Mercedes-Benz Dealership
The Vertica Stone Cut® retaining wall system helped a Pennsylvania Mercedes dealership create additional parking that maximized space using an attractive product that matched its upscale brand.
Every Project Starts with a Purpose
Mercedes-Benz of Fort Washington sought a retaining wall to transform an unusable 30-foot-tall 1:1 slope into a 40-foot area of level parking.
A massive retaining wall was to be constructed on a small site, which was a former landfill. The project required a complex design that included using imported soils, as well as accommodating an underground water detention basin, a buried gas line and a water suppression outlet.
The Solution
Solving for Style, Function, and Durability
The limited footprint of the site required a retaining wall with minimal batter, leading the team to select the Vertica Stone Cut® retaining wall system with a 2° batter. This near-vertical profile made it possible to maximize usable space while still meeting design and safety requirements.
“Designing a 30-foot-tall retaining wall is challenging,” said Bart Shippee of Shippee Engineering, Inc. “The lack of space added to the complexity, as the owner wanted to use every inch for parking. Most retaining wall options had a 7° batter, but the Vertica® system is 2°, which allowed us to design the fencing and landscaping while gaining at least three feet of additional parking space. That was incredibly important to the owner.”
Following excavation, crews removed old car parts and building materials from the former landfill and hauled in more than 1,000 triaxle loads of ¾-inch modified stone from a local quarry. Using clean, processed aggregate was critical for a wall of this height, as it minimized post-construction movement and reduced hydrostatic pressure within the reinforced zone. Franklin Construction excavated nine feet of onsite material along a 100-foot path and replaced it with crushed stone to establish a stable base.
Additional site challenges included an underground water detention basin that required a rear drainage column located 20 feet behind the wall face, outside the geosynthetic reinforcement zone. An existing gas line in front of the wall added further complexity, prompting a stress analysis and burial of the base course four courses deep to transfer loads away from the line. The installation of a galvanized steel dry fire line running 80 feet behind the wall face required careful coordination, with Franklin Construction routing the pipe through the site and setting it in concrete outside the reinforcement zone.
The Result
A Lasting Impression:
The Final Transformation
The finished retaining wall successfully provided Mercedes-Benz of Fort Washington with more parking spaces, while acting as an asset to the site. In addition to meeting the owner’s requirements to use every available foot of space, the Vertica Stone Cut system features a natural appearance in a complementary color. Attractive fencing and professional landscaping complete the site.
PLAN + DESIGN
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