Reinforced Earth abutments are constructed with granular backfill and inextensible, galvanized-steel reinforcing strips bolted to durable wet-cast reinforced concrete facing panels. Inextensible (steel) reinforcements do not stretch under load, therefore they are the preferred soil-reinforcement type for bridge abutments, where deformation control is crucial to structural performance of the superstructure and abutment walls.Reinforced Earth abutments save money over conventional abutment construction and improve the performance of the bridge. "True" mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) abutments do not use piles and use significantly less concrete, therefore dramatically reducing the in-place cost of the abutment structures. The ability of MSE walls and abutments to tolerate foundation settlement is a recognized benefit of this construction technology. True abutments offer additional savings through reduced maintenance by eliminating the bump at the end of the bridge. This benefit is possible because the abutments and backfill supporting the approach slabs settle uniformly together.
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