Assalam o alaikum,
If a retaining wall is retaining horizontal backfill, It will experience soil presure due to full height of backfill because we are forcing soil to retain at an angle larger than its angle of repose and hence failure wedge will cause force on full height.
But if a retaining wall is retaining backfill having sloppy face( for insulation purposes lets say), then it should not experience the pressure due to full height in my opinion. Because soil is having slope on opposite side, (away from wall) and hence if a failure plan would occur, it will cause soil to slide away from wall, not towards wall. This is what i think. Pictures are also attached. In my case the wall height is 30 ft but it is retaining a backfill with slope. So i wonder if i should take load due to full 30ft height. I think i can take 25 ft height(or some other reduced value). Can any one guide me how to calculate backfill load due to such type of backfill? Thanks.