Settling Retaining Wall – Sinking Entrance Sign

Retaining wall failure is a serious issue for homeowners and business owners.

It’s important to act quickly when you notice signs of cracking, bowing, settling, or collapse since retaining walls prevent soil erosion around homes and other structures.

Warning signs to watch for:

• Bowing/buckling/tilting/movement
• Stair-step cracks
• Separation from adjoining walls
• Crumbling sections

If proper repairs are not made early enough, these symptoms grow worse over time until total replacement is needed.

JSA Foundation Repair of Acworth is the preferred specialist for saving settled retaining walls and sinking subdivision entrances. JSA does not rebuild them, but we’re able to successfully restore existing ones in most instances.

What is A Retaining Wall?

Retaining, or keeping, walls maintain lateral soil pressure while preventing ground movement and soil erosion around a structure. They can also create level spaces in sloping areas to allow for parking, driveways, and other useful surfaces.

Two common types are basement and subdivision entrance walls. Regular maintenance is important as compromised integrity of a basement may lead to tilting floors and wall collapse.

Materials that are widely used to create these structures include concrete, rebar, steel, stacked stone, fieldstone, veneer/facing/flagstone, and brick. Our company has decades of experience working with each of these materials.

What Causes Retaining Wall Failure?

Poor construction and underlying soil conditions are the leading causes of foundation and retaining wall failure. Some contributing issues include:

• Missing or improperly reinforced footing
• Designed with incorrect load-bearing capacity
• Fill dirt used as backfill around foundation not properly compressed
• Accumulated water in expansive soil builds hydrostatic pressure, making the wall bow/crack

Many influences can affect the health of a retaining wall, so it’s beneficial to perform routine check-ups around your property and discover potential problems before they turn into costly repairs.

Crumbling or Sinking Entrances

Age, weather, and soil erosion can deteriorate entrance sign retaining walls such as those used for HOA’s (homeowners’ associations), subdivisions, apartment complexes, churches, and corporations. Each of these businesses depend on their monument signs for branding and property identification, so it’s vital to keep them in optimal condition.

JSA saves business time and money because we can:

• Jack & lift retaining wall back into place
• Add the necessary support system
• Repair damaged masonry & mortar
• Leave landscaping undisturbed

Using Anchors & Tiebacks for Added Support

When installation of steel beams against retaining walls does not provide enough structural support, we may recommend a tieback/anchor method:

1. Concrete is poured a short distance behind the weakened wall to undisturbed soil.
2. Steel rods extend out from the reinforced concrete and are connected to the existing structure.
3. Steel plates are used to lock everything into position.

This reliable method, designed by engineers, is also known as a seawall anchor.

Avoid Retaining Wall Removal/Reconstruction

When caught early, problems like stair-step cracks and settling can be corrected with the use of hydraulic jacks and installation of durable steel piers.

Homeowners should not have to consider the expensive and time-consuming removal and reconstruction of retaining walls unless there are signs of widespread damage.

Contact JSA Today for A Free Assessment

Contact us today for a free consultation about your settling retaining wall, and we’ll suggest the most efficient repair method for returning it to original condition for a lifetime.