Retain Pro 2007 users

Many of you continue to use version 2007. We urge you to upgrade! We are continuing the $99 upgrade offer (www.retainpro.com) until nearly all are on board with Retain Pro 9. We don't want to leave you behind on patches, enhancements, and continuing free tech support. Plus, you will have the new features in retain Pro 9 which are listed on our home page. You'll get immediate download instructions, a much simpler installation system, and priority free help whenever you need it. Stay with us!

Free Retain Pro 9 for plan review agencies

We have had many plan review agencies ask for and receive free copies of Retain Pro 9. It is available to any city, county, state, or federal agencies using it for design reviews. If your building official or design reviewing agency would like a copy, they can submit their request by clicking a tab on the Order Menu at www.retainpro.com. This will help them review your design submittals -- and those submitted by others - and gives you one-up for acceptance of your submittal. Encourage them to take advantage of this offer!

Retain Pro Annual User Survey

We want to know how well we're serving you - your likes, dislikes, and which features you use most or would like to see added. Our annual user survey (Retain Pro 9 users) is attached - it will only take a few minutes - and all those who response will receive our updated Twelve Reasons Retaining Walls Can Fail and Twelve Cost-Effective Fixes. Just click TAKE SURVEY and SUBMIT when you finish. Thanks! We'll report results in our next newsletter.

Your company and the economy

Would you like to know how your peers are doing in this difficult economy? To find out, we've again posted our home-page survey (near the bottom of the screen) to see which of the four statements match your view. Click your viewpoint and Submit, then View Results to see totals. It will be interesting!

Live in California?

We've been in the news with considerable earthquake activity near the Mexican border. And the odds get shorter for the Big One. To get a minute-by-minute display of seismic activity in our vulnerable state, click on http://quake.wr.usgs.gov/recenteqs/index.html.

Technical Topics

Transferring projects (RP5 files) and walls to Retain Pro 9. We get many questions about this, so here is an explanation that we will be adding to the next printing of the user's Manual: There are two ways to use Retain Pro 9 to transfer projects and walls from prior versions of Retain Pro to the current version. Before discussing them, know that Retain Pro 9 can open and edit prior versions of Retain Pro projects and walls. However, once you edit and save a wall using Retain Pro 9, you will not be able to be open that wall with an earlier version of Retain Pro. If you have earlier versions of Retain Pro project files (*.rp5) we suggest making a duplicate of those project files and saving them where Retain Pro 9 saves its project files, normally in the "My Documents\RetainPro9" Folder. On the "Wall in Project File" screen there is a button at the bottom called "Duplicate Project File" that can assist you in making a duplicate copy of your prior version project file. Your other option is to do it on a wall by wall basis using the "Import Wall from another File" button just to the left of the "Duplicate Project File" button. Following are the instructions on how to do it each way:

1. Duplicate Project File:
   Start Retain Pro 9 and when on the "Welcome to Retain Pro 9" screen, you will see the "Open Project File" button. Click that button and you will be presented with a screen on which you can navigate to and select your project file (*.RP5) used in your prior version of Retain Pro. Select the appropriate project file then click "Open" to open that project file. Do not edit any walls. Next, click the "Duplicate Project File" button at the bottom of the screen. You will then be presented with a screen on which to navigate to where you want to save your Retain Pro 9 projects. We suggest the "My Documents\RetainPro9" folder. Using the navigation buttons provided on that screen, navigate to where you want to save a copy of the current project you have open. Then click the "Save" button. You have now made a duplicate copy of your project file in the target folder. Next you need to open that project. Click the "Close File" button to close the prior version project file. Then click the "Open File" button at the top of the screen next to the "Start Menu" button. You are presented with navigation screen on which you can navigate to the project file (*.rp5) file you wish to open. Navigate to the folder and file you just saved and click the "Open" button. You are now ready to edit walls in a new copy of the project file.
2. Import Wall from another File:
   Before you can import a wall, you will want to open an existing Retain Pro 9 project or create a new Retain Pro 9 project. After you have opened or created a Retain Pro 9 project, you will need to get to the "Walls in Project File" screen if not already there. If you have any walls open for editing, simply "Save" or "Cancel" that wall and you will be brought to the "Walls in Project File" screen. At the bottom of that screen, you will see the "Import Wall from another File" button. Click that button and you will be presented with a screen on which you can navigate to your project file (*.rp5) you used for your prior version of Retain Pro. Select the appropriate file then click "Open" to get a list of walls. Select the wall you wish to import then click the "Import" button. That wall is copied from the project file of the prior version of Retain Pro into your current project for Retain Pro 9. You are now ready for that wall.

Effect of backfill slope on stem active pressure. We get many questions about this, asking why the active pressure doesn't change with a change in backfill slope. If you select either the Rankine or Coulomb method, the stem active pressure will be automatically increased with increasing slope, because the backfill slope is embedded in the equations for both methods. However, if you are using the Equivalent Fluid Pressure (EFP) method you need to specify the active pressure based upon the slope. For example, a 2:1 slope may require a lateral pressure of 45 pcf instead of 30 pcf for a level backfill. The slope-adjusted values are usually given by the geotechnical engineer.

Quick check for lateral load from an adjacent footing. NAVFAC Design manual 7.2-74 has a simple equation for the total lateral force imposed by a line load (such as an adjacent footing).

For the load greater than 0.4H from the wall:

P_H = (0.64 Q_L) / (m² + 1)
where P_H = total lateral load; Q_L = line load in plf; m = ratio of horizontal distance from wall to the vertical load/height of wall.

For the load = 0.4H from the wall:
P_H = 0.55 Q_L

You should find that Retain Pro results derived from the Boussinesq equation will closely agree with the results from the above equations. However, be aware that soil mechanics is not an exact science and that there are many "simplified" methods with few being in agreement. Design equations are usually developed based upon idealized soil conditions yielding results that generally depart from field measurements of the predicted outcome . The above equations should give reasonable values.

Selecting the k_h value for seismic design. We've discussed this in previous newsletters. First determine S_DS per IBC '09, Section 1615.5. Then for peak ground acceleration for retaining walls see Section 1803.5.12(2) and ASCE 7-05, 11.8.3(2) which defines the design acceleration as S_DS/2,5. The k_h design value is the same as further described in NEHRP (FEMA) Commentary, Section 7.5.1 defining k_h = S_DS/2.5. This is the value to insert for seismic loading because of soil pressure. Retain Pro converts this to an angle (Θ = tan-1 k_h) for use in the Mononobe-Okabe equation. For a more thorough discussion of this subject see Chapter 7 in Basics of Retaining Wall Design. Note: This procedure is NOT applicable for restrained walls - refer to the above cited NEHRP section or the above Basics book.

Requesting technical support

When you email us for tech support (support@retainpro.com) include your name, company, phone, and you must include your registration number (RP-xxxxxxx). Please do not contact us by phone unless it is an urgent situation.

If we do not respond within two business days please resend - some emails are inadvertently lost or overlooked.

Before asking for help, scroll through technical FAQs which are on our Support page (www.retainpro.com/support). And remember that pressing F1 from any screen will get entry explanations.

Interested in consulting for us part time?

To assist us from your office with development and improvement of existing modules we're looking for Retain Pro users with special expertise in segmental retaining walls or sheet pile walls. If you have such expertise and would like part-time consulting, email me at hbrooks@retainpro.com. We're also looking for a PE (SE preferred) with extensive experience with all features of Retain Pro to assist with technical support and development.

Suggestions and comments.

We always welcome your suggestions and comments. If you have suggestions, comments, or a technical item to contribute, we want to hear from you. Email me at hbrooks@retainpro.com.

With best wishes,