What type of wall is designed to withstand lateral pressure from the soil?

A retaining wall is specifically designed to withstand the lateral pressure exerted by soil. Its primary purpose is to hold back soil and manage changes in ground elevation, especially on sloped terrain. This type of wall effectively counteracts the forces of gravity and hydrostatic pressure resulting from rain and drainage, ensuring stability and preventing erosion or landslides.

In contrast, a load-bearing wall supports vertical loads from the structure above, a shear wall provides lateral support to resist forces such as wind or seismic activity, and a fire wall is built to prevent the spread of fire between structures. While all these types of walls serve essential functions in construction, it is the retaining wall that is specifically engineered to deal with the lateral forces of soil pressure.