Masonry Manual Retaining Wall Section Revised

Concrete masonry is a staple material of the construction industry, offering structural and architectural advantages in a single material and is recognised as a major contributor to a sustainable built environment.

The New Zealand Concrete Masonry Manual, which was created in the late 1970s as a guide to the design and construction of concrete masonry, has been undergoing review over the past several years.

An update of Section 6.1 Masonry Retaining Walls is now available for free download from the Concrete NZ website.

The retaining wall section, updated from the 2019 version, provides standard details for reinforced concrete masonry retaining walls. 2022 changes include:

• The foundation designs incorporate updates to the reinforced concrete design standard NZS 3101 that now require greater reinforcing content.
• Some wall designs that required larger wall reinforcing contents have been removed.
• The tables for walls carrying surcharge have been updated and 140 mm wall options have been removed from this category.

Section 6.1 has been prepared to provide designers and builders with some standard design details for reinforced concrete masonry retaining walls, however, it is emphasized that the contents of section 6.1 are intended to offer guidance only.

Professional engineering, and possibly geotechnical engineering, advice must be sought in relation to final design and submission for any building consent application.