Understanding Retaining Walls Types

The old saying goes, "When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail". It suggests adding implements to the toolbox could readily solve more problems. This scenario explains why there are so many retaining walls types, incidentally.

Retaining walls corral soil and prevent erosion, where two or more divergent pieces of land come together. The basic retaining walls types include:

1. Cantilevered - Converts horizontal pressure from the soil sitting behind the wall into vertical pressure into the ground beneath it. To increase its lode bearing qualities, buttresses are added to walls. Usually, cantilevered walls are constructed from concrete footings that sit beneath the frost depths. It's more stable and stronger than gravity walls and requires less materials.

2. Gravity - Even rise abuts soil, with air-exposed side rising from a wide base to taper at the top. Considered most likely to topple.

3. Anchored or Tie-back- Named for anchoring in the soil or rock, it is strong and often combined with other wall types.

4. Sheet and Bored Piling - Long pilings deep in the ground withstand bending pressure of soil pressure from all sides. Makes for a super lode-bearing wall.

They are typically made of one of three basic materials, depending upon project budget, aesthetic look, and availability of products.

1. Stone

2. Concrete

3. Brick

4. Other materials include vinyl, wood, and sheet metal, among other substances.

Retaining structures are deceptively easy-looking  to build, but in actuality are much trickier. The basic downward pressure of soil translates into vectors and take a while even for civil engineers, landscape architects, and masons to master.

What complicates the walls is often there is a drainage component to the construction and planning of such structures. Water needs to drain or it will wear away at even the most carefully constructed of walls.

Driveways and Tall Walls

Whenever you have the following walls, it's time to call a civil engineer:

1. Retaining wall edging a driveway

2. A wall that will exceed four feet in height.

The forces in play include:

1. Earth Pressure Vector, also known as the soil that's pushing into the wall.

2. Gravity Vector of the wall pushes pressure downward into the ground.

3. Reactive Force Vector is counter-pressure to the earth, pushing against or away from the wall.

Keeping soil in place is a long-standing challenge. Learning about retaining wall types is the beginning of your journey. Check the retaining wall construction website for more information and any needed help.

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