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Retaining walls are used throughout the United States in order to create level areas for commercial, multi-family and residential structures, as well as parking lots and landscape areas.  In many cases they are also used hold sloping ground in place and to prevent erosion.  The design of retaining walls is complex and incorporates a variety of factors including the type of soils found at the site and the anticipated lateral forces that will be placed on the wall.  The materials used in retaining walls can include block, stone and concrete, as well as a number of different types of materials, which are used to anchor the wall into the slope.  In many cases, a water drainage system is used to reduce hydrostatic pressure on the wall as a result of ground water. 

Over time many retaining walls will be in need of repair to stabilize the wall, as well as the ground around the wall.  Often these retaining wall repairs are necessary due to the movement of soil and erosion around the wall.  The forces of nature can easily cause soils to sift and sudden erosion to take place, which can cause the wall and surrounding soils to become unstable.  

In most cases, the repair of an engineered retaining wall is complex and will require guidance from a qualified engineer and may require building permits and inspections.  Any retaining wall repair should only be done using a contractor familiar with retaining wall construction and repair.  In addition, the contractor used should be licensed and insured and should only use experienced workers, due to the risks involved. 

 Posted on behalf of Tri-County Pavers & Design Corp.