Description: This publication sets out good practice in the planning, selection, design, installation and maintenance of low-height modular retaining walls, composed of different modular units. It will be valuable for specifiers, designers, manufacturers, installers and owners. While primarily concerned with gravity walls of retained heights up to three metres, many of the principles also apply to higher walls. The report accords with design to Eurocode 7 part 1 and to BS 8002:1994, and is also consistent with design to Highway Agency Standards. The report reviews low-height modular retaining wall systems, provides guidance for their selection, and explains the principles and other considerations of wall design. It deals with the engineering properties of soil and fill, and the choices of design values and external loads. While covering general design applications such as the assessment of external stability, there are design calculations for specific wall types, particularly for external stability. There are notes on specification and quality control, and the concluding chapters examine the performance requirements for low-height modular retaining walls, including the need for regular maintenance, with suggested schedules for inspection visits. Worked examples are included in the appendices.

Keywords: ground engineering, design and buildability, soil-structure interaction.

Contents: 1 Introduction, 2 Review of types of low-height modular retaining walls, 3 Selection, 4 Design concepts, 5 Material properties, 6 Loads, 7 Design applications - general, 8 Design applications - specific wall types, 9 Specification and quality control, 10 Inspection and maintenance, 11 Concluding remarks, References, Appendices