Calculations › Cantilever Retaining Wall
Cantilever Retaining Wall
EN 1997-1
Checks a cantilever retaining wall for sliding, overturning and bearing to EN 1997-1.
Diagram
Example inputs
Stem height2000 mm
Base width B1500 mm
Stem width at base300 mm
Toe length300 mm
Surcharge (q)5 kN/m²
Soil density (γ)18 kN/m³
Friction angle (φ)30 °
Cohesion c0 kN/m²
Allowable bearing (qa)100 kN/m²
Concrete gradeC25/30
Cover50 mm
National annexUK
Results
Retaining Wall — 2000mm stem
C25/30 · base 1500mm · qa=100 kN/m² · EN 1997-1
Results
✓ Sliding PASS
util 0.5419.68EN 1997-1 §6.5.3
| Ka active pressure coefficient = (1−sinφ)/(1+sinφ) | 0.333 | — | Rankine |
| Pa,soil horizontal soil thrust = 0.5 × Ka × γ × H² | 15.85 | kN/m | |
| Pa,surcharge horizontal surcharge thrust = Ka × q × H | 3.83 | kN/m | |
| Hd total driving force = Pa,soil + Pa,surcharge | 19.68 | kN/m | EN 1997-1 §6.5.3 |
| W_total vertical load | 63.15 | kN/m | |
| Friction resistance = W × tan(φ) | 36.46 | kN/m | EN 1997-1 §6.5.3 |
✓ Overturning PASS
util 0.4616.56EN 1997-1 §6.5.4
| Movt overturning moment (about toe) = Pa×ya | 16.56 | kNm/m | EN 1997-1 §6.5.4 |
| Mstab stabilising moment (about toe) = ΣW×x | 53.93 | kNm/m | |
| Required Mstab ≥ 1.5 × Movt | 24.84 | kNm/m |
✓ Bearing PASS
util 0.5453.52EN 1997-1 §6.5.2
| Resultant from toe = (Mstab − Movt) / W_total | 0.59 | m | |
| Eccentricity e = |B/2 − x_result| | 0.158 | m | |
| Effective width Beff = B − 2e | 1.18 | m | EN 1997-1 §6.5.2 |
| σmax bearing pressure = W_total / Beff | 53.52 | kN/m² | |
| qa allowable bearing | 100 | kN/m² |
✓ Stem Bending PASS
util 0.0811.32EN 1992-1-1 §6.1
| MEd stem moment at base = Ka×γ×H³/6 + Ka×q×H²/2 | 11.32 | kNm/m | EN 1992-1-1 §6.1 |
| d effective depth (stem) = tw − cover − φ/2 | 242 | mm | |
| K bending parameter = MEd / (fcd × b × d²) | 0.014 | — | |
| K' limiting parameter | 0.168 | — | |
| z lever arm | 229.9 | mm | |
| As,req stem reinforcement = MEd / (fyd × z) | 113.25 | mm²/m | EN 1992-1-1 §6.1 |
WARNINGS
Passive resistance ignored — conservative for sliding.
Overturning check uses FoS ≥ 1.5 (EN 1997-1 GEO combination).
Try it yourself
Run this calc with your own inputs