This document describes cantilever retaining walls. It defines a retaining wall as a structure that maintains ground surfaces at different elevations on either side. Cantilever retaining walls consist of a stem supported by a base and resist lateral forces through bending. The document discusses the types of forces acting on retaining walls, methods for calculating lateral earth pressures, and design considerations for stability, soil pressure distribution, and reinforcement in the stem, toe slab, and heel slab.