Bulging Retaining Wall, Brighton

The problem

A homeowner had a retaining wall that was bulging slightly, causing numerous hairline cracks across the surface. On site the wall was extremely wet, with water building up behind it adding to the pressure.

The cause

The wall was under uneven structural stress across its full length rather than failing at one single point, which is why the cracking had spread out rather than concentrating in one place. The hydrostatic pressure from the water behind it was making things worse.

What we did

1. Agreed upgrade to masonry beaming. The client came having been recommended crack stitching, but after discussing the options on site together we agreed to upgrade to masonry beaming instead. A helical beam running full-length along the wall rather than individual bars at each crack hugs the wall, spreads the load evenly, and prevents new cracks forming elsewhere in future — a better long-term outcome than stitching the existing cracks individually.
2. Masonry beam installation. 6mm stainless steel helical beams installed full-length along the wall and bonded with cementitious grout.
3. Trickle vents. Trickle vents installed to allow water building up behind the wall to disperse rather than continuing to add pressure to the structure.

The result

Completed in a single day by two people. The decision to upgrade from crack stitching to masonry beaming was made together with the client on site after explaining the difference in outcome — stitching the existing cracks would have left the wall vulnerable to new cracking at other points as the pressure continued. The beam approach addressed the structural problem rather than just the visible symptoms.