BCGBC4010A Apply structural principles to residential low-rise constructions

Structural principles - Structural members

Retaining walls

Types of retaining walls
Inclined retaining wall
An inclined retaining wall leans into the excavated soil and is constructed at an angle between 45 and 80 degrees. It may be constructed from brickwork or pre-cast interlocking concrete units.
A diagram shows an inclined retaining wall left of a slope with soil between the slope and the wall.
Gravity retaining wall
A gravity retaining wall relies on its own weight to resist overturning forces from the soil. It is typically constructed of heavy materials such as stone, brickwork or concrete. 
A diagram shows a retaining wall left of a slope. The retained wall is positioned at the bottom of the slope. At the bottom of the slope there is a horizontal section of the wall that extends into the slope. 
Cantilever retaining wall
A cantilever retaining wall is the most complex of the three types and must be carefully designed by an engineer. It relies upon the correct placement of steel reinforcement and varying thickness of concrete to resist the compressive and tensile forces exerted on the wall by soil pressures.
A diagram shows a cantilever retaining wall with a concrete base at the bottom of a slope. It is withholding the pressures from the soil.

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