| PRODUCTS |
THE “BASTION” – A MASSIVE RETAINING WALL BLOCK CMA member, ReMaCon Products, has launched the Bastion, an ultra-large hollow retaining wall block which weighs 280kg and, at 1,82 blocks per m², measures 1,24m (width) x 600mm (depth) x 445mm (height). ReMaCon is bringing the Bastion block to the market for the construction of boldfaced retaining walls, as well as free-standing vertical walls. The block’s exceptionally large dimensions and weight lend additional mass stability and strength to both types of walling. The face can also be textured and coloured to simulate rock. Despite its size, the Bastion block is surprisingly versatile and can be deployed for the erection of stepped-down walls with special sloped elements, curved walls and for building 90° convex and concave corners. When used in combination with geogrid reinforced backfill in retaining walls, they offer standard slope angles of 58°, 69°, 74°, near-vertical 87° and vertical 90°. And, as in conventional concrete block retaining walls, the blocks’ voids are filled with soil for growing plants in retaining
16
PRECAST | ISSUE ONE | 2021
walls with flatter slopes. Rated at over 50MPa, Bastion blocks are exceptionally strong. For example, if a Bastion wall is built next to a road, the bottom rows can be filled with concrete to form a solid barrier. This means a bastion wall is better able to withstand accidental knocks from cars and other vehicles, unlike normal retaining walls or gabion walls, which would usually be damaged and could collapse in such circumstances. The block’s high strength rating also makes it ideal for security wall construction. “We’ve achieved the high strength on the Bastion block with self-compacting concrete,” says ReMaCon CEO Silvio Ferraris. “And it gives us very high early strengths, enabling us to demould in 15 hours. “Because of their weight, the blocks require mechanical aides such as TLBs, Bobcats and cranes to place them in position. They’re also easily stacked on trucks and, with sufficient site access, they can be offloaded and placed directly in final position with a truck-mounted crane, so no double handling is required. “They may also be cast on site using ReMaCon moulds, although quality is better controlled and more easily managed when cast at our plant,” says Ferraris. (Top): A bastion wall with a curved section and a 90° corner. (Right, from top): A stepped-down retaining wall built with Bastion blocks; a 74° Bastion wall and one of the first walls built with Bastion blocks.
