Abstract: For inclined retaining walls under translational motion, the earth arch formed behind the wall is assumed arc-shaped. Nonlinear functions of displacement with internal and external friction angle, considering the interlayer shear stress, were established. The horizontal layer analysis method was used to obtain the solution of non-limit active earth pressure distribution, the total earth pressure, point of forces applied. The analytical solution and experimental values are in good agreement comparing to other methods. The results show that regardless of the inter-layer shear stress is considered or not, the magnitude of the earth pressure decreases as the wall displacement increases. The total of earth pressure does not change the magnitude but the distribution of earth pressure varies. The earth pressure considering the shear stress is less than the one in the upper part of the wall without considering the shear stress, and higher than the lower part. Shear stress acts as a hindrance to the soil, and it first increases significantly and then decreases slightly as the internal friction angle increases. Shear stress increases as the external friction angle and displacement increase. With the increase of the wall dorsal obliquity, the shear stress decreases first, then increases in the opposite direction, and the earth pressure increases accordingly. The height of the resultant force point considering the soil arching and shear stress together is between only considering the soil arching effect and the Coulomb solution.

Key words: mode of translation, non-limit active earth pressure, soil arch, displacement, shear stress, horizontal layer analysis