With You From Design Through Construction — and Beyond
Support has always been at the core of what we do. It started with a simple commitment: when you work with Earth Retention, your engineering team doesn't disappear after the plans are stamped. We stay with your project through construction — answering RFIs, solving field problems, and keeping things moving.
But support doesn't stop at our projects. Over the years, we've built software tools and training programs that serve the entire retaining wall industry — because when the profession gets better, everyone's projects get better.
Your Project – Our Commitment.
Our support starts long before construction — and continues long after the plans are stamped.
Before the project starts:
Preliminary design and consultation — we review your site plans, geotechnical data, and project requirements early. The sooner we're involved, the more value we can add.
Pre-bid support — preliminary layouts and material quantities you can actually bid on, before you commit to a final design
Value engineering — identifying cost-effective, constructible solutions during preconstruction, not after
During construction:
RFI response — fast turnaround when questions come up on site
Field modifications — when site conditions don't match the plans, we adapt the design
Construction coordination — working with your team to solve problems in real time
Material substitution guidance — when specified products aren't available, we find alternatives that work
The earlier you bring us in, the better the outcome. Your engineering team stays with your project from first conversation to final inspection. That's what Design + Supply + Support actually means.
Built for Our Engineers. Available to Everyone.
We didn't set out to be a software company or a training organization. We built tools to help our own engineers work faster and more accurately. We started teaching workshops because our clients kept asking how we do what we do.
The result is a suite of design software and a hands-on training program that's now available to any engineer, designer, or contractor working in earth retention — whether they're our client or not.
ER Design Studio
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Vespa 2
The go-to software for MSE wall design. Supports NCMA and AASHTO methodologies. Pre-loaded block and reinforcement libraries. Full wall layouts, accurate quantities, and comprehensive hand-calculation style reports. Integrates directly with AWall for CAD export.
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Vespa 3
Built on the Vespa 2 platform with added AASHTO methodologies for inextensible (panel) reinforcement and the Simplified Stiffness Method (SSM). Faster engines. More flexibility. Includes free AWall CAD tool.
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AWall 2
A specialized CAD tool that generates accurate plan and elevation views of retaining walls. Accounts for variable heights, batter, and footprint. Exports wall geometry directly into Vespa for analysis. Produces elevation views and quantity estimates.
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EZER Toolbar
CAD automation for retaining wall drawings. Annotates and modifies wall profiles exported from Vespa to AutoCAD. Converts complex design data into easy-to-read contractor information.
Why Vespa?
Three Days of Work → Three Hours
Designing MSE walls used to mean manual AASHTO calculations, multiple software platforms, hours of CAD integration, and tedious takeoff spreadsheets. Vespa changes the equation: - AASHTO, NCMA, and LEM methodologies built in - Direct CAD integration through AWall - Automated reports and material takeoffs - Hand-calculation style output for transparent, reviewable designs - Import grading directly from AutoCAD — lay out the wall, export to Vespa, design, and generate drawings Over 20 million square feet of retaining walls have been designed using Vespa.
Learn From the Engineers Who Wrote the Standards
Earth Retention U offers workshops and lunch-and-learn sessions for civil engineers, geotechnical professionals, and retaining wall designers — available in your area, on your schedule.
What we cover:
Fundamentals of MSE retaining walls and facing systems
Current design methodologies: AASHTO LRFD, NCMA 3rd Edition, LEM
Hands-on workflows with Vespa 2, Vespa 3, AWall 2, and EZER Toolbar
Hand-check validation techniques
CAD layout and automation
Live Q&A with experienced PEs
What you'll earn:
Up to 7 PDH credits per session
Real-world design skills you can use immediately
Exclusive software discounts
Formats available:
Full-day workshop — intensive, hands-on, up to 7 PDH credits
Lunch-and-learn — shorter format, great for firms and teams, PDH credits available
On-site or virtual — we come to you, or we connect remotely
Contact us
Interested in working together? Fill out some info and we will be in touch shortly. We can’t wait to hear from you!