Retaining walls functions to support soil pressure, support slope, and enhance beauty of landscaping. They are the best method to manage your yard, garden, and uneven space. But mistakes during installation of retaining wall comprises its durability and integrity. Such mistakes often lead to structural failure resulting in the walls collapsing. To avoid such failures, understanding common retaining wall installation mistakes and following proper steps during wall building is essential.
In this guide, we explore some of the common installation mistakes that cause retaining wall failure. Also we offer practical solutions and tips to avoid the problems.
What Cause Retaining Wall Failure? Common Mistakes
Retaining wall failure occurs when basic engineering and construction principles are neglected. Using poor materials, overloading walls, and using improper building technique are among the key cause of failure. The common mistakes that many Australian builders or DIY builders commits while building retaining wall are:
Poor Drainage
Neglecting proper drainage management is the most common cause that leads to retaining wall failure. Due to poor drainage management, the problem such as clogged drain and water buildup arise. This issue creates hydrostatic pressures that cause wall to crack, bow, or collapse.
Wrong Post Spacing
Wrong or inappropriate post spacing cause retaining wall failure as more spacing leads to increased soil load. The increased load and soil pressure lead to cause shifts or bending of sleepers resulting in retaining wall failure.
Shallow Footings
While building the retaining wall, its size and height are essential to calculate footing. Footing should be deep enough to support the pressure and load of soil in the wall. When footing is not deep, the soil pressure and load may shift or tilt.
Weak Materials
Materials plays important role in ensuring durability and longevity of the retaining wall. Using poor quality material during retaining wall building process leads in early failure. Using non-galvanised posts, low quality concrete sleepers, and inappropriate material in construction leads to early rot, bend, and cracks in the structure.
Incorrect Backfilling
Incorrect backfilling is a common mistake that leads to poor drainage leading to hydrostatic pressures. It causes issue in weight distribution and instability that leads to structure failure of retaining wall.
Not following Engineering Guidelines
Failing to basic construction principle and engineering guidelines causes early collapse of retaining wall. Neglecting engineering guidelines cause under-designed walls and structures that fails to bear pressure. Building without considering and calculating soil type, height, and slope nature is common mistakes done during wall retaining wall building process.
Warning signs
Checking for warning signs helps homeowners to prevent costly damage from failure of retaining wall. The warning signs must not be neglected as it worsens quickly. To ensure your retaining wall are healthy, check for warning signs such as:
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Bowing or leaning wall: Bowing or leaning of the retaining wall structure indicates soil pressure or drainage that pushes your wall to the outer side.
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Cracks in wall: Spotting cracks in walls or blocks can be concerning as it indicates pressure, ground movement, and failure of materials. Crack in walls may lead to breakage of wall structure.
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Tilting or sinking posts: If you sport tilting or sinking of posts, it can be sign of unstable soil, shallow footing, and improper spacing of posts.
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Movement of soil: The gap of the soil behind the retaining wall suggests shifting of soil away from the wall.
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Water pooling: The condition of water pooling around the wall is sign of poor drainage. It may lead to hydrostatic pressures causing wall to break or fall.
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Rusting steel or rotting timber: If you spot rusting of steel structure or rotting of timber, it is a sign that your structural strength is getting weaker.
How Homeowners Prevent or Fix Issues
Homeowners can prevent retaining wall failures by following appropriate retaining building process while avoiding common mistakes during constructions. Also, reacting to the warning signs in time helps to minimize and prevent additional damages. Homeowners can prevent and fix issues of retaining wall failure by following the step below:
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Drainage management: Building proper drainage system to avoid hydrostatic pressure on the walls. It can be done by using perforated pipes, weep holes, and geofabric materials to manage the drains.
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Appropriate post spacing: Use appropriate post spacing according to recommendation of engineers to avoid potential issue of tilting and sinking of posts.
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Footing depth: Use appropriate footing depth while placing concrete sleepers or support structure. It ensures your wall does not slip or shifts.
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Material: When building retaining walls and structures, use quality materials like concrete sleepers, galvanised steel posts, and corrosion resistant materials.
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Follow standards and guidelines: Follow the local council guidelines and engineering standards during retaining wall building process.
Conclusion
When building retaining walls, proper planning, quality materials, appropriate drainage materials, and following engineering guidelines ensures its longevity. Understanding and avoiding common mistakes helps you to avoid issues during the wall building process. Also, regular inspection of the retaining walls and quick reactions to solve the issue helps in preventing heavy damages. Contact Austrina Steels for best quality of Galvanised steels, fabrication, drainage systems, and Concrete sleepers for your retaining wall projects.
