Project Description
Kennesaw Marketplace, an ambitious urban retail and mixed-use development located in Cobb County, Georgia, presented formidable geotechnical challenges, including soft soils reaching depths of up to 40 feet, wetlands, and an adjacent quarry. The realization of this project demanded innovative thinking and resourceful strategies to overcome the perceived risks and complexities. Earth Retention took on the challenge with determination, successfully providing cutting-edge Earth Retention Systems that enabled the development of this thriving marketplace.
The development site of Kennesaw Marketplace, overseen by Fuqua Development, was situated at the intersection of US Highway 41 and Barrett Parkway. It was surrounded by a decades-old quarry, soft soils, and wetlands, posing significant geotechnical complexities. Other engineering firms declined the project, citing risks and potential insurmountable challenges related to excessive ground settlement. Earth Retention, however, embraced the opportunity and demonstrated its commitment to delivering site-specific solutions, leveraging its comprehensive industry knowledge and advanced tools to provide a cost-effective approach that met the owner’s budget.
Earth Retention secured the bid for the Kennesaw Marketplace project, partnering with Contour Retaining Walls, one of Atlanta’s premier retaining wall contractors. The project team employed a two-stage surcharge approach, utilizing primary and secondary geogrid materials along with a flexible welded wire retaining wall system, supplied by Earth Retention. This approach expedited the expected settlement of soft soils, ensuring the stability and longevity of the retaining walls.
The retaining walls were constructed using a multi-layered geogrid with five different tensile strengths. The integration of this high-performance geogrid provided reinforcement to the newly placed soils, effectively distributing pressure and mitigating excessive soil differential settlement. Earth Retention’s engineering team made the development of Kennesaw Marketplace possible by assuring the structural integrity of the site’s retaining walls.
Fuqua Development, known for embracing challenges in developing urban retail and mixed-use supercenters, demonstrated its commitment to Kennesaw Marketplace, envisioning it as a regional mixed-use development anchored by renowned establishments such as Whole Foods Market, regional sporting goods stores, restaurants, and specialty retailers. Their forward-thinking approach, coupled with Earth Retention’s innovative engineering solutions, resulted in a best-in-class development that defied conventional limitations.
Project Team:
