A homeowner used EdenCrete® in a system of retaining walls to provide strength, slope stability, and crack-resistance against an encroaching root system from a 50-year old oak tree living nearby.
For cost purposes, EdenCrete® was only used for a portion of this project, dosed into the concrete section with the most severe exposure to the root system. The section containing EdenCrete® was intended to function as the first line of defense against the encroaching root system and did not include any fibers or reinforcement. The remaining concrete contained no EdenCrete®, but utilized welded wire mesh, steel rebar, and caissons spaced at 36” OC to support the vertical walls.
For many years, a homeowner has battled a powerful root system from a tree in their yard. The growing root system destabilized a hillside in their side yard, facing the road. The first design attempt used railroad ties secured into the ground steel reinforcement. Over time, the root system overpowered the railroad ties and they too became unstable. The owner decided to replace the railroad ties with a new concrete retaining wall that was overdesigned to better resist the root system, and included a new sidewalk, front steps, and porch for the home.
EdenCrete® at 2 gal/yd3
Four months after placement, a site visit revealed the sections of the retaining wall located furthest away from the tree and root system had cracked to full-depth, top to bottom, approximately every ~24-48”. Those sections did not contain EdenCrete®. Although the EdenCrete® section is exposed to most intense level of lateral stress from the root system, it did not have any cracks. A visit to the site 6-months after placement revealed significant cracking in not only the walls, but also the stairs, porch, and sidewalk. The only section in the entire placement that remained uncracked was the EdenCrete® section. In fact, 5-years later the EdenCrete® section remains uncracked, with the remainder of the placement cracked and badly damaged. The homeowner has expressed remorse about not including EdenCrete® in the entire concrete placement and is considering removal and replacement with only concrete containing EdenCrete®.
The project involved 30 cubic yards of concrete dosed with EdenCrete® at 2 gal/yd
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