What does counterfort mean?
A counterfort is a structural support in the form of a projecting rib or buttress, typically built at right angles to the rear face of a retaining wall. Retaining walls must withstand the considerable sideways pressure exerted by the soil or other material they hold back, and counterforts act as braces that tie the wall into the ground behind it, transferring that pressure safely into the earth. They are most often seen in tall reinforced-concrete retaining walls, where they allow a thinner, more economical wall stem than would otherwise be possible. The word derives from French contrefort, combining elements meaning 'against' and 'strong', and entered English in the seventeenth century, when it could also refer to supports in buildings and even fortifications. Today its use is almost entirely confined to civil and structural engineering, making it a precise technical term rather than a household word.
nounA buttress-like projection built against the outer face of a retaining wall or similar structure to strengthen it and resist the lateral pressure of the material it retains.
- A projecting support or buttress built against the back of a retaining wall to resist lateral earth pressure.
"The engineer added counterforts along the rear of the retaining wall to keep it stable under the weight of the hillside soil."
"The design specified counterforts at regular intervals behind the retaining wall to distribute the soil pressure."
"Cracks appeared where the old counterfort had begun to separate from the main wall."
Standard regular plural; commonly used since walls typically have multiple counterforts spaced along their length.
"The retaining wall was stiffened by counterforts spaced at six-metre intervals."
The word counterfort literally means 'opposite strength' — a hidden rib on a wall's back side doing the heavy lifting you never see.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of counterfort
Counterfort comes from French contrefort, formed from contre- ('against') plus fort ('strong'), ultimately from Latin fortis meaning 'strong'. The term was borrowed into English in the early seventeenth century, initially for architectural supports such as buttresses before narrowing largely to engineering use. It shares the Latin root with English words like fortify and fortress, and parallels other counter- borrowings from French such as counterpart and counterweight.
How counterfort is actually used
A technical term used chiefly in civil and structural engineering; rare in everyday speech.
Easily confused with counterfort
A counterscarp is the outer sloping face of a fortification ditch, whereas a counterfort is a supporting buttress built against a wall.