Earth retaining structures

Earth retaining structures are built to retain a soil mass and create a difference in level between the ground surface located downstream and the ground surface located upstream of the structure, supported by the structure, usually to gain usable space.

This is usually done by placing a fill behind the retaining structure (in elevation or embanking), or by extracting soil in front of the structure (in excavation or emptying), or by performing a combination of the two operations of emptying and embanking at the same time.

The use of Laterlite lightweight Expanded Clay aggregate is particularly useful as a substitute for traditional gravel and aggregates as embankment and backfill behind new and existing retaining structures, as it reduces thrust and ensures several additional benefits.

Find out more:

• Retaining walls
• Construction of quay structures
• Bridge abutments
• Basement walls

See also lightweight embankments and their realisation.