The National Concrete Masonry Association (NCMA), in collaboration with NCMA members and industry leaders, has published the Segmental Retaining Walls Best Practices Guide for the specification, design, construction, and inspection of these systems. The guide is a compendium of contemporary knowledge collected over several decades that highlight practical, field-proven solutions using segmental retaining walls (SRWs).

This is an essential guide to aid owners, designers, site civil engineers, geotechnical engineers, and installers of SRWs. The information and recommendations presented in the guide are intended to augment the design practices and recommendations contained within NCMA’s Design Manual for Segmental Retaining Walls, but are equally applicable regardless of the design methodology selected.

“In the 30 years since the segmental retaining wall industry started production, the manufacturers, installers and researchers have learned what works and what doesn’t when installing walls,” says NCMA President Robert Thomas. “The industry decided it was time to document those best practices to continue to improve design and installation practices.”

The Segmental Retaining Wall Best Practices Guide can be downloaded at no charge from the NCMA Solutions Center, or a print copy can be purchased through the NCMA Bookstore at www.ncma.org for $40. Visit the NCMA Solutions Center for additional segmental retaining wall resources.