What is Paraweb Strap? Talking Geo with Gerry

We’re going behind the scenes and behind the wall with Paraweb straps. This method of reinforcement is required for Outcropping mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) retaining wall designs and builds. Though not required in every MSE wall design, and due to the natural, irregular stone facade of the Outcropping system Paraweb strap is used to allow the entire structure to work together as one stable mass.

Gerry Garcia, Rosetta Hardscape’s in-house business consultant, specializes in project and construction strategy. In this video, he’s on-site at an Outcropping wall build, sharing Paraweb's purpose in reinforcing retaining walls, and demonstrating how to install it.

What is a Paraweb Strap?

A Paraweb strap is a high-strength soil reinforcement strap used in the construction of MSE retaining walls. It is used in conjunction with geogrid or geosynthetic fabric to reinforce soils and aggregate in retaining wall construction. What distinguishes Paraweb strap from geogrid reinforcement is its method of application and its general shape.

Paraweb straps are:

• Composed of geosynthetic materials
• Cut to a specific length as designed by the retaining wall engineer
• Laid out in a “V” configuration behind the wall, buried by compacted structural backfill
• Looped behind the block through the lifting hook to anchor the wall into the reinforced soil zone

While geogrid is placed between block layers, the Paraweb strap is looped through the lifting hook and extended out into the reinforced soil zone.

How to Install Paraweb Strap in 6 Steps

1. Start by installing a geotextile fabric to prepare the layers where a Paraweb strap is required. Roll the geotextile fabric down into the backfill zone as specified in the retaining wall design and lay it over the front side of the wall.
2. Backfill in layers and compact as required until you reach the level where the lifting hook on the back of the block is located.
3. Cut a slit in the geotextile fabric where the lifting hook is located.
4. Loop a Paraweb strap into the lifting hook.
5. Pull the strap back into the backfill zone, spreading each strap about shoulder-width apart in a “V” configuration.
6. Pull the strap taut during backfill installation. The weight of the gravel will hold the Paraweb strap in place. Pins, rebar stakes, or weights may also be used to keep tension in the strap.

When installed to specifications, Paraweb straps provide reinforcement to a retaining wall, enhancing strength and long-term durability where it matters most–behind the wall. Project engineers can maintain the desired aesthetic appeal of Rosetta Outcropping solutions for their clients while ensuring optimal performance in reinforced wall designs. It’s business in the front, party in the back, as they say. A Paraweb party–that is.