Knowledge Builders

why do weep holes in retaining walls

by Sophia Bruen Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Weep holes allow water to escape from behind the wall. These holes should be regularly spaced in the horizontal direction. Retaining walls with a height greater than a few feet should also have weep holes that are regularly spaced in the vertical direction, forming a grid pattern.Sep 5, 2015

Full Answer

How high should be the weep holes be?

How high should weep holes be above ground? The height of the DPC or weep holes must not be less than 150 mm in areas where there is adjacent land (Soil etc…) to protect for ground movement. It can be reduced to 75 mm in areas where there is concrete/pavement that slope away from the wall.

Should I drill weep holes?

Your Weep Hole should be drilled between the discharge and check valve. The hole should be drilled downward at a 45 degree angle, pointing away from your pump but inside your pump pit. Make sure to disconnect your pump from the lines and place it in a place that is easy to drill. Above or Below the Water Line?

How do I fill holes in the wall?

Top DIY ways how to fill nail holes in the wall:

  1. Toothpaste + Aspirin. White toothpaste is an absolute lifesaver — it’s cheap and chances are that you already have some in the bathroom cabinet.
  2. Baking Soda + Glue. It’s time to channel your inner chemistry skills for this one! ...
  3. Elmer’s Glue. If you have a smaller hole in the wall to fill, apply a bit of Elmer’s glue to the hole with a Q-tip.
  4. Ivory Soap. ...

How to fill deep holes in a wall?

How to fill deep holes in wall. For deep holes, you’ll need a filler that works specifically for that depth as many are surface fillers. Deep fillers are tougher than hairline fillers and designed to stop the problem worsening. Clean the hole making sure you remove all loose materials. You can do this with the edge of a scraper or a fine brush.

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Do you need weep holes in a retaining wall?

Install (or Add) Weep Holes They protect the structural integrity by allowing underground water to seep through, preventing pressure build-up. Every retaining wall should have them.

Where should weep holes be placed in retaining wall?

The weep holes are placed in the bottom of the retaining walls. Their dimensions need to be carefully designed to control surface tension. The number of weep holes that need to be installed in a retaining wall structure depends on the maximum possible height of water accumulation or natural ground water table.

What happens if you dont have weep holes?

Badness happens when your walls don't have weep holes. Without weep holes, water has only one place to go – inside your home's walls, leading to mold, rot, and unpleasant, expensive structural issues.

What is the purpose of weep hole?

The weep holes allow wind to create an air stream through the cavity. The stream removes evaporated water from the cavity to the outside. Weep holes are also placed above windows to prevent dry rot of a wooden window frame.

Can water get in through weep holes?

This research demonstrated that even under truly extraordinary conditions water rarely enters the weephole and even if it does it cannot be blown high enough up in the cavity to create internal damp problems.

Does a 3 foot retaining wall need drainage?

Also, walls greater than 4-ft can cause catastrophic damage if the wall fails. All poured concrete or cinder block retaining walls. These walls do not have natural joints for water to drain through like segmental blocks and wood walls do. These walls need a drainage system regardless of the wall height.

What year did weep holes become code?

Even if you used the code as a basis of the requirement for weep holes, you would be surprised to learn that weep holes were nor mandated in the single family code until 1983 CABO, mandated by the 1985 Kentucky Building Code. Home inspectors are calling out missing weep holed on house built before 1985.

How often are weep holes required?

It is intended to allow ventilating air to enter behind the wall to help dry the structure. Weep holes do have some serious drawbacks though. Varying according to local codes, typically these 3/8” openings are spaced apart every 24″or 32″ along the bottom of the wall.

Can you block up weep holes?

Small pieces of steel wool (just pull it apart) or pieces of a plastic scrubber can be pushed into the entrance of a weep hole to keep unwanted critters out. Both items will effectively block the weep holes while still allowing air to filter in and water to seep out.

How far apart are the weep holes in a retaining wall?

around 16 inchesTubes made of hollow plastic or metal can be used as weep holes, spaced around 16 inches (41cm) apart. They are placed at a slight angle to allow water egress. Care must be taken to ensure the angle is not too steep or too flat.

What Centres should weep holes be?

To allow water to drain out of the cavity, weepholes should be provided in the outer leaf immediately above the cavity tray and positioned at a maximum distance of 900mm centres.

How far apart do weep holes need to be?

16 inWeep holes should be placed immediately above all flashing and be spaced no more than 24 in. (600 mm) on center when open head joints are used, and no more than 16 in.

How many weep holes do I need?

two weep holesVents are required at 450mm intervals and each opening should have at least two weep holes.

How are weep holes provided?

Weep holes are provided using sand gravel trains to ensure proper functioning of this holes. The number of holes is provided depending on the size of structure and height of water table. The height at which weep holes is provided depends on the maximum possible height of water formulation or natural groundwater table.

What is a weep hole?

Weep holes are provided in masonry walls, retaining walls, underpasses, wing walls and other ground draining structure. Functions and advantages of weep holes are discussed. Weep holes provide an opening that allows the drainage of any moisture that may come from back of the wall through penetration, capillary action or leakage.

What happens when you put a hole in brick?

When holes are installed in the brick masonry. The mortar squeezes out between the successive courses of bricks and drop down in the weep holes. This can result in partially or totally blockage of weep holes by trash mortar.

How far apart should weep holes be?

They are provided at regular intervals to permit escape of moisture. The recommended distance between weep holes is 450 mm. From engineering point of view, weep holes relieve hydrostatic pressure or water pressure on walls.

What happens when water table is above structure?

If the water table is above the structure, but weep holes are provided in structure. As seen as in the figure the major water pressure is eliminated using weep holes, the pressure due to water is relieved by the holes. The height of the placement of holes plays an important role.

Where are weep holes in brick?

Weep holes are typically found in outer masonry of cavity walls. They can also be found above windows and doors in cavity walls.

Can a weep hole be ventilated?

To overcome the above problems of pest entry and trash mortar and to even make the weep holes more pleasing, weep hole may not provide the necessary flow of air to properly ventilate the internal brick wall.

How do weep holes help retaining walls?

Weep holes uplift the structure and reduce the buoyancy, making the retaining wall structure lighter in weight. They also keep the wall safe from dampness. This moisture control program through weep holes prevents water lodge.

What is a weep hole in a wall?

A weep hole is an opening that allows the drainage of water that comes from the back of the wall through penetration or leakage. If proper drainage is not considered, retaining walls are prone to failure. According to experts, nearly 80 percent of retaining walls fail due to improper drainage.

How Do Weep Holes Work?

If this is the case, there is no possibility of water collecting behind the wall. So, weep holes are not required.

How Far Apart Should Weep Holes Be in A Retaining Wall?

some factors should be considered while deciding how far away we should weep holes be: the size of the weep hole, the area of the wall to be protected by weep hole, the average humidity in the region, and rainfall.

How big should a weep hole be?

As a rule of thumb, it is better to have more weep holes than fewer. Usually, the weep hole should be a 1.5” diameter weep hole in a wall. It should not exceed 4 feet. The diameter of the weep hole depends on the height of the retaining wall.

What happens when a retaining wall fails to resist the force behind it?

When the retaining wall fails to resist the force behind it, its weakest part collapses. This can also mean that the wall will develop a bulge in that weak spot. In some cases, the wall may also lean forward. That is why weep holes become an essential part of a retaining wall.

What happens when retaining walls are below the water table?

When the retaining wall structure is below the water table, the unit weight of soil or the ‘submerged weight’ is lesser than saturated soil weight. Thus, there is less pressure. This results in additional water pressure behind the wall structure. The net effect here is more than the effect from saturated soil alone.

What is a weep hole in a retaining wall?

Retaining wall weep holes functions, spacing and cover, hi guys in this article know about weep holes in retaining wall spacing. The small round or square opening provided at base in retaining wall, culvert, Bridge, external brick masonry work, underpasses, winning wall and ground level to remove hydrostatic pressure develop from water lodge on retaining wall is known as weep hole.

Why do weep holes exist?

in civil engineering weep Holes is provided in retaining wall structures to relieve hydrostatic pressure or water pressure on the walls. Reducing the water pressure on the retaining walls will reduce the structural design demand of the water.

What is a weep hole in a wall?

Retaining wall weep holes may consist of a plastic, clay or metal pipe or cotton ball extending through the wall to a layer of porous backfill.

How does a weep hole affect water pressure?

Thus, by providing weep holes the effective height of water table and water pressure is reduced thereby reducing total pressure on the wall.

Where are weep holes located?

Weeps are located at the bottom of the object to allow for drainage; the weep hole must be sized adequately to overcome surface tension. Weep holes are provided using sand or gravel drains to ensure proper functioning of these holes. The number of holes provided depends on the size of structure and height of water table.

How are weep holes provided?

Weep holes are provided using sand or gravel drains to ensure proper functioning of these holes. The number of holes provided depends on the size of structure and height of water table. The Height at which weep hole is provided depends up on the maximum possible height of water accumulation or natural ground water -table.

What is a weep hole?

Weep Holes are provided in earth retaining structures like retaining walls, underpasses, wing walls and other below ground drainage structures. From engineering point of view, Weep Hole is provided in these structures to relieve hydrostatic pressure or water pressure on the walls. Reducing the water pressure on the walls will reduce ...

What is the purpose of weep holes in brick?

Primary function of these kind of weep holes are to provide ventilation for internal cavity walls and drainage to prevent damage due to capillary action and condensation in areas with heavy rainfalls.

When the structure is below the water table, what is the unit weight of soil considered?

When the structure is below water table, the unit weight of soil considered is submerged weight. Though the submerged density of soil is lesser than saturated soil weight , thus lesser pressure, there is an additional water pressure acting on the structure whose net effect is more than saturated pressure alone.

How does earth pressure work?

Let us find out how this works. If a structure is above water table, or there is no possibility of water collecting behind the wall, the earth pressure that can act on the soil will be based on the saturated unit weight of the soil under active, passive or at-rest condition. When the structure is below water table, the unit weight of soil considered is submerged weight. Though the submerged density of soil is lesser than saturated soil weight , thus lesser pressure, there is an additional water pressure acting on the structure whose net effect is more than saturated pressure alone.

What is a weep hole?

Weep holes are for drainage of the back fill material. If the drainage is not provided the soil becomes saturated and it exerts more pressure on the retaining wall than the normal unsaturated soil. In addition the excess water can seep through cracks etc.

How high should a weep hole be for a retaining wall?

Generally weep holes alone are insufficient for retaining walls and should be augmented by permanent perforated drainage pipe wrapped in landscape cloth buried at the backside base of the retaining wall and every 4ft of height.

What is a modular retaining wall?

Modular retaining walls are made to weep and do so much more so than a concrete wall as they are a dry-stack. This means they have no mortar and are engineered to allow the release of water freely through all the joints.

What is the membrane that is wrapped around pebbles?

Fleece (a kind of cloth membrane is wrapped around the pebbles to prevent soil blocking up the gaps and stopping water getting through. Now there are manmade systems of drains with a built in surrounding of plastic chips that do the same job;they come in lengths already wrapped in fleece. 2.8K views. ·.

What is a drainage hole in a retaining wall?

Retaining walls are typically designed with drainage openings which are much larger than weep holes. The drainage holes are there to allow excess water and/or water pressure from building up against the back side of the retaining wall which is already holding the pressure of the back-filled earth behind it. Weep holes are small round ...

Do retaining walls need weep holes?

Yes, most of the retaining walls should have weep holes, especially in case of retaining earth walls. The main aim to provide the weep holes to drain the water that has penetrated due to rain/ other reasons.

Can you seal a timber wall with clay?

However, with just wet soil on one side of the timber wall you will delay drying of the timber and therefore accelerate rot/decay. Eventually with soil movement you could seal the timbers with clay and further accelerate decay. Your retaining wall will last longer with drainage. 1.9K views.

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1.Weep Holes in Retaining Walls: Types, Functions and …

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