Check the materials upon delivery to assure that proper material
Dealer responsibilities include assisting the owner, contractor and has been received. Remove damaged or otherwise unsuitable
inspectors in scheduling of materials, construction procedures, material from the site.
contract documents, plans and specifications. The manufacturing
representative is available to assist and train the contractor and Exposed faces of precast modular block units shall be free of
inspectors as requested and when necessary. To locate an NPCA chips, cracks, bug holes, stains and other imperfections distract-
producer member please click on the following link http://www. ing from their appearance.
precast.org/find-a-precaster?t=45
Prevent mud, concrete, adhesives and other substances that may
harm appearance of unit from coming in contact with the system
Engineer or Owner’s Representative
components.
Owner representative or Engineer is responsible for the enforce-
ment of the contract documents, plans and specifications. Owner
Geotextile filter and pre-fabricated drainage composite materials
shall employ the services of a material engineering firm to provide
shall be delivered, stored and handled in accordance with ASTM
quality control testing during embankment construction.
D4873.
Owner and Engineer shall not be responsible for means or meth-
Reference NPCA Retaining Wall BPM for dunnage procedures.
ods of construction or for safety of workers or of the public.

Site Contractor/Installer Responsibilities

Owner representative or Engineer is responsible for the enforce-
ment of the contract documents, plans and specifications. Owner
shall employ the services of a material engineering/testing firm to
provide quality control testing (if required by the owner or building
agency) for the casting of panels and pouring of foundations.

Owner and Engineer shall not be responsible for construction

means or methods or for safety of workers or of the public.
equipment
Site Contractor/Installer Responsibilities
The contractor will be responsible for: and supplies
• Checking the materials upon delivery to assure that proper
The following tools are recommended but should not be limited
materials have been received.
to this list. Site conditions may require other equipment, tools and
• Protecting the materials from damage. Damaged materials
materials.
shall not be incorporated into the wall or the reinforced soil
embankments.
• Preventing excessive mud, concrete, adhesives and other Tools and Equipment: Materials:
substances that may adhere from coming in contact with the • Excavator • Wall base material
materials.
• Furnishing and installing precast wall units to the lines and • Skid steer • Unit fill material
grades shown on the plans and as specified. • Front loader • Drain tile (if required)
• Safety.
• Compactor • Off-site borrow (if re-
• Spreader bar
materials quired)
• Chains • Filter fabric (if required)
Concrete for precast modular unit shall have a minimum 28-day • Laser level • Hand rail (if required)
compressive strength of 4,000 psi. Entrained air content shall be
between 5% and 7%. • Level
• Shovels
Reinforcing steel (if used) shall be Grade 60. Minimum concrete
clear cover to reinforcement shall be 1.5 in. • Brooms
• Pry bars
Refer to manufacturer’s specifications for PMB tolerances.
• Labor

NPCA Best Practices Manual 4

SITE PREPARATION foundation
• Review the approved site plan to confirm lot lines, wall loca- preparation
tion, length and elevations.
• Schedule preconstruction meeting. Foundation soils shall be excavated as required for wall base to
• Verify the on-site soil conditions. the dimensions shown on the plans. Foundation soil shall be ob-
• Call the local utility companies to confirm the location of served by the Geotechnical Engineer to confirm that the bearing
underground utilities. soils are similar to the design criteria.
• Obtain all necessary building permits.
• Confirm drainage to avoid erosion or buildup of water behind Foundation soil shall be proof rolled and compacted to a minimum
wall. of 95 %of the maximum dry density (ASTM D698, Standard Proc-
• The contractor/installer will be responsible for the positive tor) and inspected by the Owner’s Engineer prior to placement of
drainage away from the wall during construction to eliminate leveling pad materials. The contractor shall replace any unsuitable
any unnecessary impact on the partially constructed wall. soils discovered during excavation at the direction of the Geotech-
nical Engineer.

EXCAVATION
wall base
Layout the location and length of the wall. If possible, always
start the wall base at the lowest elevation of the entire wall. construction
Excavate as required for installation of the retaining wall system. Construct the wall base to the lines and grades shown on the
Use caution not to over-excavate beyond the depth needed for the plans. The base may be constructed from lean concrete with a
foundation. minimum 28-day compressive strength of 3,000 psi concrete or
granular material. Construct base to the material and dimensions
Slope or shore excavation as necessary for safety and for confor- shown on the plans. Over-excavated areas shall be filled with ad-
mance with applicable OSHA requirements. ditional concrete or granular base material.

Compact the wall base to provide a hard and level surface to sup-
port the precast wall unit. Base material shall be compacted to
a minimum of 95 % of the maximum dry density (ASTM D698,
Standard Proctor).

Prepare and smooth the granular material to ensure complete

contact of the first course with the wall base. The surface of
granular base may be dressed with finer aggregate to aid level-
ing, provided that the thickness of the dressing layer should not
exceed 3 times the maximum particle size used.

Concrete may be placed as a full-thickness base or as a topping

to level the base. If used as a topping, the concrete shall have a
minimum thickness of 3 in.

It is important to ensure that the wall base has proper drainage.

Consult with the Geotechnical Engineer if added drainage is
needed.

NPCA Best Practices Manual 5

gravity wall
unit installation
First Course Subsequent Courses
Place the first course of precast wall unit directly on the wall base Remove all excess aggregate and other materials from the top of
(see detail). the unit before laying up the next course.
If possible, begin placing precast wall unit at the lowest section of
the wall. The unit shall be leveled per plan and specifications side- Place the next course of segmental units in running bond with the
to-side, front-to-rear and with respect to the adjacent unit. Ensure previous course. Always refer to Manufacturer’s specific installa-
that precast wall units are in full contact with the compacted tion guide. Check the unit for levelness and proper alignment.
base. Adjacent unit should be in contact. The first course is the
most important to ensure accurate and acceptable results. The layout of radius and corners shall be installed in accordance
Leveling should be done by means of a level across the top of with the plans or shop drawings.
the unit.
Continue placing successive courses to the elevations shown on
If the wall base elevation varies refer to detail for wall base steps. the plans. Construct wall in level stages, placing the unit at each
course for the entire length of the wall, if possible. Unit fill and
In some cases a mass extension unit or cast-in-place tail exten- backfill should be placed to the level of the top of the facing unit
sion may be used to achieve taller walls in a gravity configuration. before placing the next course.
These units shall be installed in accordance with the plans or shop
drawings. Provide temporary swales to divert runoff away from wall exca-
vation and away from the wall surface during the construction
Fill all voids between and within the unit or behind the unit phase.
depending on the type of unit used (see manufacturer’s specific
installation guide) with granular unit fill. Install the precast wall top unit. Place unit fill and backfill level
with the back face of the unit.
If shown on the plans or the shop drawings, provide a geotextile
filter for separation from backfill as per Geotechnical Engineer’s
recommendations.

Drain tile shall be used if shown on the plans.

Blocks to be installed per manufacturer’s specifications.

NPCA Best Practices Manual 6

BACKFILL PLACEMENT construction
AND COMPACTION tolerances
Backfill shall be spread in uniform loose lifts of 8 to 12 in. behind Construction tolerances should be established prior to the
the wall system. Each lift shall be compacted to 95% of standard commencement of construction; these tolerances are normally
proctor density within 2% of its optimal moisture content. outlined within the construction specifications. Agreeing on
Excessively wet/dry and/or nonuniform soils shall not be used these tolerances exist prior to construction enables both the
as backfill unless the following procedures are employed at a owner and the contractor to have an understanding of accept-
minimum: able limits within the wall system’s construction.

• For excessively dry soils – water shall be added to the soil

and mixed to within ± 2% of its optimal moisture content and cleanup
confirmed by the Geotechnical Engineer.
• For excessively wet soils – these soils may require aeration, • Remove any damaged or unused precast wall units.
discing and drying until they are within ± 2% of its optimal • Remove any uninstalled unit fill or backfill material.
moisture content and confirmed by the Geotechnical Engi- • Remove site debris caused by wall construction.
neer.
• For nonuniform soils – as directed by the Geotechnical Engi-
neer, these soils may be mixed by discing with other onsite
excavated soils or with borrow soils to achieve properties
consistent with the design criteria. Testing of these soils shall
be performed by the Geotechnical Engineer in accordance
with the design specifications.

Compaction of the backfill shall be completed using lightweight

compaction equipment so that the wall’s stability is not disrupted
or compromised by vibration from operation of heavy equipment.
Hand-operated plate equipment shall be used around the PMB
units as well as within 3 ft of the wall.

Heavy construction equipment adjacent to or near the wall should

be avoided; these additional loads or vibratory impacts may not
have been considered in the design and may result in immediate
settlement, and/or may disrupt the wall’s stability and/or cause
worker injury.

NPCA Best Practices Manual 7

TROUBLESHOOTING safety & liability
Here are some unacceptable wall conditions and relevant •• The contractor/installer of any PMB wall is solely respon-
troubleshooting parameters to check: sible for construction site safety. The PMB manufacturer
shall not be responsible for means or methods of construc-
1. First course not level: tion or for safety of workers or of the public.
•• Wall base not level •• The contractor/installer will be responsible for the positive
•• Unit does not meet manufacturing specifications drainage away from the wall during construction to elimi-
•• Subbase not properly compacted nate any unnecessary impact on the uncompleted wall.
•• The PMB manufacturer shall not be held liable for any dam-
2. Wall leaning in: ages or claims from the result of storms, floods, weather
•• Alignment units not engaged or other adverse conditions that are caused by nature.
•• Unit not level
•• Subbase not properly compacted

3. Wall leaning out:

•• Alignment units not engaged
•• Unit not level
•• Subbase not properly compacted

4. Wall has a dip:

•• Wall base not level
•• Wall base not properly compacted
•• Subbase not properly compacted

5. Unit will not stack flat:

•• Wall base not level
•• Unit does not meet manufacturing specifications
•• Excess aggregate or other material on top of unit
•• Subbase not properly compacted

NPCA Best Practices Manual 8

References
• ASTM C39 – Standard Test Method for Compressive Strength
of Cylindrical Concrete Specimens

• ASTM C138 – Standard Test Method for Density (Unit

Weight), Yield and Air Content (Gravimetric) of Concrete

• ASTM C172 – Standard Practice for Sampling Freshly Mixed

Concrete

• ASTM C173 – Standard Test Method for Air Content of

Freshly Mixed Concrete by the Volumetric Method

• ASTM D4873 – Standard Guide for Identification, Storage,

and Handling of Geosynthetic Rolls and Samples

• ASTM D698 – Standard Test Methods for Laboratory Com-

paction Characteristics of Soil Using Standard Effort (12 400
ft-lbf/ft3 (600 kN-m/m3))

• AASHTO T22 – Compressive Strength of Cylindrical Concrete

Specimens

• AASHTO T141 – Sampling Freshly Mixed Concrete

• NPCA Best Practices Manual Precast Concrete Retaining Wall

Systems

• NPCA Precast Concrete Retaining Wall Products Technical

Brochure

NPCA Best Practices Manual 9

This Best Practices Manual is subject to revision at any time by the NPCA This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative informa-
Sound and & Soundwall Product Committee, which must review it at least tion in regard to the subject matter covered; however, National Precast
every three years. Concrete Association and Update act as mediators without approving,
disapproving or guaranteeing the validity or accuracy of any data, claim
Special thanks are given to the Sound Wall Task Group for updating/ or opinion appearing herein. Information is provided and disseminated
compiling this manual. with the understanding that the National Precast Concrete Association
and Update are not engaged in rendering engineering, legal or any other
2009-2010 Retaining and Sound Wall Product Committee: professional services. If engineering, legal or other professional assistance
Kirby O’Malley, Jr., Garden State Precast Inc. is required, the services of a competent professional should be obtained.
Greg Fleck, A.L. Patterson Inc. The National Precast Concrete Association and Update do not assume
Nelson Fulcher, Cherry Precast and hereby disclaim liability to any person for any loss or damage caused
Larry Gielenfeldt, U.S. Concrete Precast Group by errors or omissions in the material contained herein, regardless of
Chris Haynes, MBO Precast Inc. whether such errors result from negligence, accident or any other cause
Richard J. Johnson, D.R. Johnson and Associates whatsoever.
Larry Ebert, Elk River Machine Co.
Evan Gurley, NPCA

NPCA Best Practices Manual 10