Retaining Walls
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Retaining walls are used to retain soil. Soil loads can be very high and all retaining walls should be designed to withstand these loads. Most councils will allow retaining walls up to 1m high to be constructed without an engineering design and drawing but this does not negate the requirement to make these walls structurally adequate.
Soil pressure on a retaining wall increases as the height of the retaining wall increases in a similar manner as water pressure increases with depth of water.
There are many different types of retaining walls some of which are listed below.
Mass Gravity - Mass gravity retaining walls rely on the weight of the wall to resist the overturning moments of the soil pressure.
Concrete Block Cantilever - The footing of this retaining wall extends underneath the retained soil and the weight of the retained soil provides a stabilising moment.
Timber post and rails
Concrete Crib Wall
TASMAN ENGINEERING CONSULTANTS
Structural, Civil, Geotechnical and Environmental Engineers
