The ability to easily construct and install precast concrete recon walls saves time and provides valuable solutions for a variety of applications. Here is a step by step guide to the precast recon wall installation and construction process for precast concrete products like these.
Before precast, concrete walls were traditionally designed using custom fabrication or legacy pour-in-place methods which often meant delays for installers. Now, with precast concrete options available, concrete products are in stock and available for delivery right away allowing for a faster, more efficient installation.
What is Involved in Producing Recon Wall Systems?
Recon blocks are quite possibly one of the easiest products for precast concrete manufacturers to produce. Containing no internal reinforcing and utilizing standard mix designs, Recon blocks can easily be incorporated into an existing concrete production process. Recon’s time-tested and durable forming system can be used to produce gravity wall blocks, fill wall blocks, freestanding blocks, columns, caps and more. The number of forms needed will be dependent on the market size, but the Recon system allows you to start small and add forms as the market develops.
Steps for Producing Recon Walls:
- Clean and Prep the Form. It is important that forms are cleaned regularly to maintain form performance and ensure product quality.
- Close and Pour the Form. All Recon forms utilize simple and effective latch clamps to increase production efficiency. Once the form is closed, it is filled with either traditional or SCC concrete with a minimum compressive strength of 4,000 psi. The average concrete consumed is about 0.4 cubic yards (0.3 cubic meters) as well as a minimum of two lifting anchors.
- Open Form and Strip the Product. Once the block has cured (typically overnight, but quicker depending on mix design) the block is stripped from the form, via the embedded lifting anchor, using a fork truck or overhead crane.
- Inventory the Block Until Installation. Blocks should be stacked and placed into inventory. We recommend having approximately 2-3 months worth of inventory on the ground.
Five Step Installation of Recon Walls
In general, Recon walls are fast, easy, and efficient to install with each block measuring 16” (40.6cm) by 48” (122cm) on the front face – that’s 5.33 square feet (0.5 square meters) per block.
- Site Preparation and Excavation
Excavate the wall area to the grades and alignment shown on the construction drawings. - Preparing and Installing the Leveling Pad
Installing and compacting a proper leveling pad is important to the long-term performance of the retaining wall. - Install the Base Course
Once the leveling pad is in, the base course is installed. As base blocks are laid, ensure they are in full contact with the leveling pad and level in all directions. - Place Additional Course, Backfill, and Compact
After the base course has been placed, continuing installing blocks while backfilling and properly compacting the soils behind the wall. Ensure proper drainage stone is placed between the blocks as well as behind. - Top of Wall Finish and Final Grading
Choose from one of Recon’s options for top of wall finish and install the final course. Complete the final grading behind the wall promoting proper surface water drainage.
The precast recon wall installation and construction process saves contractors time and money, and ensures consistent products that last.
