Retaining Wall Design
Designing walls that hold grade changes safely
When a site has to step between elevations, a retaining wall does the work, and it has to be designed for the loads and soils it faces. Colman Engineering designs retaining walls across Virginia as part of site development, coordinated with the surrounding grading and drainage. We design walls that manage grade changes safely and fit the site.
Benefits
Retaining Wall Design
Designed for the real conditions
We design walls for the actual grade change, loads, and site conditions rather than a generic assumption. A wall matched to its conditions performs safely and lasts.
Coordinated with the site
Retaining walls interact with grading, drainage, and structures around them. We design the wall as part of the site so it works with, not against, everything nearby.
Drainage built in
Water pressure is a major cause of retaining wall problems, so drainage behind the wall is a core part of the design and its long-term performance.
From grade change to a buildable wall design
We evaluate the grade change the wall must handle, along with the soils, loads, and site conditions around it. We design the wall, and the drainage behind it, for those conditions, coordinating with the site's grading and layout. We prepare the design and details for construction and any required review, and can address the geotechnical inputs the design depends on. Whether it's a modest landscape wall or a taller structural wall, we design it to manage the grade safely.
Use Cases
Retaining wall design fits when your site has to hold a grade change that a slope alone can't manage.
01
Your site steps between elevations
Grades change more sharply than a slope can safely hold. A retaining wall manages that transition, and we design it.
02
You're maximizing usable area
A wall lets you flatten and use more of a sloping site. We design it to create the space you need safely.
03
An existing wall is failing
A wall is leaning, cracking, or losing ground. We can evaluate it and design a replacement or repair.
Tips and FAQs
Retaining wall design depends heavily on soils and loads, so geotechnical information often factors into the work, and taller or surcharged walls demand more analysis. Drainage behind the wall is critical, since trapped water is a leading cause of failure. Local requirements and building review may apply depending on the wall's height and setting, and we design with those in view.
What size walls do you design?
We design a range of walls, from modest walls managing small grade changes to taller structural walls. Taller or more heavily loaded walls require more analysis.
Do I need a geotechnical report?
Often the design benefits from geotechnical information about the soils, especially for taller or surcharged walls. We can advise on what's needed for your situation.
Why does drainage matter so much for walls?
Water building up behind a wall is a leading cause of failure. We design drainage into the wall so pressure doesn't accumulate, which is central to long-term performance.
Can you design a replacement for a failing wall?
Yes. We can evaluate an existing wall that's leaning, cracking, or failing and design a repair or replacement suited to the conditions.
