Retaining walls and screens

The role of retaining structures is to hold back the mass of earth.

There are many different types of retaining structure, each with its own specific function and requiring specific internal stability studies. The two main families of retaining structures are walls and screens.

What all these structures have in common is the thrust exerted by the soil or rock mass retained. However, it is mainly the way in which this thrust force is absorbed that differentiates the different types of structure.

After classifying the various types of retaining structure, we outline the main steps in the design process for each type.

The general principle of support design is based on the following checks.