Less surface footprint
Useful where boundaries, haul roads, plant, waterways or services make a conventional batter impractical.
Discuss a project Reinforced soil structures · HDPE uniaxial geogrid
Build the wall.
Keep the land.
High-stiffness, integrally formed HDPE reinforcement for near-vertical walls, bridge approaches and steepened earth structures—selected around the design load, connection, fill and design life—not ultimate tensile strength alone.
Engineer-led selection · Project-direct supply · Australia-wide support
01
LAND-EFFICIENT REINFORCED WALLIllustrative Australian transport-corridor application
60–200kN/m published ultimate classes
2% + 5%strain strength values published
114 yrpublished creep-factor design basis
AUSTRALIAN USEEstablished supply history · local technical support
WHY REINFORCED SOIL
The soil becomes the structure.
Reinforcement restrains lateral deformation and creates a coherent soil–geogrid mass. The facing is then selected for connection, durability, tolerance and appearance.
Conventional batter
Reinforced wall
Surface land retained. A near-vertical face can preserve a platform, road corridor or development envelope that a safe batter would consume. The reinforced zone still requires space behind the face and must be protected from future excavation.
Settlement tolerance
An extensible reinforced mass can accommodate differential movement better than many rigid gravity solutions—within the facing system’s limits.
Material efficiency
Compacted engineered fill carries compression and shear; the grid supplies tensile resistance where the soil cannot.
KUG PRODUCT RANGE
Published performance data for design selection.
The Kontain KUG range covers six integrally formed HDPE uniaxial geogrids. Values shown are manufacturer-published machine-direction index properties, supported by product certification for supply.
| Kontain grade | 2% strain | 5% strain | Ultimate | Ultimate strain | Junction efficiency | Flexural rigidity | Standard roll |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KUG-60 | 16 kN/m | 31 kN/m | 60 kN/m | 11.5% | 93% | 530,000 mg·cm | 1 or 2 m × 100 m |
| KUG-80 | 23 kN/m | 44 kN/m | 80 kN/m | 11.5% | 93% | 1,100,000 mg·cm | 1 or 2 m × 50 m |
| KUG-120 | 35 kN/m | 65 kN/m | 120 kN/m | 11.5% | 93% | 6,000,000 mg·cm | 1 or 2 m × 50 m |
| KUG-160 | 47 kN/m | 93 kN/m | 160 kN/m | 11.5% | 93% | 8,500,000 mg·cm | 1 or 2 m × 50 m |
| KUG-180 | 52 kN/m | 104 kN/m | 180 kN/m | 11.5% | 90% | 9,400,000 mg·cm | 1 or 2 m × 50 m |
| KUG-200 | 58 kN/m | 116 kN/m | 200 kN/m | 11.5% | 90% | 9,600,000 mg·cm | 1 or 2 m × 50 m |
COMMON PROPERTY BASIS HDPE; minimum carbon black 2%; ASTM D6637 tensile; GRI GG2-87 junction efficiency; ASTM D1388 flexural rigidity.1
DURABILITY DATA Published results include 98% UV resistance to ASTM D4355, 100% oxidation resistance to EN ISO 13438 and Pass to WashDOT T926 brittleness testing.1
Established Australian useThe KUG product family has been supplied into and used on Australian civil works for many years. Kontain supports project-specific selection, specification review, certification, wall-system coordination and construction guidance.Download KUG TDS ↓
Tult
Short-term tensile index value. Use as the numerator only when its statistical basis and test method suit the adopted design method.
T at 2% / 5%
Useful indicators of early-load stiffness. They do not replace isochronous curves, creep strain prediction or whole-wall deformation analysis.
RFCR
Derive from creep-rupture regression for the exact polymer, profile, manufacturing route, design temperature and required life.
RFID
Match test fill, maximum particle, angularity, lift thickness, compaction energy and construction plant to the project method.
RFD
Assess oxidation, stabilisation package, stress cracking, pH, contaminants, temperature and exposure before burial.
Tconn / Tpullout
The facing connection or soil interaction may govern before grid rupture. Test the nominated face, connector and project fill.
INTERACTIVE DESIGN AID
Ultimate strength is only the starting number.
Apply transparent reduction factors to the published ultimate tensile strength using RF = RFCR × RFID × RFD.4 The resulting value supports reinforcement selection within the adopted wall-design method.
INDICATIVE REDUCED TENSILE STRENGTHKUG-120
40.8kN/m
Tscreen = 120 ÷ (2.23 × 1.2 × 1.1 × 1)
34% of published ultimate strength remains after the selected reductions.
Published ultimate120 kN/m
After creep53.8 kN/m
After installation44.8 kN/m
After durability40.8 kN/m
Complete in wall designConnection, pull-out, rupture demand, serviceability strain, sliding, bearing, overturning, compound/global stability, seismic, drainage and facing checks.
DESIGN LOGIC
Never select reinforcement from wall height alone.
Grade, spacing and length are outputs of a limit-state workflow. Geometry-only rules can help early feasibility, but they cannot resolve weak foundations, water, unusual surcharge, compound failure or deficient connections.
Ground model
Foundation strength, compressibility, retained soil, groundwater and credible pore-pressure conditions.
Actions
Self-weight, surcharge, traffic/barrier loads, seismic demand, services, impact and staged construction.
External stability
Sliding, eccentricity, bearing capacity, settlement and the geometry of the complete reinforced block.
Internal stability
Rupture, pull-out, vertical spacing, embedment beyond the failure surface and local overstress.
Facing + connection
Connection capacity at representative confinement, facing stability, drainage and construction tolerance.
Global + serviceability
Compound/global slip surfaces, deformation, creep strain, design life and construction sequence.
≈
Water is a load case, not a drainage note.
Read MRTS06 ↗Current MRTS06 defaults to a water table at two-thirds wall height unless compliant drainage or free-draining fill justifies relaxation, and requires explicit global stability assessment.2
INTEGRALLY FORMED HDPE
High tensile capacity in the direction that matters.
KUG geogrids are extruded, punched, heated and longitudinally oriented to create continuous ribs and integral junctions. The primary machine direction is installed perpendicular to the wall face.
HDPEpolymer construction
93%junction efficiency up to
98%published UV resistance
1–2 mstandard roll widths
DESIGN + DELIVERY BASIS
A complete technical package for Australian projects.
Kontain combines published KUG product data with project-specific selection, documentation and construction support for reinforced-soil structures.
Published performance
- Ultimate, 2% and 5% machine-direction tensile values
- Ultimate strain, junction efficiency and flexural rigidity
- ASTM D5262 creep testing and RFCR = 2.23
- Installation-damage testing with three fill types
- UV, oxidation, brittleness and carbon-black data
Selection and documentation
- Grade, roll width and quantity optimisation
- Project specification and authority-requirement review
- Product certification and batch-document coordination
- Facing-connection and reinforced-fill data review
- Installation guidance, ITPs and site support
Project design inputs
- Ground model, groundwater and design life
- Fill grading, shear strength, angularity and pH
- Surcharge, barrier, impact and seismic loads
- Facing system, connections, services and transitions
- Internal, external, compound and global stability
- Inspection, testing and construction hold points
MATERIAL SELECTION
HDPE avoids rust. It does not avoid engineering.
HDPE has a broad buried-soil chemical window and robust integral junctions, but generally needs a larger creep reduction than high-tenacity PET. Steel remains extremely stiff and proven, but corrosion assumptions must be controlled for the full life of the structure.
| Design issue | Extruded HDPE | Coated PET | Steel strip / mesh |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stiffness + creep | Moderate stiffness; larger creep reductionUse product-specific long-term data and strain checks. | High stiffness; flatter creep responseEfficient where deformation control is critical. | Very high stiffnessNo polymer creep; metal-loss design still applies. |
| Chemical exposure | Broad pH toleranceTfNSW lists pH 3–12 for HDPE reinforced fill. | Hydrolysis needs controlTfNSW lists pH 4–9; polymer quality matters. | Electrochemistry governsResistivity, pH, salts, water and stray current require control. |
| Deterioration mode | Does not rustStill verify oxidation and stress-cracking resistance. | Does not rustVerify coating damage and long-term hydrolysis. | Corrosion is credibleGalvanising and sacrificial thickness depend on actual exposure. |
| Practical fit | Aggressive fills and robust handlingStrong option where pH range and corrosion avoidance matter. | High stiffness in controlled chemistryAttractive for movement-sensitive applications. | Controlled proprietary systemsAppropriate where corrosion design and monitoring are accepted. |
TfNSW’s current construction specification lists pH 3–12 for HDPE and 4–9 for PET, with separate chemical and electrical limits for galvanised steel.3 FHWA treats metallic reinforcement corrosion as a design and asset-management issue.6
CONSTRUCTION CONTROL
Good design can still be buried badly.
A strong grid can be defeated by wrong orientation, poor fill, slack, an unverified connection, excessive near-face compaction or drainage that does not work.
Approve the foundation
Proof-excavate, treat weak zones and confirm the design ground model before the levelling pad starts.
Set the facing
Build the first course or panels level and true. Face alignment errors compound rapidly with height.
Build the drainage path
Install the drainage aggregate, filter transition, collector and outlets before the reinforced zone can trap water.
Place approved fill
Use controlled lifts. Remove oversized, angular or deleterious material that falls outside the design envelope.
Connect and tension
Orient machine direction into the fill, complete the approved facing connection, pull taut and pin temporarily.
Cover before trafficking
Place fill without creating slack. Maintain the specified cover before plant travels over reinforcement.
Compact deliberately
Compact parallel to the face, use light plant near panels and avoid braking, turning or rutting over reinforcement.
Inspect before burial
Record grade, roll, level, length, orientation, connection, damage repairs, fill and test results at each lift.
Join the primary direction
MRTS06 prohibits splicing or joining synthetic reinforcement in its primary strength direction.2
Traffic exposed grid
Maintain at least 150 mm of fill before tracked plant or vehicles operate over the reinforcement.2
Turn the grid sideways
Uniaxial strength is directional. Roll direction normally runs perpendicular to the face; follow the certified reinforcement schedule.
Compact hard at the face
Under MRTS06, plant over 1500 kg stays at least 2 m from panels unless the design allows otherwise.2
Leave slack or folds
Tension flat before cover and place fill so displacement or slack is not reintroduced.
Assume drainage works
Detail outlets, filters, redundancy and maintenance. Shape daily work to drain away from the face.
Change the fill casually
Grading, angularity, shear strength, pH and compaction can change pull-out, damage and stability.
Cut around services on site
Penetrations, culverts and future excavation require designed transitions—never shorten or sever a reinforcement layer informally.
DESIGN HANDOVER
What to send Kontain.
A useful early review needs more than height and square metres. Send available information—even if incomplete—and mark assumptions that still need confirmation.
Geometry
Wall height, tiers, setbacks, curves, toes, crests and reinforcement-space boundary
Ground
Boreholes, foundation strength, settlement, global geology and groundwater
Actions
Traffic, barrier, rail, buildings, stockpiles, seismic, impact and construction surcharge
Facing
Block or panel system, connection detail, tolerances, batter and architectural finish
Reinforced fill
Grading, Dmax, angularity, unit weight, shear strength, pH and source variability
Drainage
Design water level, filters, outlets, flood/scour exposure and maintenance access
Durability
Design life, design temperature, contaminants, oxidation and exposure during storage
Interfaces
Services, culverts, abutments, corners, penetrations and future excavation controls
Compliance
Principal specification, road/rail authority, registration and independent review needs
Delivery
Programme, roll width/length, laydown area, lifting limits, ITPs and hold points
TECHNICAL REFERENCES
Aligned with established reinforced-soil design practice.
KUG selection and project advice are supported by published product data and the relevant Australian and international design framework.
- 1
Kontain KUG Series Technical Data SheetPublished KUG product properties, durability results, reduction factors and roll dimensions.
- 2
Queensland TMR MRTS06 Reinforced Soil Walls — November 2025Design life, water, geosynthetic evidence and construction controls.
- 3
TfNSW TS 02165:1.0 Construction of Reinforced Soil StructuresEffective 26 November 2024; fill pH, steel exposure and construction QA.
- 4
FHWA-HIF-24-002 — Design and Construction of MSE WallsCurrent-practice MSE design and construction manual; published August 2023.
- 5
AS 4678-2002 Earth-retaining structuresAustralian design criteria and guidance; apply current amendments and project requirements.
- 6
FHWA NHI-09-087 — Corrosion/Degradation of Soil ReinforcementsCriteria and monitoring context for steel corrosion and geosynthetic degradation.
Design note. Product values on this page and in the KUG TDS are manufacturer-published properties. Final grade, length, spacing, connection, facing, drainage and reinforced-fill requirements are determined through project-specific design under the governing specification. Reinforced-soil structures must be designed and certified by a suitably qualified professional engineer.
PROJECT INPUT