MSE Wall Panel - Steel Reinforcement

[dmband]

I work for a MSE Wall supplier and am having trouble wrapping my head around why horizontal rebar is placed closest to the face of the concrete panel versus the vertical rebar. Some examples include Section B-B on sheet 7 and Detail 2 on sheet 2.

I would think that the compressive/tension forces would cause the face of the panel to experience the most tension and therefore vertical rebar would be required.

Thanks for any feedback!

 

[spats]

I can't get your examples to download.

 

[dmoench01]

Dmband,

I design and review walls like this all the time. If the wall is being designed to span vertically then yes you are correct the vertical steel does the most work if you can push it as far out as ACI allows for coverage. If you want the wall to span horizontally then the same applies to the horizontal steel, push that out as far as possible.

 

[hokie66]

These panels are just a facing or veneer for the reinforced earth wall, with the panels themselves experiencing very little bending. The reinforcement in the panels is in the middle.

 

[IDS]

I'm not sure what compressive/tension forces you have in mind, but the horizontal soil forces on the back of the panel typically cause maximum tension on the back (soil) face at the tie points closest to the edge of the panel. The direction of the maximum tensile stress depends on the exact layout of the tie points. For most walls the orientation of the reinforcement is not critical anyway, and for high walls where bending stresses are critical the reinforcement will be designed and detailed for the particular situation.

Also at least one of the companies responsible for the drawings you attached has excellent technical resources and people which will give you all the background information you need.

Doug Jenkins
Interactive Design Services

http://newtonexcelbach.wordpress.com/