Support pile for concrete wall

[edwinchester]

Hi, we have over 200 metres of concrete wall and in one section there is a small but visible lean.

I'm just trying to preempt any serious problems in the future and am considering putting in 5 or 6 concrete piles alongside the wall as additional support.

The wall is 2 metres high so I'm guessing a 4 metre pile would suffice.

Any thoughts on the matter?

Cost of and installation of a 4 metre pile?

Thanks for reading.

[carlyai]

Have you checked the foundation to see if the soil has wash away in that area, on both sides of the fence?

It may be a foundation problem.

I have seen concrete fences propped up with piers, but, long term, maybe won't work if the foundations are the problem.

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[edwinchester]

Thanks for the reply. Soil doesn't appear to being washed away and there are stays in the ground too so have my doubts it's a foundation problem.

Wall is nearly 9 years old and only leans about 2 cm at the top so maybe I'm being over cautious but just trying to avoid 'fix it when it's broke' :) 

[Strange]

5 minutes ago, edwinchester said:

Thanks for the reply. Soil doesn't appear to being washed away and there are stays in the ground too so have my doubts it's a foundation problem.

Wall is nearly 9 years old and only leans about 2 cm at the top so maybe I'm being over cautious but just trying to avoid 'fix it when it's broke' :) 

 

Can you provide pics of the problem and the earth inside and outside the problem area? Elevations the same inside and outside the wall? 

[carlyai]

If the foundations are not a problem then your solution may be the best.

I'm no expert, just observed my 2m wall and others.

At our place in Pattaya, the reo and concrete bond beam around the top had disintergrated in one place.

A guy next door is renovating bankrupt bought place to sell and he says you need to put a tile on the top of the wall to protect against the elements.

Maybe the mortar has washed out from between the cinder blocks?

I'm just looking at our Isaan house fence, similar to yours, and although it's rendered, I may paint it to protect it more.

Someone will come along with better advice I am sure. [emoji3]

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[Strange]

14 minutes ago, edwinchester said:

Thanks for the reply. Soil doesn't appear to being washed away and there are stays in the ground too so have my doubts it's a foundation problem.

Wall is nearly 9 years old and only leans about 2 cm at the top so maybe I'm being over cautious but just trying to avoid 'fix it when it's broke' :) 

 

Also, 2 cm at the top after 9 years is hardly anything, I mean I would probably get a 4' level and check a few reference points on the wall over time and actually see if its moving.

[Kwasaki]

2 m high wall probable settlement movement over 9 years or foundation moment in that area.

 l would say pile would be ok but make sure on sound foundation grounding for them and a brick finish feature if wanted.

Good idea to do now before it's unsightly or a danger, anything would be better than waiting.

Costs depend on where you live and whether you want the renovations carried out to a high standard.

[eyecatcher]

You must bored if you can spot a 2cm out of plumb panel in a 200m run.

 

what also gets me is that you say its only at the top??? how can a wall only lean at the top without cracking?

 

one question for you.....is your wall rendered or just painted blocks.?

 

so the panel is leaning but not the columns; I will give you some expalnations.

1. it was always built out of plumb and you never noticed until now

2.the concrete plinth footing has not been tied into the columns and had settled unequally.

3. the ground level is much higher on one side than the other causing high lateral pressure.

4. wall curl; I asked about if it is rendered. expansion and contractions of masonry in the heat/winter erodes the mortar very gradually. the side exposed to the most severe weather,  will curl outwards; in a similar way to how you see chimneys bent. Now that the weather here is getting colder each year; rain and partial freezing is starting to play its part, with humping and hogging.

 

You didnt post photos so we are all just guessing from your description but it seems to me you are panicking unneccesarily.

Certainly dont waste money on piles, buttress walls or anchors when you havent diagnosed the problem.

 

Over to you; post the photos and give us all a chance of singing from the same hymn sheet.

[carlyai]

You must bored if you can spot a 2cm out of plumb panel in a 200m run.
 
what also gets me is that you say its only at the top??? how can a wall only lean at the top without cracking?
 
one question for you.....is your wall rendered or just painted blocks.?
 
so the panel is leaning but not the columns; I will give you some expalnations.
1. it was always built out of plumb and you never noticed until now
2.the concrete plinth footing has not been tied into the columns and had settled unequally.
3. the ground level is much higher on one side than the other causing high lateral pressure.
4. wall curl; I asked about if it is rendered. expansion and contractions of masonry in the heat/winter erodes the mortar very gradually. the side exposed to the most severe weather,  will curl outwards; in a similar way to how you see chimneys bent. Now that the weather here is getting colder each year; rain and partial freezing is starting to play its part, with humping and hogging.
 
You didnt post photos so we are all just guessing from your description but it seems to me you are panicking unneccesarily.
Certainly dont waste money on piles, buttress walls or anchors when you havent diagnosed the problem.
 
Over to you; post the photos and give us all a chance of singing from the same hymn sheet.

Hi Eyecatcher

Hijacked again, sorry....so for my 2 odd m rendered, cinder block, bond beam etc (like pretty standard Thai construction) fence, I should undercoat and paint to protect it?

Is painting one side better than none?

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[Anythingleft?]

57 minutes ago, carlyai said:

Hijacked again, sorry....so for my 2 odd m rendered, cinder block, bond beam etc (like pretty standard Thai construction) fence, I should undercoat and paint to protect it?

People argue that there are two thoughts on this

If you paint it the water can be trapped inside with nowhere to go after drawing water upwards from the ground which can cause it to go hollow

If you paint it then you actually prevent the water from getting through in the first place at least from the top

Take your pick I say, originally at least in the UK the render was to allow the walls to breathe to allow the water to remove itself naturally although you rarely see unpainted render now because its commonly used as a cheap covering to keep costs down from using more expensive brick options

If your ground drains nicely then go for it and paint it

[eyecatcher]

I was trying more to make the point that a rendered wall is less likely to start curling because the mortar joints are protected from driving rain and wind and  their expansion in the sun.

Of course the render then takes the hit and cracks itself as it expands at a different rate.

I think the rising damp worry here is much less of a worry as the ground is more often than not bone dry most of the year and of course who has ever build a house here on virgin ground.

Render on a boundary wall getting damp is of no significant concern for anyone really.

 

I see many boundary walls where they have rendered their own side but cant be arsed to do the side the adjacent landowner see but really this is the side that can attract the problems...the weather mentioned above, insects in joints, vegetation growing in the joints.

At the very least I would ensure the other side is "bagged off" neatly and painted with a masonry paint; just as a precaution.