How to Design an Anchor Bolt for a Retaining Wall
- 1). Measure the size of the pieces of cement block you will be using to construct the retaining wall. Run a tape measure across the thickness of the cement block and record the measurement. Measure the length of the block and record that measurement. Most blocks will be 8 inches thick and 16 inches long.
- 2). Measure the width of the block. Large blocks that are used for retaining walls are typically 8 inches wide. The width will help determine how thick of an anchor bolt you will need to design for the block. The measurements from the previous step determine how long the anchor bolt will need to be.
- 3). Stack two of the blocks you will be installing on top of one another and measure down from the top block halfway down the block underneath. This will be how long the anchor bolt will be. For an 8-inch thick block, the anchor bolt will be 12 inches.
- 4). Determine the thickness of the anchor bolt. For cement block that is 8-inches thick and 8-inches wide, the anchor bolt can be 1/2-inch thick. This will help hold the block together and ensure it stays intact.
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