retaining wall failure Archives | FOUNDATIONS ON THE LEVEL

Why Helical Tieback Anchors are Your Best Repair Solution

Not only do retaining walls add beauty to any home or business they also serve a very important function: retaining walls keep soil from sliding downhill. If you have a retaining wall on your Southern California property, and you have noticed signs of failure such as cracking, tilting, bulging, or leaning, it is time to take action to prevent retaining wall failure. Helical tieback anchors may be the answer.

Helical tiebacks laid out in preparation for a retaining wall job. — Helical Tieback installation for a retaining wall.

What are Helical Tieback Anchors?

Helical Tieback Anchors are screw anchors. They are designed to stabilize foundations or retaining walls, reducing the future risk of horizontal movement. Tieback Anchors used by Foundations on the Level are the best repair solution to solve any type of failure you may be experiencing.

How do They Work?

Foundations on the Level can use helical tiebacks to pull back and add strength to leaning retaining walls. We install helical tiebacks into retained soil with our portable and lightweight drilling equipment. Once the tiebacks retain the right capacity ratio of the soil strength, they are tensioned and put in place. Some advantages of using this process include:

Helical tiebacks offer immense strength and capacity to shore up a slope and stabilize a retaining wall

Weather conditions during installation and after have no effect on tiebacks

No need for curing time or cleanup after installation is complete

Quick and simple installation process

Tiebacks can be extracted for future project use

Put the Strength of Helical Tieback Anchors to work for you

No matter what type of retaining wall problem you might have, including wall failure, Foundations on the Level can help. We repair retaining walls with Helical Tiebacks as well as build new retaining walls. In addition, we utilize the most advanced products and solutions for foundation repair and structural support available in today’s market. If you notice signs of retaining wall failure, call us today at 760-889-8150 or contact us for a free estimate.

Homes and businesses on the West Coast often have retaining walls to keep sandy soil in place and protect it from problems like coastal erosion. But retaining walls can wear down over time, leading to retaining wall failure.

Is your retaining wall in disrepair? If so, it could lead to major erosion problems that eat away at your foundation or the soil around it. This can cause structural issues, cracks, and water problems.

How to Tell if Your Retaining Wall Needs Repairs

1. Wall Has Begun Leaning or Tilting

If the wall has started to tilt or buckle, or if a part of the wall is showing these signs, these could be signs that the wall is no longer able to support the load that the soil is placing on it. Voids behind the wall also could be creating instability.

2. Cracks in Wall

Similar to wall cracks in a home, not all cracks in retaining walls mean the same thing. Most can be broken up into two categories:

Horizontal cracks: These cracks usually occur when the pressure on the wall from the soil behind it becomes too much for the wall to support. The cracks are often accompanied by a bowing in the wall at the crack point.
Vertical or Stair-Step Cracks: These cracks can be caused when, via erosion or other issues, a portion of the wall begins to settle into the ground. This placed the concrete or masonry elements under stress, eventually causing them to crack.

3. Bulging or Bowing

If you notice that either sections or the entirety of your retaining wall bulging or bowing it means that either something has weakened within the wall itself or the pressure being applied by the soil behind it has gotten to be too much for the retaining wall.

4. Drainage Not Working

Whether your wall has weep holes or some other drainage method, if you notice that nothing is draining after a rain or that water is accumulating behind your wall, this is a sign that your retaining wall is under stress. The more water accumulates, the more hydrostatic pressure it applies on the retaining wall. Eventually this could lead to retaining wall failure.

5. Erosion at the Top of the Wall or Beneath Its Base

Erosion behind a retaining wall can change the soil load it is supporting. If erosion occurs at its base, portions of the wall might settle, causing cracking and weakening of the wall.

6. Movement of Wall Sections or Capstones

If the wall or portions of it begin to shift, including pulling away from a structure that was on one end of it, that is a sign that either the pressure in the soil has increased to beyond what the retaining wall was designed to hold or that there are structural issues with the retaining wall itself.

What to Do if You Need Retaining Wall Repair

You might see other signs of failure that could indicate your retaining wall needs to be stabilized as well – crumbling, rotting wood on or near the wall, or sloped and uneven surfaces nearby (patios, driveways, decks, etc.).

If you do need retaining wall repair in the Orange County or San Diego County area, call Foundations on the Level right away. We utilize helical tiebacks from Earth Contact Products (ECP), to straighten, level, and stabilize the retaining wall. We can fix leaning and bowing retaining walls, closing the cracks and stabilizing the wall.

Tag: retaining wall failure

Helical Tieback Anchors: Immense Strength for Your Retaining Wall