Reinforced soil retaining walls, commonly known as Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) represent an innovative method of resolving familiar as well as unfamiliar and challenging problems. Instead of regarding soil as a mass to be contained by force, the earth itself is reinforced to become an integral part of the structure. The walls behave as gravity structures in an integral unit and provide structural flexibility. Welded wire mats placed within layers of compacted back fill provide the necessary tensile strength. Native soils at the site or from excavation are often acceptable for back fill. The resulting structure is strong, yet resilient. Hot-dip galvanized (HDG) wire ensures the strength and resiliency is maintained for 75+ years. Hilfiker Retaining Walls designed and patented the Welded Wire Wall in the early 1970's and has since supplied over 7,000 projects throughout the United States, Alaska, Canada, Hawaii, Africa, Indonesia, Siberia and South America.

When the customer is expecting long life expectancy, galvanizing is the hands down choice to ensure the wall lasts for generations. Because maintenance of these walls would be expensive (if not impossible), the specifier needed a proven coating to deliver years of maintenance-free protection HDG provides that confidence. For tax payers that means the low upfront costs of HDG provides positive returns for many years to come this is incredibly important in the long term fiscal status of our infrastructure. For the tax payer it is a win-win low upfront costs combined with long lasting, zero maintenance. On top of that, zinc is infinitely recyclable and a common element in the earth's soils. As a result, no harm will occur to the land or water streams and there will be no worries about costly disposal in 100+ years.