How do I simulate a retaining wall?

Open this page and use the live Site Grading & Runoff tool below — set your inputs and the simulation runs instantly in your browser using real numerics. No install, no account needed.

Yes. The simulation runs free in your browser. A one-time unlock or a Pro plan adds advanced parameters, saved presets, data import, and clean exports.

Can I use my own numbers?

Absolutely — every input is adjustable, and with data import you can drive a retaining wall from your own measurements.

Use case · powered by Site Grading & Runoff

Site Grading & Runoff for a retaining wall

Simulate a retaining wall live in your browser. This runs the real Site Grading & Runoff solver — adjust the inputs, watch it respond instantly, and export the result. No install, no account.

For:Students Researchers Educators Engineers Hobbyists & Makers K-12 Students First Responders

Groundwater

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Groundwater Well DrawdownLive

Thiem steady-state cone of depression

Controls

Presets

Pumping rate Q (m³/day)

Transmissivity T (m²/day)

Radius of influence R (m)

Pumping a well lowers the water table into a cone of depression. Under the Thiem steady-state solution the drawdown is s(r) = Q/(2πT)·ln(R/r): more pumping deepens the cone, higher transmissivity flattens it. Fundamental to well design, water supply, and contaminant capture.

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Data Inspector

Drawdown at well4.7 m

Drawdown at 50 m1.47 m

Radius of influence500 m

Governing equation

s (r) = \frac{Q}{2 π T} ln \frac{R}{r} = \frac{2000}{2 π \cdot 500} ln \frac{500}{r}

Reading this result: Drawdown is Q/(2πT)·ln(R/r): here it is about 4.7 m at the well and falls off logarithmically, so most of the depression sits in the first tens of metres.

Runs locally in your browser — free forever. Scale to the cloud when reality gets heavy.

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Spatial Interpolation

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Spatial Interpolation (IDW)Live

filling the gaps between measurements

Controls

Presets

Power parameter

Given scattered measurements — rainfall gauges, soil samples, air-quality sensors — inverse-distance weighting estimates values everywhere in between. Each sample's influence falls off with distance raised to a power: a low power gives smooth, blended surfaces; a high power makes each sample dominate its neighborhood in sharp bull's-eyes. The workhorse of GIS mapping.

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Data Inspector

Samples8

Power p2.0

Characterbalanced

Governing equation

\overset{z}{^} (x) = \frac{\sum _{i} w _{i} z _{i}}{\sum _{i} w _{i}}, w_{i} = \frac{1}{d _{i}^{2.0}}

Reading this result: At power 2.0 nearby samples win but distant ones still contribute — a balanced surface between smooth and spiky.

Runs locally in your browser — free forever. Scale to the cloud when reality gets heavy.

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About this simulation

The full Site Grading & Runoff tool models a retaining wall with the same numerics engineers and scientists use — running entirely client-side. Change any parameter and the result updates in real time, so you can build intuition, check a design, or teach the concept without spreadsheets or installs.

More you can do with Site Grading & Runoff

Site Grading & Runoff for a cantilever balcony Site Grading & Runoff for a bridge girder Site Grading & Runoff for a floor joist Site Grading & Runoff for a roof rafter Site Grading & Runoff for a steel beam Site Grading & Runoff for a timber deck Site Grading & Runoff for a crane boom Site Grading & Runoff for a stair stringer

Other ways to simulate a retaining wall

2D Fluid (CFD) for a retaining wall 3D CFD for a retaining wall 3D FEA Space Frame for a retaining wall FEA Truss for a retaining wall Meshing + BCs for a retaining wall RLC Circuit for a retaining wall

Frequently asked questions

How do I simulate a retaining wall?: Open this page and use the live Site Grading & Runoff tool below — set your inputs and the simulation runs instantly in your browser using real numerics. No install, no account needed.
Is it free?: Yes. The simulation runs free in your browser. A one-time unlock or a Pro plan adds advanced parameters, saved presets, data import, and clean exports.
Can I use my own numbers?: Absolutely — every input is adjustable, and with data import you can drive a retaining wall from your own measurements.