Cantilever Retaining Wall Design
Design of a cantilever reinforced-concrete retaining wall analyzed per 1-ft strip with level drained granular backfill (Rankine active pressure). Performs the geotechnical stability checks at service load — overturning, sliding (base friction, passive neglected), and bearing with the no-uplift check per IBC §1807.2 — then designs the structural elements at factored load: stem flexure and shear at the base, and heel and toe flexure and shear at the stem face per ACI 318-19. Fully customizable.
What this calculates
Rankine active pressure coefficient, total lateral earth thrust and surcharge, resisting and overturning moments and the overturning factor of safety, driving and resisting forces and the sliding factor of safety, base bearing pressure distribution with the no-uplift check, and the factored stem/heel/toe moments, required reinforcement, and one-way shear demand-to-capacity ratios.
Inputs
Retained soil height above top of base (stem cantilever)
Stem wall thickness
Base slab (footing) thickness
Base projection in front of the stem
Base projection behind the stem (under backfill)
Moist unit weight of backfill
Internal friction angle of the backfill (level)
Uniform surcharge on the backfill
Coefficient of friction, base–soil (tan δ)
Net allowable soil bearing (geotechnical report)
Specified compressive strength of concrete
Reinforcement yield strength (ASTM A615 Gr. 60)
Outputs
Rankine active earth-pressure coefficient
Resisting / overturning moment — must be ≥ 1.5–2.0
Resisting / driving force — must be ≥ 1.5
Maximum base bearing pressure (no uplift)
Stem flexural demand-to-capacity ratio — must be ≤ 1.0
One-way shear demand-to-capacity ratio — must be ≤ 1.0
Methodology
Per ACI 318-19 (concrete design) plus IBC 2018/2021 §1807.2 (lateral soil loads and retaining-wall stability). Level drained granular backfill, Rankine active coefficient Ka = (1 − sinφ)/(1 + sinφ). Stability uses service loads with factors of safety (overturning ≥ 1.5–2.0, sliding ≥ 1.5 per IBC §1807.2.3; base friction only, passive neglected). Structural design uses factored loads with a 1.6·H lateral earth-pressure factor per ASCE 7-22 §2.3.1 / ACI 318-19 §5.3.1: stem and heel/toe flexure per §22.2, one-way shear per §22.5.5.1, and design strength per §9.5.1.1. Reinforcement ASTM A615 Gr. 60. Excludes seismic, sloped/cohesive backfill, passive/shear keys, and global stability.
Code References
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