Concrete Bund Walls
Precast bund walls that install fast - and seal right first time
Why Choose Precast Retaining Walls for Bund Walling?
Leaking bunds can lead to fines, operational downtime, and environmental damage. Getting the details right is crucial, and precast solutions help make this easier. Units arrive ready to install, joints are designed to be sealed, and quality remains consistent from the factory. You save programme time, lower on-site risks, and meet compliance targets with fewer variables.
Key Benefits of Precast Bund Walls
- Fast installation: Large modular units are lifted directly into position, reducing wet trades and keeping your programme on track.
- Watertight joints: Seal vertical and horizontal joints with Sikaflex® Pro-3 for weatherproofing or Sikadur-Combiflex® for a fully watertight barrier; hydrophilic waterstops for HD cast-in joints.
- Designed for compliance: Engineered solutions to assist in meeting CIRIA C736 and SSAFO requirements; your project engineer confirms the final detail.
- Built for service life: 50-year design life as standard, with options to extend to 100 years through increased reinforcement cover.
- Space-efficient: Vertical walls maximise capacity within the bund footprint compared to sloped earthworks.
- Less site risk: Off-site manufacture reduces variability; predictable components, fewer trades, cleaner installation.
Suitable Products For Bund Walls
Best for: Agricultural walling, retrofits, portal-frame buildings, long straight runs
A flexible, cost-effective method to create continuous bund walls between steel columns or king posts. Panels stack to height, and joints can be sealed for containment. Install inside the frame or on the outside face to make joint sealing easier.
- Installed horizontally between UC/UB steels or mounted externally
- Joints sealable (Sika Pro-3 weatherproof or Combiflex watertight)
- Heights up to 6m (stacked), lengths to suit centres (2.5m to 6m)
- Supplied with cleats/bolts; CAD & O&M support included
Best for: New builds without steelwork, digestate/effluent bunds, sites needing easy cleaning
Precast panels placed in cradles and cast into a trench footing to form a freestanding bund wall – no steel frame needed. Smooth internal faces make wash-down and inspections easy.
- Freestanding after footing cure; no fixings to the building
Typical heights 1.5 to 6m; reinforced with 30mm cover (can increase)
Smooth mould finish to the internal face for hygiene and maintenance
Joints are sealable for weatherproof or watertight performance
Best for: Chemical plants, AD facilities, high surcharge or aggressive exposure classes
Heavy-duty precast for high-hazard or aggressive environments. Each unit is cast into the slab or foundation; hydrophilic joint strips provide a robust, watertight seal.
- Integrated hydrophilic waterstop at panel joints
Surcharge capacity up to 20 kN/m² (height/detail dependent)
Design life up to 100 years with increased cover
Standard heights typically 1m to 5m with a consistent 250mm stem/toe
Bespoke Precast Solutions
When the layout or liquid type requires something special, we’ll design and manufacture it to suit – from custom corners and curved walls to cast-in penetrations and capping beams. Reduced-carbon mixes are available on request.
- Custom profiles to match your tank farm or process area
- Cast-in sleeves/ducts/anchors; neat, repeatable detailing
- Reduced-carbon mix options without changing the method
- Full design support (CAD/BIM, value engineering, install guidance)
Best for: Non-standard footprints, complex geometry, specialist containment
What to Consider Before You Build a Bund Wall
- Liquid Type & Exposure Conditions – Different liquids have varying containment requirements. Confirm chemical compatibility, exposure class (e.g., aggressive effluents), and whether the bund needs to be weatherproof or fully watertight. This guides the choice between sealed panels, vertical cantilever, or HD cast-in units.
- Sealing Method: Weatherproof or Watertight – Determine how the joints will be sealed before installation begins. Options include Sika® Pro-3 for weatherproofing, Sikadur® Combiflex for watertight performance, or hydrophilic waterstops for cast-in solutions. Critical joints may require a double-seal.
- Foundation Type & Steel Layout – Panel systems generally span between UC/UB steel columns or king posts on pad foundations; make sure steel centres match panel lengths and that level checks are completed before delivery. Vertical cantilever and HD cast-in walls require reinforced trench footings or connection with the slab.
- Installation Method (Panels, Cantilever, or Cast-In) – Choose the system that suits your site: Prestressed panels slot between steels or against the face of RSJs (Rolled Steel Joists). Vertical cantilever walls sit in cradle trenches and become freestanding after the footing cures. HD cast-in walls are cast into the slab with hydrophilic joint strips for high-hazard sites. Each method has different sequencing and lifting requirements.
- Surcharge & Structural Loading – Check with your project engineer on the expected loads around the bund (machinery, traffic, retained liquids, stockpiles). HD cast-in units provide the highest capacity, up to 20 kN/m² depending on height and detail.
- Internal Finish, Cleaning & Drainage – Bund walls may need smooth internal surfaces for wash-downs and inspections. Plan drainage gradients, sump locations, and maintenance access routes. Cantilever and prestressed panels have a smooth mould finish that is suitable for hygiene.
- Access & Installation Logistics – Bund walls are often installed around tanks, pipework, or live plant. Plan access for telehandlers, 360 excavators, or HIAB off-loading and placement. Pre-planning lift paths and sequencing reduces risk and prevents clashes on busy industrial or AD sites.
- Long-Term Service Life & Compliance – The standard design life is 50 years, with options to increase reinforcement cover for 100-year performance. Ensure jointing, foundations, and exposure class details align with CIRIA C736 and SSAFO expectations.
Bund Walling Questions We Get All The Time
Yes, with the correct joint detail and foundation design, precast solutions can be installed to meet CIRIA C736 and SSAFO guidance. Your project engineer signs off on the final wall design specification.
Use panels for long, cost-efficient runs between steels; vertical cantilever where there’s no frame; HD cast-in for high-hazard liquids, higher surcharges, or aggressive exposure classes.
Vertical/horizontal panel joints can be sealed with Sika® Pro-3 (weatherproof) or Sikadur® Combiflex (watertight). HD cast-in units use hydrophilic waterstops to create a pressure seal at construction joints.
Panels and vertical cantilever systems typically achieve up to ~6 m (subject to thickness, surcharge, and design). HD cast-in walls are commonly 1–5 m. We’ll advise based on loads and layout.
Panels span between UC/UB steels on pad foundations or king posts. Vertical and HD cast-in walls require reinforced trench footings or slab integration. Your engineer will specify based on ground conditions and loads.
Yes, precast systems are modular - you can add bays or increase capacity with minimal disruption.
We supply the precast components (panels, walls, jointing guidance, and fixings for panels). Steel columns/king posts and primary foundations are provided by others.