Sheetz Convenience Store

Convenient Gravity Retaining Wall Construction

The MagnumStone gravity retaining wall system was effectively installed at the renovation of the Sheetz convenience store in Cresaptown, Maryland. The site’s retaining wall was originally specified as cast-in-place concrete, however the owner was looking for alternative options. A conventional segmental retaining wall may have been less expensive but would require more excavation area for geogrid reinforcement. Accounting for labor, equipment and time to install geogrid, that option would take longer to complete and become more costly.

Curved MagnumStone gravity retaining wall.

Gravity retaining wall extenders MagnumStone.

Gain More by Reducing Retaining Wall Depths

MagnumStone provided three benefits: cost savings, reduced excavation and no limitations for winter time construction. The wall was built as a gravity retaining wall system, utilizing both 2 ft. (0.61 m.) and 4 ft. (1.22 m.) gravity extender units. The maximum exposed wall height is 12 ft. (3.66 m.), or a total of 13 ft. (3.97 m.) including embedment. Wall depth at the bottom is only 6 ft. (1.83 m.), achieved by installing a standard 2 ft. (0.61 m.) depth base block and a 4 ft. (1.22 m.) gravity extender to minimize excavation of the shale retained soils.

Gravity extenders reduce excavation depth of retaining walls.

Winter construction of MagnumStone retaining wall.

Efficient Hillside MagnumStone Wall Installations

This retaining wall was built in the middle of winter and the material deliveries had to be scheduled around snow events. It was extremely cold during construction, but there were no delays due to frozen soils or compaction concerns. This is because only #57 stone backfill was used to fill the hollow core blocks. The clear crush gravel adds extra mass to the retaining wall and simultaneously improving its drainage capabilities. It was the contractor’s first MagnumStone gravity retaining wall and he loves how the product fits together for swift installations. The owner was very pleased and has since used MagnumStone on two other Sheetz store projects in Pennsylvania, USA.