Retaining Wall Guide

Welcome to our retaining wall guide page. The diagrams to the right show the core functions and the design criteria for designing a retaining wall. The following failure criteria are encountered while designing a retaining wall.

Causes of Failure

Overturning – The material being retained creates a force (moment) that causes toppling of the wall.  The weight of a gravity retaining wall resists this moment.

Bearing capacity – The weight of the wall and earth is supported by the ground beneath. The ground bearing capacity needs to be checked to ensure any settlement is within limits.

Sliding– The retaining earth creates a horizontal force that can cause the retaining wall to slide. This is resisted by the friction between the wall and earth beneath, and the embedment of the wall.

Stability– The earth around the wall requires adequate strength to avoid an overall slip failure.

Shear– The blocks can shear at the base or on courses. We introduce a kicker at the base and interlocking buttons to resist these forces.

We have designed four retaining wall solutions. Each one uses different ways to restrain the forces and  have their own pros and cons. The selection of the right solution takes into account the existing ground conditions, site access conditions, retained material conditions and cost. Each solution includes a table to help you select the right one for your site.