Stepped retaining wall?

[patricks]

Anybody have tips for modeling a stepped site retaining wall? I may end up just doing a separate wall for each course of block, since the ends of each course will end in different places, depending upon the grading.

[sfaust]

why not just edit the wall profile?

[patricks]

Well each block course steps back a bit. I suppose I could do an in-place blend with the top wall surface pushed back from the bottom wall surface, and then cut the ends with voids.

I was trying be able to do it entirely in plan, though.

[Andre Carvalho]

Well each block course steps back a bit. I suppose I could do an in-place blend with the top wall surface pushed back from the bottom wall surface, and then cut the ends with voids.

I was trying be able to do it entirely in plan, though.

Patrick,

If you want to do it in plan and still be able to edit the profile of the wall later to make it respect the grading, you could use a stacked wall. You know, you can play with the walls offset and editing the profile of the stacked wall will "cut" all at once.

Andre Carvalho

[twiceroadsfool]

Make a stacked wall using a Basic wall type that is CMU, and make each wall in the stacked wall one block tall, with offsets in the definition of the Stacked wall?

[patricks]

wow, can you do a stacked wall with that many separate wall "pieces"?

I will definitely give that a try.

[patricks]

Works great.

Only problem is all the lines visible in plan at each course (stepped back 2") makes it look like a big black mass.

[twiceroadsfool]

Yeah, i could see that... Although its "technically" right depending on how high your plan cut plane is set. Youll probably have to resport to some typical override or something at that location.

Maybe put a plan region thats 6" off the ground around the wall so it only cuts one course?

The only thing that could make the stacked wall approach a pain, is having to set one basic wall to variable. It that retaining wall needs to grow taler or shorter, youll need different definitions of stacked walls, as it wont let you make one shorter than the definition, and itll stop stepping after the definition hits the oroginal size. But, i cant think of any other way i would want stacked walls to function, so i love em the way they are, lol...

Oh, except i wish they could attach bases and tops without attaching every basic wall, lol...

[patricks]

I don't think a plan region would work, since the toposurface is 4-5 feet higher behind the wall than in front... hence the need for the wall in the first place. ;)

[twiceroadsfool]

I don't think a plan region would work, since the toposurface is 4-5 feet higher behind the wall than in front... hence the need for the wall in the first place. ;)

LOL... Keep all the lines then, they should be there anyway. :)