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SEGMENTAL CONCRETE BLOCK

Years ago when someone mentioned a retaining wall, they were usually talking about building a railroad tie wall. Like all things in today's modern age, the retaining wall has been transformed into a marvel of modern technology. Today the typical retaining wall is constructed of interlocking segmental concrete block. This type of wall comes in various colors, block size, and various locking methods. Segmental retaining wall systems first came to Omaha in the summer of 1986, and I am proud to say that we were one of the first landscape contractors to use the segmental wall system successfully. They were originally introduced to contractors as an alternative to treated timber and dry-laid rock walls.

Application and Design

Today a homeowner can purchase the material to build a block wall from their local hardware store. Although a homeowner can build a simple tree-ring or landscape border wall successfully, our opinion is that to achieve long-lasting trouble free results, the segmental wall system should be designed and constructed by a reputable landscape contractor. The three main types of segmental retaining wall systems that we construct are planter walls, driveway retaining walls, and soil reinforcement walls. Something to keep in mind is that if your retaining wall is going to be over six foot in height, you must have a construction permit and the wall must be designed by a Geo-Technical Engineer  If required, we can recommend a Geo-Technical Engineer for your project. Building a retaining wall The basic design principles for building a retaining wall are basically the same for all styles of walls. There are different types of blocks for different design applications. We, as contractors, have to consider the height, length and slope of the landscape of the proposed wall in designing your retaining wall. For soil reinforcement walls, the compactness of the soil is also a determining factor in choosing the proper block for your job. In building your wall, plan on burying one inch of block for every eight inches of height of the wall. Each course of wall should be back-filled before moving on to the next course. All voids between the blocks are filled with granular free draining aggregate. At least six to eight inches of free-draining gravel should be used for backfill behind the wall. For information on retaining wall design, visit Anchor Wall's or Keystone Retaining Wall System's websites.

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