Bencardino Excavating Contractors is using Reinforced Fiber Soils to reinforce the landscaping improvements at Central High School. As part of the Central High School improvement project, soil benching is being made and a pleasing landscape designed. This is the first time in Philadelphia that Reinforced Fiber Soils is being used by a construction company.

In order to apply these new Reinforced Fiber Soils, we decided to weld a straight plate across the teeth of a Komatsu PC 490 excavator and push little bits of sub-grade creating a bench. We then followed up by hand with shovels and rakes giving us the yield for the benching we were looking to achieve. The material consists of three components that needed to be placed on the benching, S1, S2, and S3. The first layer S3 being 3 inches of sand (used for drainage purposes). Second layer the S2 layer, is a 12” layer consisting of a sandy, silt, mixed with 2.5” Geo Fibers. Then the final layer the S1, is comprised of more organics (for grass growth), compost and sand mix with 2” Geo Fibers. We then added in the blended materials (approved soil aggregate and geo-fibers) and placed them on the benches according to the specifications given by the design team.

Although Reinforced Fiber Soils are a newer soil reinforcement technology, we have accomplished a great result. The construction and material handling were done in a very professional manner and by a superior material handling outfit.