Steps to Solving a LEP Problem LEP Problems can look very intimidating to students, but they aren't bad if you follow a consistent set of steps for solving them. By the way....LEP problems are VERY common on the FE and PE exams. 1. Draw and label the problem - Include all soil layering, geometry of the wall, and any water behind the wall. 2. Select your LEP case — Active, passive, or at-rest? 3. Compute the appropriate K for each soil layer — Given your response to (2) above, compute K for each layer behind the wall. 4. Compute vertical effective stress behind the wall — Compute and plot o', at the soil layer boundaries and transitions behind the wall. Be sure to account for any induced stresses on top of the wall in addition to the geostatic stresses! 5. Compute horizontal stress on the wall from the soil — Multiply 6’, computed in (4) by the corresponding K value(s) computed in (3). This gives you 0’, 6. Compute any hydrostatic stress on the wall - If there is water behind the wall, compute the hydrostatic stress versus depth from the water. Remember that you do not multiply hydrostatic stress by Ki! 7. Compute the equivalent force on the wall — Sum the area beneath the o', and hydrostatic pressure distributions to compute the equivalent force acting on the wall.