A retaining wall holds back soil or other material where ground levels differ.
Definition
A retaining wall is a structure that holds back soil or another material where ground levels differ. Its design can depend on lateral earth pressure, groundwater, foundation conditions, drainage, adjacent loads, and construction sequence. A project may involve several wall types and different responsibilities for design, review, and construction. Geotechnical and structural professionals coordinate project-specific criteria, while contractor means and methods are addressed under the applicable contracts. A retaining wall is not simply a barrier: its performance depends on the ground, water, loads, and details around it. Nor does the term specify who is responsible for every design or construction decision. For firm owners, the term raises coordination questions about scope, interfaces, assumptions, and change management. The ASCE resource provides a professional engineering context, and project requirements govern the specific work.
How owners use it
- Clarify which team addresses geotechnical recommendations, structural design, drainage, and construction interfaces.
- Check that proposal assumptions identify adjacent loads, groundwater information, and construction-stage considerations.
- Example: A 40 ft wall with a 6 ft average retained height has 40 × 6 = 240 square feet of face area.
- Use project criteria and contract documents to identify scope boundaries and responsibility assignments.
