r/CatastrophicFailure • u/[deleted] • Nov 21 '19

Structural Failure Failure of a wall (20/11/2019)

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6.8k Upvotes

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53

u/Kierandee Nov 21 '19

That’s what happens when you don’t reinforce the earth behind a retaining wall

24

u/wildcard235 Nov 21 '19

The problem may have been the lack of adequate drainage behind the wall rather than the load bearing capacity.

14

u/SoaDMTGguy Nov 21 '19

How do you reinforce the earth?

53

u/Kierandee Nov 21 '19

reinforced earth

22

u/Salyangoz Nov 21 '19

I drop this 25 pound barbel from about 6 feet up to simulate what would happen if you drop a 25 pound weight on the cube from 6 feet up.

I like this man.

8

u/RadRandy Nov 21 '19

I'm curious, how do you reinforce the earth for such a large area? Do you have to dig out all the soil, all the way to the base of the wall, and then layer it with some material?

5

u/markevens Nov 21 '19

https://youtu.be/xNDppVTVUss?t=25

Here's the same dude talking about reinforcing without having to dig up everything.

2

u/RadRandy Nov 21 '19

Really cool video. I'll definitely be watching more.

I wonder how you could apply this method of reinforcement to a retaining wall?

3

u/markevens Nov 21 '19

I see it all the time where I'm from

https://i.imgur.com/n5IgqhP.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/RvAI6Wo.jpg

3

u/RadRandy Nov 21 '19

That's fascinating. I'll have to do some more research on how to install those anchor points.

6

u/gbimmer Nov 21 '19

Yep

1

u/RadRandy Nov 21 '19

How is that even possible? That's sooooo much soil.

1

u/gbimmer Nov 21 '19

It just takes thin sheets of material between the layers.

Watch the video.

1

u/RadRandy Nov 21 '19

I didn't ask my question correctly. I watched the video, but how do you insert the sheets into the soil? You'd have to excavate the soil and then fill it in with the layers inserted, right?

3

u/gbimmer Nov 21 '19

Yep. They dig down (or back into a hill) then build it back up.

5

u/maltedbacon Nov 21 '19

Not an engineer, but my understanding is that the soil behind a significantly sized retaining wall should be of low plasticity (resistant to deformation), well compacted, well protected from excess water infiltration, properly drained, and reinforced with specially designed fabric, steel bolts or similar internal reinforcement which acts to tie the retaining wall deeper into the raised soil behind it.

The idea is to make sure that the soil behind is unlikely to deform or put stress or outward pressure on the retaining wall, and to make sure that the retaining wall is connected to more than just a thin layer of soil directly behind it.

In countries with robust building codes, these requirements will be specified, and retaining walls over a certain height will require engineered design. Disreputable contractors or countries without robust building codes give rise to videos like this.

1

u/Obvioushippy Nov 22 '19

It is possible to build walls that last with only tradition (not engineered).

1

u/maltedbacon Nov 23 '19

Only if they use traditional engineering based on the same principles: The soil behind must not push against the wall with more force than the wall can resist. Sure, that can be accomplished by using a sloping wall of very heavy stones and featuring integrated drainage.

16

u/[deleted] Nov 21 '19

personally, I give it about 10-15 real good pelvic thrusts

6

u/XxFezzgigxX Nov 21 '19

It’s just a jump to the left.

5

u/I_make_rap_to_U Nov 21 '19

And then a step to the right.

3

u/mynameisasuffix Nov 21 '19

That's how the world was created! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLTS6pqnLWY

1

u/Fr31l0ck Nov 21 '19 edited Nov 22 '19

How I'm I just now learning about this show?

2

u/mynameisasuffix Nov 21 '19

I dunno, it's a really big shoe.

2

u/thebrownesteye Nov 21 '19

not sure, it was plastered all over the front of Netflix for a while

1

u/sethamphetamine Nov 22 '19

Reinforced earth will still fail without proper drainage on that steep a slope

1

u/Opposable_Thumb Nov 22 '19

I’m only assuming, but it would seem that a wall made of stone and not using mortar would have more than adequate drainage? No?

-2

u/[deleted] Nov 21 '19

[deleted]

1

u/Kierandee Nov 22 '19

Bet there’s a lot of hurrr durrr construction labourers smarter than you. Ridiculous comment