Connecting Junction 19 of the M5 and Bedminster south of Bristol, a stretch of the busy A369 has been suffering from failing embankments near the Somerset village of Abbots Leigh.

ER Hemmings Limited was appointed by Somerset Council to rectify the situation. Rock was falling from the existing embankment and the public footpath and railings above were collapsing.

The A369, a main route through to the M5 is very busy and had to be kept open during the works and also lack of space meant that the existing embankment could not be re-graded. Lack of access and areas of solid rock meant that other retaining methods could not be used such as soil nailing. It was decided that the best solution was to install a concrete crib retaining wall to hold back the existing slope. Phi Group Ltd won the contract to design, supply and install its Anda-Crib retaining wall system.

Anda-Crib is a modular pre-cast concrete crib retaining wall system and has a design life in excess of 120 years that meets Highway Agency requirements. It can accommodate the demanding conditions required of structures by the highway, industrial and commercial sectors and can be planted afterwards to maintain an attractive appearance.

This Anda-Crib wall extended to a length of 128 metres and a maximum height of three metres. Built at an angle of 1:6, Phi Group were only on site for a continuous period of three weeks.