Retaining walls are structures that prevent soil from sliding or eroding by holding them back. They are commonly used in landscaping and civil engineering projects to create level areas on sloping terrain. We’ll examine three main types today: gravity walls, cantilever walls, and anchored walls.
Gravity-Type Walls
Gravity walls are the simplest and most common type of retaining wall. They rely on their weight to resist soil pressure and retain the soil behind them. Gravity walls are typically made of concrete or masonry and can be designed with various shapes, such as straight, curved, or stepped. They are also easier to build and maintain.
Gravity walls are best suited for retaining relatively small soil heights, typically under four feet. They are commonly used in residential landscaping to create garden beds or terraced sloping yards. Gravity walls can also be used in larger civil engineering projects, such as roadway embankments or bridge abutments.
Cantilever-Type Walls
Cantilever walls are retaining walls that use a horizontal beam, called a footing, to support the wall’s and soil’s weight. The footing is anchored to the soil with steel reinforcing bars, or rebar, extending into the soil. The cantilever wall is made of concrete or masonry and is shaped like an inverted T, with the stem of the T buried in the soil and the top of the T extending above the soil surface.
Cantilever walls are stronger and more stable than gravity walls, which allows them to retain larger heights of soil, typically up to 25 feet. They’re commonly used in commercial and industrial construction projects to create underground parking structures or support large buildings on sloping terrain. Cantilever walls also require less space than gravity walls, making them a good option for projects with limited space.
Anchored Walls
Anchored walls are retaining walls that use cables or rods to anchor the wall to the soil. The cables or rods are attached to the wall at one end and are anchored to the soil with a large, buried weight or a grouted anchor. This anchoring system provides additional lateral support to the wall, which allows it to retain even larger heights of soil than cantilever walls.
Anchored walls are commonly used in civil engineering projects to support bridge abutments or stabilize slopes along highways or railways. They are also used in mining and tunneling projects to create underground tunnels and excavations. Anchored walls can be made of concrete or masonry, or they can be made of steel or timber.
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Retaining walls are used to retain soil and prevent it from sliding or eroding. Gravity walls rely on their weight to resist soil pressure and are best suited for retaining relatively small soil heights. Cantilever walls use a horizontal beam and steel reinforcing bars to support the weight of the wall and the soil behind it, allowing them to retain larger heights of soil. Anchored walls use cables or rods to anchor the wall to the soil, providing additional lateral support and allowing them to retain even larger heights of soil. Each wall type has unique advantages and is best suited for different projects, so consult an expert contractor to know which is ideal for your property.
At Great Western Corporation, we provide services such as advising, creating and constructing designs, installing Cathodic Protection Systems, repairing concrete, building retaining walls, producing and setting up anode sleds, and other components for Impressed Current & Passive Cathodic Protection on location. Check out our retaining walls in North Bend by visiting our website and calling 541-270-1363 so we can install them for you!