The Different Types of Concrete Retaining Walls

 Retaining walls used in commercial areas and landscaping practices provide at least two important benefits: decorative extension and functional support. Without retaining walls, landscaping will be less appealing and soil can hardly be kept in place. To know more about its importance, take a look at the different types of concrete retaining walls.  

Anchored This type of retaining walls can be any of the other types of retaining walls. The only difference with anchored wall is that it is constructed with objects that anchor the wall behind. Landscaping and construction projects that require construction of walls that are 80 feet tall often use anchored retaining walls.

Buttressed Due to its triangular structure, buttressed walls are somehow similar to counterfort walls. Instead of facing inward, the triangular members of a buttressed wall face outward, creating a rigid wall that is less susceptible to tipping. Such triangular members are left exposed, which make buttressed walls suitable for areas where aesthetics is not an issue.

Cantilevered If you see a retaining wall shaped like an inverted letter “T,” then you must be looking at a cantilevered retaining wall. It has two main parts, namely: base slab and toe. The base slab is the bottom horizontal section, while the toe is the front section usually left exposed. Due to its reinforcement and shape, cantilever walls are less concrete than the other types of retaining walls. Cantilevered walls used in irrigation Minnesota landscapers put in place can be costly compared with gravity retaining walls.

Counterfort This type of retaining wall used in irrigation Minneapolis landscapers provide is similar to a cantilevered retaining wall as it is also fully reinforced. The only difference is that counterfort retaining walls have additional support, usually in a form of cable or anchor tying the stem to the heel of the base slab at regular intervals. Counterfort walls are used for building walls that must be greater than 25 feet tall and can be transported from a manufacturing plant. 

Gravity Much shorter than the other types of walls, gravity walls require battering technique during construction. Such battering technique involves building the wall with a base thickness ratio of about half its height in a slanted angle facing outwards. Gravity walls are more preferred than the other types of block retaining walls due to ease of construction and less reinforcement requirement.