How much lean on a retaining wall is ok?

[MisterBoy]

I have this old (c1850) wall. On one side it's 1-2m high, on the other substantially more as it holds back our yard from the lane.

To my eye it looks true but I've noticed slight gaps and decided to measure it. It looks like it's leaning out consistently 2cm per meter of elevation on the freestanding top section.

I don't see signs of active movement but the gap to the building seems to clearly show it wasn't built out of plumb so must've moved at some point.

How much lean is too much? Would you consider this quite normal or investigate further?

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Do the public have a right of way down by the side of it?

 

[MisterBoy]

Do the public have a right of way down by the side of it?

What will your answer to my question be if I say yes/no?

Technically yes but it's very unlikely. It's not a throughfare, apart from the postman nobody should be there.

 

[oldbutnotdead]

2% isn't excessive, pointing looks in good order, monitor it bimonthly over a year (plumbline over the top at marked locations, measure the gap to marked brick at the bottom). Record the measurements somewhere, if there's seasonal to and fro movement don't worry too much, if the thing does collapse the fact you were monitoring it and maintaining it will defend you against charges of negligent anything.

 

[Bouy]

2% isn't excessive, pointing looks in good order, monitor it bimonthly over a year (plumbline over the top at marked locations, measure the gap to marked brick at the bottom). Record the measurements somewhere, if there's seasonal to and fro movement don't worry too much, if the thing does collapse the fact you were monitoring it and maintaining it will defend you against charges of negligent anything.

Or that you were aware it was iffy and failed to take adequate action ??

 

[MisterBoy]

Or that you were aware it was iffy and failed to take adequate action ??

Define 'iffy' though. If you're monitoring for change and it doesn't get worse, then it fell down, you've shown diligence.

But a bit off track. I want to make sure it doesn't fall rather than worry who it might fall on. But I don't want to do needless preventative work and I have zero knowledge what might constitute a risk other than common sense "if it's moving"

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Some drainage of the land being retained would be helpful, if that's a public highway or similar then unfortunately you can't just poke some holes in the wall. Apart from that it looks in good nick (be worth washing off all that green gunge at the bottom & checking the pointing down there)

 

[cdbe]

Keep a close eye on it, pop back in 2190 and update us.

 

[MisterBoy]

Keep a close eye on it, pop back in 2190 and update us.

That serious a concern eh

 

[Mobo_14]

Here’s one we recently looked at same story.


wouldn’t want that falling on ye

 

[MisterBoy]

Here’s one we recently looked at same story.


wouldn’t want that falling on ye

What did you decide?

If it is moving, what could you do on something like that?

 

[Mobo_14]

We removed the damaged buttresses and rebuilt them with 7N block on flat. Movement like that happens over a lot of years not as if it happened over night…. That being said I wouldn’t want a wall like that in my back garden