
May 16, 2022
Retaining Wall Design in RISACalc
Learn how to load and design individual masonry and concrete retaining walls in RISACalc.
Rigid diaphragms in RISA-3D are a powerful way to model how floor systems distribute lateral loads. By forcing all connected nodes to move together in-plane, they effectively capture the stiffness of a concrete slab or diaphragm deck—often simplifying analysis without sacrificing accuracy. However, when rigid diaphragms are combined with sloping members, they can introduce unexpected behavior that changes how the structure resists loads—sometimes creating a hidden “tension tie” that doesn’t exist in the real system. When Rigid Diaphragms Alter the Model’s Behavior Consider a simple moment frame with sloped beams under gravity loads—common in pre-engineered metal buildings. Model 1: No rigid diaphragm applied Model 2: Identical frame, but with a rigid diaphragm located at the eaves When reviewing the strong-axis bending moments, column base reactions, and thrust forces: The first frame behaves as expected. The second frame (with the rigid diaphragm) shows reduced bending moments and smaller thrust reactions at the column bases. At first glance, this might seem like an improvement—but it’s actually unrealistic behavior caused by the diaphragm. Why It Happens: The “Hidden Tension Tie” In the model with the rigid diaphragm, the diaphragm prevents the eaves from moving apart under load. This effectively turns the diaphragm into…
Read More
Learn how to load and design individual masonry and concrete retaining walls in RISACalc.
RISAFoundation has the capability to consider seismic loading for retaining walls.
The batter dimensions can be set from Wall Footing Definitions:
Our monthly "Structural Moment" newsletter is the best way to keep up with RISA’s product updates, new releases, new features, training events, webinars and more...