04/11/2024
Saw a retaining wall, here in Clarksville, TN today. This wall separated a lower elevation area from a higher elevation area. This higher elevation area has a discharge load sitting on it. A house! Which means a lot of weight. There is at least a 10ft difference in heights between the two elevations!
The problem is this wall is stacked straight up vertically! The signs I saw, the stress? Is the wall is bowing and buckling!
ICPI standards recommend all walls over 4 ft in height to be battered and engineered by an engineering firm! This wall is not engineered at all!
What makes matters worse is that the soil we have here in TN, is mostly clay, which requires soil amendments and soil tests. Clay likes to hold pockets of water and does not allow for the water to drain fluidly. Hence it will cause shifts in the movement of soils. Like mini earthquakes!
What’s the worst outcome? The homeowners house will fall when this wall gives! It will be severally damaged! The foundation will give way! All because of someone is not following the the standards, and not correctly installing retaining walls! Shame! Shame!
Do your research people and hire the correct company who will look out for your future interests and not your bottom wallet!
If you have a company installing walls over 4ft in height and they are stacked vertically, with no batter? They are wrong! They are only setting you up for failure!