What is Lateral Earth Pressure

Designing any retaining wall requires a knowledge of lateral earth pressure, the pressure developed by the backfill. It is the force generated by the lateral earth pressure that constitutes a large part of the load that the wall must carry.

To determine the lateral earth pressure acting against the retaining wall, several soil parameters must be known in order for the qualified engineer to assess a particular wall design and its overall stability:

  • soil unit weight
  • angle of internal friction of the soil
  • cohesion and plasticity indices for cohesive soils (for instance, clays)
  • water table location.

Once the lateral earth pressures are known, the wall is checked for stability. This includes checks for wall overturning, base sliding, and soil bearing capacity failures.

Improper wall design and installation results in failures of retaining walls.

By understanding how a wall works, and how it can fail, it is possible to engineer a retaining structure that will meet all foreseen environmental, structural and construction demands.

Return to Segmental Retaining Walls

Site Sponsors