Interesting Characteristics of Commercial Retaining Walls

There is more to commercial retaining walls then one might initially consider.

Most of all, the purpose of commercial and industrial retaining walls are designed with support and prevention in mind as its main goals.  These walls support and restrain soil masses on both sides when each side are at different levels or elevations.  And they prevent erosion and soil from sliding away from your building’s foundation as it guides and redirects water away from foundations to maintain its integrity.

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What is cement and when and how was it invented?

Of course, ancient civilizations have been using a type of cementation before the modern concrete was invented.  The Romans, the ancient Greeks, Babylonians and Egyptians all had their types of binders.  The Romans and the Greeks utilized a pozzolan, sometimes artificial, for creating hydraulic cement.  Before that, the Babylonians used bitumen as a binder for bricks and Egyptians used mortar for their stones.

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What is a Bollard?

Bollards are a series of short post utilized to protect specific and sensitive areas as well as guiding traffic appropriately. It can provide relief from certain impacts where building protection and security are important. Bollards can also be placed in series or in line to serve as a visual characteristic to manage pedestrian walkway areas and warehouse driveways for vehicle loading and logistics. Other applications might include boundary demarcations or access prevention to restricted areas as well as building entrances and utility rooms.

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The Role of the Retention Pond Lift Station

When driving the streets of Houston you will notice retention ponds on the sites of new construction and usually associated with these ponds are lift stations that aren’t very noticeable unless one was looking for it. Often built near new developmental areas, detention ponds and basins are created to catch water runoff from higher elevations during heavy rain. The run off water is then retained until the streets and ditches have drained away, at that point the detention pond water can be released but only at the rate of release determined by the governing body.

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