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Can anyone tell me how to design Retaining Wall made up of stone.

I have to design a 10mt high stone retaining wall, please suggest me some indian std. or foreign codes
for ref.
how to bond them with cement & to what ratio????
Suggest some literatures or books...

Dear Safian,
Normally for wall height more than 6.0m, counterfort retaining wall is suitable. RCC or PCC is optimum
design. As the retaining wall is of RR masonry with 10.0m height, the
top width may be kept as minimum width equal to 460mm and bottom width as 0.6 times height of wall.
The rear side may be provide with slope of 1 in 7.5 to 1 in 10. As a thumb rule thickness of wall is 0.45
sqrt H and base width is 0.45 H. The wall has to be checked for following:
(1) The resultant should lie within middle third rule. There should be no eccentricity at the base i.e
e=eccentricity should be less than B/6.
(2) The wall should be checked for overturning and sliding.
(3) The max. pressure at the bottom should be less than SBC of soil.
Normally 5 to 10% of compression is allowed for tension limit
This is stability problem. Any theory of structure or Applied mechnacis book can be referred. Design of
Masonry structure by Dayarathnam can also be referred.

V.M.RAJAN.

hank You for your suggestion sir but let me know the IS codes available for the design of stone retaining
wall. The retaining wall surrounds the mahavir temple & they do not want to use the steel there, i
thought the option of going with stones.

Dear Er Sarvostar

IS codes on Retaining walls in Hill area are :


IS 14458 (part -1) - - Retaining wall for hill area - - selection of type of wall
IS 14458 (part -2) - - Retaining wall for hill area - - design of ret wall/breast wall
IS 14458 (part -3) - - Retaining wall for hill area - - const. of dry stone wall

Er VM Rajan has given very sane tips for design.

Provide weep holes in the retaining wall with granular media at their back

Mortar for stonewall shall conform to IS 2250 part-1(not seen by me). I think
mortar of 1:5 may be needed ,if tension is permitted to the extent of 1.0Kg/cm2
(in line with BK masonry walls).

It would be better (may be economical too) to break the height into two benches
of 5.0m height with bench width of about 5.0m /or three benches of 3.33m height

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each with bench width of 3.5m. Each bench ret wall shall be laid 1.0m /1.5m below
bench lVL which will mak e the lower bench free from surchrge effect of upper
bench base pr. However Live load surcharge of 500 kg/m2 on each bench will
figure in its ret wall design.

best regds

vikramjeet

Dear Safian,
Normally for wall height more than 6.0m, counterfort retaining wall is suitable. RCC or PCC is optimum
design. As the retaining wall is of RR masonry with 10.0m height, the
top width may be kept as minimum width equal to 460mm and bottom width as 0.6 times height of wall.
The rear side may be provide with slope of 1 in 7.5 to 1 in 10. As a thumb rule thickness of wall is 0.45
sqrt H and base width is 0.45 H. The wall has to be checked for following:
(1) The resultant should lie within middle third rule. There should be no eccentricity at the base i.e
e=eccentricity should be less than B/6.
(2) The wall should be checked for overturning and sliding.
(3) The max. pressure at the bottom should be less than SBC of soil.
Normally 5 to 10% of compression is allowed for tension limit
This is stability problem. Any theory of structure or Applied mechnacis book can be referred. Design of
Masonry structure by Dayarathnam can also be referred.

V.M.RAJAN.

Thank You for your suggestion sir but let me know the IS codes available for the design of stone
retaining wall. The retaining wall surrounds the mahavir temple & they do not want to use the steel
there, i thought the option of going with stones.
--

Thankyou Mr. Vikramjeet Sir for this useful information. I am studying all these codes & hopefully will
reach economical design.

I heard that these kind of masonry (stone) retaining wall construction are frequent in BRO. Can anyone
share the dwg etc.

If anyone else wants to give more suggestions, it will be very helpful.

With Regards
Sarvottam Munjwani
Strc. Engg

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Dear Er.
Please refer following threads of sefi:

www.sefindia.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7689
www.sefindia.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5875&view=previous&sid...
www.sefindia.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=17098
www.sefindia.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=18732
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Also may refer SP IRC 13 IRC code 40 and MORTH for specification.
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Design Concept is very simple as of lateral earth pressure in different conditions. Check for overturning,
Sliding and sinking etc.
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Any design book -( Ramamrutham) even Khanna Hand book can be referred for design and specs both.
----------------------------------------
Plate 4 of IRC SP 13 is attached here for references.

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