Precast concrete retaining walls are used to retain a material, usually soil. They can be cantilever walls or walls spanning vertically between supports (such as the basement floor and ground floors in buildings) or walls spanning horizontally between columns, walls, abutments or similar. They resist lateral actions due to soil, water, surcharge loads, other materials and the like. They may also have to prevent the ingress of water, which will require consideration of hydrostatic pressures, tanking, drainage, sealing of joints and other considerations.

Precast retaining walls can be built using standard components or purpose-designed, or can be used as part of a composite structure.

Retaining Walls using Standard Components
Precast retaining walls can be built using standard components as follows:

Crib Walls
Crib walls are constructed by interlocking individual precast concrete boxes which are filled with crushed stone or other coarse materials to create a free-draining structure. The units are spaced so that the fill material contained within the crib acts in conjunction to support the retained earth. Crib walls use less concrete than a concrete gravity wall. They are commonly used with compacted embankments, cuttings and bridge approaches. They are not suitable for retaining slopes which are likely to slip. High crib walls are sensitive to transverse differential settlement and the strength of cross members will limit the support of surcharged loads.

Storage Walls
Modular 'L' and 'T' shaped cantilever retaining wall units are used internally or externally, often to confine bulk materials, and to increase the amount that can be stored in a given area. Units are typically free-standing but they can be mechanically fixed to the foundation when necessary. Designs can accommodate materials of varying density from grains to metals.

Hollowcore Walls
Hollowcore wall panels have been used as retaining walls in both building and civil projects, generally spanning horizontally. Panels come in 1200mm widths and of varying lengths. A common arrangement is for walls to span horizontally between galvanised steel sections.

Download information from the Precast Concrete Handbook here.

Retaining Wall Mitcham to Frankston Highway, Victoria

For more information regarding this product please refer to 2.4.2.1 of the Precast Concrete Handbook (click here to buy the Handbook) or talk to one of our Members.

Purpose Designed Retaining Walls
Where standard retaining wall components are not suitable, precast concrete retaining walls can be purpose designed to satisfy any structural and aesthetic requirement. They can be cantilevered from an insitu concrete base or span (vertically or horizontally) between supports, typically providing for the below-ground part of a building. Where exposed to view, the front surface of the wall can be off-form grey, painted or stained, and may also have other decorative finishes applied. The size of the precast retaining walls will depend on the configuration, the size of wall adopted and transport.

Download information from the Precast Concrete Handbook here.

For more information regarding this product please refer to 2.4.2.2 of the Precast Concrete Handbook (click here to buy the Handbook) or talk to one of our Members.

Reinforced-Soil Retaining Walls
Reinforced-soil retaining walls are generally used for vertical retaining walls greater than 3m in height, in situations of fill. They are composite structures formed by the interaction of earth backfill with reinforcement of steel ladders/strips or geosynthetics and are typically faced with precast concrete panels. The earth mass behind the facing panels tends to act as a cohesive monolithic body, supporting its own weight as well as the external loads for which it has been designed. The precast panel configuration is designed to allow for rotation and settlement, providing a flexible structure able to accommodate significant displacements without catastrophic failure resulting from seismic activity. The precast panels do not hold up the 'wall', rather, they act as architectural facing, which protects the wall from environmental effects. The front surface of the wall can be off-form grey, painted or stained, and may also have other decorative finishes applied.

Download information from the Precast Concrete Handbook here.

Merri Creek Bridges, Wallan, Melbourne

For more information regarding this product please refer to 2.4.2.3 of the Precast Concrete Handbook (click here to buy the Handbook) or talk to one of our Members.

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Merri Creek Bridges

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