
Nicholson Construction built a cutter soil mixed (CSM) retaining wall for an unusual application at the Hill Air Force Base in Ogden, Utah. A 50-ft diameter by 50-ft deep shaft was constructed using CSM as temporary shoring to construct a turntable and pylons to allow an F-22 Raptor and other stealth aircraft to be raised to a height of 20 feet to allow radar testing of low observable coatings (stealth paint). The CSM shoring was also used for a portion of access tunnel for the shaft and pylons. The CSM panels were overlapped to create a water-tight seal and prevent seepage and eliminate the need for dewatering, a tricky and expensive proposition with the contaminated ground present at the site. Read more about the project at the link below. [Source: Nicholson Construction. Image: Nicholson Construction]