TJ's Home Improvement
Retaining Wall
A retaining wall is a structure that prevents a mass of matter, usually earth or rock on a slope, from precipitating or collapsing.
Some constructions require removing soil or cutting segments of a mountain, leaving voids or very vertical faces that can crumble and collapse. In these cases, it is necessary to include retaining walls in the planning of the work.
What Types Of Retaining Walls Are There
Depending on the characteristics of the terrain, the shape, and the needs of each work, different retaining walls will be built. These might be:
- Rigid: made of masonry or concrete, they create immovable structures.
- Flexible: made with less rigid structures and materials, they can yield a little to the load to which they are subjected without breaking.
Depending on their construction and operation, retaining walls can be of different types, some of them are:
- Anchored: they have bolts anchored to the vertical ground that support soil loads and water erosion.
- Gravity: their dimensions allow them to counteract, with their weight, the pressure exerted by the soil to be contained.
- Gravity reinforced: manufactured in an inverted T shape or L shape. They are made with reinforced concrete. The base or foot of these walls is driven under the ground.
- Driven: they are embedded in the ground at great depth using specialized machinery.
- Reinforced soil: they are built with thin layers of natural material (earth and gravel) that are compacted and superimposed. This material is contained in some metal armor.
- Reinforced earth: they are similar to reinforced soil retaining walls, but geotextile is used as reinforcement. Geotextile is a synthetic and absorbent fabric that separates grounds of different granulometries (making them more stable) and protects and reinforces them.
- Prefabricated: they are assembled with blocks or pieces and are used for quick solutions with few technical demands.
What Should Be Taken Into Account When Building A Retaining Wall?
When planning and calculating retaining wall structures, it is essential to consider many factors. For this, the Finite Element Method (FEM ) is used.
The FEM is used to solve problems in mathematical and engineering physics models that work with differential equations. Some fields of application of the method are structure analysis, heat transfer, or electromagnetic potential, among others. For its application, there are different software today.
In the case of retaining walls, the Finite Element Method allows the calculation of load stresses, ground displacements, and deformations of the structure, thus ensuring that the walls can support loads efficiently, permanently, and safely.
Advantages Of Retaining Walls In Terms Of Security
Below, we present the main security advantages that retaining walls offer :
They Prevent Soil Erosion
The retaining walls prevent soil erosion and avoid landslides during the rainy season. They are also helpful in preventing the accelerated decay of fertile lands and economic losses.
They Protect From Floods
They are usually used in river beds to balance the channel and protect crops and populations from flooding.
They Counteract The Pressure Of The Terrain In Urban Works
They are also used to prevent earth thrusts that could damage other works, causing landslides that endanger the safety of a community.
More Excellent Safety In Seismic Soils
Seismic soils are unstable, have little load capacity, and can easily give way at the slightest movement, causing accidents. In these cases, retaining walls can offer more excellent protection than conventional alternatives.
They Resist High Loads
They are designed to withstand large loads such as those of roads, bridges, and streets, stabilizing ground pressure and supporting the earth so that it does not sink.
They Protect Private Areas
Retaining walls are also used to delimit a private area, such as a residential area, to provide its inhabitants with greater security and protection.
These retaining walls are usually reinforced concrete and protected with a perimeter infiltration system, providing excellent resistance and durability.