Retaining Walls
Table of Contents
Different Types of Retaining Walls |
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What are Retaining Walls?
Granular material, such as rocks and soil, generate horizontal pressure that increase linearly with depth. These materials can move down a slope due to gravity and the horizontal pressures
Retaining walls are design in a way where they push back on the horizontal pressure to keep the granular material in place preventing erosion from happening and creating a level area landscape
Characteristics of Retaining walls
Externally Stabilized Walls
Which use heavy material on the outside to keep the soil in place
Internally Stabilized Walls
Which makes use of the artificial reinforcements placed in the soil movement to carry tensile loads and carry out soil mass
Key Terminology
Angle of Repose
It is the maximum slope, measured from the horizontal in degrees, at which granular material (soil) will remain in place without sliding.
The wall has to support this angle
Surcharge
It is any load above the soil line upon earth that the retaining wall is supporting
Rear Face
Side of the retaining wall that is facing the soil
Front Face
Side of the retaining wall that is facing the atmosphere, it is in the opposite direction of the soil
Stem
The inner part of the wall
Battered Face
It is the sloped face of the retaining wall
Retained Earth
The part of the earth that is being retained by the wall
Straight or Vertical Face
It is the most outer part of the wall
Drainage Hole
The hole that allows the wall to drain the water
Base
It is placed in a whole in the ground to help with fighting the erosion of the soil
Heel
Acts as a horizontal cantilever under the combined action weight of the retained earth from the top and
Toe
Acts as a cantilever under the action of the soil pressure acting upwards
Retaining Wall Terminology | Video Explaining Concepts about Retaining Walls |
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