Earth Retention System Designer
Generate compliant earth retention designs with pressure calculations and regulatory docs
What You Can Do
Design earth retention systems by inputting soil properties, site geometry, and regulatory requirements. Claude calculates lateral earth pressures using Coulomb, Rankine, and Mononobe-Okabe methods, verifies factors of safety for internal and external stability, compares competing retention concepts (gravity walls, cantilever, anchored, sheet-pile, soil-nail), and generates cost-benefit analysis and regulatory documentation packages ready for permit submission.
Features
Automatically computes active, passive, and at-rest pressures using classical geotechnical methods (Coulomb, Rankine, Mononobe-Okabe) for cohesive, granular, and mixed soils
Evaluates internal stability (sliding, overturning, bearing) and external stability with user-defined minimum safety thresholds
Generates design alternatives (gravity walls, cantilever, anchored walls, sheet-pile, soil nailing, slope stabilization) with cost and constructability trade-offs
Rapidly iterates across retained heights, slope angles, and soil parameters to optimize geometry and material requirements
Creates temporary shoring designs for urban/confined excavations with lateral support calculations
Performs simplified slope stability analysis using Bishop and Fellenius methods for slopes and embankments
Generates calculation summaries, assumptions sheets, and design justification packages formatted for permit submissions
Recommends wall thickness, reinforcement spacing, anchor density, and pile depths to minimize cost while maintaining safety
Example Output
Input: 15 ft retained height, dense sand (φ = 35°, γ = 120 pcf), surcharge load 200 psf, seismic zone 2B
Output Example 1 — Gravity Wall Design:
- Active pressure: 875 psf at base
- Required wall thickness: 4.5 ft (concrete density 150 pcf)
- Factor of safety (sliding): 1.45 ✓
- Factor of safety (overturning): 2.1 ✓
- Estimated cost per linear foot: $850
Output Example 2 — Anchored Wall Alternative:
- Wall thickness: 1.5 ft (reinforced concrete)
- Anchor spacing: 10 ft vertical × 12 ft horizontal
- Anchor tension: 45 kips per anchor
- Factor of safety (internal): 1.55 ✓
- Estimated cost per linear foot: $620
Output Example 3 — Documentation Package:
- Pressure distribution diagram with calculations
- Stability verification matrix (sliding, overturning, bearing capacity)
- Recommended construction sequencing for ESS
- Material and dimension summary for specifications
What's Included
- SKILL.md: System prompt with geotechnical design methodology
- Soil Properties Template: Input worksheet for cohesion, friction angle, unit weight, and soil classification
- Site Geometry Checklist: Retained height, slope angle, surcharge loads, groundwater conditions, seismic parameters
- Design Calculation Framework: Structured format for pressure calculations, factor of safety checks, and cost estimation
- Regulatory Documentation Checklist: Items required for permit submissions by jurisdiction (ASCE 7, local building codes)
Who It's For
- Geotechnical Engineers — designing retaining walls, sheet-pile systems, and slope stabilization for infrastructure projects
- Civil Engineers — developing excavation support system (ESS) designs for building construction and site development
- Site Engineers — optimizing earth retention concepts during preliminary design and value engineering phases
- Structural Engineers — coordinating lateral load assumptions between geotechnical and structural design teams
- Project Managers — conducting feasibility analysis across competing retention alternatives for cost and schedule
Best For
- Preliminary earth retention concept selection for retained heights 5–50 ft
- Lateral earth pressure calculations for cohesive, granular, and layered soil profiles
- Factor of safety verification and sensitivity analysis for multiple design scenarios
- Cost comparison between gravity walls, cantilever walls, anchored systems, sheet-pile, and soil nailing
- Temporary excavation support system (ESS) design for urban and confined construction sites
- Slope stability screening and embankment design optimization
- Permit documentation preparation with calculation summaries and design justification
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