Retaining Wall Pressure Calculator
Active thrust on a wall — soil, surcharge and water components separated.
Watch the water term: 1 m of trapped water adds more thrust than the next metre of soil. Weep holes and gravel drains aren't details — they're half the design.
Formula
Retaining Wall Pressure Calculator is a free retaining wall pressure for geotechnical engineers and foundation designers — instant, accurate and 100% client-side, with the governing formula and reference shown next to the result so the number can be defended, not just quoted.
About Retaining Wall Pressure Calculator
Active thrust on a wall — soil, surcharge and water components separated. The calculation implements P = ½K_aγH² + K_a·q·H + ½γ_wH_w² (Rankine theory; retaining wall practice). Watch the water term: 1 m of trapped water adds more thrust than the next metre of soil. Weep holes and gravel drains aren't details — they're half the design.
How to use Retaining Wall Pressure Calculator
- 1Enter Wall height in m.
- 2Enter Backfill unit weight in kN/m³.
- 3Enter Backfill φ in °.
- 4Enter Surcharge on backfill in kPa (Traffic ≈ 10–20 kPa).
- 5Read Soil thrust, Total thrust per metre, Resultant height above base instantly — no submit button needed.
- 6Need US units? Flip the SI/Imperial toggle and every field converts.
Why use Retaining Wall Pressure Calculator?
- ✓Implements the standard formula — P = ½K_aγH² + K_a·q·H + ½γ_wH_w²
- ✓Reference cited on-page: Rankine theory; retaining wall practice
- ✓One-click SI ⇄ Imperial toggle — values convert in place, physics stays in SI
- ✓Runs entirely in your browser — nothing uploaded, free forever
Frequently asked questions
What formula does the Retaining Wall Pressure Calculator use?+
It computes P = ½K_aγH² + K_a·q·H + ½γ_wH_w², per Rankine theory; retaining wall practice. The formula is displayed under the result.
What should I keep in mind when using this calculator?+
Watch the water term: 1 m of trapped water adds more thrust than the next metre of soil. Weep holes and gravel drains aren't details — they're half the design.
Can this replace a soil investigation?+
No calculator replaces boreholes and lab tests — but with investigated parameters in hand, this gives you the standard-method result instantly, with the formula shown so reviewers can check it.
Is the Retaining Wall Pressure Calculator free to use?+
Yes — completely free, no sign-up, no limits. It runs client-side in your browser, so inputs stay private and results are instant even on slow connections.
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