In areas prone to seismic activity, retaining walls must be designed to withstand the additional forces generated by earthquakes. This often involves incorporating flexible materials, using geogrid reinforcement, and ensuring that the wall’s design meets specific seismic codes. If you are planning to take up a more environmentally friendly project, consider using sustainable materials for minimal environmental impact.
Retaining walls are subjected to various forces and the load-bearing capacity of a retaining wall means the capacity of the wall to hold these forces. They account for both the retained soil and any additional surcharge loads, such as vehicles, buildings, or even large gatherings of people. Calculating these forces is essential to ensure the wall can bear the load without failing. Structural engineering principles, often guided by standards like ACI 318, ensure that the wall can handle these loads without compromising safety.
Designing a retaining wall involves more than just choosing the right type. Here are some things you need to consider before designing and building a retaining wall:
Soil Analysis
One of the most critical aspects of retaining wall design is understanding the soil you’ll be working with. Soil type and soil pressure, including active, at-rest, and passive pressure can greatly influence the wall’s stability, as different soils have varying levels of strength, drainage capacity, and susceptibility to erosion. For instance, clay soils tend to retain water and expand, which can increase the pressure on the wall, while sandy soils drain well but may not provide as much support. Engineers often use the Rankine or Coulomb theories to calculate earth pressure coefficients, which help in designing walls that can resist these forces.
Sheet pile walls use interlocking sheets of steel, vinyl, or wood driven into the ground to hold back soil. These walls are particularly effective in tight spaces or when dealing with soft soils. When additional support is needed, anchored retaining walls come into play. These walls use cables or rods driven deep into the ground behind the wall structure to provide additional support, making them ideal for handling higher soil pressures or surcharge loads. They can also be combined with other types, like gravity or cantilevered walls, to enhance their strength.
Gabion and Stone Walls
Gabion walls are made of wire cages filled with stone or other materials, offering a permeable and flexible retaining solution. Stone walls, whether dry-stacked or mortar-bound, provide a timeless aesthetic while still offering the necessary support. Both types are excellent choices for environmentally friendly designs, allowing for water passage and blending seamlessly into natural landscapes.
Retaining walls can be built in different ways according to the needs and conditions and choosing the right type of wall is the first step in your retaining wall design process. Here are the most common types:
Gravity Retaining Walls
Gravity retaining walls are the walls that solely rely on their weight to resist and hold back the soil. In general, this type of retaining wall is constructed using a variety of materials, including natural stone and concrete blocks. They can even be gabion walls filled with rock or other heavy materials. The primary design principle for these types of walls is to counterbalance the retaining soil pressure through sheer weight. This is what makes them suitable for lower heights and areas where space isn’t a constraint.
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If you are a parent, you know the difficulty in keeping your home dirt and mud free after playtime. With an artificial grass lawn, children can go between indoor and outdoor play with minimal mess being tracked inside.
At Fieldmaster, we sell Pet Turf that is specially designed to withstand your animal’s daily activities. Our artificial grass for pets has a high-quality urethane backing mimicking the way natural grass would drain rainwater. Your dog can pee as he pleases on the artificial grass, and our pet turf effortlessly drains the liquid so that no lingering odours occur.
During a consultation with a member of the Feildmasters Team, make sure to mention that you have pets. We can help recommend the perfect artificial grass for animals and add a turf deodorizer or a membrane installed between the turf and ground to offer more airflow.
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Traditional grass can be a major source of allergens. Not only does conventional grass produce grass allergens, but it can also trap pollen and other allergens in its blades. This can cause people and animals who are allergic to grass and pollen to have uncomfortable and unwanted allergic reactions, like sneezing, itchy eyes, and more, when outside.
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Woman sneezing outdoors near flowering tree because of allergies
Prevent Mud
Lastly, a conventional lawn can become a muddy mess after it rains or during certain times of the year when there is snow on the ground. This is especially true if you have children or furry friends who love to play in the yard. Unfortunately, the mud can leave a mess on the lawn and, later, get tracked into the house. It can also be uncomfortable to walk through.
Fortunately, our synthetic grass does not hold onto water; it is quick-draining. Plus, our artificial turf is not planted into the ground, so there is no mud that can be created when it becomes wet. This helps ensure a cleaner, more visually appealing grass surface for you to enjoy.
In golf, heavy weight due to golf equipment can lead to soil compression, subsequently damaging natural greens. Synthetic greens are engineered to withstand this weight without suffering compression or structural damage.
Moreover, they bounce back quickly after bearing weight, helping to preserve the integrity of the green fortifying its appearance.
5. Weather Resilient
Heavy rain can lead to waterlogging and mud formation – not an ideal scenario for golfing. On the other hand, extended sunny periods or drought conditions can dry out the grass, making it brittle and prone to breakage.
Both weather extremes pose significant challenges to maintaining a lush, healthy, and playable natural putting green. Artificial greens are built for all-weather resilience. Their efficient drainage systems prevent waterlogging during rains, and their synthetic nature means they remain lush and playable regardless of drought conditions.