What Is a Retaining Wall | Types of Retaining Walls | How Retaining Walls Work | Retaining Wall Detail | Retaining Wall Anchoring Retaining Wall Systems

What Is a Retaining Wall?

A retaining wall is a structure that holds or retains soil behind it. There are many types of materials that can be used to create retaining walls like concrete blocks, poured concrete, treated timbers, rocks or boulders. Some are easy to use, others have a shorter life span, but all can retain soil.

What Is the Purpose of a Retaining Wall?

The purpose of all retaining walls is to hold soil behind them. However, the specific needs will vary depending on the project. Walls can range from small landscape stone walls to surround a garden to enormous soil-retaining projects along a highway.

Types of Retaining Walls

1. Cantilever Retaining Walls.
2. Counterfort Retaining Walls.
3. Gravity Poured Concrete Retaining Walls.
4. Semi-Gravity Retaining Walls.

Also, Read: Tension Vs Compression | What Is Tension & Compression

Retaining Wall Construction

1. Prepare the First Row.
2. Level the First Block.
3. Lay the First Row.
4. Adjust for Level.
5. Prepare for the Second Row.
6. Cut a Block to Start the Second Row.
7. Begin Laying the Second Row.
8. Add Landscape Fabric.

How Retaining Walls Work?

Cantilever walls are similar to gravity walls, but they also feature a base slab that extends back into the ground. The base slab uses the weight of the soil and backfill material to stabilize the wall. Anchored walls use tension supports, that are anchored to the soil or rock to support the wall and resist pressure.

What Is the Cheapest Type of Retaining Wall?

• Treated pine and is the least expensive material.
• Hardwood is more expensive than treated pine.
• Railway sleepers are another – slightly more expensive – option and are built to withstand ground and water contact.
• Concrete sleepers are more expensive.

Also, Read: 21 Difference Between Gypsum Plaster and Cement Plaster | What Is Gypsum Plaster | What Is Cement Plaster

What Are the Components of Retaining Wall?

A typical retaining wall has four main components: the Stem is the vertical member holding the backfill, the Toe is the portion of the footing at the front of the wall, the Heel is the portion of the footing at the backfill side, and the Shear Key projects down under the footing.

Retaining Wall Systems

1. Gravity Retaining Wall.
2. Crib Retaining Wall.
3. Gabion Retaining Walls.
4. Cantilever Retaining Wall.
5. Counter-fort / Buttressed Retaining Wall.
6. Anchored Retaining Wall.
7. Piled Retaining Wall.
8. Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) Retaining wall.

Retaining Wall Detail

Retaining walls are relatively rigid walls used for supporting soil laterally so that it can be retained at different levels on the two sides. Retaining walls are structures designed to restrain soil to a slope that it would not naturally keep to (typically a steep, near-vertical or vertical slope).

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Retaining Wall Anchoring

Wall anchors are long rods driven through the retaining wall and attached to anchors that have been planted into the earth behind the wall. The rods are then tightened and a wall plate is added, bringing the wall back to the desired position

Crib Wall

Concrib crib walls are gravity retaining walls, constructed from interlocking, precast, concrete components. They are filled with free draining material and earth backfill to eliminate the hazards of hydrostatic pressure building up behind the wall. Combinations of header sizes can be used for different wall heights.

Also, Read: What Is Fine Aggregate | Types of Fine Aggregates (Classification)

Building Retaining Walls

Retaining wall is a structure that are designed and constructed to withstand lateral pressure of soil or hold back soil materials. The lateral pressure could be also due to earth filling, liquid pressure, sand, and other granular materials behind the retaining wall structure.

Concrete Retaining Walls

Retaining walls provide lateral support to vertical slopes of soil. They retain soil which would otherwise collapse into a more natural shape. The retained soil is sometimes referred to as backfill. With poured concrete retaining walls, backfill is placed between the wall and the slope after the wall is constructed.

Gravity Retaining Wall

A retaining wall that relies solely on it’s own weight to stand up is called a gravity wall. Allan Block combines the basic engineering principles of setback, leverage and total unit mass with simple mechanics to make highly stable gravity walls.

Stone Retaining Wall

Retaining walls are used to create a transition from one level of ground to another. Backfilling the wall with rock promotes drainage through the wall and prevents soil from pushing through the cracks in the wall’s stones.

Also, Read: What Is Consistency of Cement | What Is Initial Setting Time of Cement | What Is Final  Setting Time of Cement

Composite Retaining Wall

Composite Timber retaining walls are attractive, strong and multi-functional. They use tongue and groove that is slightly offset for use as building material or as a retaining wall. Composite Timbers are Earth friendly, made from durable wood plastic composite material, manufactured from recycled woods and plastics.

Advantages of Retaining Walls

• Prevent Flood Control With A Retaining Wall.
• Retaining Walls Can Add An Attractive Element.
• Provide A Solid Property Boundary Marker.
• Slow Down Soil Erosion With A Retaining Wall.
• Make Better Use Of Your Available Landscaping Space.
• Reduce Potential Damage And Maintenance.

Disadvantages of Retaining Walls

Some retaining walls are not able to sustain high pressure from the soil such as brick walls, often resulting in brick breakage or foundation failure. Termites: Retaining walls can attract termites to your property when wood is used as a retaining wall.

Concrete Retaining Walls Cost Per Square Foot

On average, building a retaining wall costs $23 per square foot. For the more budget-conscious, retaining wall prices average at $19 per square foot. On the upper end, retaining wall costs are around $50 per square foot.

Types of Retaining Walls for Sloped Yards

Here are some common types of retaining walls used for sloped yards:

• Gravity Retaining Walls
• Cantilever Retaining Walls
• Sheet Pile Retaining Walls
• Anchored Retaining Walls
• Gabion Retaining Walls
• Retaining Wall Systems

Retaining Walls Installation Tips and Tricks

All retaining walls should lean into the hill 1 inch for every 12 inches of height. Timber walls 4 feet or higher should be tied to the hillside with “deadmen” anchors (6-foot-long, T-shaped tiebacks buried in the hillside) attached to the wall every 8 feet, extending 6 feet back to a 2-foot-wide T-bar.

Best Materials for Retaining Walls

Here are some common materials used for retaining walls:

• Concrete
• Timber
• Natural Stone
• Segmental Blocks
• Brick
• Gabion Walls

Retaining Wall Installation Cost

Here are some general cost estimates for different types of retaining walls:

• Timber Retaining Wall: $15 to $25 per square foot
• Concrete Block Retaining Wall: $20 to $30 per square foot.
• Natural Stone Retaining Wall: $30 to $50 per square foot.

Retaining Wall Types

The four main types of retaining wall are:

• Gravity retaining walls.
• Cantilever retaining walls.
• Embedded retaining walls.
• Reinforced soil retaining walls.

Retaining Wall Stabilization

Retaining walls stabilize the slopes by retaining the soil behind them. The wall can be made from a variety of durable materials such as sheetpile, timbers, stacked rock, poured concrete, stone or gabions.

Define Retaining Wall

A wall that holds back earth or water.

Advantages of Gravity Retaining Wall

Gravity retaining walls offer several advantages:

• Stability
• Cost-effective
• Durability
• Aesthetics
• Easy construction
• Minimal maintenance
• Environmental compatibility

Wall Retaining Systems

There are several different types of wall retaining systems, each with its own advantages and applications. Here are some common types:

• Gravity Retaining Walls
• Cantilever Retaining Walls
• Sheet Pile Walls
• Anchored Retaining Walls
• Gabion Walls
• Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) Walls
• Modular Block Walls

In Which Condition Retaining Wall Stays in Its Own Position?

At rest state:
(When the wall is stationary and back fill soil have no tendency to move.) under the rest condition the Retaining wall is stationary therefore lateral stress will be zero.

How to Build a Small Retaining Wall with Wood?

Instructions

• Plan Out the Retaining Wall. Stake out the area where you plan to build the wall.
• Cut Into the Slope. With your shovel, dig about 2 feet back into the slope.
• Prepare the Retaining Wall Area.
• Mark Other Post Locations.
• Dig Post Holes.
• Add Gravel to Post Holes.
• Set Posts in Holes.
• Pour Concrete.

How Retaining Walls Work?

Retaining walls are designed to restrain soil, or engineering fill, at an angle steeper than the material’s angle of repose – the steepest angle it can hold naturally, without failing. To do this, they need to be able to withstand the horizontal – or lateral – earth pressure, exerted by the material being retained.