ABSTRACT
A good standard of practice in design and construction of soil nails is essential to ensure good quality and satisfactory performance of a soil nailed structure throughout its serving period. Since the surge in popularity of using the soil nailing technique in the 1970s, different places have carried out soil nail related research and development work, and published their own local standards to promulgate the good practice in reinforcing earth structures. These standards have emerged primarily from the specific needs of infrastructure development, and the enhanced understanding and extensive experience of soil nailing. In this chapter, state-of-good-practice for applying the soil nailing technique in France, the United States, the UK, the Nordic Countries, Japan, and Hong Kong has been examined and compared. Given its good track record in performance in various engineering applications, soil nailing has been proven as a cost-effective engineering solution to stabilize slopes, retaining walls, embankments, and excavations. Although there are some subtle variations amongst the practice being promulgated in different places, the key principles of the soil nailing technique are universally applicable.
