Construction began with site clearing, excavation, and footing preparation prior to installing segmental block facing units along the wall alignment.
MIRAFI Polyfelt PEC geocomposites were placed at 0.4 m vertical intervals to form the reinforced soil mass behind the wall facing.
Backfill was placed in controlled 200 mm lifts and compacted to a minimum of 95 percent maximum dry density to ensure structural stability.
Drainage aggregates and subsoil pipes were installed within the reinforced zone to manage internal water flow.
Omega Mine extends AMD treatment capacity with dewatering
At Omega Mine in West Virginia, GEOTUBE® GT500 units help the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection treat and dewater acid mine drainage from abandoned mines while supporting long-term capacity and compliance.
Dredging and reuse of contaminated sediments
Embraport used dewatered contaminated sediments as structural fill within its terminal platform, saving 400,000 m3 of imported material and reducing earthfill platform costs by 20% to 30%.
MSW incineration and power plant platform, Yuxi City, Yunnan Province, China
A USD 50 million MSW incineration plant in Yuxi City uses reinforced segmental block retaining walls to form platforms in rugged terrain and process up to 1,000 tonnes of waste per day while generating electricity.
Creating stable development platforms on constrained urban sites often comes down to one question: how to retain soil efficiently without giving up valuable land. At Eco Botanic City in Iskandar Puteri, Johor, land formation required long, steep retaining structures capable of supporting residential and mixed-use development while adapting to varied topography. Conventional retaining systems would have consumed space and increased material demands. A reinforced soil wall solution offered a way to form safe, buildable platforms while maximizing usable land and maintaining constructability.
The project involved approximately 1,385 m of geocomposite-reinforced soil walls with heights ranging from 2.0 m to 7.0 m using MIRAFI® Polyfelt PEC. Wall faces were constructed at an inclination of roughly 82 degrees from horizontal, with selected sections incorporating backslopes of 0.5 m to 3.0 m at a 1V:2H gradient. The system was designed to accommodate site geometry, support long continuous wall alignments, and align with sustainable urban development goals.
The primary challenge was delivering a structurally sound retaining system across a long alignment with variable wall heights and integrated backslopes, all while maintaining construction efficiency and land-use optimization. The walls needed to perform as permanent structures, resist earth pressures, and manage internal drainage without relying on imported or specialized backfill materials.
Construction sequencing also required tight control. Reinforcement layers had to be installed at consistent vertical spacing, backfill needed to meet compaction requirements, and drainage elements had to remain continuous along the full wall length. Any inefficiency or material incompatibility would have increased construction time, cost, and environmental impact through additional material transport.
A geocomposite-reinforced soil wall system was selected for its flexibility, cost efficiency, and ability to use locally available backfill. Composite reinforcement geotextiles were installed at 0.4 m vertical intervals, working in combination with segmental block facing units. Backfill was placed in 200 mm lifts and compacted to at least 95% of maximum dry density, forming a stable reinforced soil mass behind the facing.
MIRAFI Polyfelt PEC composite geotextile was used as the primary reinforcement and separation layer. By combining multiple functions into a single product, the system simplified installation and reduced the number of materials handled on site. Internal drainage was managed using drainage aggregates, subsoil pipes, and MIRAFI Polyfelt TS nonwoven geotextile for filtration, ensuring controlled water movement and long-term performance of the reinforced structure.
The completed walls provided stable development platforms while reducing material transport and supporting the use of on-site soils, lowering the project’s overall carbon footprint. The outcome demonstrated that long, high reinforced soil walls can be constructed efficiently using composite geotextiles when proper design standards and construction controls are applied. The solution delivered durable earth retention, optimized land use, and a practical framework for sustainable urban site development.