GLE/CEE 330: Soil

Mechanics
Lateral Earth Pressure

Geological Engineering
University of Wisconsin-Madison

Learning Objectives
Learn about key concepts:
Lateral earth pressure coefficients
At rest, active and passive earth pressure
Place in context of Mohr Circle analysis

Lateral Earth Pressure

?
?
(R.P.
Weber)

?
?
(R.P.
Weber)

Water Pressure and Soil Pressure

Consider hydrostatic
condition

Consider at-rest (geostatic)

condition

Isotrop
ic

Anisotrop

ic

>x

Earth Pressure Coefficient At Rest

K0 = Coefficient of Lateral Earth

Pressure at Rest

For normally consolidated soil (Jaky,

1944):

For overconsolidated soil (Meyerhoff,

1976):

In
general:

Calculate lateral total stress ( x) at z = 5

m if K0 = 0.5

(M.

Active and Passive Limit Conditions

Active Failure Condition
Ka = Coefficient of Active Earth Pressure
(Wall Moving Away from Backfill)
(small sx)

movement

Active
Failure
Wedge
(45+ 2)

Passive Failure Condition

Kp = Coefficient of Passive Earth Pressure
(Wall Moving Toward Backfill)
(large sx)

movement

Passive
Failure
Wedge
(45 - /2)

Consider Mohrs Circles

sx decreases until failure

Active
Failure

movement

sx increases until failure

Passive Failure

movement

Active
Failure

Rankine Active Failure Surface

45 /
2
Pole
Point

45 /
2

1 sin '

' z ' x
1

sin

'

so..
1 sin '
'

tan 2 45
K a
2

1 sin '

Passive
Failure

Rankine Passive Failure Surface

45
/2

Pole
Point

1 sin '

1 sin '

' x ' z
so..

1 sin '
'

tan 2 45
K p
2

1 sin '

Evolution of lateral stress with wall movement

Movement
Stationary (at
toward
Movement away
rest)
backfill
from backfill
Passive Failure at
Kp
Active Failure at
Ka

Ka < K0< Kp

Essential Points

1) Coefficient of Lateral Earth

Pressure at Rest

2) Active Earth Pressure Coefficient:

3) Passive Earth Pressure

Coefficient:

4) Active slip planes at 45 + /2 to

horizontal
5) Passive slip planes at 45 - /2 to
horizontal
6) More wall movement (inward) required for passive failure than
active (outward) failure