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This section explains how to run an analysis with the retaining wall package once it is installed.
There are three ways to run an analysis, depending on how much control you need:
| Method | Best for | Requires an Excel master sheet? |
|---|---|---|
| Command-line interface | Running an analysis without writing any code | Yes |
| Python API — Excel master sheet (advanced) | Scripting an analysis while still using a completed master sheet | Yes |
| Python API — static inputs (advanced) | Running an analysis entirely from Python, with no Excel file at all | No |
The Python API options are advanced features intended for users who are comfortable writing Python scripts. If you just want to run an analysis, start with the command-line interface.
Master sheet template
The command-line interface and the Excel-based Python API both require a completed master sheet. Download the blank template and fill it in with your project's data before running an analysis:
Download master sheet template (.xlsx)
How the analysis works
Given a filled-in master sheet (or an equivalent set of Python inputs), the package runs geotechnical calculations across every combination of factor case, section, load case and combination case it finds, and writes the results back out.
- Factor cases — the set of design/verification cases evaluated (e.g. SLS, DA1C1, DA1C2, …), defined in the General sheet.
- Load cases — the combinations of surcharge, point, line, patch and strip loads applied during the analysis.
- Combination cases — the partial/combination factor sets each load case is evaluated against.
- Sections — a master sheet may describe more than one cross-section of the wall; each Section sheet is analyzed independently. Section sheets must be named
Section *(e.g.Section A,Section B).
Whichever method you use, results are written to an outputs/ sub-folder relative to where the analysis is run. Inside outputs/, each section gets its own sub-folder named after that section's sheet name (e.g. Section A, Section B), containing:
- One result workbook per factor case, load case and combination case, named
<project_name>_<factor_case>_<load_case>_<combination_case>_Leading.xlsm. - A
Combined_Results.xlsxsummary workbook for that section.