UPDATED AND EXPANDED NEW 11TH EDITION. Design guide for earth retaining structures covers nearly every type of earth retaining structure: cantilevered, counterfort, restrained (basement walls), gravity, segmental, sheet pile, soldier pile, and others. Current building code requirements are referenced throughout. Topics include types of retaining structures, basic soil mechanics, design of concrete and masonry walls, lateral earth pressures, seismic design, surcharges, pile and pier foundations, Gabion walls and swimming pool walls. Fourteen varied design examples. Comprehensive Appendix with Glossary of terminology. 257 pages. 8-1/2x11 paperback.

The National Concrete Masonry Association presents the essential guide to constructing segmental retaining walls with detailed, easy-to-follow diagrams and charts for do-it-yourself homeowners and landscape contractors alike. From the fundamentals to the latest research and modern techniques in segmental retaining wall construction, this colorful and inspiring gallery of design suggestions accompanies the expertly written step-by-step guide, and offers a plethora of landscaping ideas ilable and will inspire great new designs for all landscape styles.

Design guide for earth retaining structures. Updated and expanded new 10th edtition covers nearly every type of earth retaining structure: cantilevered, counterfort, restrained (basement walls), gravity, segmental, sheet pile, sodier pile, and others. Current building code requirements are covered including IBC '12, MSJC '11, ACI 318-11, ASCE 7-10, CBC '13, and AASHTO. Topics include types of retaining structures, basic soil mechanics, design of concrete and masonry walls, lateral earth pressures, seismic design, surcharges, pile and pier foundations, and swimming pool walls. Fourteen varied design examples. Comprehensive Appendix. Glossary of terminology. 246 pages. 8-1/2x11 paperback.

Establishing adequate drainage is a critical first step in many of today's construction projects. And often, retaining walls must be used to provide a sufficiently level grade. These two topics - drainage and retaining walls - necessairly go hand-in-hand. This unique reference provides a comprehensive introduction to doing both right.

Building your own retaining wall may seem like a daunting task, but this book breaks the entire process down into manageable pieces and guides you step-by-step throughout the entire process. I cover everything from the initial planning, to getting supplies, digging the trenches, and laying the stones. I have included a full materials list, explanations, troubleshooting tips, and over 50 full-color photos. If you are planning to build your own retaining wall, I hope that as you read this book and view the photos, it will help you as you begin the journey of Building Your Retaining Wall.

The Harmony Search Algorithm (HSA) is one of the most well-known techniques in the field of soft computing, an important paradigm in the science and engineering community. This volume, the proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Harmony Search Algorithm 2015 (ICHSA 2015), brings together contributions describing the latest developments in the field of soft computing with a special focus on HSA techniques. It includes coverage of new methods that have potentially immense application in various fields. Contributed articles cover aspects of the following topics related to the Harmony Search Algorithm: analytical studies; improved, hybrid and multi-objective variants; parameter tuning; and large-scale applications. The book also contains papers discussing recent advances on the following topics: genetic algorithms; evolutionary strategies; the firefly algorithm and cuckoo search; particle swarm optimization and ant colony optimization; simulated annealing; and local search techniques. This book offers a valuable snapshot of the current status of the Harmony Search Algorithm and related techniques, and will be a useful reference for practising researchers and advanced students in computer science and engineering.