Pour concrete slab or build wall first? - Extending a drive on an incline

[Boy Wonder]

I am in the process of widening an existing concrete driveway that is on a slope. The job will involve building a retaining wall (stepped up the slope) along the longest 'new' side and then pouring a concrete slab between new wall and existing concrete drive. I would normally build wall first then pour the concrete second but it has been suggested that I pour concrete using shuttering then build wall tight to new slab. The reason for this would be to reduce splashes and to make it easier to 'tamp' wet concrete on sides of shuttering. Any suggestions please guys?

[TheRockConcreting]

I am in the process of widening an existing concrete driveway that is on a slope. The job will involve building a retaining wall (stepped up the slope) along the longest 'new' side and then pouring a concrete slab between new wall and existing concrete drive. I would normally build wall first then pour the concrete second but it has been suggested that I pour concrete using shuttering then build wall tight to new slab. The reason for this would be to reduce splashes and to make it easier to 'tamp' wet concrete on sides of shuttering. Any suggestions please guys?

What sort of height is your retaining wall going to be?

[lutonlagerlout]

if as Jay is getting at ,the wall is over a metre high it might be best to shutter and make an *L* shape concrete retainer
so the foundation and wall are poured en mass
then concrete your drive as normal with flexible edges
LLL

[Boy Wonder]

Thanks Guys

The height of the wall is 460mm reducing to 0 over a length of 8 metres

[TheRockConcreting]

if as Jay is getting at ,the wall is over a metre high it might be best to shutter and make an *L* shape concrete retainer
so the foundation and wall are poured en mass
then concrete your drive as normal with flexible edges
LLL

that is what i was going to say yes. with it being only half a meter high i would be just digging a footing the same depth as height then setting starter bars 12mm (L bars) then build off that. your slab can sit ontop of this or be poured at the same time.

[Boy Wonder]

Thanks for the replies but I should have mentioned that the retaining wall will be brick, not concrete.......

[TheRockConcreting]

Thanks for the replies but I should have mentioned that the retaining wall will be brick, not concrete.......

You need to still use the method i spoke about whether its brick or concrete. If you intend to just build a wall and call it a retaining wall it will fail over time.

[lutonlagerlout]

^^
Jay is correct
a normal free-standing wall has no shear strength
LLL