Foundation Repair Case Studies: Tipping Retaining Wall Threatens Driveway in Toronto, Ontario
Challenge
Next to your home, a vehicle is likely one of the most significant expenses in your life. They get us from point A to point B, and we often spend hours in them on a single day. They’re a showcase of who we are and a sense of pride for many people. Our homes usually offer somewhere to store our vehicles, whether it be a garage or a driveway, but sometimes failing structures can put our beloved ride at risk.
A customer in Toronto, Ontario, parked his cars in his driveway. The driveway was raised above the front yard, and a retaining wall separated the two areas. Over the years, the retaining wall had begun to tip, threatening the cars in the driveway and possibly creating thousands of dollars’ worth of repairs. Rather than deal with a collapsed retaining wall, damaged lawn and possible vehicle damage, the customer reached out to Clarke Basement Systems looking for a preventative solution.
Solution
With the retaining wall tipping more and more each day, System Design Specialist Ron Monk met with the customer to work on a solution. Ron proposed using our GeoLock™ Wall Anchor System to straighten and stabilize the retaining wall. The customer agreed and was happy to know we offered a solution that avoided having to redo the entire wall.
Foreman Don Clarke started by carefully excavating the area surrounding the wall and inserting earth anchors into the ground. After that, small 1” holes were drilled into the wall, and anchor rods were inserted. The rods connect directly to the earth anchors, giving the anchors numerous spots on the wall to connect and provide maximum support. Next, wall plates were installed over of the anchor rods, permanently stopping further tipping of the wall. To straighten the wall back to its former glory, the wall plates were tightened accordingly. Once the wall plates were tightened, the excavated area was backfilled, and the installation was complete.
The ecstatic client is happy they no longer have to worry about their retaining wall collapsing and that they’ve avoided the risk of costly repairs. We eliminated the need to replace the entire retaining wall, giving the customer peace of mind and saving him money at the same time!