Lateral earth pressure 6.1 INTRODUCTION This chapter deals with the magnitude and distribution of Jateral pressure between a soil mass and an adjoining Saleinpstrachie-Conditets of plane stats are assumed, Te. strains in the Tongitudial direction of the structure are assumed To be zero. The rigorous treatment of this type of problem, with both stresses and displacements being considered, would involve a knowledge of appropriate equations defining the stress— mnship for the soil and the solution of the equations of equilibrium and ty for the given boundary conditions. It is possible to determine displace- ments by means of the finite clement method using suitable computer softwai provided realistic values of the relevant deformation parameters are available, How- ever, itis the failure condition of the retained soil mass which is of primary interest and in this context, provided a consideration of displacements is not required, itis possible to use the « Last arth pressure problems can thus be considered as problems in plasticity. It is assumed that the stress-strain behaviouy of the soil can be represented by the rigid-perfectly plastic idealization, shown in Figure 6.1, in which both yielding and GHirialure ctour atthe same state of stress: unrestricted plastic flow takes place at this stress level, A soil mass is said to be in a state of plastic equilibrium if the shear stress at every point within the mass reaches the value represented by point Y' Plastic collapse occurs after the state of plastic equilibrium has been reached in pygof a Soil mass, resulting in the formation of an unstable mechanisny: that part of the soil Shear stress ‘Shear strain Figure 6.1 Ideaized stress-strain relationship, eh162 Laveral earth pressure ass slip relative to the rest of the mass, The applied load system, including body forces, for this condition is referred t0 as the collapse load. Determination of the collapse load using plasticity theory is complex and would require that the equilibrium equations, the yield criterion and the flow rule were satisfied within the plastic zone. The compatibility condition would not be involved unless specific deformation conditions were imposed. However, plasticity theory also provides the means of avoiding complex analyses. The limit theorems of plasticity can be used to calculate lower and upper bounds to the true collapse load. In certain cases, the theorems produce the same result which would then be the exact value of the collapse load. The limit theorems can be stated as follows. Lower bound theorem Ifa state of stress can be found, which at no point exceeds the failure criterion for the soil and is in equilibrium with a system of external loads (which includes the self ‘weight ofthe soil), then collapse cannot occur; the external load system thus constitutes a lower bound to the true collapse load (because a more efficient stress distribution ‘may exist, which would be in equilibrium with higher external loads). Upper bound theorem If a mechanism of plastic collapse is postulated and if, in an increment of displace- ‘ment, the work done by a system of external loads is equal to the dissipation of energy by the internal stresses, then collapse must occur; the external load system thus constitutes an upper bound to the true collapse load (because a more efficient mechan- ism may exist resulting in collapse under lower external loads). In the lower bound approach, the conditions of equilibrium and yield are satisfied without consideration of the mode of deformation. The Moht-Coulomb failure criterion isalso taken to be the yield criterion. In the upper bound approach, a mechanism of plastic collapse is formed by choosing a slip surface and the work done by the external forces is equated to the loss of energy by the stresses acting along the slip surface, without consideration of equilibrium. The chosen collapse mechanism is not necessarily the true mechanism but it must be kinematically admissible, i. the motion of the siding soil mass must be compatible with its continuity and with any boundary restrictions. Itcan be shown that for undrained conditions the slip surface, in section, should consis ofa straight line or a circular arc (or a combination of the two); for drained conditions the slip surface should consist ofa straight line ora logarithmic spiral (or a combination of the two). Examples of ower and upper bound plasticity solutions have been given by Atkinson [1] and Parry [16]. Lateral pressure calculations are normally based on the classical theories of Rankine “GF Coulomb, described in Sections 6.2 and 6.3, and these theories can be related to The concepts of plasticity. ae 6.2 RANKINE’S THEORY OF EARTH PRESSURE Rankine’s theory (1857) considers the state of stress in soil mass when the condition of ‘plastic equilibrium has been reaches ¢ point of occurringRankine’s theory of earth pressure 163 Figure 6.2 State of plastic equilibrium. “throughout the mass. The theory satisfies the conditions of a lower bound plasticity “Solution, The Mohr circle representing the state of stress at fie stwo-dinensiona™ Sa RENT apes ET vat sear engi ttan den and. Shear a TREAT aRARRIE GTS a]7 To The major principal lane fhe soil mass as a wholes sessed such that the principal stresses a every POE Fri the same diections then, theoretically, there wil be @netvork of fllre planes {known asa slip ine eld) equaly nied tothe principal planes, as shown in Figure 6. Te should be appresated that the state of pase equlibrum canbe developed only sufficient deformation ofthe soil ass Zan take place a eta a sua having 3 erieal boundary formed by a suaaiwal suslace extending to vemiinin Spraicried in Figure 6 (0). Trego is assumed (o be homogeneous and isotropic ‘Roll element at anv depth + is cWbbaied toa vertical guess a; and & horizontal stress Sand since there can be no lateral transfer of Weight he surfaces ROMZOHT, TO ‘Gia ivesses exist on dL vertial planes, "The vertical and -hovizostal Stresses, therefore, are principal stresses.164 Lateral earth pressure ve. ‘Active Rankine stato Passive Rankine state aa et e ona + © Figure 63 Active and passive Rankine states I there is movement of the wall away fro the value of 7, decreases as the soil dilates or Se ma Tea etng an anon Tuncon of he Tateral strain in the sail. If the expansion is large enough, the value of o, decreases (0 a minimum value such that a state of plastic equilibrium develops. Since this state 17 — developed by a decrease in the horizontal stress a, this must be the minor principal stress (o3), The vertical stress 0. is then the major principal stress (6) The stress 1 (—7.) is the overburden pressure at depth z and is a fixed value for any depth. The value of oy (=0,) is determined when a Mobr circle through the point representing o1 touches the failure envelope Tor the soil, The felationshi between oy and o; When the soil reaches a State of plastic equilibrium can be derived ffom this Mohr circle, Rankine’s original derivation assumed a value of zero for the shear stPENgiR parameter c but a general derivation with ¢ greater than zero is given below to cover the cases in which undrained parameter cy or tangent parameter is used. Referring to Figure 6.2, Hor ~ 03) Sin = Tigi +03 + 2ecotd) ‘ox(1 + sing) = 91(1 ~ sing) ~ 2ecos@Rankine’s theory of earth pressure 165 i 2 _ (tesing Vil = sin? 9) (6.1) Alternatively, tan? (45° — 42) can be substituted for (1 ~ sin g)/(1 + sin). iar nated oPirtRe owen pressure at depth 2, T&S The horizontal stress for the above condition is defined as the active pressure (p,) being, due directly to the self soil. If >= is defined as the active pressure coefficient, then Equation 6.1 can be written as active pressure cooficient, a2 — 2eVRy (6.2) ‘When the horizontal stress becomes equal to the active pressure the soil is said to be in the ac , there being two sets of failure planes each inclined at 48° +972 to the horizonzal (the direction of the major principal plane) as shown in Figure 6306) Tn the above derivation, a movement of the wall away from the soil was considered. On the other hand, if the wall is moved against the soil mass, there will be lateral compression of the soil andthe vale OP, Wil Terease until state of plastic equilibrium is reached. For this condition, , becomes a maximum value and is the ‘major principal stress 0). The stress 0, eqtial {0 the overburden pressure, is then the ‘minor principalstress, re.” Pa ‘The maximum value a1 is reached when the Mohr ciscle through the point representing, the fixed value oy touches the failure envelope for the soil. Tn this case, the horizontal — stress is def sive_pressure (pj) representing the maximum inherent Fesistance of the soil to lateral compression. Rearranging Equation 6.1 reas) +24 (6.3)166 Lateral earth pressure is defined as the passive casflicien, then Equation 6.3 can be written as | po = Ae 26% (4) When the horizontal sress becomes equal to the passive pressure the soil is said to be in 7 the pasine Raine uate, ther beng (wo ses of aur planeseach inclined at 48°02 fe A) & to the vertical (the direction of the major principal plane) as shown in Figure 6.3(0). pevkial Inspection of Equations 62 and 6-4 shows thatthe active and passive pressures —/y R increase linearly with depih as represented in Figure 4. When = 0, iiangular 2 Tr ee a ea erbutions are obtained in cach case Pfs- ‘When cis sreater than ze9, the valu® ofp, is zero ata particular depth =. From z Equation 6.2, with ps = 0, + bordel, 2 \ es) We This means that in the active case the soil is in_a state of tension between the surface and depth za, In practice, however, this tension cannot be relied upon to act on the wall, since cracks are likely to develop within the tension Zone and the part of the Sepa pressure distribu should — "The force per unit length of wall due to the acti Te aistribiition is referred to as the fotal active thrust (P,). For a vertical wall surface of height H: otal gig thrust (P,). Fora vertical wall surface of height He Fear GO) 7 (66a) (6.06) re Figure 64 Active and passive pressure distributions