Retaining Walls in Southwest Washington: When Does Your Property Need One?
Sloped property can create challenges when you're trying to build roads, parking areas, homes, or commercial buildings.
One solution may be a retaining wall.
Retaining walls are designed to hold back soil and create usable changes in elevation.
In Southwest Washington, retaining walls may be incorporated into residential, commercial, road, and civil site-development projects.
Why Build a Retaining Wall?
A retaining wall may be needed when a project requires a significant change in elevation.
Potential applications include:
Building pads
Driveways
Roads
Parking lots
Property improvements
Slope stabilization
Terraced areas
The appropriate solution depends on the site and engineering requirements.
Retaining Walls Are Structural Systems
A retaining wall isn't simply a decorative landscape feature.
A properly designed retaining wall must account for:
Soil pressure
Wall height
Drainage
Foundation conditions
Backfill
Surcharge loads
Reinforcement
Overall site conditions
Engineering requirements may apply depending on the wall and project.
Drainage Behind Retaining Walls
Water management is one of the most important parts of retaining-wall construction.
Water accumulating behind a wall can increase pressure on the structure.
Proper drainage may involve:
Drain rock
Drain pipe
Filter materials
Proper grading
Outlet systems
The design should follow the project's engineering details.
MSE Retaining Walls
Mechanically stabilized earth, or MSE, walls use reinforcement within the soil mass behind the wall.
They can be used for certain commercial and civil applications where significant grade changes are required.
Eco-Block Walls
Large precast concrete blocks can also be used for certain retaining-wall applications.
The appropriate system depends on the project's engineering, height, loads, site conditions, and intended use.
Retaining Walls and Roads
Retaining walls can help create usable space for:
Roads
Parking
Driveways
Building pads
Without a retaining wall or other engineered solution, a steep property may require significantly more horizontal space.
Rockridge Retaining Wall Construction
Rockridge constructs MSE and eco-block retaining walls according to project plans, engineering details, and applicable specifications.
Our scope can include:
Excavation
Foundation preparation
Wall installation
Reinforcement
Backfill
Compaction
Drainage
Planning a project on sloped property? Contact Rockridge General Engineering & Excavation to discuss your retaining-wall and site-development requirements.
Retaining-wall design requirements vary by wall type, height, loads, soil conditions, and jurisdiction. Engineering may be required.
