PPolySim OS

Retaining Wall (Rankine)

How hard does the soil push, and will the wall tip or slide? Set the soil properties and geometry to see the active earth pressure and stability factors.

Retaining Wall (Rankine)Live

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Rankine theory gives the active earth pressure behind a wall from the coefficient Ka = tan²(45−φ/2). The soil pushes with a triangular pressure resultant Pa acting at one-third the height. The wall must resist overturning and sliding with adequate factors of safety. Educational tool, not a geotechnical design.

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Data Inspector

Ka0.333
Active thrust Pa48.0 kN/m
FS overturning1.82
FS sliding0.81

Governing equation

Reading this result: Sliding FS is 0.81, under the ~1.5 target — the wall could slide out. A wider base or a shear key would help.

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How it works

Rankine earth-pressure theory gives the active pressure coefficient Ka = tan²(45−φ/2), producing a triangular pressure whose resultant acts at one-third the wall height. The wall must resist both overturning about its toe and sliding along its base with adequate factors of safety. Educational tool, not a geotechnical design.

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Frequently asked questions

Is this retaining wall earth pressure calculator tool really free?
Yes. Retaining Wall (Rankine) runs entirely in your browser using your device's own compute, so local use is free forever. You only pay Compute Tokens if you scale a job to the cloud.
Do I need to install anything?
No. Everything runs client-side in a modern browser — no downloads, no license, no account required to start.
Can I save or share my simulation?
Create a free account to save projects, and use a shareable embed or minted DOI to publish a live, interactive version anywhere.
How accurate are the results?
The solver uses established numerical methods, but results are for research and educational purposes and should be validated against experiment or professional review before you rely on them.