MACRES Paraweb - Installation Manual Vers 2 - Eng

INSTALLATION MANUAL
MacRes
VERTICAL CONCRETE WALL
MACRES
(ParawebTM REINFORCEMENT)
INSTALLATION MANUAL
1
INSTALLATION MANUAL
MacRes
VERTICAL CONCRETE WALL
CONTENTS
PREFACE
1. INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………………………………………..3
2. IMPORTANT INFORMATION…………………………………………………………………………………3
2.1 RESPONSABILITIES…………………………………………………………………………………..4
2.2 CONSTRUCTION DESIGN…………………………………………………………………………....5
2.3 PART OF THE STRUCTURE…………………………………………………………………….……5
2.4 SERVICES PROVIDED BY OFFICINE MACCAFERRI S.p.a. ……………….…………………..5
2.5 MATERIALS PROVIDED BY OFFICINE MACCAFERRI S.p.a. ……………………….………...6
3. ORGANISATION OF INSTALLATION SITE…………………………………………………….………….7

3.1 PLANT AND MACHINERY NEEDED BY THE CONTRACTOR…………...…………………….7
3.2 EQUIPMENT NEEDED BY THE CONTRACTOR…………………………….…………………….7
3.3 ESTIMATED PERSONNEL REQUIRED FOR INSTALLATION…………….…….……………...8
3.5 INSTALLATION RATE………………………………………………………………………………...8
3.6 EMBANKMENT MATERIAL…………………………………………………………………………..9
4. UNLOADING AND STORAGE OF PREFABRICATED ELEMENTS……………………………………9

4.1 PROCEDURES FOR POSITIONING PANELS……………………………………………………..9
4.2 Paraweb™ REINFORCEMENT AND ACCESSORIES…………………………………………….9
5. INSTALLATION
5.1 PROCEDURES FOR POSITIONING PANELS
5.2 INSTALLATION SEQUENCE
5.3 INSTALLATION OPERATIONS
OP 01 SITE PREPARATION
OP 02 POURING BLINDING LAYER AND SETTING OUT OF FACING
OP 30 POSITIONING AND STRUTTING OF THE FIRST ROW OF PANELS
OP 04 PLACINF OF WEDGES AND CLAMPS
OP 05 PLACING GEOTEXTILE INSIDE PANELS
OP 06 FORMATION AND COMPACTION OF THE FIRST
EMBANKMENT LAYER
OP 07 POSITIONING AND CONNECTION OF THE FIRST LAYER OF
REINFORCEMENTS
OP 08 FORMATION AND COMPACTION OF THE SECOND
EMBANKMENT LAYER
OP 09 POSITIONING OF THE BEARINGS AND THE SUBSEQUENT
ROW OF PANELS
OP 10 REPETITION OF THE OPERATIONS 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9
AND 10 UNTIL THE TOP LEVEL OF THE FACING
REQUIRED IN THE DESIGN IS REACHED
OP 11 INSTALLATION OF ANY TOP SLABS, BARRIERS OR ANY
OTHER SUPERSTRUCTURE INCLUDED IN THE
CONSTRUCTION DESIGN
5.4 COMPLETETION OF THE STRUCTURE
6. CAUSE-EFFECT RELATIONS
7. REGISTERED TRADE-MARK
8. TYPE AND NAME OF THE PREFABRICATED ELEMENTS
2
Maccaferri reserves the right to amend product specifications without notice and specifiers are
requested to check as to the validity of the specifications they are using.
PREFACE
OFFICINE MACCAFERRI S.p.A. supplies the prefabricated elements and accessories which, together
with other materials, must be used for construction of the MacRes system of reinforced soil structures de-
scribed in detail in the Construction Designs approved and accepted by the Contractor.
The present manual represents a guide to the construction of structures using the MacRes System, and
gives practical guidance for the organisation and control of the relative operations The Contractor’s per-
sonnel (site agent, foreman in charge of the works, etc…) and the Engineer’s staff must be aware of the
contents of the manual before the delivery of the materials to site.
The instructions given in the manual are of a general nature, and do not, therefore, exempt the Contrac-
tor from the obligations and responsibilities for the definition and correct execution of all the specific op-
erations required for implementation of the project (construction sequence, loading and unloading proce-
dures, safety plans, etc). The details given in this manual do not exempt the Contractor from compliance
with the Construction Designs, Technical Specifications, Conditions of Contract and safety requirements
relative to the site.
When the structure to be installed has some special details, these will be defined in the Construction de-
sign drawings. In the case of ambiguities or discrepancies between the Construction Design documents
and this manual, the former documents will take priority. Any problem which arises during installation will
be resolved by Maccaferri’s technical personnel and, when provided, by the installation supervisors spe-
cifically appointed for the works.
OFFICINE MACCAFERRI S.p.A. will send a technician to site at the start of construction to assist the
Contractor in setting up the correct execution procedures.
The design of the structures carried out by Maccaferri only includes the checking of the stability outside
and inside the MacRes reinforced structure based on the data (e.g. loads, over-loads, characterisation of
soils and interaction with other works) provided by the Contractor and the Designers of the other works.
The designs of the MacRes system do not include a control of the stability outside the walls with regard to
soils beneath or behind the works nor the control of potential slide surfaces outside the structures. The
MacRes solution only guarantees internal stability, checked on the basis of the accuracy and complete-
ness of the data provided by the Contractor and used to prepare the designs.
1. INTRODUCTION
The MacRes system of reinforced soil is a composite material obtained from the interaction between a soil
with friction properties and strips of reinforcement material with a high tensile strength. The tensile forces
are transferred to the reinforcement by means of friction. Conceptually, it is similar to reinforced concrete:
the MacRes system is therefore a cost-effective means of improving the poor mechanical properties of
soil by reinforcing it with another material. The strength obtained in this way is directly proportional to the
quantity of reinforcement installed. It is therefore possible to “design” the strength of the material practi-
cally without limits.
A typical structure is shown in Fig. 1. It consists mainly of the reinforced body; the prefabricated panels of
the facing serve to protect the structure from erosion and to give the structure an attractive appearance.
3
PREFABRICATED
CONCRETE
FACING PANELS
NORMAL EMBANKMENT
REINFORCED BODY (GRANULAR

EMBANKMENT MATERIAL +
REINFORCEMENTS)
ParaWebTM REINFORCEMENT, IN
ACCORDANCE WITH MACRES Fig. 1
SPECIFICATIONS
2. IMPORTANT INFORMATION
2.1 RESPONSIBILITIES
The Contractor is responsible for completion of the works in strict compliance with the Construction De-
sign documents, the Technical Specifications and the Contract Documents. In order to assist the Con-
tractor, OFFICINE MACCAFERRI S.p.A. provides the recommendations contained in the present man-
ual, but they in no way relieve the Contractor of the responsibility to comply with all the current safety
regulations and procedures.
The Contractor and the Client will check that the site personnel appointed for performance of
the works are in possession of a copy of this Manual and are aware of its contents.
The Technical Personnel of OFFICINE MACCAFERRI S.p.A. will be present on site during the initial
phases of the works, and during subsequent phases if requested. The Technical Personnel will assist
the Contractor in planning the deliveries and will provide advice on the installation procedures recom-
mended for the MacRes structures as described in this Manual.
This Technical Personnel will not be present on site for the entire duration of the works, and
must not be considered to replace the supervision and quality control staff appointed by the
Contractor and the Client.
4
2.2 CONSTRUCTION DESIGN
• Before starting any operations on site, the Contractor must ensure that the latest version of the
relative Construction Design, duly approved for the construction, is used for construction of the
structure.
• The Contractor must also carry out topographical survey checks to ensure that the structure is con-
structed in the required position.
2.3 PARTS OF THE STRUCTURE
Structural embankment : A structural embankment material which complies with the technical specifica-
tions for the Construction Design must be used for construction of the reinforced body.
Lean concrete blinding layer : cast in-situ, to form a smooth horizontal base to support the panels. The
width would be generally be at least 35 cm with a minimum thickness of 15 cm. Reference should be
made to the Construction Design for the structure for details.
Prefabricated concrete facing panels :

• Whole panels – Code An (if made of un-reinforced concrete) or Cn (if made of reinforced concrete).
The number “n” indicates the number of attachments for fixing the reinforcement.
• Half panels – Code Bn (if made of un-reinforced concrete) or Dn (if made of reinforced concrete).
These are used in the lowest layer (first layer) alternately with a whole panel.
• End panels – Codes In, Jn, Kn, Ln, Mn, Nn, Pn, Qn (if not suitable for coupling with a head slab) or
R…, S…, T…, U…, V…, W…, X…, Y…(if suitable for coupling with a head slab). The upper edge
of these panels is flat.
• Other types of panels, cut with right-angled or oblique corners are supplied as required by the
shape of the structure.
Accessories for forming joints between panels :

• Horizontal joints - these are formed by placing EPDM rubber supports between the lower and upper
panels, to avoid direct contact between the concrete surfaces. A 40 cm wide geotextile strip is then
fixed to the inner face of the panels (embankment side) to cover the entire length of the joints.
• Vertical joints – A 40 cm wide geotextile strip is fixed to the inner face of the panels (embankment
side) to cover the entire length of the joints.
Embankment reinforcements : ParaWebTM polyethylene coated polyester strip of a grade as required

by the design and generally supplied in 100 m coil lengths.
Panel-reinforcement connection : during the construction, the ParaWebTM is connected to the concrete
panels by means of steel or polymeric connection elements as required by the design.
Reinforcement securing bars and pins : the ParaWebTM is held in place with fixing bars and pins prior
to the fill being placed. These bars and pins are only temporary in purpose and their service life is com-
plete when the fill is compacted.
2.4 SERVICES PROVIDED BY OFFICINE MACCAFERRI S.p.A.
• Construction Design of the MacRes structures.

• Transport to site of the materials provided (F.O.B.), including an unloading time, from arrival at site,
of two hours.
• Technical support on site at the start of installation.
5
2.5 MATERIALS PROVIDED BY OFFICINE MACCAFERRI S.p.A.
Fig. 2
500 mm
approx.
200 mm
approx.
1,000
1.800 mm
approx.
• 1 panel lifting kit (ref. fig. 2) (free-of-charge for the installation period)
• 1 template for positioning the panels (ref. fig. 3) (free-of-charge for the installation period)
• Prefabricated concrete facing panels, complete with attachments for connection to the reinforcements
• Any other prefabricated concrete elements, if required by the construction design (head slabs, corner
members, etc.), complete with attachments for connection.
• Geotextiles and rubber bearings to form joints between panels.
• ParaWebTM embankment reinforcement
• Plastic dowels for connecting the panels
• Steel ‘S’ clamps for joining lengths of ParaWebTM
Fig. 3
ParaWebTM is supplied generally in 100m coils although other lengths can be supplied as required by the
design. Each coil is labelled with a colour-coded label which shows the grade and other QA information.
Coils are supplied on pallets.
Geotextiles, rubber bearings, plastic dowels and connection components are generally supplied in pack-
ages to avoid damage during unloading and handling.
The certificates of conformity for the above-mentioned materials are provided by OFFICINE MACCA-
FERRI S.p.A. It is, however, the Contractor’s responsibility to check that all the materials received comply
with the Transport Documentation and the Construction Design requirements.
Any discrepancy must be recorded on the Transport Documentation at the time of unloading and
immediately notified to OFFICINE MACCAFERRI S.p.A.
6
3. ORGANISATION OF INSTALLATION SITE
The construction of the MacRes structures must be organised as if it were earth-moving works.
The speed of installation of the facing and the arrangement of the reinforcements depends directly on the
organisation of the earth works.
The thickness of the vertical spacing between reinforcements is 37.5 cm and the volume of fill required is
determined on the basis of the length of the wall and the reinforcement. If there is an access embank-
ment or backfill on the opposite side to the facing, this additional soil must be added to the volume of the
reinforced body and must not necessarily comply with the specific conditions of the Reinforced Soil struc-
tures (fig. 1), but it must, nevertheless, correspond in terms of density and friction angle to the figures
taken into consideration in the design.
3.1 PLANT AND MACHINERY NEEDED BY THE CONTACTOR
• Lifting of panels – Mobile lifting gear which is able to lift the weight of a panel to the required
heights (the standard panel weighs approx. 750 kg and the largest panel weighs approx.1000 kg).
• Formation of embankment – The choice depends on the particular conditions of each structure,
considering the type of material, thickness of layers, compaction specifications, etc. In general,
earth-works trucks, wheeled loaders or diggers, tankers for watering embankment, etc will be re-
quired.
• Compaction – Suitably sized vibratory rollers for the majority of embankment materials. Non-
vibratory rollers are recommended for fine sand. A small hand-held compactor will be used for com-
paction of the embankment over distances of less than a metre from the rear of the panels.
3.2 EQUIPMENT NEEDED BY THE CONTACTOR
Threaded
bar φ 12
Fig. 4
• Clamps for fixing panels during installation (ref. fig. 4). At least one for each column of panels over
the entire length of the structure
• Wooden wedges (ref. fig. 5). 4-6 wedges for each column of panels over the entire length of the
structure
7
Fig. 5
Approx dimensions
• Nylon ropes to unload the panels

• Timber struts for the first row of panels
• Crowbars
• Spirit level (min. length 1.00 m)
• Straight edge (min. length 1.80 m)
• 19 mm spanners
• Plumb line
• Brush or broom
• Sledge hammer
• Surveying equipment.
3.3 ESTIMATED PERSONNEL REQUIRED FOR INSTALLATION
• 1 foreman (responsible for installation)

• 2-4 labourers.
3.4 WORKS TO BE CARRIED OUT BY THE CONTRACTOR
• Site preparation, including foundation excavations and any improvement of the foundation soil and/
or installation of drains, impermeable membranes, geotextiles and drainage pipes if specified in the
Construction Design;
• Formation of the embankment foundation surface and pouring of the lean concrete blinding layer;
• Setting out of the facing front on the blinding layer;
• Unloading and storage of materials (panels, reinforcement and accessories);
• Assembly of MacRes components and placing and compaction of embankment;
• Provisional arrangement whilst awaiting the finishing works (carriageway, slopes, drains, weather
protection, etc.).
3.5 INSTALLATION RATE
All the operations required for the assembly, adjustment of panels and installation of reinforcement may
be performed with the above-mentioned plant, equipment and personnel.
8
A normal installation rate, with acceptable conditions for access to the works and the length of the struc-
ture, may be 40 m2 to 70 m2 per day for a completed facing, once the first layer has been placed - which
is the most laborious. Greater construction rates are possible on more extensive projects.
3.6 EMBANKMENT MATERIAL
Before starting a project, it is necessary to send OFFICINE MACCAFERRI S.p.A. a 20 kg (approx.) sam-
ple of the material with which it is planned to construct the reinforced embankment, in order to carry out
the various laboratory tests and approve the material.
In addition to the general technical requirements for embankments and backfills, the conditions required
for soils to be used in reinforced embankments are those given in the Technical Specifications.
4. UNLOADING AND STORAGE OF PREFABRICATED ELEMENTS
The deliveries will be made in accordance with the contractual supply programme agreed previously on
the basis of the individual structures to be built and the production capacities of the prefabrication facto-
ries.
The materials will be delivered by OFFICINE MACCAFERRI S.p.A. to the site accessible to a 30 tonne
trailer closest to the structure to be constructed, or as indicated by the Contractor.
The Contractor’s site personnel will check the compliance of the materials delivered with the Transport
Documents and the Construction Design. The condition of the elements unloaded will be checked and
any discrepancies will be recorded on the Transport Documents and immediately reported to OFFICINE
MACCAFERRI S.p.A.
t is recommended that a stock of MacRes elements sufficient for at least 8-10 days of installation opera-
tions be kept on site, to take into account any transportation difficulties.
4.1 PREFABRICATED CONCRETE PANELS
The prefabricated concrete panels will be transported to the site on 30 tonne articulated trucks, and the
access to the unloading area must be suitable.
An unloading time of two hours per delivery is normally included in the services provided by OFFICINE
MACCAFERRI S.p.A. This is sufficient time for unloading the panels at the site or at a temporary storage
area, using one of the following methods:
1. unloading of each of the panels individually, using either the lifting kit provided by OFFICINE
MACCAFERRI S.p.A. or nylon ropes
2. unloading of each of the packs of 5 or 6 panels lying on top of each other on the truck
Lifting gear with a sufficient capacity is required in both cases.
If possible, the area chosen for the temporary storage should be dry and flat, both for the stability of the
packs of panels and to protect them from stains.
During any transport and storage on site, the panels should always be kept in a horizontal position with
the hooks facing upwards, so that they may be easily lifted.
More than 5 or 6 panels should never be stacked on top of each other, and concrete or timber
blocks should be placed to separate the panels. (ref. Fig. 6).
9
TIMBER WOODEN SE-
PARATOR
In no case should the exposed face of a panel be placed on the ground or above another panel without it
resting on suitable spacers (ref. Fig. 6). The attachments must never bend, and a panel must never rest
on the one below (ref. Fig. 6).
The area of a typical panel is 2.25 m2.
An individual panel is lifted from the horizontal position (in the pack) directly to the vertical position with
the procedure shown in Fig. 6, using the lifting kit. The hooks are connected to the lifting bolts fitted to the
top of the panel. A piece of timber should be placed between the panels (ref. Fig. 6) to avoid possible
chipping of the concrete during tipping from the horizontal to the vertical position.
SPACERS SPACERS
INSULATION FROM GROUND LIFTING BOLTS ALL INSULATION FROM GROUND

ON SAME SIDE
TIMBER WODDEN
SEPARATOR
LIFTING OF A PANEL FROM THE PACK
Fig. 6
10
Note: all the timber and spacers used for preparation of the packs of panels on the delivery truck remain
the property of OFFICINE MACCAFERRI S.p.A.; they must be looked after by the Contractor’s personnel
and handed back as soon as they are no longer required for storage on site.
4.2 ParaWebTM REINFORCEMENT, AND OTHER ACCESSORIES
Fig. 7
Reinforcements :
• The ParaWebTM reinforcement will be delivered by OFFICINE MACCAFERRI S.p.A in sufficient
time for the installation programme.
• The ParaWebTM reinforcement will be transported to site on pallets with a maximum weight of 1.5
tonnes.
• The pallets of reinforcement may be unloaded by a forklift truck
With regard to the storage (fig.7), a suitably large area should be set up to hold all the items, placing
them in separate groups according to their grade as shown by the colour-coded labels.
Fig. 8 schematically shows the formation of the joints between the panels
REINFORCEMENTS IN
ACCORDANCE WITH
MACRES SPECIFICATIONS
CRETE STRUCTURE
EMBANKMENT IN
REINFORCED CON-
EMBANKMENT IN ACCORDANCE WITH

ACCORDANCE WITH MACRES
MACRES SPECIFICATIONS
SPECIFICATIONS
MACRES SYSTEM
JOINT COVER PLATE
MACRES SYSTEM
GEOTEXTILE MACRES GEOTEXTILE
JOINT COVER PLATE
JOINT WIDTH 1.20 m SYSTEM PANELS WIDTH 1.20 m
Fig. 8
11
FRONT FACING PANELS FRONT FACING PANELS

VIEW OF PANELS INSTALLED VIEW OF PANELS FROM
(EXPOSED FACE) EMBANKMENT SIDE
(INSIDE OF STRUCTURE)
RUBBER
BEARING
FRONT FACING PANELS

RUBBER BEARING
(SECTION DETAIL)
HORIZONTAL
STRIPS
1.50x0.40 mt
JOINTS BETWEEN
PANELS
0.40 m VERTICAL STRIPS FOR ENTIRE

HEIGHT OF WALL
RUBBER BEARINGS
Fig. 9 schematically shows the formation of the joints between the panels and the special pre-
fabricated parts
Fig. 9 Rubber bearings – The bearings (ref.
JOINT BETWEEN Fig. 10) made of EPDM rubber are sup-
PANELS AND
CORNER ELEMENT
plied in boxes.
GEOTEXTILE
H = 1.20 m
Fig. 10
Geotextile – The geotextile is supplied in 0.40 m wide rolls for the joints between the panels and in 1.20
m high rolls for the joints between panels and special parts (corner elements, joint cover plates, etc.).
12
5. INSTALLATION
The appearance of a MacRes struc-ture depends above all on the care with which the prefabricated fac-
ing panels are positioned and the embankment is formed. The utmost care should therefore be taken in
the relative operations with regard to the positioning of the panels and especially for those of the first row,
in order to make the subsequent installation operations fast and easy to perform.
5.1 PROCEDURES FOR POSITIONING PANELS
Lifting and positioning - The individual panel, hooked to the lifting kit in the vertical position (ref. previ-
ous point 4.1 and Fig. 6) is lowered to its position in the facing using the male-female centring systems of
the panel itself.
Alignment check – Visually check the alignment of each panel with respect to the alignment marked on
the blinding layer (for the first row) or on the lower panels (for the upper rows). Correct the position using
the crowbars from the inside of the structure, as shown in Fig. 11, to align the new panel with the surface
of the facing already installed
Never use the crow-

bar on the outside of
Fig. 11 the panel! The dam-
age to the exposed
face would be unac-
PANEL TOE
ceptable!
POINT OF ROTATION INTERNAL

HORIZ. JOINT AXIS – MOVEMENT
Checking flatness
PIPE AXIS and distance – The
flatness of each panel
must be checked with
EXTERNAL a metal straight edge
MOVEMENT
and a spirit level as
shown in Fig. 12. Ad-
justments are made by
using a crowbar and
PANEL HEAD
inserting timber
wedges, Fig. 12 also
BACKFILL
shows the distance
check which must be
made, with the tem-
STRAIGHT EDGE SPIRIT LEVEL
plate, for positioning
SPACER
the half panels in the
Fig. 12 first row (lower). The
distance is guaranteed
in the other rows of
panels (upper) by the
centring system al-
ready fitted to the pan-
els.
DISTANCE TEMPLATE 13
Inclination of panels – Each panel must be fitted with a slight inclination towards the embankment, to
compensate for the movement towards the outside which will occur during placing and compac-tion of the
embankment, and to bring them to a final vertical position.
The inclination angle depends on the embankment material, its humidity and the method of compaction,
as well as the length of the reinforcements, but it is normally in the range of 1-2/100. The more granular
materials require a lesser inclination, whilst finer materials require a greater inclination. It is therefore nec-
essary to monitor the actual movement of the first panels during placing and compaction of the embank-
ment in order to define the appropriate inclination for each individual installation.
Fig. 13 Fig. 14
timber clamps
The inclination must be checked with the spirit level (Fig. 14) or with the plumb line. The inclination is
formed by pulling the top of the panel towards the inside of the structure and it is maintained by in-
serting timber wedges and fitting clamps to fix it to the adjacent panels. The clamps should not be
tightened too much so as not to eliminate the inclination set for each panel.
The timber wedges must remain between the panels only until the next row is placed and they
must then be quickly removed to avoid any chipping of the panels.
Control of vertical alignment of facing - During construction it is necessary to frequently check, with a
plumb line, the vertical alignment of the facing already installed and filled with the embankment. This will
enable the timely adoption of measures to ensure that the finished structure is vertical, within the toler-
ances specified in the Construction Design.
5.2 INSTALLATION SEQUENCE
The installation sequence for the MacRes structures may be schematically represented by the following
series of operations:
1. Site preparation, including foundation excavations and any improvement of the foundation soil
and/or installation of drains, impermeable membranes, geotextiles and drainage pipes if speci-
fied in the Construction Design;
2. Pouring of the blinding layer and setting out of the facing;
3. Positioning and strutting of the first row of panels, alternating half panels with whole panels;
14
4. Fitting of wedges and clamps to block the panels in the correct position;
5. Placing of geotextiles inside the panels, to protect the horizontal and vertical joints;
6. Formation and compaction of the first embankment layer (up to the level of the first row of at-
tachments);
7. Positioning and connection of the first level of reinforcements;
8. Formation and compaction of the second embankment layer (up to the top of the half panels);
9. Positioning of the rubber bearings, removal of the wedges and clamps and positioning of the
next row of panels;
10. Repetition of operations 4),5),6),7),8),9) and 10) until the top level of the facing required in the
design is reached;
11. Removal of all the wedges and clamps for completion of the top row of panels, including the
formation and compaction of the embankment;
12. Installation of any top slabs, barriers or any other superstructure included in the Construction
design.
5.3 INSTALLATION OPERATIONS
OP 1) SITE PREPARATION
a) Excavations – Excavate the site to the width (at least that required to accommodate the overall length
of the reinforcements, ref. Fig. 15) and depth shown in the Construction Design drawings, and carry out
any foundation works required by the Design.
The evaluation of the suitability of the foundation soil and its load-bearing capacity is the respon-
sibility of the Engineer. Any foundation soil which is found to be unsuitable should be removed
and replaced by suitable material and compacted in accordance with the Engineer’s instructions,
until a density is reached which is compatible with the contact pressure indicated by the Con-
struction Design. The control and evaluation of the contact soil may be critical with regard to the
global and internal stability of the MacRes structures and their behaviour depends to a great ex-
tent on that of the foundation soil.
MACRES SYSTEM
FACINGS
EXCAVATION
LIMIT
Fig. 15 ParaWebTM REINFORCEMENT
15
b) Drainage systems – install the drainage systems specified in the Construction Design or as instructed
by the Engineer. In any case, any surface water flowing from overlying slopes or nearby structures should
be diverted by means of catchwater drains from the very start of the installation works.
OP 2) POURING BLINDING LAYER AND SETTING OUT OF FACING
a) Blinding layer – lean concrete, compressive

Fig. 16
strength 150 kg/cm2, cast in-situ and smoothed
to the foundation levels specified in the Con- MINIMUM BACKFILL 40 cm
struction Design (ref. Fig. 16), to form a smooth
horizontal base for the panels. The thickness GROUND LINE
must be at least 15 cm and the width (which
depends on the horizontal alignment of the fac-
ing structure) must be at least 35 cm (ref. Fig.
17).
The concrete must be cured for at least 12 BLINDING LAYER
hours before the panels are positioned. BLINDING LAYER
The tolerances on the levels specified in the Con-

struction Design fall between +3 and -6 mm. EMBANKMENT COMPACTED Fig. 17
IN ACCORDANCE WITH
It is absolutely essential that the blinding layer is MACRES SPECIFICATIONS
constructed carefully and that it is perfectly flat in a

longitudinal direction. It is the essential basis for
good quality in the subsequent installation, simpli- ParawebTM REINFORCEMENT WALL SETTING OUT LINE
fying alignment of the panels and increasing the
production rate. EXISTING GROUND
WALL FOUNDATION
b) Setting out of the facing – clearly mark the external
alignment of the external side of the facing on the blind-
CONCRETE BLINDING
ing layer. LAYER 150 kg/cm2 PER-
OP 3) POSITIONING AND STRUTTING OF THE FIRST ROW OF PANELS
a) Positioning of the first row of panels - work is started from the bottom and usually from the lowest
level of the section of structure to be built. It is necessary to define a direction of installation (e.g. from left
to right). The following series of operations are performed (ref. Fig. 18):
• Positioning of panel STRAIGHT EDGE SPIRIT LEVEL
1 (half panel Bn or Dn); SPACER Fig. 18
• Checking the align-
ment of panel 1 with
the setting-out marked
on the blinding layer
and the flatness (with
the spirit level) and with
the help of timber
wedges, to be used to
give the required incli-
nation, too. The bear-
ings made of EPDM
DISTANCE TEMPLATE
16
rubber are not used beneath the first row of panels;

• Positioning of panel 2 (half panel Bn or Dn);
• Checking the distance with the template (Fig. 18);
Checking the alignment of panel 2 with the setting-out marked on the blinding layer and the flatness (with
the spirit level) and with the help of timber wedges, to be used to give the required inclination, too.
It is absolutely essential during the entire installation phase that the code of the panel installed at
every position of the facing corresponds to that in the approved Construction Design.
• Strutting of panels 1 and 2 (Fig.19). All the struts stay in

place until the strutted panel is connected to the reinforcements
and the embankment is placed and compacted up to the top;
• Positioning of panel 3 (whole panel An or Cn) (Fig. 20) by
coupling together the centring system already fitted on the pan- STRUTTING O
els;
• Checking the alignment of panel 3 with the setting-out
marked on the blinding layer and the flatness (with the spirit
level) and with the help of timber wedges, to be used to give
the required inclination, too.
• Strutting of panel 3 (Fig. 19);
• Positioning of the fixing clamps between panels 1, 2 and 3
(Fig. 13); Positioning of panel 4 (half panel Bn or Dn) (Fig. 21),
in the same way as panel 2;
• Positioning of
panel 5 (whole
Fig. 20 panel An or Cn)
(Fig. 21), in the
same way as
panel 3; Fig. 19
• Checking the
distance with the template (Fig. 18), in the same way as between
panels 1 and 2;
• Checking the distance with the template (Fig. 18), in the
same way as between panels 1 and 2;
• Checking the flatness of panels 3 and 5 with a straight
edge and spirit level, in the same way as between panels 1
and 2;
• Positioning of the fixing clamps between panels 2, 4 and
5 (Fig. 13);
STRAIGHT EDGE DISTANCE SPACER • Repeti-
TEMPLATE
Fig. 21 SPIRIT LEVEL
tion of the
operations
with the sub-
sequent pan-
IN THE CASE OF
ALIGNMENT USE A ROPE els until com-
pleting the
first row;
Checking the
correct align-
ment of the
panels.
17
OP 4) PLACING OF WEDGES AND CLAMPS
Ref. point 5.1
OP 5) PLACING GEOTEXTILE INSIDE PANELS
Ref. Fig. 8 – Protection of the joints with strips of geotextile prevents the escape of the finest parts for the
reinforced embankment through the joints. The strips of geotextile are cut from the rolls in lengths equal
to approximately the height of the vertical joint (for the vertical joints) and equal to approximately the
width of the panel (for the horizontal joints). They are only installed on the inside of the panels. The extra
length of the vertical strips will be turned over to the outside of the structure during construction.
OP 6) FORMATION AND COMPACTION OF THE FIRST EMBANKMENT LAYER
The ease of installation and the behaviour of a MacRes structure depends mainly on the quality of
the selected embankment material and the methods used for placing the material. The Contractor
is responsible for ensuring compliance of the material to the requirements of the Construction Design,
which must be demonstrated by means of the tests and inspections required by the Technical Specifica-
tion.
a) Placing of embankment - The placing and compaction is carried out in layers, of thickness as re-
quired to achieve the specified density, as shown in Figure22 or until reaching the level of the first (and
then the subsequent) row of couplings.
EMBANKMENT SURFACE
HORIZONTAL OR WITH A
SLOPE OF APPROX. 4%
Fig.22
Place the material at the centre of the reinforced embankment, spread it towards the ends of the rein-
forcements and lastly, always in strips, up to the facing.
The material must always be
COMPACTION
spread parallel to the facing
SEQUENCE during all the phases.
Fig. 23 The soil must never be
spread or compacted in the
direction of the reinforce-
ments nor by moving towards
the reinforcements (Fig. 23).
If the material is spread with
tracked plant, it must not
drive directly over the rein-
forcements, as this could
damage the galvanising.
There are no potentially ad-
REINFORCEMENT
LENGTH verse affects in the use of
wheeled plant.
18
b) Compaction of the embankment - The water content of the embankment material, especially with
fine soils, must not be more than1-2% greater than the optimum moisture content.
Every embankment layer must be compacted to a relative density which is greater than 90% of the
ASTM D1557 (AASHTO T180) density, except for the last 30 cm layer forming the foundation layer
for the road pavement, which must have a density of not less than 95% of the ASTM D1557 modified
density.
Every layer must be compacted with large vibratory rollers (smooth if possible), or static rollers if the ma-
terial is fine, except in the 1.5 m adjacent to the facing; small vibratory rollers or hand-held compactors
should be used in this strip.
The alignment of the panels should be checked visually
when the compaction has been completed.
If the facing panels move excessively during compaction,
sieve analyses and water content tests should be carried
out on the embankment material.
It is essential to leave a slope of approximately 4% to the
layer left exposed at the end of each working day, run-
ning down to the outside of the embankment, to allow the
run-off of heavy rain in that direction.
If the layer is still saturated, even after all the precau-
tions, the layer must be removed or the work re-started
with a layer of well-draining material. Fig. 24
OP 7) POSITIONING AND CONNECTION OF THE FIRST LAYER OF REINFORCEMENTS
Measure out from the back of the panels the width of the
reinforced soil block. Mark this line along the wall by pins
or a string line. (Fig.24)
Mount the ParaWebTM onto the dispensing frame and re-
lease the binding to free the end of the ParaWebTM . Po-
sition the dispensing frame just behind the string line
(Fig.25)
Pull the free end of the ParaWebTM towards the backs of
the panels and push it upwards through the first attach-
ment loop projecting from the back of the panel (Fig.26)
Continue to pull the ParaWebTM back towards the string
line. When about half-way back turn the free end of the Fig. 25
Fig. 27
Fig. 25
Fig. 26
19
ParaWebTM over onto itself, while continuing to pull

(Fig.27), and return with the free end back to the Fig. 28
next attachment in the panels. Push this free end
upwards through the attachment and pull it back
towards the string line.
Continue this process of pushing the free end of the
ParaWebTM through successive attachments until
the end of the ParaWebTM roll is reached. To
achieve a satisfactory outcome in this process con-
tinuous pulling of the ‘attached’ lengths of the
ParaWebTM needs to be carried out so that each
fold in the ParaWebTM remote from the attachments
ends up approximately at the string line position
(Fig.28).
When the ParaWebTM has been loosely laid out in
this way (Fig.29) final tightening and pinning can Fig. 29
begin.
The initial free end should be passed around a short
bar over the string line so that a minimum of 1m is
capable of being ‘lapped’ onto itself. This 1m should
be fixed to the ParaWebTM beneath it using a tem-
porary steel ‘S’ clamp (Figs.30 and 31). When this is
done the short bar should be prevented from mov-
Fig. 31
Fig. 30
ing forwards by hammering 2 short pins into the

ground in front of it (Fig.32).
With one operative standing on the fixed end the
remaining operatives should take hold of the length
of ParaWebTM that follows immediately from the first
attachment and pull it tight. The desired outcome
Fig. 32 should be that all slack in the ParaWebTM is re-
20
Fig. 33 Fig. 34
moved without applying undue force on the back Fig. 35

of the panel which may pull it back wards.
(Fig.33). When this has been done a further short
steel bar should be inserted through the fold in the
ParaWebTM over the string line and, pulling the
ParaWebTM tight around the bar, it should be
pinned to the ground as done previously. (Fig.34)
This process should now be continued until the
remote end of the ParaWebTM is reached.
A second roll of ParaWebTM should now be pre-
pared to be dispensed in the same way as the
first. Prior to dispensing it should be joined to the
first roll. This must only be done such that the join
takes place around the short bar at the string line
position. A minimum of 1m of overlap for each roll
of ParaWebTM in front of the bar and after passing round the bar should be achieved (Fig.35). If this can-
not be achieved with the free amount of ParaWebTM available at the end of the first roll then the lap
should be affected at the previous point back along the string line that the ParaWebTM was held by a
pinned bar. This process is to ensure that at no point is ParaWebTM lapped where it is under tension.
When the lap has been completed then the second roll is laid out, positioned and fixed in the same way
as the first.
This process is continued by adding further ParaWebTM rolls until the end of the structure is reached. At
the final length of ParaWebTM in the structure fixing of the ParaWebTM is affected in the same way as it
was at the beginning of the structure as described above.
OP 8) FORMATION AND COMPACTION OF THE SECOND EMBANKMENT LAYER
The second layer must reach the top of the half panels Bn or Dn. The positioning of the next row of pan-
els may only be started after this layer has been placed and compacted. It is now necessary to prepare
the strip of geotextile for formation of the horizontal joints between the lower half panels and the panels to
be placed above. Reference should be made to OP. 6 above for details of the placing and compaction.
Once the soil of layer 2 has been compacted, the vertical alignment of the inner panels must be checked
again, ensuring that there is an inclination towards the inside after compaction of the soil.
21
OP 9) POSITIONING OF THE BEARINGS AND THE SUBSEQUENT ROW OF PANELS
The positioning of the next row of panels may only start if the compacted embankment has reached the
top of the row of panels on which the new panels are to be placed.
The positioning of a panel above a panel behind which the compacted embankment has not been
completed creates an instability resulting in the misalignment of the panels.
If possible, the positioning should start above the position the first row started and work should progress
in the same direction.
The cycle of operations to be repeated for each panel of the new row is as follows:
• Removal of the clamps from the row below (not more than 2 at a time)
• Checking the distance between the panels already installed, using the template
• Positioning the rubber bearings. The rubber bearings, which prevent direct vertical contact between
the concrete surfaces of the panels, are fitted into the slots on the top of each panel
• Placing the new panel between the three panels already installed
Arrangement, levelling and checking vertical alignment of new panel (ref. point 5).
OP 10) REPETITION OF OPERATIONS 4),5),6),7),8),9) AND 10) UNTIL THE TOP LEVEL OF THE
FACING REQUIRED IN THE DESIGN IS REACHED
OP 11) INSTALLATION OF ANY TOP SLABS, BARRIERS OR ANY OTHER SUPERSTRUCTURE

INCLUDED IN THE CONSTRUCTION DESIGN.
The three most common types of finishing are:
a) No top slabs – The head panels are L = 1.20 m bars TEMPORARY TIES
PREFABRICATED SLAB
left exposed without any type of finishing
THEORETICAL UPPER LEVEL
b) Prefabricated top slabs – The head

panels have standing bars at the top for
connection to the prefabricated top slabs
supplied by OFFICINE MACCAFERRI
S.p.A. The connection and the in-situ HEAD LEVEL OF PANELS
STANDING BARS
concrete works are shown in Fig. 36.
c) Cast in-situ top slabs - The head

TIMBER FORMWORK
panels have standing bars at the top for
connection to the cast in-situ slab, as LAST ROW OF ATTACHMENTS
shown in Fig. 37.
Fig. 36
JOINT BETWEEN SLABS 1 cm
3 Ø10 every 1.50 m THEORETICAL UPPER LEVEL
L = 1.20 m bars
CONCRETE BLINDING LAYER
LAST ROW OF ATTACHMENTS
PANEL REINFORCEMENT
WITH STANDING BARS
22
5.4 COMPLETION OF THE STRUC-

Fig. 37 TURE
THEORETICAL UPPER
LEVEL
L = 1.20 m bars
Strutting to the lower panels may be
3 Ø10 every 1.50 m removed once the compacted layers
reach a height of 1.50 m, i.e. once the
HEAD LEVEL OF PANELS height of the whole panel at the base
STANDING BARS has been exceeded.
The backfilling of the excavation must
start once the reinforced embankment
TIMBER FORMWORK reaches a height of 3 m.
Measures should be taken to protect the
LAST ROW OF ATTACHMENTS wall from rainfall once it has been com-
pleted if a period of time must elapse
before the final works (road paving, con-
crete slabs, etc) may be carried out:
• Check that the slope of the last layer is such that rainwater flows towards the ends away from the
reinforcements and not towards the facing,
• construct channels and drains to collect the rainwater run-off,
• cover at least the entire reinforced embankment with plastic sheets during heavy rainfall.
Any other superstructures required by the Construction Design should then be installed.
6. CAUSE-EFFECT RELATIONS
The MacRes structures must be constructed in strict compliance with the structural requirements and the
appearance shown in the Drawings and Technical Specifications of the Construction Design and in the
Contract Documents. The required result is obtained by the use of high-quality materials, adoption of the
correct installation procedures and careful supervision of the works. However, given the nature of earth-
works, there may be occasions in which the dimensional tolerances and/or some appearance limits may
be exceeded. In these cases, the necessary corrective measures must be immediately adopted so that
the structure returns within the acceptable tolerances.
Some of the most frequent and probable cause-effect relations are showed in the tables of the follow-
ing page.
7. REGISTERED TRADE-MARK
The MacRes system consists of the association of soil and reinforcements with the facing elements.
These elements are covered by patents registered in Italy and abroad by Officine Maccaferri S.p.A.
The supply of the prefabricated elements must be carried out by Officine Maccaferri S.p.A. for the instal-
lation of any MacRes systems.
Every delivery, even of a partial nature, may only be carried out following a written order to Officine Mac-
caferri S.p.A. for a specific project.
All manufacturing, delivery or installation outside of these conditions constitutes an infringement of copy-
right and may be prosecuted as such.
23
CAUSES EFFECTS
1. Moisture content of foundation soil too high 1. Distortion of the facing

or with insufficient load-bearing capacity a) Differential settlement of the facing
b) General sloping of the facing
c) Contact between the panels, with
consequent chipping of the panels
2. Blinding layer outside tolerances 2.

a) 1st row difficult to arrange or level
b) Contact between the panels in the 1st
row, with consequent chipping of the
panels
3. 3. Facing inclined vertically towards the out-

a) Insufficient inclination towards the in side
side during installation
b) for working within 1.5 m from the inside
of the panels
c) Embankment material placed with a
moisture content higher than the OMC
d) Embankment material too fine
e) Embankment material placed against
the panels before being compacted on
the reinforcements
f) Compaction energy excessive (or vi-
bratory) on fine, uniform grain-size
sands
g) Direction of compaction direct from the
ends of the reinforcements towards the
rear of the panels
h) Clamps loose
i) Compaction energy excessive
j) Thickness of embankment layers too
high
k) Embankment material too plastic
4. 4. Facing inclined vertically towards the inside
a) Excessive inclination of the panels to-
wards the inside during installation
b) Inadequate compaction of the emban-
kment
5. 5. Facing outside the horizontal tolerances or
a) Reference points 3c), 3d), 3e), 3f), 3g) with swelling
and 3l)
b) Saturated embankment material
6. 6.
a) The panels already installed are not a) Difficulty in placing the panels in posi-
lilvelled tion
b) (reference point 1). b) The subsequent panels do not fit or
they chip
24
This documentation and the information contained therein may not be copied or divulged, either as a
whole or in part, without the prior written approval of Officine Maccaferri S.p.A.
The acquisition of this document does not grant right of ownership to the document or the information
contained therein.
If so requested, all the above-mentioned documents must be returned to Officine Maccaferri S.p.A.
8. TYPE AND NAME OF THEPREFABRICATED ELEMENTS
All the prefabricated elements are identified by a code (NAME) which identifies its characteristics
(shape, no. of attachments, etc.), both in the construction documents and on the elements themselves.
The tables below indicate the names of the various “families” of elements.
A) Standard inner panels (whole H = 150 cm)

NON-REINFORCED
SURFACE
NAME HEIGHT AREA ATTACHENTS
m m2 no.
A3 1.500 2.250 3
A4 1.500 2.250 4
A6 1.500 2.250 6
REINFORCED
SURFACE A or C
m m2 no.
C4 1.500 2.250 4
C6 1.500 2.250 6
C8 1.500 2.250 8
C10 1.500 2.250 10
n = number of attachments per panel
B) First level standard panels (half H = 75 cm)
NON-REINFORCED
SURFACE ATTACH-
NAME HEIGHT AREA MENTS
m m2 no. B or D
B2 0.750 1.125 2
REINFORCED
SURFACE
m m2 no.
D2 0.750 1.125 2
D3 0.750 1.125 3
D4 0.750 1.125 4
25
C) Head panels (various heights)
These are used to link the high parts of the facings. The head surface is therefore smooth
NON-REINFORCED without standing bars NON-REINFORCED with standing bars REINFORCED with standing bars
SURFACE ATTACH SURFACE ATTACH SURFACE ATTACH
NAME HEIGHT AREA -MENTS NAME HEIGHT AREA -MENTS NAME HEIGHT AREA -MENTS
m m2 no. m m2 no. m m2 no.
I2 0.545 0.817 2 RAX 0.545 0.817 2 RA 0.545 0.817 2
J2 0.730 1.095 2 SAX 0.730 1.095 2 SA 0.730 1.095 2
K4 0.920 1.380 4 TAX 0.920 1.380 4 TA 0.920 1.380 4
L4 1.105 1.658 4 UAX 1.105 1.658 4 UA 1.105 1.658 4
M4 1.295 1.943 4 VAX 1.295 1.943 4 VA 1.295 1.943 4
N4 1.480 2.220 4 WAX 1.480 2.220 4 WA 1.480 2.220 4
P6 1.670 2.505 6 XAX 1.670 2.505 6 XA 1.670 2.505 6
Q6 1.855 2.782 6 YAX 1.855 2.782 6 YA 1.855 2.782 6
D) Panels cut vertically
Some panels may be cut vertically to satisfy

design requirements. The cut panels are
indicated with the letter G (cut to the left) or
D (cut to the right) after the code which indi-
cates the name of the panel and before the
number which gives the width of the panel
from the vertical edge on the inner face ..DXX ..GXX
(..DXX) or from the axis of the pipe (..GXX)
Area = L x H = ......... m2
E) Panels with sloping cut
These are used to link the high parts of the walls to the natural slopes.
The slope of the cut in the panels is fixed at 2:1, to the right and to
the left.
F) Corner elements
These are used to form the corners

between two alignments in the facing
of MacRes structures. (Standard
length = 1.5 m.)
26
G) Cover slabs
The standard length of the cover

slabs is 1.5 m, and they may be STANDING BARS
placed on all the head panels. SPACER
H) Plates
The plates are concrete elements

with a parallelepiped shape, fitted
behind the joints formed by cut
panels joined together vertically.
27

MACRES Paraweb - Installation Manual Vers 2 - Eng

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INSTALLATION MANUAL

3. ORGANISATION OF INSTALLATION SITE…………………………………………………….………….7

4. UNLOADING AND STORAGE OF PREFABRICATED ELEMENTS……………………………………9

8. TYPE AND NAME OF THE PREFABRICATED ELEMENTS

REINFORCED BODY (GRANULAR

2.2 CONSTRUCTION DESIGN

2.3 PARTS OF THE STRUCTURE

Prefabricated concrete facing panels :

Accessories for forming joints between panels :

Embankment reinforcements : ParaWebTM polyethylene coated polyester strip of a grade as required

2.4 SERVICES PROVIDED BY OFFICINE MACCAFERRI S.p.A.

• Construction Design of the MacRes structures.

2.5 MATERIALS PROVIDED BY OFFICINE MACCAFERRI S.p.A.

3. ORGANISATION OF INSTALLATION SITE

3.1 PLANT AND MACHINERY NEEDED BY THE CONTACTOR

3.2 EQUIPMENT NEEDED BY THE CONTACTOR

• Nylon ropes to unload the panels

3.3 ESTIMATED PERSONNEL REQUIRED FOR INSTALLATION

• 1 foreman (responsible for installation)

3.4 WORKS TO BE CARRIED OUT BY THE CONTRACTOR

3.5 INSTALLATION RATE

3.6 EMBANKMENT MATERIAL

4. UNLOADING AND STORAGE OF PREFABRICATED ELEMENTS

4.1 PREFABRICATED CONCRETE PANELS

The area of a typical panel is 2.25 m2.

INSULATION FROM GROUND LIFTING BOLTS ALL INSULATION FROM GROUND

4.2 ParaWebTM REINFORCEMENT, AND OTHER ACCESSORIES

EMBANKMENT IN ACCORDANCE WITH

FRONT FACING PANELS FRONT FACING PANELS

FRONT FACING PANELS

0.40 m VERTICAL STRIPS FOR ENTIRE

5.1 PROCEDURES FOR POSITIONING PANELS

Never use the crow-

POINT OF ROTATION INTERNAL

5.2 INSTALLATION SEQUENCE

5.3 INSTALLATION OPERATIONS

Fig. 15 ParaWebTM REINFORCEMENT

OP 2) POURING BLINDING LAYER AND SETTING OUT OF FACING

a) Blinding layer – lean concrete, compressive

The tolerances on the levels specified in the Con-

constructed carefully and that it is perfectly flat in a

OP 3) POSITIONING AND STRUTTING OF THE FIRST ROW OF PANELS

rubber are not used beneath the first row of panels;

• Strutting of panels 1 and 2 (Fig.19). All the struts stay in

OP 4) PLACING OF WEDGES AND CLAMPS

Ref. point 5.1

OP 5) PLACING GEOTEXTILE INSIDE PANELS

OP 6) FORMATION AND COMPACTION OF THE FIRST EMBANKMENT LAYER

ParaWebTM over onto itself, while continuing to pull

ing forwards by hammering 2 short pins into the

moved without applying undue force on the back Fig. 35

OP 8) FORMATION AND COMPACTION OF THE SECOND EMBANKMENT LAYER

OP 9) POSITIONING OF THE BEARINGS AND THE SUBSEQUENT ROW OF PANELS

OP 11) INSTALLATION OF ANY TOP SLABS, BARRIERS OR ANY OTHER SUPERSTRUCTURE

The three most common types of finishing are:

b) Prefabricated top slabs – The head

c) Cast in-situ top slabs - The head

LAST ROW OF ATTACHMENTS

5.4 COMPLETION OF THE STRUC-

• construct channels and drains to collect the rainwater run-off,

1. Moisture content of foundation soil too high 1. Distortion of the facing

2. Blinding layer outside tolerances 2.

3. 3. Facing inclined vertically towards the out-