Retaining Wall Failures

Introduction
Retaining walls are used extensively throughout Australia; their primary function is as a stabilising
structure, used to hold back and give lateral support for elevated ground and to provide levelled
building platforms. Although the purpose of a retaining wall is a constant, no two retaining walls
are the same as the variability of ground conditions, budget, architectural and engineering
requirements and material choice means that each earth retaining structure is unique.
Common materials used in the construction of retaining walls are reinforced concrete, reinforced
masonry, unreinforced masonry, precast segmental concrete and timber. There is also a large
variety of retaining wall styles, from crib walls (interlocked concrete or timber members that form
cells which are then filled with compacted soil), mass gravity walls (where only the weight of the
wall resists load) and the more common cantilevered walls (from reinforced concrete footings).
Unfortunately poor design or lack of maintenance and care can result in a retaining wall becoming
badly damaged with the potential for wall failure and collapse.

Technical: How Does it Happen?

There are many reasons that a retaining wall may fail, from unexpected loading conditions,
underdesign of the structure itself, ground destabilisation, poor workmanship and inadequate
drainage behind the wall. The following shows common issues that may lead to the failure of a
retaining wall:

Reinforced concrete walls If the reinforcement or the concrete filling has been designed or
placed incorrectly there is an inadequate flexural capacity of the structure, leading to wall
failures, including premature cracking, excessive deflections and even collapse.

Foundation issues Although a geotechnical report should always be sought before the
construction of a substantial retaining wall, inadequate factors of safety or perhaps unforseen
latent conditions may lead to in ground slip or bearing inadequacies and failure of the
retaining wall.

Inappropriate backfill material The retained soil behind the retaining wall requires a vertical
drainage path to prevent the build-up of water behind the wall, which can generate an
increase in the pressure behind the wall. Often a contractor may use a clayey soil backfill,
which holds moisture, and unless a vertical drainage layer is installed there is a build-up of
water pressure against the wall and an increased risk of wall collapse.

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STRUCTURAL | REMEDIAL | EVENT
Retaining Wall Failures

Inadequate drainage As mentioned above, if water is not effectively removed from the back
of the wall by providing a vertical drainage layer, water pressure may build up, increasing the
lateral pressure onto the retaining structure. The base of the vertical drainage layer must have
horizontal drainage pipework to remove the water. Weep holes can also be installed at the
base of the wall above the lower ground level in order to ensure there is no build-up of water
pressures. Most importantly, ongoing maintenance is a must so that the drainage system
remains clear for the passage of water flow.

Compaction induced pressures During compaction of the backfill behind the wall with heavy
machinery, excessive surcharge pressures may be generated causing damage to the wall.

Inadequate backfill compaction Some walls rely on tiebacks to restrain the facing wall, such
as Reinforced Earth Structures. If the ground is not fully compacted around the tiebacks or
the soil is loosened, the tiebacks can release and the wall will become unrestrained and move.

Technical: Why is it Bad?

An overloaded retaining wall can pose a significant risk to property and person.
A retaining wall structure is not only considered to have failed if it has collapsed, but also
significant bulging and cracking can also lead to the retaining wall being classified as failed and in
imminent danger of collapse.
A failed retaining wall may also cause excessive movement of the retained soil and cause damage
to any property foundations within the zone of influence of the wall.

Identifiers
There are several indicators that could signal the beginnings of a failed retaining wall:

Excessive deflection A cantilever retaining wall is designed for a small amount of lateral
movement, of the order 1-2mm per metre of height. However, if the retaining walls lateral
deflection exceeds 5mm per metre of its retained height it needs to be investigated. This can
be easily verified with a plumb bob.

Bulging In the latter stages of a wall overload a retaining wall may develop a pregnant
bulge at about a third of the height up the wall. This is especially the case with old stone
walls.

Cracking Cracking along the length of your retaining wall could be caused by settlement or
differential shrinkage movement, and indicates that the structure may be in an unstable
condition.

Weep Holes If the retaining wall has weep holes and are not weeping water, particularly
after heavy rainfall periods, it could mean that the drainage provisions behind the wall are
blocked, leading to excess hydrostatic pressure exerted onto the wall and potential overload.
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STRUCTURAL | REMEDIAL | EVENT
Retaining Wall Failures

Do Nothing/Or How to Repair?

Fortunately, if a retaining wall has failed (and not yet near collapse) a total rebuild is not
necessarily required and a combination of unique remedial engineering solutions may be
employed in order to safely secure your retaining wall and in the process save countless dollars.
Partridge engineers are well versed in retaining wall solutions that may range from a simple
reduction in retained height (thus lowering the load on the wall), inspecting and determining
whether current drainage provisions are adequate and what requirements may be needed, through
to a tieback solution to pin the retaining wall back beyond the backfill soil failure plane.
Partridge Remedials dedicated team understands the importance of strong stable retaining
structures. With the knowledge and experience of over thirty-five years in remedial engineering and
proven results from thousands of properties ranging from domestic to commercial, Partridge
engineers can deliver a range of services from inspection, investigation and recommendations for
rectification of your retaining wall. Partridge can also project manage and supervise the
remediation works to completion.

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