x = horizontal effective stress


 
 

x' =

= z '

Mohrs Circle
and Lateral
Earth
Pressures



 

 
 
 


  
    


  

K = lateral earth pressure coefficient

x '
K

z '

Lateral Earth Pressure

Coefficient

In-Situ Walls (Sheet Piling, cast in-situ, etc.)

Two categories of retaining walls

Gravity Walls (Masonry, Stone, Gabion, etc.)

Retaining walls are analysed for both resistance

to overturning and structural integrity

Necessary in situations where gradual transitions

either take up too much space or are impractical
for other reasons

Retaining
Walls

Retaining Walls
Lateral Earth Pressure Theory

ENCE 461
Foundation Analysis and
Design

Ideal condition of wall, but seldom achieved in reality

The lower state of lateral earth pressure

Condition where wall moves toward the backfill

The higher state of lateral earth pressure

Passive Condition

Condition where wall moves away from the backfill

Active Condition

Condition where wall movement is zero or minimal

At-Rest Condition

Conditions of Lateral Earth

Pressure Coefficient

Groundwater
Effects

subtract vertically

add horizontally

Compute effective horizontal stress by multiplying

effective vertical stress by K
Compute total horizontal stress by directly adding
effect of groundwater unit weight to effective
horizontal stress

Compute effective vertical stress by removing

groundwater effect through submerged unit weight;
plot on Po diagram

Compute total vertical stress

Steps to properly compute horizontal stresses

including groundwater effects:

Groundwater Effects

Note Pore Water Effect!

P o 1 z 12 K o


b
2

Development of Lateral Earth

Pressure

Retaining Wall as Shown

Given

PA, from At Rest Conditions

Find

Example of At Rest Wall

Pressure

In spite of theoretical weaknesses, Jakys

equation is as good an estimate of the coefficient
of lateral earth pressure as we have

sin '

Applicable only when ground surface is level

K o
1sin  ' OCR

Modified for Overconsolidated Soils

K o
1sin  '

Jakys Equation

Estimates of At Rest Lateral

Earth Pressure Coefficient

Wall Movements Necessary to

Achieve Active or Passive
States

Effect of Wall Movement

Earth Pressure Theories

Development of Passive Earth

Pressure

20

6.67 ft.
3
(valid for all theories)

h PA

Development of Active Earth

Pressure

P o 1 z 12 K o


2
b
P o 120 20 2 0.5


2
b
Po
lbs
kips

12000

12
b
ft
ft

Compute Effective Wall Force

K o
1sin '
K o
1sin 30
0.5

Compute at rest earth pressure coefficient

At Rest Pressure Example

Retaining Wall as Shown

Given

PA, from At Rest Conditions

Find

Example of Rankine Active Wall

Pressure

Inclined and level backfill equations are identical when  = 0

Rankine Coefficients with

Inclined Backfills

Rankine Theory with Inclined

Backfills

Rankine Earth Pressure Equations

Level Backfills

72,000 lbs.

12,000 lbs.

8000 lbs.

Summary of Rankine and At

Rest Wall Pressures

P o 1 z 1 K p


2
b
P o 120 20 2 3


2
b
Po
lbs
kips

72000

72
b
ft
ft

Compute Effective Wall Force


2
K P
tan 45

2
2
K P
tan 45
15
3

Compute at rest earth pressure coefficient

Rankine Passive Pressure

Example

Rankine Passive Pressure

Example

P o 1 z 1 K a


2
b
P o 120 20 2 0.333


2
b
Po
lbs
kips

8000

8
b
ft
ft

Compute Effective Wall Force


2
K A
tan 45  
2
1
2
K A
tan 4515

3

Compute at rest earth pressure coefficient

Rankine Active Pressure

Example

Wall as shown above

KA, KP, PA

Find

KA = 0.3465

PA = 8316 lb/ft of wall

Compute Total Wall Force

Compute Coulomb Active Pressure

Solution for Coulomb Active

Pressures

Given

Example of Coulomb Theory

2

Coulomb Theory

sin 
sin 

cos  cos1

coscos 
2

sin 
sin  

cos
cos 

cos 


cos  cos
1

cos 

Typical
Values
of Wall
Friction

K p

K a

Passive

 
 
 1
 3 tan 

2 c tan 

4 2
4 2
 3
 H Wall Driving
1
 
 
2c
K P

tan 2 


tan 

3
H
4 2
4 2

Active

 
 
 3
 1 tan 2   2 c tan   
4 2
4 2
 1
 H Overburden Driving

 
 
2c
K A
3
tan 2   
tan   
1
H
4 2
4 2

Rankine Pressures with

Cohesion (Level Backfill)

Active Case
(Overburden
driving)

Passive Case
(Wall Driving)

 
1
sin 

tan 2 

1sin 
4 2

Theory of
Cohesive
Soils

KP = 4.0196

PA = 96,470 lb/ft of wall

Poor drainage
Creep
Expansiveness

Cohesive soils present the following weaknesses as

backfill:

Most lateral earth pressure theory was first

developed for purely cohesionless soils (c = 0)
and has been extended to cohesive soils afterward

Retaining walls should generally have

cohesionless backfill, but in some cases cohesive
backfill is unavoidable

Walls with Cohesive Backfill

Compute Total Wall Force

Compute Coulomb Passive Pressure

Solution for Coulomb Passive

Pressures

KA = 0.3465

KP = 4.0196

w = 3 degrees

Forces acting on the

wall (both horizontal
and vertical)

Find

G h
 K a cos  w
G h
120 0.3465 cos 3
G h
41.52 pcf
G v
 K a sin  w
G v
120 0.3465 sin 3
G v
2.18 pcf

Compute Equivalent Fluid Unit Weights (Active

Case)

Example of Equivalent Fluid

Wall as shown above

Given

Example of Equivalent Fluid Method

Do not take into
consideration soil
above critical height

Do not take into

consideration sloping
walls
For practical problems,
should use equations as
they appear in the book

2c
H c

 Ka

Valid if wall-soil
friction is not taken in
to account

Simplification used to guide the calculations of

lateral earth pressures on retaining walls
Can be used for Rankine and Coulomb lateral
earth pressures
Can be used for at rest, active and passive earth
pressures
Transforms the soil acting on the retaining wall
into an equivalent fluid

Equivalent Fluid Method

Comments on
Rankine
Equations

Assumes log spiral

failure surface behind
wall

Requires use of
suitable chart for KA
and KP

Not directly used in

this course, but option
in SPW 911

Terzaghi
Model

P p Gh H


2
b
2
P p 481.69 20



96338 lb/ft
2
b
2
V p Gv H


2
b
V p 25.24 202



5048 lb/ft
2
b

Compute Wall Load (Passive Case)

Example of Equivalent Fluid

G h
 K p cos  w
G h
120 4.0196 cos 3
G h
481.69 pcf
G v
 K p sin  w
G v
120 4.0196 sin 3
G v
25.24 pcf

Compute Equivalent Fluid Unit Weights (Passive

Case)

Example of Equivalent Fluid

Pa Gh H


2
b
P a 41.52 202



8304 lb/ft
2
b
2
V a Gv H


2
b
V a 2.18 202



436 lb/ft
2
b

Compute Wall Load (Active Case)

Example of Equivalent Fluid

Coduto: Chapters 22, 23, 24 & 25

Coduto: 25.3 (Hand and Chart Solutions); 25.5 (SPW

911)

Questions

Due Date: 17 April 2002

McCarthy: 16-1, 16-8, 16-12a, 16-17

Homework Problems

McCarthy: Chapter 16

Reading

Homework Set 5

Surcharge and Groundwater

Loads

Effects of
Surface
Loading