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A gravity retaining wall has a vertical or near vertical face and its ability to retain the soil behind it depends on gravity (its own weight). Typically composed of unreinforced concrete or soil. If made
of soil, the wall generally consists of a facia and one or more layers of reinforcing member (geotextile, grid, metal strips, etc.) extending from the facia back into the soil mass.
The facia is to prevent soil from sloughing off the surface of the wall and to prevent erosion. Gravity retaining walls must be built to withstand pressures applied by the retained soil. This force,
“lateral earth pressure”, is dependent upon several parameters, including the geometry of the wall and the characteristics of the retained soil.
When designing a retaining wall it is necessary to consider these potential forces that could cause wall failure and compare them to the stability calculations of the proposed wall, taking into account
general accepted safety factors.
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