PROPORTIONING OF RETAINING WALLS.

Based on practical experience, retaining walls can be proportioned initially which may be checked for stability subsequently. The common dimensions used for the various types of retaining walls are given below.

Gravity Walls
A gravity walls may be proportioned in terms of its height given in Fig. 19.3(a). The minimum top width suggested is 0.30 m. The tentative dimensions for a cantilever wall are given in Fig. 19.3(b) and those for a counterfort wall are given in Fig. 19.3(c).

Fig. 19.3 Tentative dimensions for retaining walls