On Tue, 19 Aug 2003 22:29:39 GMT, "jeff" scribbled
the following wisdom:

I'm still trying to make a decision regarding my concrete retaining wall.
The wall is around 40 inches high and around 35 feet long. The wall is
actually made of cinder blocks and the wall is around 10 inches thick. The
wall has a horizontal crack around 6 inches from the bottom of the wall.
The crack extends throughout most of the wall's horizontal length. The wall
above the crack has shifted outward along the length of the horizontal
crack. After measuring this with a tape measure, I've determined that, at
the location where it has shifted the most, it has shifted no more than an
inch. The wall is leaning outward slightly as indicated via a level, but it
it does not appear to be leaning too much in my opinion. My opinion is that
the lean is hardly noticeable unless you're looking at it carefully.

Replacing the wall and replacing it with a more modern interlocking block
wall (Alan Blocks) will cost around $4300 for ripping down the old wall and
putting up the new wall.

My thoughts are not to replace the wall yet, since it may last a few years
or more before falling. If there are potentially a few or more years of
life left in the wall I'd rather not rush into putting up a new one. Do you
think, based on what I just described, that it sounds I'm making the right
decision in waiting to replace the wall, or does it sound to you like my
wall is in dire need of replacement?

BTW, I had another mason look at the wall and he offerred to do the
following for $495: 1) repair the outer surface of the wall with concrete so
that the surface is even (since some of the concrete surface has chipped off
below the horizontal crack, and since there are other small cracks in the
surface) and 2) paint the repaired surface with a drylock masonry paint.

Also, the mason pointed out that, toward the middle of the wall, the ground
is sloped toward the wall. His recommendation is that I install a drain
pipe along side the wall and then put gravel on top, and then put some soil
on top of that, so that the ground alongside the wall would be level and so
that water will drain through the pipe. Granted, I realize this isn't ideal
because the drain pipe won't be at the very bottom of the wall, but it may
still help direct water away from the wall. He offered to do this for an
additional $195.

At this time, I'm leaning toward hiring this mason to do both jobs. Both
jobs will cost a total of $690. Granted, I realize the resurfacing portion
of the work won't do anything toward preventing any further shifting of the
wall but could at least protect the outer surface itself from exposure to
elements, and it would improve the appearance. The drain pipe portion of
the work might help prevent shifting if it helps direct the water away from
the wall.

Do you think having any of this repair work done sounds reasonable, or would
I be better off simply not having any work done until it's actually time for
a new wall?

Thanks.

Jeff



First of all, I'n NOT an expert. That being said, I have questions: Is the crack
in the wall along a joint? Is the wall grouted (the block voids filled with
concrete)? can you access the block voids?

Ungrouted, this block wall is guaranteed to fail - it has very little lateral
strength.

If you can access the block voids to grout them and can grout the wall such as
the concrete will span the crack, this might save it without any additional
work. You would have a slightly crooked, but SOLID, wall.

The concrete will give the wall weight and lateral strength enough to hold 40"
of dirt back. The 10" wide blocks are IMHO wide enough to do the job.

Again, I'm not an expert.

The work suggested to you will do nothing to solve your problem - a waste of
money better applied to correcting the structure of the wall. Concrete is cheap
and this is an easy job if the openings at the top of the wall are exposed.

If the blocks are solid or nearly so, you chose the wrong building material.




I built a brick retaining wall at my old house that is still in like-new
condition the last I saw of it and it is now 15 years old. Two brick veneers
separated by a 3" air gap with tie bricks laid sideways across the air gap every
fourth brick. The whole thing backfilled with concrete. It should be here long
after I'm dust. A cap course of brick laid on their sides across the top covers
the concrete.