Long Island Retaining Walls
Long Island retaining walls are rigid walls used for supporting soil laterally so that it can be retained at different levels on both sides. Retaining walls are specific structures designed to restrain and resist the lateral pressure of soil to unnatural slopes. Retaining walls are used to bound soils between two different elevations. There are various types of retaining walls and each one has a unique and different purpose. Gravity walls depend on their mass to resist pressure from behind and may have a “batter” setback to improve stability by leaning back toward the retained soil. Cantilevered retaining walls are made from an internal stem of steel-reinforced, cast-in-place concrete or mortared masonry. Cantilevered retaining walls often come in shape of an inverted “T”. Sometimes cantilevered retaining walls are buttressed on the front or include a counterfort on the back to improve their strength resisting high loads. Diaphragm walls are very stiff and generally watertight. Although they tend to be a little more expensive, diaphragm walls save time and space making them popular in urban areas. Sheet pile retaining walls are usually used in soft soil and tight spaces. These walls are driven into the ground and are composed of various materials including aluminum, vinyl, steel, fiberglass, or wood planks. Bored pile retaining walls are built by assembling a sequence of bored piles. Retaining walls include a series of anchors, reinforcing beams, soil improvement operations, and shotcrete reinforcement layers. An anchored retaining wall can be constructed in any of the previously mentioned styles but also include additional strength using cables or other stays anchored in the rock or soil behind it. These walls are extremely useful where heavy loads are expected. Paccione Landscape Designs have a great deal of experience designing and creating various types of retaining walls for all purposes. If you’re not sure which kind of retaining wall will be best for you, contact us today and our staff members will help you identify which wall will serve your best interests.
