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This drawing shows a cross-section of a 4' retaining wall.
A retaining wall is a specially designed structure that holds soil on one side and is free standing on the other. They help to accommodate changes in grade in a landscape with uneven topography. These walls often allow steeper cuts to a slope to yield more usable space on a cut-and-fill hillside lot. Hard working retaining walls can be key to creating a level sports lawn or driveway too.
Retaining walls are also used on level ground to raise living spaces above the surrounding ground plain. A well designed retaining wall can elevate planting areas for improved drainage while at the same time creating a seatwall. There is no end to the benefits of these heavy barriers, but they can be costly and must be strictly constructed to prevent failure.
What makes retaining walls so challenging is their strength, which is best illustrated by the incredible loads they carry, known as lateral earth pressure. This is created by more than just the weight of soil. Water behind the wall causes buildup of hydrostatic pressure which is the reason for most wall failures. Only through adequately designed drainage structures and waterproofing can the best designed wall survive over time.
Retaining walls are divided into two types divided by their height. Walls under four feet are designed and built by your contractor or per a landscape architect's drawing. Retaining walls over four feet require much larger footings due to the increased lateral earth pressure. It must be designed by an engineer who will specify the size and extent of footings and the amount of steel reinforcement required according to strict loading calculations.
Building permits often require these structural calculations due to the damage caused by retaining wall failures. This not only destroys your investment, it can cause significant damage to people and property, which puts the homeowner at serious liability. This is particularly important where slopes are unstable and the climate suffers periods of heavy rains that can lead to super saturated soils and catastrophic mudslides. California communities may require additional earthquake related design criteria.
Retaining walls can be a do-it-yourself project when constructed of wood. These short timber walls are an affordable solution to erosion and runoff control. Concrete block retaining wall systems are growing in popularity due to their improved aesthetics and single wall construction that requires less surface area to achieve optimum strength. Dry stone walls are a regional art form and those from colonial times can still be functional today.
The time tested veneer wall is the landscape architect's choice for high end landscaping. With its functional concrete masonry unit (CMU) core, there is no end to the options for swanky stone or brick veneer. This choice offers the designer unlimited options for making each retaining wall unique to a homesite and allowing it to lend style to outdoor living spaces.
Always remember that however beautiful these walls may ultimately be, they are a powerful structure that must function as designed. This can only happen when they are composed of the proper materials and constructed by quality contractors. Get these things right and youll be able to count on your financial investment maintaining both beauty and integrity for many decades to come.
Read this article:
Retaining Wall Design - Landscaping Network
- Boulder police rescue driver, 4-year-old from vehicle hanging on retaining wall - Boulder Daily Camera - January 22nd, 2024 [January 22nd, 2024]
- Watch Colo. Police Save 4-Year-Old from Car Hanging over Retaining Wall - Officer - January 22nd, 2024 [January 22nd, 2024]
- Boulder Police, Firefighters Rescue Toddler from Crashed Vehicle Hanging on Wall - POLICE - January 22nd, 2024 [January 22nd, 2024]
- Theyre heroes: Police rescue child from SUV after crash leaves vehicle dangling over wall - WMBF - January 22nd, 2024 [January 22nd, 2024]
- Cops Rescue Mon And Child From Lexus Hanging Over Retaining Wall - CarScoops - January 22nd, 2024 [January 22nd, 2024]
- First responders pull 4-year-old from crashed SUV, hanging from retaining wall - msnNOW - January 22nd, 2024 [January 22nd, 2024]
- Construction of flyover at Melamadai junction is in full swing - The Hindu - January 5th, 2024 [January 5th, 2024]
- Retaining wall collapses in Yorkshire Dales prompting fears of road closure - Richmondshire Today - January 5th, 2024 [January 5th, 2024]
- Repair retaining wall - The Tribune India - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- MTA bus driver, 3 passengers injured after backing into retaining wall in Westlake area - CBS Los Angeles - December 20th, 2023 [December 20th, 2023]
- 4 injured when MTA bus backs into retaining wall - KABC-TV - December 20th, 2023 [December 20th, 2023]
- 4 injured when MTA bus backs into retaining wall - AOL - December 20th, 2023 [December 20th, 2023]
- Driver more than 3.5x legal alcohol limit hits house and retaining wall, police say - 14 News WFIE Evansville - December 20th, 2023 [December 20th, 2023]
- Canyon wall falls in Utah national park famous for iconic hoodoos. What caused it? - Sacramento Bee - December 20th, 2023 [December 20th, 2023]
- Innovative Types of Retaining Walls for Sloped Properties - The Philippine Times - December 20th, 2023 [December 20th, 2023]
- Construction collapse in Barren County - Bowling Green - WBKO - December 20th, 2023 [December 20th, 2023]
- Courtenay concerned about retaining wall along river - Times Colonist - December 20th, 2023 [December 20th, 2023]
- Potential Risk of Failure of Anderton Avenue Retaining Wall - City of Courtenay - December 20th, 2023 [December 20th, 2023]
- 110-year-old retaining wall near Ottawa Rowing Club to be demolished, replaced - Yahoo News Canada - April 29th, 2023 [April 29th, 2023]
- CCAT begins reconstruction project - The LumberJack - April 29th, 2023 [April 29th, 2023]
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- Contract to address failing Claremont access walls expected to be ... - Hamilton Spectator - April 29th, 2023 [April 29th, 2023]
- Work around the State Capitol will close part of Monroe Street Monday - The State Journal-Register - April 29th, 2023 [April 29th, 2023]
- Man dies after his box truck was dragged under tractor trailer, South Carolina officials say - CDLLife - April 29th, 2023 [April 29th, 2023]
- Lack of SH25A reopening work concerning - MP - The Bay's News ... - SunLive - April 29th, 2023 [April 29th, 2023]
- Brewster Town Meeting: School overrides, plastic ban, Wing Island - Cape Cod Times - April 29th, 2023 [April 29th, 2023]
- New tech being used for slope stabilisation of few portions of NH - The Arunachal Times - April 29th, 2023 [April 29th, 2023]
- Retaining Walls: How to Build Them, Costs & Types - This Old House - April 13th, 2023 [April 13th, 2023]
- Stranded By Storms, Neighbor Keeps Mountain Community Connected With Outside World Thanks to Zipline - NBC Bay Area - April 13th, 2023 [April 13th, 2023]
- How much does a concrete retaining wall cost? - HomeGuide - January 7th, 2023 [January 7th, 2023]
- 40 Retaining Wall Ideas That Will Elevate Your Landscaping - October 24th, 2022 [October 24th, 2022]
- Retaining Wall: Types, Purpose, Advantages & Disadvantages - December 28th, 2021 [December 28th, 2021]
- 51 Really Cool Retaining Wall Ideas - Sebring Design Build ... - December 28th, 2021 [December 28th, 2021]
- Keeping Hanging Lake Trail useable has been a difficult task - The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel - December 28th, 2021 [December 28th, 2021]
- Last Hatfield homeplace being developed into museum, gift shop - Huntington Herald Dispatch - December 28th, 2021 [December 28th, 2021]
- Roadway Activity Report for parts of East and Middle Tennessee (December 23 - 29, 2021) - tn.gov - December 28th, 2021 [December 28th, 2021]
- Man Gets Probation For Punching Trooper Who Responded To Drunken Driving Crash - CBS Minnesota - December 28th, 2021 [December 28th, 2021]
- 3 Bedroom Home in Ocean City - $1,099,900 - Press of Atlantic City - December 28th, 2021 [December 28th, 2021]
- BRAGSA helping to rebuild collapsed wall at Belmont - Searchlight Newspaper - December 28th, 2021 [December 28th, 2021]
- Pittsburg Police Say Driver Expected to Survive After Major Injury Crash on E Leland Road - EastCountyToday - December 28th, 2021 [December 28th, 2021]
- Spring Branch homes total Texas Hill Country xeriscape landscape renovation created many outdoor entertainment areas - San Antonio Express-News - December 28th, 2021 [December 28th, 2021]
- Middle Beach retaining wall project is underway - Portland Press Herald - pressherald.com - February 5th, 2021 [February 5th, 2021]
- Contract approved for construction of retaining wall along Gordon Town Road - Jamaica Observer - February 5th, 2021 [February 5th, 2021]
- SLED report reveals new details about deputy-involved shooting that injured teen, led to K9s death - WSPA 7News - February 5th, 2021 [February 5th, 2021]
- Floral Park Board of Trustees reports Feb. 2 - The Island Now - February 5th, 2021 [February 5th, 2021]
- West Tennessee Weekly Construction February 3-10, 2021 - tn.gov - February 5th, 2021 [February 5th, 2021]
- SLED investigative report reveals new details about deputy-involved shooting that injured teen and led to K9s death - WSPA 7News - February 5th, 2021 [February 5th, 2021]
- Replacing the Columbus Statue: Deliver Black Dreams' Call to Action - Columbus Monthly - February 5th, 2021 [February 5th, 2021]
- Burien Council hears of Seahurst landslide and of flooding problems due to rainy winter - The B-Town Blog - February 5th, 2021 [February 5th, 2021]
- Rehabilitation plots on reclaimed land lack basic infrastructure - The Hindu - February 5th, 2021 [February 5th, 2021]
- Expert's opinion on how 70ft wall collapsed in the middle of the night - Nottinghamshire Live - February 5th, 2021 [February 5th, 2021]
- Friendship and Stonework Grow More Beautiful With Time - The Atlantic - February 5th, 2021 [February 5th, 2021]
- Mumbai: Repair of BG Kher Marg only after post-monsoon inspection - Free Press Journal - February 5th, 2021 [February 5th, 2021]
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- Floral Park Board of Trustees report for January 19 - The Island Now - January 22nd, 2021 [January 22nd, 2021]
- Its like a big jigsaw puzzle: Pathway overpass foundation work underway - Scottsbluff Star Herald - January 22nd, 2021 [January 22nd, 2021]
- Boys, ages 11 and 12, arrested after racing, crashing stolen car in St. Paul - Bring Me The News - January 22nd, 2021 [January 22nd, 2021]
- UPDATED: Morning traffic in Saanich interrupted after driver crashes into centre median, retaining wall - Saanich News - January 22nd, 2021 [January 22nd, 2021]
- Sunderland road closed off to traffic over safety concerns after wall crumbles - Sunderland Echo - January 22nd, 2021 [January 22nd, 2021]
- Kill Coal to Save Lives - The New Republic - January 22nd, 2021 [January 22nd, 2021]
- Putnam road project part of push to keep work in-house - Huntington Herald Dispatch - January 22nd, 2021 [January 22nd, 2021]
- Riverside breaks ground on playground | The St. Clair Times | annistonstar.com - Anniston Star - January 22nd, 2021 [January 22nd, 2021]
- Wilton Selectboard hears Water Department concerns and announces nomination ballots - Daily Bulldog - January 22nd, 2021 [January 22nd, 2021]
- Buildings, tunnels and bridges could soon repair themselves - Horizon - January 22nd, 2021 [January 22nd, 2021]
- The cry to vote | The Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle - thejewishchronicle.net - January 22nd, 2021 [January 22nd, 2021]
- Construction Worker Killed After Retaining Wall Collapses In Brooklyn - CBS New York - January 3rd, 2021 [January 3rd, 2021]
- Montague homeowners ordered to remove retaining wall built on town land - The Journal Pioneer - January 3rd, 2021 [January 3rd, 2021]
- Fayetteville City Council to meet twice this week - Arkansas Online - January 3rd, 2021 [January 3rd, 2021]
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