Volex Labs / Calculations / Retaining wall design, checked the classical way.

Retaining wall design, checked the classical way.

From soil parameters and wall geometry, Volex computes active and passive pressures, the sliding and overturning factors of safety, bearing pressure under the toe, and the stem and base reinforcement.

The earth pressure coefficients are validated against Craig's 'Soil Mechanics' tables — the same numbers you would look up by hand — so there is no argument about where Ka came from. Gabion and sheet-pile walls are separate modules.

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What Volex checks

Validated against the published example

Rankine Ka/Kp at φ = 35° (dense sand) Craig 'Soil Mechanics' 7th Ed, Table 11.1
QuantityPublishedVolexError
Ka0.2710.2710.00%
Kp3.693.690.00%
This case is one of 359 published checks the platform passes — the full table, with every source and every error, is public at volexlabs.com/verification.

Frequently asked

Which earth pressure theories does it use?
Rankine by default, Coulomb where wall friction matters — both validated against Craig's Soil Mechanics tables to 0.0% error on the standard cases.
Does it check sliding and overturning?
Yes — factors of safety for sliding (base friction plus passive resistance where you allow it) and overturning about the toe, plus bearing pressure with eccentricity.
Can it design the reinforcement?
Yes, the stem and base are designed as RC members to EC2 with the moment diagrams taken from the pressure distribution.
Does Volex cover gabion and sheet-pile walls?
Yes — both are separate modules with their own validation cases (gabion mass walls and cantilever sheet-pile embedment).

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