Aamby Valley is a hilly terrain and lies within the heavy rainfall zone of Lonavala. The courtyard area was enduring heavy erosion since the monsoons of 2013. The problem was critical, with possible slope failure that could undermine the plinths and endanger the structure’s foundations.

A retaining structure was proposed to contain the ground supporting the building foundations. The time period, however, was rather short to construct any conventional structure such as a masonry gravity wall or a reinforced concrete retaining wall. A gravity wall constructed with StrataWeb® geocells style SW356-300 mm was proposed.

The StrataWeb® gravity wall comprised of in-filled geocell panels placed one on top of the other. Initially, the bottom layers of panels were spread out with the help of steel spikes. A vibratory plate tamper was used to compact the in-filling.

The StrataWeb® geocell gravity wall offered a rapid and aesthetic solution. The soil ledge created by the batter fostered vegetation. The solution is structurally sound and can withstand the fury of the monsoons of the Western Ghats.

When compared with other systems, the StrataWeb® solution is more economical, and the speed of construction is rapid. The key to this lies in the fact that local soil can be used for construction.

StrataWeb® geocell gravity walls are excellent solutions for emergency construction during disasters or when rapid construction is required without any specialized construction equipment.