Question
http://www.picturehosting.com/gallery.php?u=beacu&g=entrance-to-basement
I have pictures of this in the above link
My husband is a skilled craftsman, but we need help with design for the following:
We added a room to our house. It has a basement with an entrance door... (the door in the picture is temporary) The idea is to finish it and tie it in with the swimming pool... Eventually we will have a bathroom so our grandchildren and their friends can use it without having to go into our house.
Since we cannot afford to hire someone to do this we have to do it ourselves...
We need a walkway to the pool, but we need help... It has a V shape and it slopes in both sides toward the pool
I think we need some sort of retaining wall...We would appreciate any help you can provide us... Some ideas on retaining wall step-back or slope from top to bottom., etc...
Thank you!!!!


Answer
Hello,

I would recommend a segmental block retaining wall.    These blocks are made of solid concrete and interlock with a key and groove and some can be fastened to each other by metal pins.    They can also be staggered back.     This makes a heavy and strong interlocked wall that will effectively resist the pressure of the soil.     Ordinary concrete block is not recommended because it is relatively weak and subject to water infiltration.    

If these blocks are not available in your area another option would be to make your own concrete blocks or to use stone if available.    Some points to remember about retaining walls are:




Dig a foundation trench for the wall about one foot deep.

Make weep holes near the bottom of the wall for water to drain.

Place gravel behind the wall (along with a drainage pipe if needed). Water that accumulates behind the wall needs an outlet,so determine where the water goes from that slope near the door and make provisions in your design to direct water behind the wall to the outlet.

Do not let the slope at the top of the wall exceed 30 degrees.

A swale at the top of the wall can help deflect water away from behind the wall.

Live loads (heavy equipment,vehicles,etc...,on the soil at the top of the wall) will increase pressure on the wall.

In a do it yourself project,do not construct a retaining wall over 4 feet high. Walls over 4 feet high are subject to forces that require engineering skills to address.

Curving the ends of the wall (something like the end walls of a culvert),would increase the strength of the wall and would add to the appearance of the wall.

Good luck.  Write back if you have further questions.


Mark  Harshman
http://www.mahdrafting.com
Email: [email protected]

http://www.scribd.com/markscrib47