Retaining walls stabilize   

A Spartanburg SC retaining wall is a structure that holds back earth. Retaining walls stabilize soil and rock from down slope movement or erosion and provide support for vertical or near-vertical grade changes. Cofferdams and bulkheads, structures to hold back water, are sometimes also considered retaining walls. Spartanburg SC Retaining walls are generally made of masonry, stone, brick, concrete, steel or timber. Once popular as an inexpensive retaining material, railroad ties have fallen out of favor due to environmental concerns. The most important consideration in proper design and installation of retaining walls is that the retained material is attempting to move forward and down slope due to gravity. This creates a soil pressure behind the wall (depending on the angle of internal friction (phi) and the cohesive strength (c) of the material). This pressure is smallest at the top and increases toward the bottom and will push the wall forward or overturn it if nor properly addressed. Also any groundwater behind the wall that is not dissipated by a drainage system causes an additional horizontal hydraulic pressure on the wall.