Wingwall design criteria 2

[cdbadger2]

A customer wants a garden shed replaced. Originally the site was excavated to set the garden shed at the base of a fairly stable slope. If you can picture this, it would be similar to a walk in basement, with a soil wall behind and on two sides of the existing shed. The existing shed did not include any kind of retaining structure, it simply sits close to the 8' bank which seems to be fairly stable. I am thinking that we can remove the existing shed and replace it but I DO want to add retaining structure. Can this be as simple as building the walls out of pressure treated 4x6 or doing a well drained concrete block wall? If so, how do I determine the footings/wedge relative to height when I add two wing walls into the equation and do I just follow standard concrete block wall requirements to tie in the wingwalls? THANKS!

 

[cvg]

sounds like a bad plan, either move the shed away from the slope or build a proper retaining wall, preferably separated from the building. Either way, I couldn't stand behind (or in front of) a 2x6 wood retaining wall.

 

[cdbadger2]

Thanks for the reply. I actually stated 4 x 6 but 6x6 is what I meant to say. Definitely not 2 x 6!

 

[cvg]

timber is probably only suitable for a low garden wall without extensive analysis and construction cost. Reinforced concrete block retaining walls can go much higher. You could consider the wing walls to buttress your retaining walls if the whole thing is properly tied together, but that will require more extensive reinforcement not typically considered for "standard concrete block wall" designs and perhaps easier to design with reinforced concrete instead of blocks.

 

[DRC1]

Check out your library and see if they have a copy ofAIA's Graphical Standards. It is used by arhitects and designers to detail structures. It shows several methods for building retaining walls. I would also talk to an engineer or experienced contractor. An 8 foot wall could give way with little or no warning. Safely building a wall in front of the existing cut could be tricky.

 

[cdbadger2]

Thanks for your reference to AIA's Graphical Standards. I will look for that locally. What the project will ultimately be is more like a walkout basement (two walls at 90 degree angles to the back wall, basically three legs to a rectangle) but no load bearing on top except for the roof. That is one reason it is a little confusing for us. Thanks again for your input.