In recent years, we have seen an increased focus on earthquake-proofing buildings. This is understandable, given the devastation that these natural disasters can cause. However, many people do not realize that retaining walls play a critical role in ensuring the stability of a building during an earthquake.
This blog post will discuss the soil retaining wall requirements for earthquake-proof buildings.
Soil retaining wall 101
Retaining walls are an important element in the construction of earthquake-proof buildings. Tremors from an earthquake travelling through the ground can cause the soil to shift and move. This can cause a pressure build-up against the foundation of a building, which can eventually lead to the collapse of the structure. A soil retaining wall is designed to resist this pressure by anchoring the soil. When properly designed and constructed, they can help absorb an earthquake’s force and prevent the building from collapsing.
Two types of soil retaining walls
Gravity and cantilevered walls are the two most common soil retaining walls. The most common type of gravity wall is made from concrete or stone and relies on its weight to resist the pressure from the soil. While these types of walls are effective, they can be expensive and time-consuming to build. Cantilevered walls are built by excavating a hole and then pouring concrete into it until it reaches the desired height. Once the concrete dries, ferrocement or welded wire mesh is used to reinforce it. The main advantage of this type of wall is that it does not require as much excavation as a gravity wall.
Requirements in earthquake-proof buildings
Soil retaining walls must meet certain requirements to provide adequate support during an earthquake. First and foremost, they must be designed and constructed by a qualified professional. The wall must also be appropriate for the type of soil it will support and where it will be built. Additionally, the wall must resist both vertical and horizontal loads. Vertical loads are caused by the weight of the soil behind the wall. On the other hand, horizontal loads are caused by the lateral forces exerted on the wall during an earthquake.
Safety factor
Finally, the wall must have a safety factor appropriate for the expected seismic activity in the area. The safety factor is a measure of how strong the wall needs to be to resist failure during an earthquake. For example, a wall with a safety factor of 1.5 can withstand shaking that is 50% stronger than what is expected during an earthquake without failing.
Final thoughts
Soil retaining walls play a critical but often underestimated role in ensuring the stability of buildings during earthquakes. These walls must meet certain requirements to provide adequate support, including being designed and constructed by a qualified professional, being appropriate for the type of soil and location, being able to resist both vertical and horizontal loads, and having an appropriate safety factor. Given their importance, you must work with a qualified professional when designing and constructing your building’s soil retaining walls.
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