Application of Innovative GFRP Pipe Soil Nail System in Hong Kong

The current method of soil nail construction in Hong Kong is both labour intensive as well as expensive and a search for new soil nail material is required. In the present pilot test, light weight high strength and high corrosion resistance GFRP pipe with Tube a’ Manchette grouting technique is used as soil nail instead of the conventional steel reinforcement. It is found that this material can be handled easily on site with difficult access. From extensive laboratory as well as field tests, it is demonstrated that this new soil nail technique has various advantages for use in Hong Kong and many developed cities. The field test results on this innovative soil nail will be discussed in this paper.