Retaining wall

[Balenza]

Does anyone know the implications on a developement of new homes where a concete retaining wall 6.6 m high and 76m long has partly failed (leaning over) due to the colossal pressure of backfill ?.
The rear gardens of the new homes run up to the wall structure on the lower level at ground zero.

 

[Agile]

I assume the wall towers over the bottom of the garden of the new homes.

I would expect that generally the owner of the higher land has a responsibility to keep his higher level land from falling into the new home gardens.

However, if the retaining wall was built as part of the development of the new homes then the builder/developer has a duty of care to ensure its properly constructed and designed for the task.

As its not part of the house I doubt that the NRBC would cover it.

Probably need a law suit against the owner of the wall or the developer.

Also will depend on how long ago it was built!

Tony

 

[Balenza]

The wall was constructed last year (and yes it towers above the lower gardens quite considerably) and the new homes have been released for sale last year also but not yet sold. (slowdown in the market)
The higher land is part of the development also with quite a number of new homes built on this area also and their gardens running back to the retaining wall and then a sheer drop.
A safety fence has not yet being constructed. The entire site is on the side of a hill with quite an incline hence the retaining wall.

 

[noseall]

a concete retaining wall 6.6 m high and 76m long .

holy smoke! that's some wall.

you've gotta post a pic.

 

[Balenza]

The last 15 m or so of the wall is out of sight due to the step drops which were used in the structure due to the incline horizontally.
This is a 35 mile drive from my home and unfortuanetly my cameras batteries were low leaving me with only a few images to choose from.
Though I think this one gives an idea of the height with the rooftops being about level with the top of the wall.

 

[JohnD]

either the design engineer or the constructor must be very worried about the cost of the impending lawsuit. I suppose they have some kind of insurance.

that sort of wall probably has either wide buried feet, or cables to hold it.

 

[Thermo]

someone got their sums wrong!

 

[Deluks]

the new homes have been released for sale last year also but not yet sold. (slowdown in the market).

....or fear of an impending landslide!

No sign of any buttressing?

It will fail. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon.

 

[Agile]

Apart from noticing the adsurdity of the situation, whats your interest if any?

Tony

 

[Deluks]

Apart from noticing the adsurdity of the situation, whats your interest if any?

Tony

It was him that built the wall

 

[Thermo]

Apart from noticing the adsurdity of the situation, whats your interest if any?

Tony

hes still standing on the wall where he took his picture!

 

[Deluks]

It has to be said, everything I see in that photo, with the exception of the rolling hills in the background, is pig ugly.

Did anyone ever see (or read) the perfect home?

 

[milkman]

Blimey I didn't think new homes could get much worse but there they are. Its like some regency and 30's arts and crafts have been dropped in a blender together.
The depressing thing about that Alan de Botton thing was the number of people on it insisting that they love this fake [and very badly done] historical stuff. He just about got a couple to crack when he kidnapped them and forced them to look round some stuff in Holland but you could tell they'd be back to their chintz and Laura Ashley the minute they got home.

I'm no expert but that retaining wall would scare the crap out of me if I had to live down-hill from it, I might even be distracted from the aesthetic nightmare I'd found myself in…

"This wallpaper is terrible, one of us will have to go" Wilde on his deathbed

 

[noseall]

No sign of any buttressing?

there could be internal buttresses?

 

[Deluks]

No sign of any buttressing?

there could be internal buttresses?

I'd never even considered their existence. But like John's cable idea, the cost of excavation and backfill would be way too high compared to using external support. Unless they were going for aesthetics. Which I find hard to believe, as previously discussed.