Bricks, Masonry, Asphalt and Concrete - Cracked brick wall

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Norm
12-09-03, 10:20 PM
Bought this house in 1989. Three sides of back yard are a brick wall, about 8 ft tall. Bricks are 3.5 by 16 inches, and 8 inches thick. Back wall had a vertical crack in it then. Over the years this crack has very slowly widened to about 1/4 inch. The wall on one side of this crack is moving out (toward me as I stand and look at it) relative to the other side of the crack. The displacement slowly grew to 1/2 inch (at the top of the wall). Recently (last month or so) it seems to have accelerated, and now is about an inch.

The other side of the wall is filled with dirt to the top, from which the ground slopes up and away. The wall is (I suppose) acting like a "retainer".

Question: Should I be worried? If so, what can be done about this? Would filling the crack with morter help?

I appreciate any advice. -- Norm

bungalow jeff
12-09-03, 11:05 PM
You have a failing retaining wall and need to have a structural engineer look at it ASAP. It may stabilize for a bit, but it has failed and a freeze thaw cycle and large snow melt can send the wall over in a hurry.