King post wall
King post walls contain main columns (king posts) installed in equal spaces at a few metres, along the line of a retaining wall, the space in between is filled with concrete panels, blocks or stone and acts as a retaining wall. Specification for king postwalls can be found in the British standards or Eurocode 7 for temporary or permanent conditions.
Generally the king posts are driven into the ground, thus also referred to as king piles, and connected with a beam, to form H shapes, as such one might refer to the lower half as king piles and the upper half as king posts. The upper part of the H structure is normally then in filled with precast concrete panels and may sit above ground, as was the case in the earlier designs used in the construction of the Berlin wall (also sometime used to describe this construction method). The same design approach may also be entirely back filled and located underground for the construction of retaining walls, often referred to as king post piles, or pile walls, soldier walls or just retaining walls.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- Bearing capacity.
- Building foundations.
- Compensated foundation.
- Continuous flight auger piles.
- Driven piles.
- Footings.
- Geothermal pile foundations.
- Ground anchor.
- King post.
- Micropiles.
- Pad foundation.
- Pile foundations.
- Principles of foundations.
- Raft foundation.
- Rubble trench foundation.
- Screw pile foundations.
- Stepped foundation.
- Strip foundation.
Featured articles
Check out some of the best features and news from Designing Buildings as well as key stories from around the web.
Government approach could undermine delivery and regeneration.
World's first mass timber data centre.
The overlooked environmental aspect of data centre development.
Introduction to radon awareness
New technical information sheet published by CIOB.
Updated supplier guide can help electrical contractors engage with NHP.
CIAT confirm the winners of the 2026 architectural technology awards.
Government launches a one stop shop for flood preparedness.
Sir Edwin Lutyens: Britain's greatest architect? Book review.
CIOB publishes free template to help assess and manage risks.
ECA's reflections on Party Conference season
Burnham wants to be confident of winning before asking for a fresh mandate.
New Chief Construction and Scientific Adviser
Sergio Cavalaro, Professor of Infrastructure Systems at Loughborough University.
Building safety levy for England
CIAT publish estimator tool for members.
Water sector faces a growing crisis that could slow the delivery of vital infrastructure.
















