What is the purpose of a retaining wall? Sure, a retaining wall is a terrific architectural element in many landscapes, but it does have an important purpose. It’s a lateral support built of concrete that prevents the movement of soil. But not all retaining walls are built the same. Here are a few of the different types and the purposes behind the builds.
Gravity
The gravity retaining wall relies on its own weight to support the load of soil behind it. It’s a good choice for a landscape where the wall’s height requirement is less than ten feet. These are simple walls, typically built on site and cast in a monolithic-style of construction.
Semi-Gravity
As the name implies, semi-gravity walls are built similar to the common gravity wall, but these types of walls are built with the addition of steel supports. And when steel supports are added the wall can be built thin and strong.
Cantilever Concrete Retaining Wall
Cantilever walls can be built large, and are typically built with reinforced concrete. They require much less concrete to build than a typical slab, but the wall should be built by a professional with experience, because it will require precision. The base of these walls requires both a heel and a toe.
Counterfort Retaining Wall
Similar in design to Cantilever, Counterfort walls use web-like strips of concrete called counterforts at the back of the wall.
Concrete retaining walls are complex to build, and if you have a future project in mind then it may be a good idea to trust the work to the concrete professionals at Shotcrete Montana to do the work correct and with precision. If you have any questions, or would like to speak with the shotcrete experts about your project, then call Shotcrete Montana today.
