The present work explains the statics of self-weight transmission restricted to a long prismatic heap inclined at an angle of repose and symmetrically formed on a rigid base. The closure of polarized principal axes with the mobilized state of stress along the slope surface is employed by imposing the orientation of principal stresses on the equilibrium equations. Comparisons were made with calculations based on the finite element method using an elastic model. Moreover, experiments on sand heaps deposited on a rectangular rigid base were conducted to validate the theoretical study. The measured pressure profile generally agreed well with theoretical results. © 2014 The Chinese Society of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics.