A Quick Overview of the Main Types of Retaining Walls
What is a Retaining Wall?
A retaining wall is a specially designed rigid, strong structure used to hold back the soil behind it. It withstands the lateral pressure of soil and helps prevent the earth it’s supporting from moving towards the bottom of the slope.
Retaining walls have a variety of uses, from practical reasons to aesthetic purposes.
They can be used to help prevent landslides and soil erosion on steep, vertical or near vertical slopes along roads and footpaths.
Between 1842 and 2011, landslides are known to have caused at least 312 casualties (138 killed, 174 injured). Retaining walls have played a vital role in reducing the number of casualties from landslides in the country and across the world.
They are also used in landscaping to create functional or decorative features, such as a sloped garden or a terraced yard.
There are many different types of retaining walls, each serving a different purpose. If you have a project coming up that requires a retaining wall, the type you’ll need will vary depending on your specific needs.
This blog post offers a brief rundown of the retaining walls commonly used in Australia.
Gravity Walls
A gravity retaining wall depends on its own structural weight and mass to withstand lateral earth pressure.
They can be constructed using a variety of heavy materials, such as pavers, bricks, dry-stacked stone, and large concrete blocks, among others. This one is durable, easy to install, and offers design versatility.
Cantilevered Walls
Cantilevered retaining walls are built from reinforced concrete and often constructed in an inverted T shape. They usually consist of a stem and a base slab, reinforced with steel.
This style can either be prefabricated offsite or poured on site. The strength of cantilevered retaining walls makes them a popular option in commercial retaining wall projects. You will need some civil engineering expertise to ensure that the cantilever wall design is stable.
Counterfort Walls
This style is similar to cantilevered walls, but the difference is it comes with vertical wings along the backside of the wall that provide additional strength and support.
The counterforts reduce the shear forces put on the wall by the soil and also adds some weight to the wall. They are favoured over cantilever retaining walls when the wall is above 25 feet.
Sheet Pile Walls
This one uses a collection of long piles to secure the wall in place. The piles are placed adjacent to each other and forced deep into the ground at a depth that allows them to withstand a significant amount of lateral pressure.
They can be made from vinyl, steel, precast concrete, or wood planks. This wall type is the go-to when the project is on soft soil.
Anchored Walls
Anchored retaining walls are constructed by driving cable rods or strips deep into the earth. To aid anchorage, the ends of the rods/strips are filled with concrete or are formed into a shape that securely binds to the soil.
This type of retaining wall is favoured when the space is limited or when loose soil is present over the soil rocks.
Looking for Professional Retaining Wall Design?
If you need a retaining wall and want to ensure that its design is as robust as possible, the Davron Engineering team can help you with that.
Whether it’s a small residential project or a major commercial development, we are an established Wollongong engineering company that provides exceptional retaining wall design services.
Our structural engineers can help you determine the best type of retaining wall for your project and then come up with a design that is built to last.
Feel free to contact us if you have any questions or want to book a consultation.
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