Building on clay

["John Vancamp" <jvcstnwrks@zzzzzzzzzzzzz>]

.  but for a retaining wall only one meter
 high?  heck, you don't even need a foundation.  just take the turf
off.  use hefty base rocks. and capstones.  build it well and it will
 shift for itself.

Been away from the computer for a while, but I'm sure glad Tomas weighed in
on this one..  Reading all the emails the thread generated, I was under the
impression that the wall in question was free standing, not a retaining
wall, but no matter, much of the advice is overkill for the situation.  The
beauty of well laid drystone work is the walls ability to move and shift
with the seasons without breaking up like mortared work can.  The key is
"well laid" , and, for all you sculptors on the list, that in it's self is
an art form with traditions that go back into the dawn of human history.  I
don't think the miles of dry wall running across Ireland, Scotland, and all
those other "lands" had benefit of machine dug foundations when they were
built.
Just my opinion--worth what it cost.
JVC