Reinforced Soil Slope (RSS) contractor in Malaysia.
Infraconcrete is a leading RSS contractor in Malaysia. Vegetated-face reinforced fills for highway embankments, hillside platforms, and tall fills where a vertical retaining wall isn't required. The slope-face counterpart of MSE walls. Built in-house to BS 8006-2 (Strengthened/Reinforced Soils), FHWA-NHI-10-024 (Design and Construction of MSE Walls and Reinforced Soil Slopes), BS EN 1997 (Eurocode 7), and JKR specifications. CIDB G7. ISO 9001:2015 certified. Federal references on East Klang Valley Expressway, East Coast Rail Link, and Bandar Serendah (540,000 m³ backfill across 7 retaining structures).
The slope-face counterpart of an MSE wall.
A Reinforced Soil Slope (RSS) is a slope-face engineered earth structure where layers of compacted granular fill are reinforced with geogrids, geotextiles, or steel mesh, faced with a vegetated wrap. Same engineering principle as an MSE wall per BS 8006-2 and FHWA-NHI-10-024 - but where an MSE wall has a vertical or near-vertical face, an RSS has a sloped face (typically 45°-70°) that integrates into the surrounding terrain with a green finish.
Why use it: when the project doesn't need maximum height-to-footprint efficiency, when a vegetated face is preferred for landscape integration, and when the design brief allows for a slope rather than a vertical wall. Material costs are lower than MSE wall facing (no precast panels), and vegetation establishes quickly on tropical slopes.
Four scenarios where RSS wins.
Highway embankments
Where the embankment can be sloped rather than walled vertically. Lower material cost than MSE wall facing, integrates into landscape, accommodates road alignment with grade transitions.
Hillside platforms with green finish
Residential, hospitality, and tourism developments where a vegetated slope face fits the landscape brief better than precast panel walls. Green finish establishes within 6-12 months.
Tall fills not requiring vertical retention
Where the platform footprint allows for the slope face. RSS scales efficiently with height (up to 15 m+ typical) at lower per-m² cost than equivalent MSE wall.
Slope failure remediation with reinforcement
Re-construction of failed slopes with geogrid reinforcement to restore factor of safety while integrating into the surrounding landscape.
Five stages, delivered in-house.
Site assessment and design coordination
Walk the site. Review borehole logs, soil parameters, foundation conditions, drainage. Coordinate with the appointed C&S or geotechnical consultant on slope angle, geogrid type, vertical spacing, target factor of safety.
Foundation preparation
Strip topsoil, prepare the foundation to bearing capacity. Set out the toe alignment and slope angle. Excavate any toe drains required for sub-surface drainage.
Geogrid placement and fill
Geogrid layers (HDPE or PET, design-strength) laid horizontally at design vertical spacing (typically 0.6-1.0 m). Granular reinforced fill placed and compacted in 250-400 mm lifts to ≥ 95% modified Proctor. Geogrid wraps the slope face for vegetation anchorage.
Face vegetation establishment
Topsoil placed in the wrap-around face. Hydroseed mix or vetiver applied. Erosion mats (jute, coir, or synthetic) hold seed during establishment. First flush typically 4-8 weeks.
Drainage and verification
Surface drainage (chute drains, toe drain), sub-surface drainage if required by groundwater conditions. As-built survey verifies slope geometry and reinforcement positioning. Settlement monitoring (where required) for the post-construction period.
Technical envelope, at a glance.
| Parameter | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Slope angle | 45° - 70° from horizontal | Steeper → MSE wall; shallower → unreinforced |
| RSS height | 3 - 15 m | Higher RSS split into multiple tiers |
| Reinforcement type | HDPE / PET geogrid | Per design life and creep checks |
| Reinforcement length | 0.7 H to 1.0 H minimum | H = slope height; longer for surcharge |
| Vertical spacing | 0.6 - 1.0 m | Design-led per pull-out and rupture |
| Backfill | Granular, < 15% fines, plastic index < 6 | Per BS 8006 / FHWA classification |
| Compaction | ≥ 95% modified Proctor | Light plate compaction within 1 m of face |
| Face finish | Wrap-around geogrid + vegetation | Hydroseed, vetiver, or native species |
| Standards | BS 8006-2, FHWA-NHI-10-024, BS EN 1997, JKR | Project-specific spec governs |