ABSTRACT
Dry stone walls are defined as stone walls over 1.2 m high constructed without mortar; they may be up to 15 m in height and vary in length from a few metres to over a kilometre. A recent census undertaken by the Department of Transport and the Highway Authorities in the United Kingdom has shown that retaining walls are more numerous than previously recognized (Table 24.1), and 50% of these walls are of dry stone construction (Department of Transport, 1987). The maintenance problems of these structures are becoming more apparent and in some districts the maintenance costs of dry stone walls has exceeded the costs required for bridge maintenance (Hayward, 1983).
