A buttress is a structure attached to or extending from a wall to support or reinforce the wall. In older structures, buttresses are a common feature to provide support against lateral forces. A buttress wall is constructed as part of the structure or as an addition to the structure, depending on structural and architectural requirements.
Buttresses are not a new invention; It is a very old form of design that serves to maintain the stability of buildings and increase the strength of buildings. In older structures, mostly built of stone or brick, this has become mandatory as the height of the structure increases.
In addition to static requirements, retaining walls are also constructed as an architectural element. Its shape allows it to satisfy static and architectural requirements.
In modern civil engineering, buttressing has become one of the most important forms of construction, as it is used to build large retaining walls and dams with very high lateral loads. Daniel Johnson Dam 214 million in Canada, Roseland Dam 150 m in France, Zeya Dam 115 million in Russia, Aguilera Dam 89 m etc. are some examples of this type of structure.
There are different forms of support structures. Depending on the purpose of the project, they can be classified as follows.
- To maintain lateral stability
When we build walls that are too high, they become unstable if they are not supported by a lateral element. With free-standing walls, stability can be compromised as the height increases. In these cases, we build support pillars to improve stability.
This type of retaining wall is very common in tall and old buildings.
- Support structures
The retaining wall serves as resistance to lateral load, providing structural stability. For example, in a reinforced concrete containment dam, we have a concrete wall facing the reservoir and reinforcement walls that connect the vertical wall and the foundation.
The thickness of the vertical wall is reduced by the reinforcing wall connecting it at regular intervals. If a free-standing wall is built from such high embankments, it will become huge and cannot be constructed properly.
Retaining walls are masonry or concrete structures that often feature inclined slabs or arches supported by buttresses. In the Ambursen type, flat plates supported directly or on supports on the upstream edges of the buttresses form the inclined plane that forms the upstream face. A unique type is the massive dam, where the face is created by extending the upstream ends of the buttresses until they meet, eliminating the need for a covering slab.
Retaining wall with buttresses
Retaining wall structures are very useful when space is limited and the continuation of work is restricted. retaining wall Foundation for retaining side.
Additionally, a triangular wall section connecting the wall and foundation reduces the thickness of the foundation and wall. Additionally, the segment connected to the foundation wall is under pressure. As concrete has good compressive strength, it is economical to use such an element to transfer loads.
The analysis and design of retaining walls can be done using computer software. Manual calculation would be a little difficult due to the structural arrangement.
