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VERSA-LOK Provides a Solid Solution for Lake Erie Cliff Erosion ProblemsVERSA-LOK retaining walls have been called upon to solve a lot of erosion problems. But few have been so complex or unique as keeping a towering cliff from crumbling into Lake Erie outside of Cleveland. A home built about 20 feet back from the cliff face was endangered because the cliff face was eroding away and the homeowner was slowly losing his lakefront real estate. The top 8 to 10 feet of the cliff is pure topsoil, Greg Norton, owner of NCS Construction Services, explains. Beneath that is about 5 feet of solid clay, which turns to shale as you go deeper. “The softer shale flakes off but it gets harder as you go deeper. The lake eats away at the base of the cliff, but it’s the groundwater at the top that does most of the destruction. First the soil, then the clay washes away and then large pieces of rock.” There was little room for geogrid, so the project engineer determined that anchor bolts could be used to secure the geogrid to the bluff. Using a 2.5-inch drill bit, holes were drilled 6 to 7 feet into the cliff face and anchor bolts cemented into the borings. Then a steel bar was attached to the anchor bolts and the geogrid attached to the steel bar to secure the wall to the cliff face. The existing seawall was used as the footing. The concrete wall extends upward for 17 feet and an 18-inch cap on top rests on a ledge chiseled out of the cliff face. The VERSA-LOK wall rests on top of the cap. Once the footing was completed, a series of three decks was built that jutted out from the cliff and was connected to a pier on the water by zig-zagging stairways. The retaining wall was built behind the deck/stairway structure. The VERSA-LOK wall begins at about 13 feet above the water level. It’s 65 feet wide and 27 feet tall and was built in three tiers with a slight curve. “That allowed us to follow the bluff face,” Andrassy explains. “The nature of the bluff face was such that the lower two-thirds was very steep, nearly vertical. The rock transitions to soil at the top, so it starts to fall back. That allowed us to bench into the existing face, so each segment has its own footing.” About 3,000 VERSA-LOK Standard units in a blended pattern of 80 percent brown and 20 percent gray were used. A special conveyer belt system was designed to lower the blocks down the cliff face one by one; a chute alongside the conveyer was used to transport the backfill aggregate. “The higher we went with the wall, we had to adjust our system of transport,” says Andrassy. “We had a little innovation going on. Everyone got a good workout. No matter how good you are at moving it, that’s a lot of block.” “With its flexible slot-and-hole pinning system, VERSA-LOK was perfect for the application,” says Norton. “It looks awesome.”
Kansas School District Achieves Huge Money and Time Savings Using VERSA-LOK to Build Stadium BleachersThe Lawrence, KS, school district saved tens of thousands of dollars and months of construction time by using VERSA-LOK Retaining Wall Systems rather than aluminum bleachers to build stadium bleachers at its two high schools. Landplan Engineering of Lawrence began investigating traditional bleacher systems after it was chosen to develop designs for separate stadiums at the two schools. Then, Capitol Concrete Products, a Lawrence manufacturer, came to their office to give a presentation on using VERSA-LOK for the retaining walls in the project. Aluminum bleachers could not be completed for more than a year, and by that time, the schools’ football season would be over. So planners began looking at using VERSA-LOK for the bleachers as well as the retaining walls. The school district preferred enclosed bleacher seats rather than an open design. Cost estimates showed that enclosed aluminum bleachers would run about $400 per seat, while bleachers built with VERSA-LOK would average about $300 per seat. Additionally, VERSA-LOK bleachers would be quieter than aluminum bleachers, which helped alleviate noise concerns of neighbors of the stadiums. VERSA-LOK bleachers also would be warmer than aluminum bleachers due to their ability to absorb heat during the daytime and radiate it at night.. Three of the four bleacher sites allowed for the construction of partially terraced berms to support the structures from behind. On the fourth, a near-vertical wall was built for support. The terraced bleachers were built on dirt hills covered with 2 feet of clean drainage rock. As the bleacher rows were added, more dirt was placed and compacted on the hill. Geogrid runs under each seat row. Bleacher walls were built up before pavers were installed on the seat rows to avoid damage to the pavers during wall construction. Standard VERSA-LOK cap units were used for seating. The center of the bleachers is the high point so water drains in either direction. Because the non-terraced bleachers dropped 16 feet off the top of the back wall, railings were secured to a 3-foot-square reinforced concrete beam that runs across the top of the back wall the length of the structure. A 50-foot conveyor was used to deliver drainage gravel over the top of the 16-foot wall. Landplan Engineering hopes to build more stadium facilities with VERSA-LOK as a result of this highly successful project.
VERSA-LOK Rescues Development Project with Cost-Effective Retaining WallA proposed commercial development project in northern California was about to go by the wayside due to serious cost overruns on a cast-in-place retaining wall. But substituting a VERSA-LOK segmental retaining wall put the project back on track and saved the developer nearly $1 million. The Montaño de El Dorado retail/restaurant complex in El Dorado Hills near Sacramento opened in 2007—but it almost never did. The topography of the project site featured a high end that required a substantial retaining wall in order to facilitate construction on top and prevent erosion. The original plan called for a cast-in-place concrete wall about 20 feet tall and 900 feet long with a stucco finish. However, as the price tag of the wall approached $1.5 million, it threatened to sink the project. Steve Osborne, engineering specialist with McNear Brick and Block in San Rafael, proposed a total redesign of the wall using VERSA-LOK Mosaic segmental retaining walls accented with columns, decorative lighting and wrought iron fencing. “I sent the plans off to VERSA-LOK immediately and had them do a preliminary engineering take-off. They turned it around in less than a week,” says Osborne. “I sent it out for bid to wall contractors, and it saved about $1 million on the walls.” Explains Matthew Doss of Retaining Walls Company in Tracy, the contractor on the project: “This site presented several challenges, needing nearly 20 feet of retention on a highly visible street corner within an affluent community. Two critical components needed to be addressed-form and function. With the VERSA-LOK Mosaic product, we delivered a functionally superior retaining wall by using a flexible segmental wall with an aesthetic look that is unmatched.” About 20,000 square feet of Weathered VERSA-LOK Mosaic in a Mojave color were used in the construction of the mammoth wall, which stretches the length of the development. Stepped and tiered sections with inset plantings, along with the Mosaic system’s random pattern, break up the wall’s face. Atop the wall, freestanding columns adorned with ornamental caps provide additional visual interest. “The developer is thrilled to death,” Osborne concludes. “In addition to saving nearly $1 million, he ended up with a much higher-end look than a cast-in-place stucco-finish wall.”
Award-Winning VERSA-LOK Walls Help Fill Kansas City Office, Retail SpaceAward-winning landscaping featuring VERSA-LOK is one reason why Kansas City’s Briarcliff master-planned community boasts an occupancy rate of over 90 percent. The development’s newest phase, Hilltop Office Building, won the Award of Merit for Hardscapes-Segmental Retaining Walls (SRWs) from the National Concrete Masonry Association (NCMA) in 2008. The entire 600-acre development features nearly 44,000 square feet of VERSA-LOK Mosaic retaining walls. Hilltop Office Building is perched atop a high hill overlooking Kansas City and affords its tenants spectacular views of the downtown skyline and Missouri River Valley. But those views came with a 2:1 slope below the walls that presented some retaining wall engineering challenges. “The segmental retaining walls of Briarcliff Hilltop are a crucial part of the overall concept of the site,” says Gary Strack, P.E. and director of structural engineering for Shafer, Kline & Warren, Inc. of Lenexa, KS, designer of the walls. “The goal was to design segmental retaining walls to support parking pad development and allow for the proposed building construction. Access to the back and sides of the building would not have been possible without the retaining walls due to the significant grade change prior to development.” A series of five SRWs totaling over 36,000 square feet and reaching 35 feet in places were built around the parking pads that surround the building and parking garage on the lower side of the 2:1 slope. Using VERSA-LOK instead of poured-in-place concrete walls resulted in considerable cost savings, as well as a more aesthetically pleasing series of walls. VERSA-LOK’s tumbled Mosaic was chosen because it broke up the lines of the courses on the massive walls with the random pattern. “The weathered Mosaic Bethany Ledge colored units were selected to match the previous retail development adjacent to the Hilltop,” says Strack. “The weathered random look of this Mosaic pattern makes the wall look like it has been there for years and blends with native limestone formations in the area. Other building products would not have blended so easily.”
VERSA-LOK Bridge Wins NCMA Award Of ExcellenceA master planned community near Kansas City named Seven Bridges wanted to showcase its gateway bridge with something extraordinary, so they built the arched vehicle and pedestrian bridge out of VERSA-LOK. The design by Shafer, Kline & Warren, Inc. of Lenexa, KS, was so successful it won the National Concrete Masonry Association’s 2008 “Award of Excellence.” “Bridges are an increasingly popular use for VERSA-LOK, and this is an excellent example of that application,” says Karen Nelson, VERSA-LOK manager of engineering services. According to Gary Strack, P.E. and director of structural engineering with Shafer, Kline & Warren, the bridge is built around a 33-foot-wide corrugated steel culvert. The metal arch was placed on a concrete foundation and then the arch was backfilled with granular backfill. Geogrid-reinforced VERSA-LOK walls were built on concrete footings up to and over the metal arch structure. The retaining walls—up to 15 feet at their tallest point—extend into back-to-back parapet walls at the top. The walls are grouted together and flank either side of the bridge deck. Stepped pilasters with decorative black iron fencing in between punctuate the freestanding walls and are topped with solar-powered lantern-style lights. The walls and columns are capped with precast concrete caps. The Weathered texture on the Mosaic block was the perfect fit for the bridge’s setting, Strack says. “This SRW material intelligently relates to the landscape treatment of the surrounding greenway.” David Barth, the project’s developer, said the VERSA-LOK product was more economical than natural stone and also offered more consistent color for a bridge that size. They had considered using boulders from the site, native stone or even molded plastic elements for the bridge. However, he told NCMA, “We want this bridge to be around for 100 years or more. SRW masonry was economical and gave us more flexibility with design than using stone or other product.”
 VERSA-LOK Versatility Showcased in Medical Center CourtyardWhen Tri-Star Health System gave its 35-year-old Skyline Medical Center in Nashville, TN, a facelift, the renovation included adding a sunken, open-air courtyard to serve as a combination dining-waiting area for visitors and patients. Nashville A&E firm Gresham Smith and Partners designed a space populated with trees, tiered plantings and fountains and defined by irregular-shaped segmental retaining walls. A terraced stairway connects the courtyard with a parking lot above. Freestanding columns tower over the stairs like sentries, adding an extra dimension. GS&P wanted an attractive SRW system that matched the existing structure and could be modified to create curves, corners, stairs and columns—all without costly specialty units. They found it in VERSA-LOK Standard. For example, the columns were constructed by splitting the solid VERSA-LOK Standard units in half and securing them with VERSA-LOK Concrete Adhesive. Concrete was poured in the center, along with rebar, for additional reinforcement. In addition to its solid construction and design versatility, said Tom Martin, landscape architect at Gresham Smith and Partners, “We chose the VERSA-LOK system because of its relative low cost, good local engineering support and seasoned installation personnel.”
Natural Stone Look of Mosaic Retaining Wall Preserves Historic LookWhen the Town of Wilton, ME, wanted to reclaim some land along a scenic stream to build a parking lot, it wanted the facility to blend in with its surroundings. Adding to that challenge was a massive retaining wall behind the parking lot that would tower more than 20 feet tall and span nearly 175 feet from end to end. The wall and 45-space parking lot face the stream. A nearby retaining wall and dam upstream from the mill are constructed of natural stone, necessitating a wall of similar materials. VERSA-LOK Mosaic was the only random-pattern segmental retaining wall system capable of being built to such heights, and the Weathered texture was specified for a more historic look. The 175-foot-long Wilton wall is shaped in a graceful crescent with a deep, curved recess in the center. The top of the wall gradually steps up from each end to its maximum height of just over 20 feet. The trapezoidal shape of the solid units allowed installers to easily arrange them to build curves without the use of specialty pieces. A swale was dug behind the top of the wall, sloped from the top down each side and filled with large rip-rap stone to guide drainage away from the wall. Total cost of the wall was significantly less than a poured-in-place concrete wall, and the result was far more attractive.
Mall’s Renovation Creates Retaining Wall OpportunitiesKansas City’s Ward Parkway Shopping Center underwent a major renovation that transformed the indoor mall into an open-entry mall. The project required considerable modifications to the mall’s exterior, parking areas and trafficways. A grade change from a 6 percent slope to a 3 percent slope called for retaining walls to compensate for the large drop-off at the edge of the property. VERSA-LOK Weathered Mosaic met the city’s requirement that the walls match the existing limestone-covered walls on the site. A 970-foot retaining wall with two monument walls was built on the mall’s east side, along with smaller monument walls in the landscape beds on the west side. The monument walls were built using two Mosaic walls laid back-to-back to achieve the random-pattern Weathered look on both sides. Engraved stone signage was inset into the face of the monument walls on either side of the entrance. Black iron fencing was installed between columns that extend above the top of the wall. “The VERSA-LOK system proved advantageous for many reasons,” said Chad Porter of landscape architects Shafer, Kline & Warren, Inc. “It kept the retaining-wall costs within the budget and also allowed curves in the wall—which were desired by the developer—to be affordable.” And the mall’s residential neighbors found the random-pattern Mosaic wall with its vintage Weathered texture to be more aesthetically pleasing than other alternatives.
VERSA-LOK Transforms Ohio Freeway From 'Gray Wind Tunnel of Concrete'W“Highways are an inescapable part of modern life,” says Jack Marchbanks of the Ohio Department of Transportation, “but they do not need to be gray wind tunnels of concrete that carry joyless commuters to their destinations.” The city of Columbus, Ohio, and the Ohio Department of Transportation took that message to heart when they used VERSA-LOK to rebuild an interchange at I-71 and Morse Road in the city’s Northland area. Retaining walls were required along all the entrance and exit ramps from I-71, at six corners and also along Morse Road where it runs under the interstate. Most walls are 3 to 4 feet in height, but the tallest reaches 9 feet. Initially, poured-in-place concrete walls with a veneer face were considered, but massive underground utilities were encountered and the footings required for concrete walls were problematic. VERSA-LOK segmental retaining walls, which require no frost footings, were specified instead. “The cost savings that were brought about by the segmental retaining wall system and being able to leave all those utilities intact made the project happen,” says Tom Stephens, landscape architect with Kinzelman Kline Landscape Architecture and Planning in Columbus.
“It lent itself more to what we were talking about. With the larger stones, it wasn’t so residential-looking. And people who are viewing it are viewing it at a fast speed from ad that the VERSA-LOK walls were easily installed. “Once you get the base course down, it’ good distance away. When you’re driving down the freeway, you’re looking more at colors and large patterns as opposed to individual stones. A lot of times your small patterns kind of get lost.” Both landscape contractors agrees just a matter of how fast you can lay the block,” says Steve White, superintendent with Peabody Landscape Group. “With no hollow cores to fill, you just set the block, drop the pins and move on.” Mike Willman, president and owner of Mid-West Landscape, says “VERSA-LOK is our product of choice because of its solid construction. A lot of the hollow retaining wall systems tend to break.” The top-pinning system, which makes positioning the blocks easier, facilitated installation because of the many serpentine curves and corners on the project. It also allowed for the construction of vertical sign walls using the same materials. All the walls were finished with VERSA-LOK solid cap units.
VERSA-LOK Retaining Walls Convert Atlanta Hillside to Upscale Townhome DevelopmentWhen Southeast Capital Partners, Inc. contracted ECM Modular Walls of Atlanta to build a series of retaining walls that would transform a tree-filled hillside into the 53-unit Brickstone Heights townhome development, they knew there was only one system for the job: VERSA-LOK Standard. The challenge for ECM was to build the walls in phases to allow for staged construction of the townhomes, roads and swimming pool on ground that the walls would eventually support. VERSA-LOK Standard was used throughout Brickstone Heights. It was an excellent complement to the townhomes’ traditional brick construction. And VERSA-LOK’s design flexibility was especially critical given the number of curves and corners in the project. “Working with VERSA-LOK units made it easy to adjust the walls when the developer wanted to make changes,” said Bill Johnson, ECM Modular Walls president. “VERSA-LOK systems turn the best 90-degree corners, and it’s easy to control the radius.” VERSA-LOK’s ease of installation enabled his crews to work fast, so construction could begin as soon as possible. “Once we had the lower half of the job done, the builder started paving roads and building houses,” said Johnson.
Economical Square Foot Retaining Wall Maximizes Space For SchoolProvidence Academy, a private school in Plymouth, MN, needed to accommodate a loading dock on the lowest level of the school in the rear of the building. At the same time, they hoped to preserve a level green space near the school’s easterly entrance to avoid leaving a steep slope leading down to the dock area. Looking for a more economical and aesthetically pleasing solution than a poured-in-place concrete wall to complement the red brick exterior of the school, they found it in VERSA-LOK Square Foot. A mammoth 275-foot-long curved Square Foot wall ranging from 16' high on one end to 4' high on the other not only facilitated the loading dock, but also created a large space for an elementary school playground. A smaller 2'- 4' tall Square Foot wall was installed on the opposite side of the loading dock driveway to preserve a wooded area downhill from the wall. To prevent access to the top of the wall, chain-link and iron fencing was installed behind the wall around the perimeter of the playground. Evergreens planted around the tallest part of the wall soften the appearance of the large structure. The result: an attractive and safe retaining wall, a functional loading dock and a new playground at a cost significantly lower than the alternatives.
Weathered Standard Retaining Wall Complements Renovated Historic SiteMinneapolis’ Mill Ruins Park is on the National Register of Historic Places and preserves what remains of the city’s Mississippi Riverfront past of flour and lumber mills. So when the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board acquired the park in 1998 to begin restoring this previously neglected area, the agency went to great lengths to maintain the historical integrity of the site wherever possible. The first phase of the project involved reconstructing a tailrace—an area downstream from the dam where the impounded water re-enters the river—that runs alongside the partially excavated ruins. Architects URS Corporation designed a segmental retaining wall along the north side of the tailrace that would hold back the large mass of soil behind it, have long-lasting durability and also blend well with the historical surroundings. VERSA-LOK Weathered Standard was the natural choice to replicate the existing stonework of the historic Stone Arch Bridge and other structures at the site, said Bob Kost, URS landscape architect, “because it offered a similar color and texture to the old limestone walls.” In fact, VERSA-LOK Weathered Standard was such a perfect match in the renovation, URS decided to use them elsewhere in the project as well. “Many other needs popped up during the initial phase, including a parking lot wall and river inlet,” said Kost. “We found VERSA-LOK to be a very cost-effective solution to those needs as well
Serpentine Mosaic Retaining Wall Brings Form and Function to ZooA serpentine Weathered Mosaic wall 112 feet in length helped define an outdoor classroom space at the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, KS. The wall was a perfect match for the existing Kansas limestone exterior of the building to which it’s attached. The soft, curved lines of the VERSA-LOK wall are a natural extension of the spiral-shaped Cargill Learning Center. The 7- to 8-foottall wall forms the perimeter of a large outdoor courtyard and also creates a smaller, more intimate niche used for classes. Beyond the wall is the zoo’s entry plaza, and the wall retains large grade differentials, entry pools and waterfalls along its length. “The VERSA-LOK retaining wall system was paramount in keeping the project within the tight budget required without the added cost of a natural limestone retaining wall,” said Jason C. Wenzel, project manager/designer for WDM Architects in Wichita. “VERSA-LOK’s Weathered Mosaic was a natural choice to replicate the native Kansas limestone veneer and color palette of the building that anchors each end of the wall.” The wall is also functional, noted Wenzel. An inset bench built into the entire length of the wall provides continuous seating, resting and queuing space within the courtyard for visitors to the learning center.
VERSA-LOK Helps Transform a Field of Corn into a Field of DreamsWhat began as a cornfield with a 20-foot grade change today is an award-winning baseball field on the Lebanon Valley (PA) College campus, thanks in large part to the capabilities of VERSA-LOK. McGill Field, home of the Lebanon Valley Flying Dutchmen, features a 9-foot multicolor VERSA-LOK retaining wall in the outfield and a 500-seat grandstand in matching colors. The 20-foot slope is retained by the outfield wall to maximize the field space. During the design phase, college officials and architects Derck & Edson Associates searched for an affordable masonry system that would evoke memories of old-time ballparks like Wrigley Field. The attractive split-face texture and efficient installation and design of the VERSA-LOK system fit the bill—at a lower cost than either cast-in-place concrete or brick-and-mortar. “What makes this ballpark unique is the integration of the bullpens with the outfield wall,” said Michael Carroll, sales manager at Binkley & Ober, Inc. “The contractor used VERSA-LOK for a variety of applications, including the dugouts, freestanding walls and planters.” Their efforts didn’t go unnoticed. McGill Field was named “College Baseball Field of the Year” in 2000 by the Sports Turf Managers Association.
Tiered Gardens Integrate Senior Community into HillsideSchenley Gardens, a senior living community in Pittsburgh, PA, is built into a hillside. The dramatic 200-foot elevation change of the property presented an extreme landscaping challenge to the developer. Kossman Development Company wanted to integrate the building into the hillside and needed a solution that would meet the project’s stringent engineering requirements while artfully satisfying the architect’s aesthetic demands. They found their solution in VERSA-LOK Standard. Using more than 13,000 square feet of VERSA-LOK Standard, architect Paul Kossman created a series of six serpentine tiered retaining walls to transform the steeply sloped area between the center’s buildings into a lavish complex of gardens, patios and walkways. The tiered walls carved three levels of meandering open spaces into the hillside, all connected by stairs and accessible from the living areas. These gathering areas are adorned with seating, pergolas, a gazebo and multiple raised gardens. The tan VERSA-LOK walls are a perfect complement to the beige buildings. “The curved walls helped create a park-like environment,” said Kossman. “In addition, the geogrid reinforcement allowed us to plant trees on the tiers, which really added to the site.”
VERSA-LOK Retaining Wall Halts Riverway Erosion, Saves City $60,000A VERSA-LOK segmental retaining wall saved the city of Rochester, MN, $60,000 in a flood-control project and helped preserve a portion of a golf course that was eroding into the Zumbro River. The wall was part of the $100 million Rochester Flood Control Program. The St. Paul District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had to deepen and widen the waterway channel near Soldier’sGrove Golf Course. The course was in danger of losing three greens and one tee box to the crumbling banks of the Zumbro. However, they didn’t want to close for the season because of the huge potential revenue loss the city-owned course would incur. The Corps had two options: use poured-in-place concrete cantilevered retaining walls or build segmental retaining walls. After researching their options, engineers concluded that segmental retaining walls would cost the city $60,000 less than poured-in-place walls and allow for quicker, easier installation. VERSA-LOK Standard was specified because its solid construction was more durable in a riverway application and its pin-to-slot design facilitated smooth installation of the serpentine channel walls. General contractor Ames Construction Inc. of Burnsville, MN, installed more than 17,000 square feet of VERSA-LOK Standard. Riprap was placed at the base of the walls to present further erosion from scouring. In addition to halting the erosion, the VERSA-LOK walls blend in well with the riverway environment and golf course.
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VERSA-LOK Weathered Standard was selected, both for its looks and its construction versatility, says Stephens.
