Gravity
Retaining Walls
Textured finishes for versatile design, built to last with durable wetcast concrete.
Features of Gravity Walls
1. Mass-based stability that resists lateral earth pressure without geogrid reinforcement in many applications.
2. Engineered to achieve heights exceeding 6 metres (20 feet) in appropriate soil and loading conditions, Redi-Rock wall systems provide a structurally sound solution.
3. Reduced excavation requirements make Redi-Rock wall systems an efficient and cost-effective solution, particularly, ideal for tight or utility-constrained sites.
4. Using high-strength wetcast concrete, Redi-Rock systems are specifically designed to withstand BC’s freeze-thaw cycles and wet climate offering exceptional durability.
Gravity Wall Applications
Where are Gravity Walls Used?
With the Redi-Rock block options, you can incorporate natural finishes and colours that are in harmony to your local landscape. Redi-Rock combines the look of natural stone with the proven durability of a precast concrete system.
Gravity walls are best for:
- Residential grade separation and backyard levelling
- Commercial site development and parking lot retention
- Roadway embankments and ditch retention
- Landscape terracing for parks and public spaces
- Utility corridor protection with post-construction access
- Golf course and recreational facility landscaping
- Shoreline and bank stabilization in low to moderate height applications
- Storm water channel and detention pond walls
- Lot separation and driveway barrier walls
- Industrial yard grade management and access roads
- Atop a reinforced wall section to help create space for utilities
Structural Characteristics & Performance
Redi-Rock gravity walls are designed to retain soil using the mass of large precast concrete blocks, eliminating the need for tiebacks or soil reinforcement in many low to moderate height applications. In certain site conditions, gravity walls can achieve engineered heights exceeding 6 metres (20 ft) while maintaining structural stability.
Key performance characteristics include:
- Self-supporting design that resists lateral earth pressures through block mass
- Larger base units that distribute loads and improve foundation stability
- Reduced excavation requirements compared to reinforced systems
- Durable wetcast concrete construction for long-term performance
- Fewer components, minimizing potential points of failure
This simple, mass-based design provides a reliable and cost-effective earth retention solution for residential, commercial, and infrastructure projects requiring efficient installation and long service life.
Gravity Wall Design Options
Redi-Rock delivers engineered performance without compromising visual appeal.
In British Columbia, block colour is influenced by locally sourced sands and aggregates, allowing finished walls to reflect the natural tones of the surrounding landscape while maintaining long-term structural durability.
Technical Resources
Video
Highways and civic projects using Redi-Rock Hybrid walls
Links & Downloads
Contact our team to confirm the type of blocks available in your geographic area. DWG block drawings are available on the Redi-Rock site.
Redi-Rock Projects
Project Overview A residential waterfront property on Vancouver Island required shoreline stabilization to address ongoing erosion caused by tidal fluctuation,....
A Step-by-Step Guide for Sloped, Shoreline & Small-Footprint Properties STEP 1 — Identify the Problem to Solve Many homes across....
Bridge-Crossing Problem As part of a $300M redevelopment in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, engineers were tasked with constructing multiple bridge crossings....
Lessons From New Zealand That Apply Directly to British Columbia Across much of British Columbia, particularly along coastal corridors and....