CE 537, Spring 2011

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Retaining Wall Design Example

Design a reinforced concrete retaining wall for the

following conditions.

surcharge = qs = 400psf

f'c = 3000 psi

fy = 60 ksi

Fill = 32o
Unit wt = 100 pcf
HT = 18 ft

tf
wtoe tstem wheel
Natural Soil = 32o
allowable bearing pressure = 5000psf

Development of Structural Design Equations. In this example, the structural design of the
three retaining wall components is performed by hand. Two equations are developed in this
section for determining the thickness & reinforcement required to resist the bending moment
in the retaining wall components (stem, toe and heel).
Equation to calculate effective depth, d: Three basic equations will be used to develop an
equation for d.
M u M n

M n As f y d
2

M u As f y d [ Eqn 1]
2

C T , 0.85 f c' a b As f y
As 0.85

f c'
ab
fy

strain compatibility :

[ Eqn 2]

0.003 s 0.003 a
0.003

1
a / 1
d
d s 0.003

Assuming 1 = 0.85,
s
0.005
0.00785
0.010

a/d
0.319
0.235
0.196

and choosing a value for s in about the middle of the practical design range,
a
0.235, a 0.235 d
d

[ Eqn 3]

CE 537, Spring 2011

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Retaining Wall Design Example

Substituting Eqn. 2 into Eqn. 1:

f'
a
M u 0.85 c ab f y d

f
2
y

And substituting Eqn. 3 into the above:

M u 0.85

f c'
0.235 d

0.235d b f y d

fy
2

0.883d

Inserting the material properties: f'c = 3 ksi and fy = 60 ksi, and b = 12in (1-foot-wide
strip of wall, in the direction out of the paper).
k

M u 0.90(0.85) 3ksi (12 in )(0.235)(0.883)d 2

M u 5.71 in d 2

Equation for area of reinforcement, As. The area of reinforcement required is calculated
from Eqn. 1:
M u As f y 0.883d 0.90 As 60 ksi 0.883 d

M u 47.7 ksi As d

Design Procedure (after Phil Ferguson, Univ. Texas)

1. Determine HT. Usually, the top-of-wall elevation is determined by the client. The
bottom-of-wall elevation is determined by foundation conditions.
HT = 18 feet.
2. Estimate thickness of base. tf 7% to 10% HT (12" minimum)
Tf = 0.07 (18' x 12"/') = 15.1"

use tf = 16"

CE 537, Spring 2011

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Retaining Wall Design Example

3. Design stem (tstem, Asstem). The stem is a vertical cantilever beam, acted on by the
horizontal earth pressure.

ft

in

in/ft

h = 8 16 /12
h =16.67ft

tf = 16in

ka h

k a qs

wtoe tstem wheel

calc. d:
P fill

P fill

1
( k a h ) h (1 ft out of page)
2
1 sin 1 sin(32 o )
ka

0.31
1 sin 1 sin(32 o )
1
(0.31)(100 pcf )(16.67 ft ) 2 (1 ft ) 4310 lb
2

Psur k a q sur h (1 ft ) 0.31 ( 400 psf )(16.67 ft )(1 ft ) 2070 lb

h
h
M u ( Earth Pressure LoadFactor)( P fill )( ) ( Live LoadFactor)(Psur )( )
3
2
ft
ft
16
.
67
16
.
67
) (1.6)( 2070 lb )(
) 65.9 k ft
M u (1.6)( 4310 lb )(
3
2
k

M u 5.71 in d 2
k

in
) 5.71 in d 2 , d 11.8in
ft
1
t stem 11.8in 2 in cover (1.0 in ) 14.3in , ( assume #8 bars )
2
in
in
in
d 15 2 0.5 12.5in

65.9 k ft (12

use t stem 15in

CE 537, Spring 2011

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Retaining Wall Design Example

calc. As:
M u 47.7 ksi As d
65.9 k ft (12

in
) 47.7 ksi As (12.5in ), As 1.33 in 2
ft

As of one #8 bar 0.79 in 2

in 2
in
in
bar
12 7.13
,
2
ft
bar
in
1.33
ft of wall
0.79

use #8 @ 6 in

4. Choose Heel Width, wheel Select wheel to prevent sliding. Use a key to force sliding
failure to occur in the soil (soil-to-soil has higher friction angle than soil-to-concrete).
12in

Neglect soil resistance in front of the

wall.
ft
Fresist
18
Fsliding
FS
FS Factor of Safety 1.5 for sliding
Fresist (Vertical Force)(coefficient of friction)

set

Fresist WT (tan natural soil )

tf = 16in

tan natural soil tan(32 o ) 0.62

WT W fill Wstem W found
W fill (100 pcf )(16.67 ft )( wheel )(1 ft ) 1670

15in

lb
wheel
ft

12 in 15in 1 ft
(1 ft ) 2810 lb
2
12 in )
16
15
(150 pcf )( ft )( wheel
ft 3 ft )(1 ft ) 200 plf wheel 850
12
12

Wstem (150 pcf )(16.67 ft )(

W found

Fsliding P fill Psur

1
(0.31 100 pcf )(18 ft ) 2 (1 ft ) 5020 lb
2
(0.31 400 psf )(18 ft )(1 ft ) 2230 lb

Pfill
Psur

Fsliding 5020 lb 2230 lb 7250 lb

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Retaining Wall Design Example

lb
lb
lb
lb
1670 ft wheel 2810 200 ft wheel 850 (0.62)

7250 lb
1.5
1.5
lb
7250 lb
3660 lb 1870 wheel , wheel 7.42 ft ,
0.62
ft

use wheel 7.5 ft

5. Check Overturning.

12in

18 ft
18 ft
) Psur (
)
3
2
5.02 k (6 ft ) 2.23k (9 ft ) 50.2 k ft

M over P fill (
M over

ft

18

7.5 ft 15

ft 3 ft ), assume wtoe 3 ft
2
12
1.25 ft
Wstem (3 ft
)
2
11.75 ft
W found (
)
2

M resist W fill (

tf = 16in
3'

15"

M resist (1.67 klf 7.5 ft )(8 ft ) ( 2.81k )(3.625 ft ) (0.20klf 7.5 ft 0.85k )(5.875 ft )

12.53k

2.35k

M resist 124.2 k ft
M resist 124.2 k ft

2.47 2.0 FSover , OK

M over
50.2 k ft

6. Check Bearing.
WT
M
L

, equation is valid only if e

bL bL2
6
6
W found

v at end of toe
WT W fill Wstem

WT 12.45 k 2.81k 2.35 k 17.69 k

7.5 ft
1.25 ft
) Wstem (7.5 ft
5.875 ft ) W found (0)
2
2
12.53k ( 2.125 ft ) 2.81k ( 2.25 ft ) 29.9 k ft

M M over W fill (5.875 ft

M 50.2 k ft

Check that e < L/6:

e

m
29.9 k ft
L 11.75 ft
L
ft

1
.
68
,

1.96 ft , e , OK
k
WT
6
6
6
17.69

7.5'

CE 537, Spring 2011

17.69 k
ft

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Retaining Wall Design Example

ft

(1 )(11.75 )

29.9 k ft
1 ft
(1 )(11.75 ft ) 2
6

2.80 ksf 5.0 ksf allowable bearing capacity, OK

7. Heel Design.
Max. load on heel is due to the weight of heel + fill + surcharge as the wall tries to tip over.
Flexure:
W Wheel W fill Wsur
16
ft )(1 ft )
12
1.2(100 pcf )(16.67 ft )(1 ft )

W 1.2(150 pcf )(

1.6( 400 plf )

W 2.88
Mu

wu
Vu
Mu

16in
7.5ft

klf

wu L2 2.88 klf (7.5 ft ) 2

81.0 k ft
2
2

k 2
d
in
in
k
81 .0 k ft (12 ) 5.71 d 2 , d 13 .0 in for flexure
ft
in
M u 5.71

Shear:
Vu wu (7.5 ft ) 2.88 klf (7.5 ft ) 21.6 k

Vc (0.75) 2 f c' bw d (0.75) 2 3000 psi (12 in ) d

setVu Vc ,

21,600 lb (0.75) 2 3000 psi (12 in ) d , d 21.9 in for shear , controls

Shear controls the thickness of the heel.

1
theel 21.9in 2in cover in 24.4in (assume#8bar),
2

use t heel 24.5in

Reinforcement in heel:
Mu 47.7ksi As d
in
81.0k ft (12 ) 47.7ksi As (21.9in ), As 1.07in2
ft
in2
0.79
bar(12in) 8.83in,
ft
in2
1.07
ft

use#8 @8"

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Retaining Wall Design Example

8. Toe Design.
Earth Pressure at Tip of Toe:
Wu
Mu

bL 1 2
bL
6
Wu 1.2(W fill Wstem W found ) 1.6 (Wsur )

Wu 1.2(12.53k 2.81k 2.35 k ) 1.6(0.4 ksf )(18 ft )(1 ft ) 32.7 k , (did not recalc foundation wt b.c. neglible change)
M u 1.6 M over 1.2(Wsoil 2.125 ft Wstem 1.0 ft )
M u 1.6(50.2

k ft

) 1.2 12.53 ( 2.125 ) 2.81 (1 ) 45.0

k

ft

ft

3'

1.25'

7.5'

k ft

32.7 k
45.0k ft

(1 ft )(11.75 ft ) 1 (1 ft )(11.75 ft ) 2
6
ksf
1.96 ksf 4.74 ksf
2.78

v
vA

vC 2.78ksf
vB 0.82 ksf

1.96 ksf

0.82 ksf

4.74 ksf 0.82 ksf

(8.75 ft ) 3.74 ksf
11.75 ft

d for flexure:
M u (3.74 ksf )(3 ft )(1 ft )(

3 ft
1
2
) (1.00 ksf )(3 ft )(1 ft )( 3 ft ) 19.8 k ft
2
2
3

k 2
d
in
in
k
19.8k ft (12 ) 5.71 d 2 , d 6.5in for flexure
ft
in
M u 5.71

d for shear:
Assume theel = ttoe = 24.5in
Critical section for shear occurs at "d" from face of stem, d = 24.5" 3"cover-1/2"=21"

critical sec tion

0.82 ksf

4.74 ksf 0.82 ksf

21
(8.75 ft
ft ) 4.32 ksf
ft
11.75
12

1
21
(4.74 ksf 4.32 ksf )(3 ft
ft )(1 ft ) 5.66 k
12
2
in
Vc (.75)2 3000 psi (12 )(21in ) 20,700lb Vu , OK , d for flexure controls

Vu

CE 537, Spring 2011

Retaining Wall Design Example

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Reinforcement in toe:
M u 47.7 ksi As d
19.8 k ft (12

in
) 47.7 ksi As (21in ), As 0.24 in 2
ft

in 2
bar (12 in ) 40 in , try smaller bars, say #4
in 2
ft
0.24
ft

0.79

in 2
0.20
bar (12 in ) 10.in
in 2
ft
0.24
ft

use #4 @ 10"