Concrete block.

[MB1]

I'm building a retaining wall using 'H' blocks (see picture). Each block will have 4 vertical rebars and 2 horizontal rebars and will be filled with concrete. I live in Spain and my builder has never seen blocks like this before. He wants to lay them in the standard staggered fashion, however I think that they should be laid one on top of the other so as to ensure that a columns of concrete are formed. He also wants to use mortar between the blocks is this necessary?

Untitled

• MB1
• 30 Aug 2009
• 1

 

[^woody^]

I don't know about these wacky european building methods, but the principle of building with blocks is to bond alternate courses to give the wall strength. If you stack these, then you end up with vertical weak joints and inherent weakness.

Surely your local builder knows how to use these?

 

[cmother1]

If this is the 3x10m wall you mentioned earlier I think you're going to need more than one thickness of these, regardless of rebar and how they're laid. Take a look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retaining_wall for more info.

 

[Thermo]

surely if they are laid staggered youll still get teh same effect with the concrete infill, and the normal strength as per woody says from the bond. no different to the hollow blocks we use over here for threading over rebar