Fail
FailGoverning checks use the selected safety factors and assumptions.
Governing results
Wall section and forces
Calculated versus target
Configure wall and loading
Forces and moments
| Force | Horizontal | Vertical | Application height | Moment about toe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Active soil thrust | 44.25 kN/m | 0.00 kN/m | 1.33 m | 58.99 kN·m/m |
| Uniform surcharge thrust | 12.29 kN/m | 0.00 kN/m | 2.00 m | 24.58 kN·m/m |
| Line load thrust | 0.00 kN/m | 0.00 kN/m | 1.80 m | 0.00 kN·m/m |
| Point load thrust | 0.00 kN/m | 0.00 kN/m | 2.00 m | 0.00 kN·m/m |
| Hydrostatic thrust | 0.00 kN/m | 0.00 kN/m | 0.00 m | 0.00 kN·m/m |
| Custom lateral force | 0.00 kN/m | 0.00 kN/m | 2.00 m | 0.00 kN·m/m |
| Wall seismic inertia | 0.00 kN/m | 0.00 kN/m | 2.20 m | 0.00 kN·m/m |
| Wall self-weight | 0.00 kN/m | 55.68 kN/m | 0.00 m | 66.43 kN·m/m |
| Soil over heel | 0.00 kN/m | 115.20 kN/m | 0.00 m | 230.40 kN·m/m |
| Vertical surcharge | 0.00 kN/m | 16.00 kN/m | 0.00 m | 32.00 kN·m/m |
| Vertical earth component | 0.00 kN/m | 20.58 kN/m | 0.00 m | 24.69 kN·m/m |
| Uplift | 0.00 kN/m | 0.00 kN/m | 0.00 m | 0.00 kN·m/m |
Foundation contact and capacity
Calculated coefficients and load components
Stem demand summary
Review before use
- Bearing pressure or capacity does not meet the selected criterion.
- Seismic, remote surcharge, global stability, and reinforced-concrete modules are preliminary screening tools.
- Final design requires project-specific geotechnical and structural review.
Core calculation relationships
Remote surcharge, seismic, global, and structural modules use preliminary screening approximations. Verify those calculations independently.
Recommended workflow
- Enter the project title, wall type, and design basis.
- Define retained height, footing proportions, embedment, and optional shear key.
- Enter verified backfill, foundation, and interface properties.
- Select the earth-pressure method and define all surcharge loads.
- Model groundwater, drainage failure, water in front, and uplift.
- Enable seismic loading when the governing criteria require it.
- Set project-specific safety factors and bearing assumptions.
- Review force tables, contact pressure, warnings, and status labels.
- Save alternatives and compare governing load scenarios.
- Export the report for qualified independent checking.
Editable reference cases
| Case | Height | Base | Soil φ | Surcharge | Water | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small cantilever | 4.0 m | 2.8 m | 32° | 10 kPa | 0 m | Typical drained check |
| Blocked drainage | 4.0 m | 3.4 m | 30° | 10 kPa | 4.0 m | Hydrostatic sensitivity |
| Seismic wall | 5.0 m | 3.8 m | 34° | 12 kPa | 0 m | Pseudo-static screening |
| Sliding failure | 5.0 m | 2.2 m | 26° | 25 kPa | 2.0 m | Warning demonstration |
| High bearing demand | 6.0 m | 3.0 m | 30° | 30 kPa | 0 m | Contact-pressure review |
Recommended scenarios
| Combination | Earth | Surcharge | Water | Seismic | Passive | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Normal drained | Active | Service | Drained | No | Reduced | Routine long-term case |
| Blocked drain | Active | Service | Full hydrostatic | No | Reduced | Drainage failure case |
| Flood | Active | Service | Both sides | No | Reduced | Net water and uplift |
| Seismic | Seismic active | Code value | Specified | Yes | Project rule | Pseudo-static check |
| Construction | At-rest or active | Equipment | Temporary | No | Often ignored | Temporary critical stage |
| Minimum vertical | Active | No favorable weight | Uplift | As required | Reduced | Sliding and flotation |
Understanding retaining wall stability
Retaining walls resist lateral soil pressure through wall weight and foundation resistance. Wall geometry controls stabilizing moments and foundation pressure. Soil properties influence every calculated stability check.
Sliding occurs when horizontal driving forces exceed available resistance. Base friction commonly provides the largest resistance component. Passive resistance should remain conservative and physically available.
Overturning compares stabilizing and destabilizing moments about the wall toe. The vertical resultant should remain within the permitted base zone. Excessive eccentricity creates partial contact and higher pressure.
Groundwater can govern an otherwise adequate retaining wall. Hydrostatic pressure increases rapidly with retained water depth. Uplift reduces effective weight, friction, and foundation contact.
Surcharge may come from traffic, stockpiles, buildings, railways, or equipment. Load position affects pressure magnitude and application height. Temporary construction stages can govern final wall proportions.
Seismic loading introduces soil and wall inertia simultaneously. Simplified pseudo-static methods support preliminary comparisons. Final work needs code-specific seismic analysis and displacement review.
External stability does not confirm concrete structural capacity. Stem, heel, toe, key, and counterfort reinforcement need complete design. Deep global failure may also govern the project.
Use verified geotechnical properties for final calculations. Compare drainage, flood, construction, and seismic scenarios independently. Professional review remains essential for safe construction.
Retaining wall calculator questions
Does a passing sliding check prove the wall is safe?
No. Overturning, bearing, eccentricity, drainage, structural capacity, and global stability also require review.
Should passive resistance always be included?
No. Excavation, erosion, frost, utilities, or future grading may remove passive soil.
Why is groundwater important?
Water adds hydrostatic pressure and may create uplift beneath the foundation.
What does middle-third compliance mean?
It indicates the resultant remains within the central base zone for full compression.
Can cohesion reduce active earth pressure?
Sometimes, but permanent designs often neglect cohesion because it may degrade.
What bearing value should be entered?
Use a project-specific allowable pressure from a qualified geotechnical investigation.
Is the global module a complete slope analysis?
No. It is a screening comparison requiring independently determined forces and geometry.
Can this calculator design reinforcement?
It estimates preliminary stem demand only. Complete structural detailing remains necessary.
How should seismic coefficients be selected?
Use the governing standard, site hazard, wall behavior, and geotechnical recommendations.
Professional limitation
This application is an educational and preliminary design aid. It does not certify code compliance, construction suitability, geotechnical adequacy, or structural safety. Final retaining wall designs must be checked and approved by appropriately qualified professionals.