RETAINING WALL ASSESSMENT

Site: 30 Dampier Loop, Mirrabooka WA 6061

Client: Department of Communities

ABN 56 167 671 885
PO Box 160
MIRRABOOKA WA 6061

Issued: 11 February 2021

Our Ref: 1689

11 February 2021

Harvey Rodgers
Department of Communities
PO Box 160
MIRRABOOKA WA 6061

Dear Harvey

Site: 30 Dampier Loop, Mirrabooka WA 6061

Subject: Retaining Wall Assessment
Our Ref: 1689

As instructed by Tracy Hewitt of the Department of Communities, Integrity Engineering has undertaken
a structural condition assessment of the retaining walls on the northern and western boundaries of this
site where they lie within the rear yards of Units 8, 9, 10 and 11.

1. General Description

The boundary retaining walls are of masonry construction and have maximum height 1.32m.
Retained soil height measures a maximum of 1.2m and is generally around 100mm lower than
the top of the wall itself. Your site is located on the low side of the walls.

The western wall features steel post and panel fencing with timber sleepers beneath to fill any
voids between the top of the retaining wall and the bottom rail of the fencing panels. The fence
posts are spaced at 2.4m centres and fence height is 1.8m.

The northern wall features a corrugated fibre cement sheet fence on the upper side. Fence
height varies from 1.5m at the western end to 2.3m at the eastern end.

A site layout plan, retaining wall elevation views and indicative retaining wall section views are
provided in Drawing Set 1689 attached for your reference. Digital photographs showing the
condition of the wall at the time of inspection accompany this report via electronic transmissal.

2. Site Investigation

Investigation of the retaining walls via probing and potholing indicated that they comprise three
masonry leafs. The front two leafs extend to full height of the wall and are covered by a brick-
on-edge header course, while the third leaf at the rear extends from footing level to a height of 5
brick courses (430mm) below the header course. See Drawing 1689-2 for a section view.

Scanning of the walls using a Protovale Imp metal detector revealed no internal steel
reinforcement. The walls must therefore be acting as mass gravity walls that rely entirely on
their own self-weight to resist rotation. They are not cantilever walls that transfer loads down to
the footing via a reinforced concrete core.
 Compaction testing in various locations along the base of the walls using a Perth Sand
Penetrometer returned satisfactory results of greater than 5 blows per 300mm penetration from
depth 150mm to 1050mm at all test locations.

3. Condition Assessment

Both retaining walls have rotated towards the low side (i.e. towards your property). Rotation was
measured at a maximum of 7.5° from vertical for the western wall and 2.6° from vertical for the
northern wall. Detailed rotational measurements along the walls are shown marked on Drawing
1689-2 for your reference.

Significant cracking and lateral displacement of the masonry has occurred near the junction of
the northern and western walls, where the 90° corner acts as a buttress support to both walls.
The cracking has occurred where the stabilising effect of the buttress dissipates and there is a
transition between rotated and non-rotated sections of wall.

Reverse analysis of the retaining wall construction detailing revealed that they are inadequate to
resist design loadings. At maximum retained height of 1.2m, the existing wall has just half the
base thickness required to resist design surcharge loadings. The use of post and panel fencing
with walls of this type is also problematic as wind loads are concentrated at post locations rather
than distributed evenly along the length of the wall.

Both boundary retaining walls are distressed and structural intervention is required to stabilise
them against further rotation.

4. Cause of Distress

Retaining walls can fail via any of the following failure modes:

1. Overturning failure:
The wall has inadequate resistance to overturning and rotates about the toe of the wall
towards the low side.

2. Sliding failure:
The wall has inadequate embedment depth and/or friction with the soil beneath and
slides laterally under load.

3. Bearing failure:
The soil beneath the wall does not have adequate bearing strength to withstand the
loads imposed by the footing and compacts causing rotational settlement.

4. Slope stability failure:

The retaining wall is founded on an unstable slope and experiences failure via land slip,
with the failure plane passing entirely beneath the retaining wall (i.e. the retaining wall is
carried away by down-slope slippage of the soil beneath).

5. Structural failure:
The wall has inadequate strength to resist design loads resulting in cracking,
deformation or partial collapse of the structure.

Project No: 1689

Address: 30 Dampier Loop, Mirrabooka
Page: 2 of 5
 The site investigation findings indicate that overturning failure is the primary failure mode in this
instance. No significant evidence of sliding or bearing failure was noted and the walls are not
susceptible to slope stability failure.

Cracking near the corner junction of the northern and western walls does constitute localised
structural failure, however this is a direct result of overturning failure. The cracking would not
have occurred but for overturning failure (rotation) of the sections of wall that are not stabilised
by the corner buttress.

5. Responsible Party

Adjoining sites appear to be at or close to natural level which indicates the retaining walls may
have been constructed to retain cut at your site only. Fence locations relative to adjoining
properties also indicate that the walls may be located entirely within your site.

A boundary survey should therefore be undertaken by a licensed surveyor to determine whether

the walls lie entirely within the boundaries of your site. It is possible that the walls are not shared
boundary walls but instead pertain solely to 30 Dampier Loop, which may affect whether
encroachment onto adjoining sites for remedial works is possible.

6. Recommendations

The existing walls require either complete replacement or structural intervention to stabilise
them against further rotation. Remedial options are as follows:

1. Microfine cement grout injection:

Where existing walls have rotated by not more than 3.5° from vertical, stabilise the
masonry via injection of microfine cement grout into the soil to form a new grout block
retaining wall per Drawing 1689-3. Retain the masonry walls as a non-structural fascia.

2. Replacement with reinforced cavity brick:

Demolish and replace the walls with reinforced cavity brick per Drawing 1689-4. This
would provide similar appearance to the existing walls but with a reinforced masonry
stem design that is engineered to withstand design loadings.

3. Replacement with limestone blockwork:

Demolish and replace the walls with limestone blockwork per Drawing 1689-5. This is a
mass gravity style of wall that is highly durable and engineered to withstand design
loadings.

4. Replacement with concrete post and panel:

Demolish and replace the walls with concrete post and panel retaining walls. These
systems are proprietary and engineering details would be provided by the wall system
manufacturer. The required design loadings are 5kPa vehicular surcharge and 34m/s
wind load on a 1.8m high fence with posts at 2.4m spacing.

Grout stabilisation can only be used where the existing masonry has rotated by not more than
3.5° from vertical as grouting cannot effectively stabilise the masonry beyond that point. The
section of severely rotated western wall extending from the control joint in Unit 9 yard to the
northern boundary will therefore need to be demolished and reconstructed per Options 2 - 4.

Project No: 1689

Address: 30 Dampier Loop, Mirrabooka
Page: 3 of 5
 Note that the grout injection and limestone blockwork options may not be feasible if a boundary
survey indicates the walls lie entirely within your property, as both of these options require
encroachment upon neighbouring sites. Replacement with reinforced cavity brick or concrete
post and panel would require temporary disturbance but no permanent encroachment.

7. Qualifications of the Author

The author was awarded a Bachelor’s Degree of Civil Engineering with First Class Honours by
the University of Adelaide in 2003, is a current member of the Institute of Engineers Australia
(Membership No. 2657436), and has more than fifteen years of specialist experience in the field
of structural failure diagnostics and remediation in Western Australia and elsewhere.

I trust that the preceding comments have addressed your present requirements. If I can be of any
further assistance, or if you have any queries regarding this report, please contact me on 9258 9261.

Yours faithfully

Tim Wilson
Director
BE(Hons) MIEAust

Encl.
- Drawing Set 1689 (x5 A3 sheets)

Project No: 1689

Address: 30 Dampier Loop, Mirrabooka
Page: 4 of 5
© Integrity Engineering 2021

The work carried out in the preparation of this report has been performed in accordance with the requirements of Integrity
Engineering’s Quality Management System.

This document is and shall remain the property of Integrity Engineering. The document is specific to the client and site detailed
in the report. Use of the document must be in accordance with the Terms of Engagement for the commission and any
unauthorised use of this document in any form whatsoever is prohibited. No part of this report including the whole of same shall
be used for any other purpose or by any third party without prior written consent of Integrity Engineering.

Document Status

Approved for Issue

Rev No. Author Issued To Name Signature Date

0 T. Wilson Department of Communities T. Wilson 11/02/2021

Project No: 1689

Address: 30 Dampier Loop, Mirrabooka
Page: 5 of 5