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Ensure Proper Water Diversion

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How to Build a Retaining Wall and 6 Reasons they Fail

What happens here

It is critical to ensure that water is directed away from the retaining wall, especially at vulnerable points. Failing to do so can lead to catastrophic wall failure due to saturated soil behind the wall. Two solutions are presented: either raising the height of the retaining wall in specific areas to redirect water from adjacent properties or creating a berm (an elevated ridge of earth) above the wall to prevent water from funneling into concentrated locations. Ignoring these measures can lead to soil erosion behind the wall, creating sinkholes and bowing out the wall.

Goal: Prevent water accumulation and soil erosion behind the retaining wall

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So, let's get this wall would fail over a year ago in this exact spot in this exact way. Look, you can see where the grades behind this wall have dipped down. It's going to blow that wall out. In fact, we had one catastrophic wall failure on this project last year. We had to repair it. We got another one coming up. It's not because I have a crystal ball. It's because the writing was on the wall. It's just completely shot right there. That's from drainage, from not maintaining it. You can see where all the grades have dropped down in here. And now we've got big sink holes behind this retaining wall. I can literally stick my leg down in here up to my knee. You can see the distinct angle. It's all bowed out. This problem could have easily been avoided had the property owners, the development company listened when I screamed my head off. All you need to do is either a raise the height of the retaining wall up just tall enough to direct the water that's coming down from the other property away from this one spot and divert it back onto their own property or B create a burm above the retaining wall which keeps the water from funneling into this location. Two simple fixes not done in time. Retaining

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