In this paper, we present extensive laboratory research work on various aspects of reinforced earth wall. The backfill is natural river sand uniformly graded with uniformity Cu equal to 3 and coefficient of curvature 1.08 and was placed at unit weight of 15.99 kN/m3 for 600 mm height. The laboratory box shear test carried out on this unit weight gave coefficient of friction \(\phi\) to be 39°. The angle of sand-reinforcement friction, δ, of the sand with aluminum, stainless steel, polypropylene, and bamboo material was less than phi for all cases of relative density (density index) of sand. The paper also presents residual strength characteristics for all above cases. The model for reinforced earth retaining wall 1000 mm L, 790 mm W and 700 mm H, consisting of face wall of 12 mm thick acrylic sheet; side walls of 2 mm thick mild steel plate, a spring to measure force and dial gauges to calculate rotation of retaining face wall. The aluminium strips of 0.05 mm thickness and of L = H, L = 3/4H, L = H/4 were used in tied as well untied conditions. For strips of L = H/2 = 30 cm or more the “self-supporting condition” was attained in between 4 and 6% of rotational movement of the retaining face. At that stage, in the factor of safety defined by the moment due to back pressure Ma1, the moment due to the applied force Ma and the restraining moment due to reinforcement strips Mt were in equilibrium. Factor of safety (Ma1–Ma)/Ma1 was calculated and is present in the chart. It is seen that it varies for 0 to 3.16 in the range of experimental investigations done. The pull and push give the hysteresis loop. The failure surface of reinforced earth passes through the hinge origin of rotation and is seen to be plane at angle θ = 45 +  \(\phi\) /2 = 63.5° with horizontal, giving \(\phi\) = 37°.