Understanding the soil mechanics of retaining walls

[@asiegel87]

I'm not an engineer but I took my fair share of engineering and physics classes in high school and college. Now I just binge KZbin videos and make stuff. Your video was probably recommended because I've watched a ton of Practical Engineering's videos. Your simple explanation helped me understand why the retaining wall behind my house failed more clearly than any other resource I've looked at and I'll be able to make more informed choices when we replace it. Thanks!

[@TheEngineeringHub]

Thank you so much Track (favorite comment so far, and yes I read them all😅). At some point there will be a part 2 to this video with more practical explanations about installation and drainage (possibly a bit more math/physics as well). You wouldn't believe how many failed walls I see around that (possibly) could have been avoided. I would say proper drainage and compacted good-quality backfill would have avoided more than 75% of the failures. (disclaimer these are gut feeling guesses, not based on adequate studies)

[@erdalbastin9791]

💙🇹🇷💙 selama leykim 👍 emin ol 🐝

[@TheWebstaff]

Lol the Google gods also brough me for the same reason but I do want to help my mate build his garage and that's going to require a decent retaining wallthanks for the info.

[@TheEngineeringHub]

If you enjoyed the video, consider writing a comment (positive or negative) 😊it doesn't cost anything, but it means the world to us🙏 You can also check out the other videos in this series below. Geotechnical Series Videos: 1. Understanding why soils fail ( kzbin.info/www/bejne/a5q1gIh_aZ52oNk ) 2. Understanding the Soil Mechanics of Retaining Walls ( kzbin.info/www/bejne/j6W0aqiYg8esqqc ) 3. Geotechnical Analysis of Foundations ( kzbin.info/www/bejne/gZiuiGRmnqaSatk ) 4. The Leading Cause of Foundation Failures ( kzbin.info/www/bejne/p4OYgaWYead2gtk )

[@mayanksingh292]

+ve

[@TheEngineeringHub]

@@mayanksingh292 hahha love it!!🤣

[@texast4076]

Very informative, I enjoyed it. Thanks.

[@skwalka6372]

Excellent video, it would be great that you made a follow-up video. Greetings from California.

[@FixItStupid]

Well Done Thank You !

[@wildgraylandworks4157]

As a small business owner who has installed retaining walls and been reluctant to do it halfway, this video is both reassuring and very educational. I love content like this that is to the point and has the science provided to back it up. Thank you for the great video, please keep them coming!

[@NicePersonNumberSeven]

Right. KZbin videos are great when the author gets straight to the point without wasting our time trying to be cute.

[@michaelmolter8828]

Would like to see this continued into the design calculations and the assumptions behind each failure mode

[@richardbowers3647]

They simply forgot to install the dead-man thing!!!

[@georgegr89]

I would appreciate it if you continue the geotechnical series videos. There are many interesting topics to be presented like shallow/deep foundations, slope stability or even other retaining structures and how they work. Keep up the good job!!!

[@TheEngineeringHub]

Hi Giorgos, a video on shallow foundations is in the making!

[@HannahGrist-mg6ve]

agreed!!

[@hafeeznoormohamed1259]

Great Geotechnical series so far. Would love to see more

[@ericheller9522]

As a geotechnical engineer who designs retaining walls, I found this video to be both well explained and accurate. May even share with the folks at the office...

[@jasperlee6346]

As a civil engineering undergrad , your videos really helped a lot in visualising what I’m learning in classes , thanks a lot 😁 Keep up the good work 👍🏼👍🏼

[@russellradwanski5771]

I'm a civil engineer, but have primarily been working in aviation. This is a great refresher and a much more intuitive way of visualizing things than many of the ways I was taught, well done!

[@kevinruss2168]

Hello, geotechnical engineer here. Can you please keep making these types of videos. This one was really useful for the younger staff. Thanks.

[@thornil2231]

I am a civil engineer and I want to applaud the quality of your video. I would call it simple and in good taste...

[@colvinator1611]

I spent 50 years in electronic and electrical engineering. These videos are fascinating and full of interesting information. Thanks a lot. Colin UK 🇬🇧

[@TheEngineeringHub]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@spagutti]

This is incredibly helpful to easily understand the mechanics and concept of geotechnical engineering. I hope there will be more of this! Thank you

[@TheEngineeringHub]

Thank you Filip 🙏

[@dimitardobrev3296]

As an architect I can't thank you enough for your content.

[@brianbuch1]

Thank you. I could have used this when I was in residential construction to explain to the owners the need for engineering in designing retaining walls.

[@jodyjohnsen]

I’ve been thinking about retaining walls lately. This video is a particularly fortuitous discovery.

[@TheEngineeringHub]

Can't even think without someone listening these days, eh? 😅

[@wazir252]

Making such animated and upon it making our concept so clearly is very worth watching. Thanks you so much. The concepts are very basics. I like it so much.

[@TheEngineeringHub]

Thank you so much for your continual support Muhammad, we really appreciate you 🙏

[@dbackscott]

Very well presented. I’m a geotechnical engineer in Florida. I don’t see retaining wall failures often here. One that sticks out in my memory is a set of walls in a neighborhood that had trouble due to drainage problems. The poor drainage caused seepage and piping of the soils below the wall foundations. The loss of support to the foundations led to partial collapse of at least one of the walls. I don’t know too many details because it wasn’t one of my projects. It was in a neighborhood next to one of my projects, and I heard about it from the city engineer.

[@Lakeman3211]

As a contractor here in pa, 4 things I find that contribute to retaining wall failures, drainage, frost jacking, poor backfill stock, wall material …chiefly using soils that are poor in draining, lack of aggregate to aid in drainage, and clay soils that could be useful if utilized properly…frost typically enters a design from its face and from the top, both have forcing action, and once that is set it cannot be removed, the wall usually suffers from displacement(s), rotation, or detachment…..wall design or selection of materials for the wall itself…

[@RaiOsborne]

This presentation just touches the surface of a great topic. I want more! numbers even! geek out! 😎

[@TheEngineeringHub]

You are correct Rai, there is so much more. We didn't talk much about cohesive soils and the undrained condition. Most likely there will be a follow up video to this but possibly after we go over foundations and slopes first.

[@jessekessler189]

Same. I really like the style you cover this material, and would love even more depth.

[@jordangreen1646]

This is very helpful! I actually have issues with a retaining wall which is holding my whole garden! This is so helpful to understanding things better as I try to get it fixed! Thanks!

[@VIKASYADAV-xr4kp]

So simple and sweet language of yours sir I'm Indian, in the village living boy and studing diploma course in civil engineering. Thanks sir

[@muruganganesh3308]

Wow superb. I can't believe this Geotechnical series. Even in my college I feel difficult to understand this concepts.

[@TheEngineeringHub]

Thank you guys, comments like this make our efforts worthwhile 🙏

[@aacvieira]

Thank you very much for your excellent work. You make it easy to approach topics. You make problems visual and much more intuitive. In this case, you address an important subject for the general learning and mastery of civil engineering. I appreciate your work, as professional with 30 years of civil engineering on my backs, specialized in hydraulics, and working in civil works management in general, in Municipal Public Administration. I come to here because I appreciate the continuous study (throughout my life) of all kinds of topics globally related to my profession, such as calculus, materials, physics, chemistry and mathematics, about all specialties, including programming. And here I am, reflecting on soil mechanics, recording Prof. Manuel de Matos Fernandes, in the 80's of last century, at my Alma Mater, FEUP, Porto, Portugal.

[@motsepemampuru6451]

Thank you for visualizing this complex Geotechnical concepts. Stability of soil is arguably the greatest challenge. In addition, one can intuitively summarise the four scenarios as follows: Case 1: compaction increases the shear strength of particles as they're pushed hard against another. For instance, if you press your knucles against each other and try sliding your fists, if you press hard as you do so there is increased resistance. Hence a relatively higher factor of safety (FS) is expected. Case 2: in addition to the already compacted soil, additional strength is added by the reinforcement. Therefore it makes sense that FS2 > FS1 Case 3: The key component here, is the presence of pore water pressure (pwp), simply put the presence of water decreases the shear strength of soil. This is because pwp refers to water within the soil voids which pushes against the grains, hence alluding to the fist-knucle anology, we can see why that is the case. In comparison to the two cases, we expect FS2>FS1>FS3. Case 4: Loose soil generally has higher shear strength than wet soil but lower than compacted soil, thus, we can deduce: FS2 >FS1 >FS3 >FS4 Thank you for these informative series, would absolutely love to see more visualizations, and other concepts such as 2D seepage.

[@TheEngineeringHub]

Amazing summary, thank you so much! In hindsight, something like this should have been included at the end of the video to explain the 4 cases. Very well summarized!

[@TimberTaipei]

Building a landscape block patio DIY. This is immensely helpful.

[@theotherserge]

Would love to see a drainage follow up. I’m a career carpenter and am fascinated how soils tests barely existed when I started and are now first order of pre-construction. For very good reasons.

[@billogrady882]

A perfectly understandable explanation for non-engineering types. Like me!

[@aleksandrsnaumovs4277]

Great video! Would love to see more educational videos on the use of geosintherics, calculations, examples and casestudies of what they allow us to do now as opposed to what we had/used before.

[@TheEngineeringHub]

Great suggestion! Thanks Aleksandrs

[@mainer1755]

This was very helpful. A dry stone wall has natural drainage, but this video made clear to me the value of compacted backfill. I am very grateful.

[@zoccat88]

I love your videos, the way how you intuitively explain problems and adding animations, simulations and experiments. Now I can understrand the pure theory that they are trying to teach us in university. Go on :)

[@TheEngineeringHub]

Glad you think so zoccat, welcome aboard!

[@2btns920]

Love your content. Please make a video on soil structure interaction.

[@juan9715]

Just ran into this channel. Keep up the absolutely amazing work!

[@kylemchargue9593]

Very well done! Thank you! Simple, educational and straight to the point. I’m studying for my CEG in California and am very excited to have found your videos. Please please post more! Suggestions- geotechnical sampling equipment, extensometers, inclinometers, e-logs, understanding lab testing, anything environmental. Thanks again!! Well done.

[@halepauhana153]

Great explanation of the performance capabilities (or failures) of different retaining wall designs! Keep it up! (the videos, not just the wall!)

[@New_Disciple-G3101]

Looking forward to a “Part 2” of this video

[@John-William_Sober]

For my work I come in contact with soil injection. This is new to me. As I live in The Netherlands, your videos help me to understand about the different soils and how they react. So these videos are very helpful for me. Thank you an keep up the good work 👍

[@AlMai222]

Absolutely the best video out there. Good job brother, make a part 2 pls

[@rodrigofigueiredoroma890]

very good presentation, and the results of the FEM simulations to illustrate the examples were AMAZING! Congratulations!

[@TheEngineeringHub]

Thanks, Rodrigo. We appreciate your support 🙏 it means so much to us!

[@alifarahani878]

Love these videos and the EXCELLENT graphics! I'm a multi-family developer and need to crash course my way to soil, civil and structural engineering...would you please do a video on the most favorable to least favourable soils for low, mid and high rise residential construction??? And another very useful video would be "how to read a geotech report on a development site?!"...I think you would get a MILLION views on that!!! thank you!

[@RonJohn63]

0:09 _Which_ previous video? (Searching through a video list can be impractical.)

[@TheEngineeringHub]

Here is the previous video in this series: kzbin.info/www/bejne/a5q1gIh_aZ52oNk

[@davidcaon]

These videos are great, thank you very much for the content! Part 2 please!

[@Chris.Davies]

There are only two kinds of retaining walls: 1) Retaining walls that have collapsed. And, 2) Retaining walls that will collapse.

[@62Cristoforo]

In Canada these smaller, homeowner type retaining walls usually fail due to the absence of proper drainage, a problem in colder climates and freeze/thaw cycling. Dense soil is packed directly against the back of the retaining wall, preventing water from draining, and then freezing and expanding during colder months. Instead, these walls need an intermediary layer of clean gravel or rock to allow water to drain away from behind the wall.

[@amanchoudhary2797]

Incredibly explained the science behind RW. Kindly go on with 2nd part as the topic is vast ..

[@Shubhkesh_04]

I am a civil engineer and I just love you are videos on construction and the practical implementation of the topics we have studied in the college.❤

[@TheEngineeringHub]

Im very glad to hear that Shub. Thank you for your nice words 🙏

[@Shubhkesh_04]

@@TheEngineeringHub It is my pleasure to see this.

[@hyperboreanforeskin]

Perfect explanation for regular people!

[@Susan508.1]

Thank you. I would like to see a drainage solutions video.

[@TheEngineeringHub]

Thanks for the feedback Susan, based on the comments so far a part 2 video on retaining walls has to happen! Thank you!

[@jvfontenele]

@@TheEngineeringHub me too!!!

[@sudharsanraghavendrarao1162]

Thanks Sir for this nice presentation. Would love to view more of your contents.

[@TheEngineeringHub]

More to come!

[@mrfishworld]

Practical info from Knowledgeable Presenter!

[@jesusrenemedinasanchez689]

Man, keep on this subject, got instantly hooked on your chanel

[@TheEngineeringHub]

Thank you Jesus, more to come!

[@someoneelse9059]

Please keep making more videos, the more info the better.

[@akloisaac6030]

It's been a really helpful piece of information. It's really helped me understand more on the behaviour and failure of retaining walls

[@nigeld8694]

I’m considering to do some alterations in my garden which involve shifting a retaining wall back by a meter or so, and to also place it against my single brick layer garage wall, but have no knowledge of what makes a retaining wall to be strong, so this video is a useful starter. I’ll dig out your first video as you suggest, and have a browse around your channel to increase my knowledge of this topic. Thanks for the video! P.S. I’m not sure if my plan is even a good idea as I don’t want my garage wall to collapse(!), so will also seek professional help if I decide to proceed

[@leothelion2001]

I'm a concrete superintendent and we always compact the soil before laying any concrete slab and the same should apply to elevated soil, specially if behind a retaining wall , I'd build that wall thick like a Cantilever on the bottom to avoid tipping over and water drainage system like mentioned in the video

[@ninefs1]

Good job guys! Dynamic visualisation helps so much, in contrast with the books where it is static. Thank you

[@pcatful]

Thanks for the video. This is good for a designer like myself, who must make some decisions on approach, or preliminary assumptions, while working with structural engineers for the final design.

[@wendymorrison5803]

In my clay based soil areas. The Roads Dept is using stone filled gabions more. The stacked cages can be tied into the bank. The rock is permeable to rainfall. And is sourced locally. Its generally fast to install once old is removed and the base is considered wide enough. Crane truck to place galvanised steel cages. Dumper with rock. No concrete. No co2 gasses released. Usually fully finished under a week.

[@falfield]

Very interesting and thought-provoking video. A question that's been intriguing me is whether sheet piling, when used as retaining walls, needs to be given a greater safety factor because of the impossibility of draining behind the wall. And whether, if used in fairly impervious clay soils, one ends up creating a pond, so reducing further the bearing capacity of the soils retained behind the sheet piling wall. If these surmises are correct, they would greatly reduce the usefulness of this method for stabilising a downslope on which dwellings are to be, or have already been built.

[@davemaglish247]

excellent video I enjoyed it certainly hope there is a part two

[@ПлатоновРоман]

7:25 Case 2 have longest friction surface, that`s why it have the largest safety factor. Longest friction surface provided by geogrids. Engeniging hub, geo-mechanical tasks are very hard and for my opinion are the most interesting for engeneers. Thank you!

[@TheEngineeringHub]

Thanks for the comment Roman!

[@malikdaniyel146]

Great video on soil mechanics and retaining walls.

[@buckw65]

Very interesting. We have some failing retaining wall around where I live.

[@fahimahmedbhuiyan2252]

just mind blowing! Please keep making videos like these and we'll definitely like part-2 of this video.

[@domingo2977]

Please continue to go into more detail I love the analysis

[@cesarsierra1355]

I wish this was available when I was studying civil engineering!

[@Prando34]

Thankyou. I discovered your videos today and love them. The use of animations to communicate ideas is incredible. Would have made studying engineering a lot easier in understanding the concepts

[@TheEngineeringHub]

Thank you Prando 🙏 comments like this give us all the motivation needed to keep going

[@cuttingcut1321]

Will definitely like a part 2. Thanks for this one.

[@wayneblanchard4347]

I would LOVE a video on proper construction of retaining walls and drainage.

[@eduardocortes854]

gracias. me encanto tu video, es de lo mejor en youtube

[@piu-armalik-lamansiteteam789]

Great Explaination regarding technical issues of retaining wall. One thing I want to add that it would be good if the types of retaining walls against different factors were also breifly explained. Keep it up.

[@jvfontenele]

This is helping me so much. Thank you from Brazil, incredible editing quality!

[@TheEngineeringHub]

Thank you so much Joao for the nice words! We are very glad!

[@blakewatson28]

Please make a more detailed video on drainage systems for retaining walls. This information is very helpful in landscape construction projects im taking part in on a generally steep clay/silt rainforest climate area.

[@narendrakumarreddypadala799]

Great video sir..liked the way of explaination...

[@andressoto3639]

i´ll wait for the 2nd part. Great video

[@fathullahzamani6868]

Thank you for the video. Love the visuals.

[@sequoyah59]

I'd like to see a more in-depth presentation of Mohr's Circle. I'd also like to see an example design calculation. Parker's Reinforced Concrete Design is an excellent guide in this regard. As mentioned in other comments, expanding on each general example with design and load specifics would be wonderful to some of us.

[@TheEngineeringHub]

Thanks for the feedback Sequoyah, this series will continue for sure.

[@bobmephitis8206]

I really liked this video and would like to hear more, especially regarding soil movement and foundations in sub-arctic regions. For some reason I love listening to enginerds and sometimes even understand a bit of it.

[@joeschlotthauer840]

How do you find a retaining wall/gravity engineer? Where do you go and what do you specifically search under?

[@eliasmoscoso8697]

what is the software used at 6:40 ?

[@Wdubbsx519x]

following

[@mihai8429]

Following

[@calebsang4]

would love to hear more about other types of retaining walls and their design considerations in different climates, especially your comments on how climate change has impacted the design theories.

[@joeythomassin7664]

Hey thanks for ghe good content. What is the software you use for the analysis ?

[@SimonPlatt]

Part 2 would be great, please! 👍

[@dennisschott2352]

Most of the small town that I live in is on the Ohio River and is a sand plateau. My property has what was the end of a dragline set up for mining sand. I've lived here for about 25 years. The whole time I've tried to figure out how to solve br bracing for about a 20 degree off vertical thirty-foot drop that is within 10 feet of the neighboring property at the top. So, I'm very interested in your lecture on retaining walls. Thank you very much! This is in a residential neighborhood of mostly single-family homes.

[@matthew8505]

Slope Stability!!! That issue makes our mountain side projects freaking twice as expensive sometimes. I need a video to show contractors

[@TheEngineeringHub]

Yup it's coming up! But yeah slopes can be a pain (i.e. very expensive to control) if they have poor soils and suffer from instability

[@kevinbyrne4538]

6:08 -- collapse of a retaining wall along the highway joining the cities of Düzce and Zongulda in Turkey. The collapse occurred on 26 March 2021.

[@tealkerberus748]

What they said. I need to watch more. Thank you.

[@bradsmith4279]

I'd definitely like to know the current best practices for drainage depending on different soil types

[@hopewelltv8341]

I would appreciate to see a video with considerations taken to decide on the type of reinforcement used in retaining walls.

[@thornil2231]

that's structural not geotech...

[@tariqahmad9569]

Great videos for visual understanding

[@rhamel1717]

Great topic! Thanks All your video topics are great and very well illustrated; it would be nice to have the same videos with some more additional math development on the last part of each topic ( or a part 2). this would fulfill a lot of your followers… for those not interested in the more math section, they could drop at this beginning of this section without loosing a beat… 😄 👌

[@TheEngineeringHub]

Thanks for the feedback Richard. This is exactly what we want to hear. Based on the comments so far, a part 2 of this video will happen with a bit more math in it 🙏

[@arundcz]

Yes post a video for each type of failure with calculations.

[@davidbruce5377]

We have a proposed 1.4m concrete wall. Can we add geogrid and does it have to be embedded into the concrete?

[@terryharris3393]

What safety factor is obtained with interlocking compacted back fill with a reinforcing grid and drainage?

[@mecheng1977]

I’d love a part 2, you make amazing videos!

[@vakhtangkiziria7820]

Should the same approach be taken for a smaller retaining wall that is about 8 inches in height and 6 inches in width that will run along a black top driveway? Thank You

[@marcelnowakowski945]

Fascinating! A great, great video!

[@phixpowerbook]

I have a question. I'm adding a low footer bed to a front drive that will only be about 18-24 inches. how high do I need to start worrying about pressure of the soil against the low wall. I'll be using cement breeze blocks and the bottom half of the bed will be type 1 rubble. with standard soil on top. I need it to withstand someone standing on it. I was going to use standard cement to adhere the blocks together and was thinking of putting steel rods into the concrete floor that is the driveway at present. thank you.

[@DAVID-gf1es]

If you start the first course further below the lower grade. Does this increase the safety factor due to sliding the base? Does it make the wall more susceptible to overturning?

[@divinenonbinary]

This is super interesting and i would definitely love to learn abut these different cases in more detail!

[@TheEngineeringHub]

Coming soon!

[@ahmedbenlarbi2348]

I do would like a second part of this video . Thanks first of all .