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Carl Rogers

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Austin CC Retaining Walls - how constructed?
« on: March 29, 2021, 11:53:09 PM »
Does anyone have any specific knowledge on this topic?
Observations:
1. The boulders are huge and seem to regular in size.  They had to be quarried and not found in nature.  I assume they are native.
2. The boulders appear to be a veneer, which means that there is a very substantial reinforced concrete that is actual retaining wall.
3.  Thus much heavy equipment was required (cranes) and very high cost.


Just guessing. Does anyone know?
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Tom_Doak

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Re: Austin CC Retaining Walls - how constructed?
« Reply #1 on: March 30, 2021, 07:24:21 AM »
Rod Whitman built Austin CC for Mr Dye, so he would know the answers to your questions.


I'd be surprised if they used cranes to build the walls though it's possible.  At Pete Dye Golf Club, similar walls were built with large excavators placing the stones.
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Alan FitzGerald CGCS MG

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Re: Austin CC Retaining Walls - how constructed?
« Reply #2 on: March 30, 2021, 07:58:29 AM »
The structure behind the wall construction can vary depending on the size but large walls are built using a geogrid. When looking for a better picture of the walls at Austin CC, I found some construction pics from there and you can see the geogrid exposed under the soil in this picture (on top of the rocks at the front of the picture).


http://nebula.wsimg.com/af0c9ce7e9adcd0c2713054563929d4d?AccessKeyId=9B7B79852E603E73CAEB&disposition=0&alloworigin=1


http://www.larsongolfservices.com/austin-country-club.html


The stone is mostly just a facade, the grid and the compacted soil in it creates the structure that holds the whole thing together.


The pictures also show that they used loaders (with forks) to move rocks, but as Tom mentioned, in most places an excavator is used as it makes it easy to place the blocks.


Heres a quick video on how geogrid walls are built


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFJ7CnYbppg
« Last Edit: March 30, 2021, 08:03:00 AM by Alan FitzGerald »
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Golf construction & maintenance are like creating a masterpiece; Da Vinci didn't paint the Mona Lisa's eyes first..... You start with the backdrop, layer on the detail and fine tune the finished product into a masterpiece

Jeff_Brauer

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Re: Austin CC Retaining Walls - how constructed?
« Reply #3 on: March 30, 2021, 11:55:18 AM »
Off topic, but it reminds me of the summer I spent with the Brickman landscape company, who specialized in "natural" boulder walls.  I got the summer job as an Illini, and the boss was a big Illini fan as well.  One day, I am trying to shove some big boulders into place, and I see a lineman from the football team above me watering newly installed petunias.  I commented that it seemed like (then) skinny me ought to water flowers while the strong, bulky guy moved boulders. 


The boss told me that an offensive lineman couldn't risk getting hurt by moving boulders.....but my back was expendable. :o
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Jeff Brauer, ASGCA Director of Outreach
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