Wall Profile 1 Flat ground in front of and behind wall 1/ Simple low risk retaining wall.

Flat ground in front of and behind wall with Building or Vehicle Surcharge, increased loads on wall.

Sloping ground in front of wall, flat ground behind wall. Reduced soil at base.

Profile 2A: Sloping ground in front, flat ground behind. Building or Vehicle Surcharge. Reduced soil resistance, increased wall loads, stronger wall needed. Foundation depth increased.

Flat ground in front of wall, sloping behind wall. Additional load from the blue wedge of soil. Stronger wall than Profile 1 required to resist added load. Foundation and toe depth needs to be increased over Profile 1 wall.

Flat ground in front of wall, fill with steep batter behind wall. Owner often fails to increase the strength of wall, resulting in failure. Additional load from the soil. Wall size needs to be increased to resist added load. Engineers are unlikely to approve this design of wall.

Wall Profile 4 Sloping ground in front of wall, sloping behind wall. 1/ Additional load from the blue wedge of soil. 2/ Reduced soil at base of wall to resist sliding.

Terraced Retaining Walls: Key considerations and professional insight for complex projects involving multi-tiered support. Engineered solutions required.