This is a brief article and youtube video explaining the concept of sliding in relation to retaining wall design.
Sliding is a key design check in retaining wall structural design. In short sliding is;
- Sliding is the tendency of a retaining wall to move horizontally along its base.
- This can happen when the weight of the retained soil pushes the wall outward, and the friction between the wall and the underlying soil is not strong enough to resist this force.
- There are a number of factors that can contribute to sliding, including the height of the wall, the type of soil, the amount of water in the soil, and the design of the wall.
- To prevent sliding, retaining walls are typically designed with a number of features, such as a wide footing, a deep embedment, and a good drainage system.
This is a short, non-Envirocon video, explaining the concept of sliding and what engineers can do to resist sliding forces when designing retaining walls.