Types of Retaining Walls
INCLUDES GRAVITY, CANTILEVER, ANCHORED, AND PILES
COMMON EXAMPLES
GRAVITY RETAINING WALLS
Gravity retaining walls, the economical of the four types, are prevalent at single-family, townhome, and condominium sites.
Segmental retaining walls (SRW), stone placed, and Gabion retaining walls are of the gravity-type.
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CANTILEVER RETAINING WALLS
Cantilever walls are formed to have a shape, including a wide base, that resists rotation. The shape of a cantilever wall can vary.
Cantilevers are often pre-cast (made at a concrete forming facility), and individual sections are transported to the construction site. Large cantilever walls are cast in place (formed on-site).
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ANCHORED RETAINING WALLS
Anchored retaining walls can be constructed from concrete, timber, or metal.
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PILING RETAINING WALLS
Piling retaining walls are often utilized on sites where horizontal space is limited. They can be constructed with fiberglass meta, concrete, and timber.
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GRAVITY WALLS
SEGMENTAL RETAINING WALLS (SRW)
BOULDER/ROCK/STONE RETAINING WALLS
GABIONS
SRW walls require leveling material for a stable base, gravel for drainage, a pipe drain system, and compacted backfill. Depending on the height of the wall and the characteristics of on-site soil, geosynthetic reinforcement is used. Geosynthetic reinforcement is sheets of geotextile that are layered in the backfill of the wall to stabilize the soil.
A rock wall is constructed on appropriately compacted fill material, and the individual stones, rocks, or boulders are stabilized using gravel or mortar.
A gabion is a cage, cylinder or box filled with rocks, concrete, or sometimes sand and soil for use in civil engineering, road building, military applications and landscaping.
POPULAR MANUFACTURERS OF SRW MASONRY BLOCK SYSTEMS
CANTILEVER RETAINING WALLS
Cantilever retaining walls are very effective at supporting heavy loading on top of the wall, such as buildings, roadways, and railroad tracks.
ANCHORED RETAINING WALLS
This type of wall is costly and is typically utilized in construction when space is limited.
PILING WALLS
This type of wall is costly because it requires specialized equipment and labor, and is typically utilized in construction when space is limited.
RETAINING WALL GALLERY
Gravity retaining walls vary in form and materials, and rely primarily on the weight of the wall itself to hold back the forces of the earth behind the wall.
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Boulder, rock and segmented retaining walls (SRW) are popular in residential construction.
 Gabion Landscaping Retaining Wall |  Boulder Retaining Wall |  Structural Gabion Retaining Wall |
|---|---|---|
 Structural Gabion Retaining Wall |  Segmental Retaining Wall |  Segmental Retaining Wall |
 Large Stone Retaining Wall |  Segmental Retaining Wall |  Stone Retaining Wall |