How a king post wall works
Steel posts are installed into the ground at designed centres and panels, typically precast concrete, are placed between them as excavation proceeds or after installation. The posts resist lateral earth pressure through their embedment, while the panels span between them. Post size, spacing, embedment and panel type are set by the design for each site.
Where king post walls are used
- Basement excavations in built-up areas, including where planning requires a quieter installation method
- Sloping and terraced residential sites with changes of level
- Retaining walls beside highways and junctions, alongside sheet-piled sections where appropriate
- Excavations where the wall can be installed from existing ground level before digging begins
Project constraints we plan around
Ground conditions, groundwater, retained height, nearby structures and surcharge loads all influence whether a king post wall suits the site. Access for plant, room for panel deliveries and lifting, buried services and the excavation sequence are reviewed before a method is proposed. Where groundwater or watertightness is a priority, a sheet-piled wall may be the better choice.
Our approach
DAACE designs and installs king post walls, from the wall layout and connection details through to installation on site. Our project record includes a king post wall supporting basement construction at Lozells Road Mosque, where retained depths reached four metres in places, king post and panel walls at Parkview Hospital and Littlecombe, Dursley, and kingpost-and-panel sections combined with sheet piling at Harbury Lane crossroads.
Information that helps us quote
- Site address and access arrangements
- Retained height and length of wall
- Ground investigation information, if available
- Drawings of the proposed excavation or development
- Nearby structures, services and any planning conditions on noise or vibration
- Intended programme
Every application is subject to a project-specific suitability assessment.