A retaining wall is a vital structure in various construction projects. The wall serves to stabilize soil or rocks on a sloppy terrain to manage water flow and prevent the environment from erosion. There are different types of retaining walls, and the choice of wall built on a specific project greatly matters. Therefore, it’s essential to consider some important factors when planning to build a large-scale retaining wall to ensure it serves its purpose effectively. Let’s explore.
1. The Choice of Building Materials
A retaining wall should be robust to provide solid and secure support for a long duration. Since a large-scale retaining wall covers an extensive area, it’s crucial to consider strong materials to serve the purpose. Weak and cheap materials can be overwhelmed by water pressure and eventually collapse, which can be risky for the environment.
2. Soil Type is Key
Soil plays a critical part in construction and determines the kind of project you intend to build in a particular location. When planning a large-scale retaining wall, you need a firm base soil to hold the wall weight. Also, the soil should be free from moisture, which can expand and contract, eventually affecting the wall structure.
It would help to carry out a geotechnical survey, which will give you a report on the soil type, including the chemical properties and groundwater levels. In addition, you should involve a professional engineer to help determine how much load the soil can support, its pressure limits, and the resistance to movement of the soil of your wall’s foundation.
3. Consider a Proper Drainage
Retaining walls prevents water from flowing or draining into a road or building. When planning for a large-scale wall, it’s important to consider an effective drainage system to avoid damage. Water pressure can form behind the wall, which may cause it to swell and crack or fall. You can consider including holed pipes to feed into the stormwater and make small weep holes in the retaining wall to drain the water.
4. Develop a Suitable Wall Design
A large-scale retaining wall design plays a key role depending on several factors. Based on the geotechnical report, your design engineer can incorporate its findings, which will help design the wall. Since retaining walls are constructed in sloppy or elevated areas, gravity can cause the soil or retained material to move toward the wall. Therefore, the engineer should plan for a stable wall enough to withstand gravity and reduce its effects. In addition, the engineers should design the appropriate wall height and angles based on the site’s altitude and soil.
5. Survey the Location
The location of a large-scale retaining wall is key to environmental safety and water drainage concerns. You need to consider whether the wall poses a potential risk to the surrounding buildings. Also, you need to check for any underground wiring or piping that could be affected when digging the wall’s foundation.
In conclusion, you need to consider the above essential tips when planning for your large-scale retaining wall and seal all loopholes that could cause damage. The retaining wall’s physical structure and reliability are important compared to the construction cost. At Belgard Commercial, we have everything it takes to plan and execute a pasting large-scale retaining wall. Contact us now and talk to our experts.
