#4x8x16 concrete block lowes free

Some block produce unknown quality block and give them the label of 'Haydite' when the may not use the real aggregate but a cheap substitute such as bottom ash from power plants or other waste unrefined or processed waste materials. This is similar to other brands of lightweight aggregate that can acheive very high strengths Some are also used for highway bridge decks or fireproofing of taller steel structures or just where a higher fire resistance is used to separate spaces in schools, hospitals, etc. It cost more than the typical heavier aggregates used in all types of concrete because of the value and manufacturing costs. Haydite is a manufactured aggregate that is produced for applications such as better insulation and fire resistance. The term cinder block is a short term description of block in some places or a term used for 'junk' block in other areas depending on the person's local lore. The slag (dross) from steel mills was a decent product that was sold for a better price. (PA, NJ or near a train line) where cinders were a variable waste product from the inefficient eastern coal-burning plants that were given away or cost money to dispose of. If the block are referred to as 'cinder block' you either have to be older than me or from the eastern U.S. Concrete walls and rigid block walls are typically used where it is impossible to place geogrid behind the wall to strengthen the soil, or in applications where it is impossible to drain the backfill, making a segmental wall impractical. The advantages of segmental walls are lower cost, faster construction, and good appearance. Segmental walls require good drainage at the base of the wall, typically supplied by drain pipe.

#4x8x16 concrete block lowes free

The backfill behind a segmental wall MUST be free draining material such as crushed stone or sand for a distance specified by the manufacturer. Segmental walls do not require a rigid footing, in fact typically the first course is placed on a 6 or 12 inch thick layer of crushed stone or occasionally even sand. When a segmental block wall gets more than about 4 feet tall, the backfill is strengthened using geogrid, typicall fabric or occasionally steel grid.

The block in actuality has no significant structural role, the soil holds itself up due to its internal friction. The block itself is designed to prevent fill behind the block from coming loose. Segmental block walls operate on a completely different principal. A rigid wall absolutely needs a strong footing, typicall concrete. It gets complicated very quickly for rigid walls.

The actual minimum width depends on the unit weight of the soil you are placing behind the wall, the water table behind the wall, the face angle of the wall, the slope of the soil behind the wall, and the friction angle of the soil. If you place 4 feet of soil behind the wall, you should have approximately a 16 inch wide wall at the bottom. A typical rule of thumb for a rigid wall is that the base should be approximately 40 percent as wide as the retained depth of soil behind the wall. A rigid retaining wall fails either by sliding, tipping, or by foundation failure. You would be building a segmental wall if you stacked blocks on top of each other without use of mortar or any other reinforcing.

You would be building a rigid wall if you mortared the blocks together and used reinforcing rod to keep them together. Concretemasonry is correct in pointing out the critical difference between a rigid, gravity retaining wall and a segmental block retaining wall.