StructuralQ There is a pre-stabilized steep slope (nailing is used along with shotcrete). The client wishes to benefit from the maximum achievable area in plan and is asking for excavation of the stabilized slope to shift back the wall face around a few meters. The new stabilization plan shall include a safe gradual excavation of the existing wall from top to bottom along with the destruction of the existing shotcrete face, reinforcement, and the installed nails. What is the most common destruction method for the existing shotcrete? At the same time, I think pulling out the nails using hydraulic jacks would be applicable.
The existing shotcrete can be removed by many methods, such as using a Hoe-Ram. The existing soil nails could be removed as suggested or left in place and trimmed back to some distance behind the new plane. We would assume that this work would be done from the top down installing new soil nails and shotcrete facing in lifts of approximately 4 to 5 ft (1.2 to 1.5 m).
