Over the past three decades, reinforced soil wall technology has fostered the growth of infrastructure in India. This is largely due to the system being environment friendly, speed of implementation, flexibility, cost-effectiveness and aesthetic and architectural features. Several types of fascia elements have been adopted in the construction of the reinforced soil structure such as modular precast concrete blocks, precast reinforced concrete panels, wrap-around fascia with geosynthetics etc. The choice of facing is often dependent on aesthetics and cost; However out of environmental concerns, a fascia fostering greenery is appreciated. Such “green” approach can be realised by deploying three dimensional honeycomb structured geocells as fascia. This paper highlights an approach of design and efficacy of reinforced soil walls using geocells as the facing element. A case study illustrates geocell fascia being used in mountainous terrain where rainfall intensity is high and the region is highly seismic, in the sub-Himalayan regions of the Indian State of Sikkim. A geocell fascia solution can be effective for time bound projects, providing sustainable solutions in difficult terrain.
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