Retaining Wall Building

Although the availability of easy to install retaining wall building materials made possible building retaining walls without hiring contractors, it also promotes common retaining wall building mistakes. These common mistakes range from simple misalignment to graver structural failure. To avoid these mistakes, it's good to know them before building your retaining wall.

Here are some of the most common retaining wall building mistakes.

Misaligned building materials - these are common to modular, brick, and railroad tie retaining walls. It's irritating to see that your retaining wall is not level, thus compromising the whole look and even the integrity of the wall. You can avoid this by simply using carpenter's and ground levels to check your retaining wall level during the building stage.

Improper drainage - proper drainage is crucial to lessen the lateral pressure on the walls during rain or, when water is added to the soil held back. This will result to structural failure, and later, collapse. Installing perforated pipe along the base of the retaining wall ensuring that it will not be clogged by covering it with lose gravel and stone first before adding the soil can avoid this from happening.

Using the wrong building material - consider the volume of soil that needed to be held. Larger volumes that need taller walls can use a poured concrete material. The same is true if you're propping up a steeper slope. Interlocking modular blocks today are sturdier but be sure to ask the sales agent as to the capacity limitation of the blocks.

Not hiring contractors - the availability of easy to install retaining wall building materials often cause the exclusion of contractors when building retaining walls. Building retaining walls remains a technical matter, unless you got medium to advance masonry skills, it's best to get some professional help when constructing retaining walls.

These are just some of the common mistakes when it comes to retaining wall building. But, knowledge is power. So knowing these common mistakes is the start to avoid them.

 

Retaining Wall News:

 

Hayward man killed in Milpitas retaining wall collapse in hills - Milpitas Post

abc7news.com

Hayward man killed in Milpitas retaining wall collapse in hills
Milpitas Post
A worker was crushed in a 10- to 12-foot deep trench that had been cut for placement of a future foundation of a retaining wall due to the sliding of unstable soil, which had been caused by the lack of shoring of the trench walls, staff said.
Carpenter buried alive in Milpitas is IDdSan Francisco Chronicle

all 43 news articles »
..

Gretna to replace ailing wall - Lebanon Daily News

Gretna to replace ailing wall
Lebanon Daily News
GRETNA - Borough Council on Monday night approved spending up to $15000 to replace a failed retaining wall on Lancaster Avenue. One quote has been obtained for $4800 for materials and $9800 for the required excavation, according to Bill Care, .

and more »
..


Car Teeters Over Retaining Wall In Sioux City - KCAU

Car Teeters Over Retaining Wall In Sioux City
KCAU
When she tried to get out of the driveway, the car slipped, leaving it hanging over a 4-ft retaining wall. It happened at a home on the five thousand block of Hamilton Boulevard north of Outer Drive. As soon as they got there, the fire department .

..


Construction expected to be complete next week in retaining wall following . - WKTV

Construction expected to be complete next week in retaining wall following .
WKTV
The storm was so fierce that even the retaining wall started to break away. "This new wall is going to protect the whole stream bank and protect this road from eroding," said Todd Kogut, a Construction Inspector said Wednesday. "The retaining wall .

..


Slough mural to adorn retaining wall
A new retaining wall is under construction on Green Valley Road at Main Street...


Strata Geogrid Helps Turn Unusable Land to Premium Airport Parking in Seattle - geosynthetica.net (press release)

Strata Geogrid Helps Turn Unusable Land to Premium Airport Parking in Seattle
geosynthetica.net (press release)
Five retaining walls up to 33 feet in height reinforced with geogrid were needed to build up the site and create a level and stable area for the parking lot. Goodfellow Bros. of Maple Valley, WA, the general contractor, and Sound Retaining Walls of .

..


Cuesta Grade Project - KVEC

KVEC

Cuesta Grade Project
KVEC
San Luis Obispo, CA -- A project to construct a retaining wall on the Cuesta Grade along southbound Highway 101 will begin today. This project will result in a six month closure of the No. 3 (far right) southbound lane of Highway 101 from just north of .
CUESTA GRADE RETAINING WALL PROJECT BEGINS TONIGHTSanta Barbara Edhat

all 3 news articles »
..


Driver injured after striking retaining wall on I-24
A driver suffered minor injuries after striking a retaining wall on Interstate 24 Tuesday morning...


Retaining wall collapses during storm
A RETAINING wall separating the back of an antique furniture showroom and a house in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur collapsed during a downpour on Wednesday evening...


Gretna to replace ailing wall
MT. GRETNA - Borough Council on Monday night approved spending up to $15,000 to replace a failed retaining wall on Lancaster Avenue...


Construction expected to be complete next week in retaining wall following Summer floods
UTICA, N.Y. (WKTV) - There is progress for people living in an area that was hit not once, but twice by heavy rain last summer. Homeowners on Brookline Drive in South Utica are finding comfort in construction crews working along the Sauquoit Creek...


Palenville retaining wall awaits storm repairs
CATSKILL, N.Y. EUR” Members of the Town Board expect to go beyond a federally approved plan to upgrade a retaining wall along the Kaaterskill Creek in Palenville...


Retaining wall work will close sidewalk near hospital
Repair work to a retaining wall will close a stretch of sidewalk near Wilkes-Barre General Hospital for about four weeks, according to a city news release.Wilkes-Barre General Hospital will close sidewalks on North River Street between West Linden and W..


Austin describes impact of crash - Mail Tribune

Austin describes impact of crash
Mail Tribune
He feels battered physically after his top-alcohol dragster skidded out of control, sailed over a retaining wall, slammed down violently and came to a jarring stop at the NHRA Winternationals in Pomona, Calif. The 43-year-old Medford resident feels .

..


Retaining wall work will close sidewalk near hospital - Citizens Voice

Retaining wall work will close sidewalk near hospital
Citizens Voice
Repair work to a retaining wall will close a stretch of sidewalk near Wilkes-Barre General Hospital for about four weeks, according to a city news release. Wilkes-Barre General Hospital will close sidewalks on North River Street between West Linden and .
North River Street sidewalks near WB General Hospital temporarily closed .Wilkes Barre Times-Leader

all 2 news articles »
..


Renovation plans for Fletcher Cove receive council OK - Coast News

Renovation plans for Fletcher Cove receive council OK
Coast News
The existing retaining wall along Pacific will be removed and rebuilt. A 3- to 4-foot wide decomposed granite path will be added to the existing concrete sidewalk. Four flat terraces with concrete circular picnic tables and, if funding allows, .

and more »
..


Children from Everett church help raise money to save school in Guatemala
Children at Everett's Faith Lutheran Church donated money for a retaining wall to help save a school in the Guatemalan village of San Pedro Miador. A retaining wall built by Hands for Peacemaking volunteers helped save a school in the Guatemalan village of San Pedro Miador...


Question mark over safety of retaining wall
All chinks in the wall will be exposed in the rainy season, say R&B engineers..


Trapped woman recovering - Omaha World-Herald

Trapped woman recovering
Omaha World-Herald
According to police, Melissa Ramirez said she was walking along a retaining wall in the area Saturday when she accidentally fell into the opening. Council Bluffs Police Sgt. Dave Dawson said the opening had a 19-inch diameter and was about 5- or 6-feet .
Woman rescued from sewer opening in western IowaChicago Tribune
Men Find Half-Naked Woman Trapped In HoleKCCI Des Moines
Authorities ID woman rescued from sewerDesMoinesRegister.com
SW Iowa News -Radio Iowa
all 32 news articles »
..


PHOTO: Retaining wall installed at old town Bluffton
Sea Island Dock Builders of Beaufort is installing a retaining wall at Oyster Factory Park in old town Bluffton. The project, according to Bluffton director of engineering Bob Fletcher, is part of a park renovation plan. The wall is slated to be completed by June 30 and should help stop erosion that damages the parking lot. More parking spaces will also be added. The town later plans to improve ...



Technorati Tags: , ,