Retaining Walls

Question 1

What are Gravity Retaining Walls?

Answer 1

retaining walls that depend on their own weight and any soil resting on the retaining wall for their stability

Question 2

What are semigravity retaining walls?

Answer 2

gravity retaining walls that use a small amount of steel

(gravity retaining walls depend on their own weight and any soil resting on the retaining wall for their stability)

Question 3

What are Cantilever retaining walls?

Answer 3

consist of a thin stem and a base slab

Question 4

What are counterfort retaining walls?

Answer 4

similar to cantilever retaining walls, with a thin vertical concrete slab known as “counterforts” that tie the wall and the base slab together

Question 5

What causes a SLIDING with respect to rigid retaining walls?

Answer 5

a lack of horizontal friction at its base or lack of soil pressure resistance in front of the toe or shear key

RW slides horizontally away from the retained soil

Question 6

What causes a OVERTURNING failure with respect to rigid retaining walls?

Answer 6

rotation due to settlement at the toe or moment

RW rotates

Question 7

What causes a BEARING CAPACITY failure with respect to rigid retaining walls?

Answer 7

settlement and rotation due to inadequate factor of safety against capacity

RW sinks down and tilts away from retained soil

Question 8

What causes a SETTLEMENT failure with respect to rigid retaining walls?

Answer 8

insufficient bearing capacity of the supporting soil

RW sinks straight down