Reinforced soil retaining walls represent a new method of resolving a familiar problem. Instead of regarding soil as a mass to be contained by force, the earth itself is reinforced to become an integral part of the structure. The walls behave as gravity structures in an integral unit and provide structural flexibility. Welded wire mats placed within layers of compacted backfill provide the necessary tensile strength. Native soils at the site or from excavation are usually acceptable for backfill. The resulting structure is strong, yet resilient
