Dynamic Earth pressure - Myths, Realities

and Practical Ways for Design

Carlos Coronado and Javeed Munshi

Dynamic Earth pressures - Myths, Realities and Practical Ways for Design : October 2012

Presentation Outline
Introduction and Background

Standard Practice

Simplified Determination of Lateral Earth Pressures

Hydrodynamic Fluid Pressures

Review of Lateral Soil Pressure Theories

Recent Experimental Results

Detailed Seismic Fluid Soil Structure Interaction

Detailed fluid-structure interaction

Simplified fluid modeling

Seismic soil structure interaction

Case Study Intake Pump Station

Dynamic Earth pressures - Myths, Realities and Practical Ways for Design : October 2012

Introduction and Background

Force Diagram of Subsurface Walls - Static

Conditions
STATIC

surcharge, w
ground surface
compaction

groundwater
compaction

Building Weight, W

surcharge

surcharge

Hw

water
at-rest

Hydrostatic
Uplift, U

water

at-rest

K0g'H

K0w

gwHw

N=W-U
Applicable loads
at-rest earth pressure
surcharge stress from surface loading
compaction stresses from Duncan's method (1991 and 1993)
U = buoyancy due to water table
N = normal stress along basemat

Dynamic Earth pressures - Myths, Realities and Practical Ways for Design : October 2012

Force Diagram of Subsurface Walls Seismic

Without Movement
SEISMIC - NO MOVEMENT

surcharge, w
ground surface
compaction

groundwater
compaction

Building inertia
Building Weight, W

seismic increment

surcharge

Hw

water
at-rest

Vertical
Seismic, V

surcharge

traction
(front and
back walls)
Hydrostatic
Uplift, U

water

at-rest

K0g'H
Base Friction = m N , where N = W - U - V
+ Base adhesion

K0w

gwHw

Applicable loads
at-rest earth pressure
surcharge stress from surface loading
compaction stresses from Duncan's method (1991 and 1993)
U = buoyancy due to water table
V = vertical seismic force
N = normal stress along basemat
base friction using interface coefficient, m
traction = friction along building sides = at-rest pressure x msides
msides = friction coefficient along sidewalls of structure
seismic increment = horizontal base forces from SASSI output include all driving forces,
composed of those from seismic, at-rest, and building inertia
Sliding check

Compare SASSI basemat horizontal forces (Demand = D)

against basemat frictional/adhesional resistance (Capacity = C).
If FS = C/D 1.1, then building is stable against sliding

Dynamic Earth pressures - Myths, Realities and Practical Ways for Design : October 2012

Force Diagram of Subsurface Walls Seismic

With Movement
SEISMIC - WITH MOVEMENT

surcharge, w
ground surface
groundwater
Building inertia

Hw
K = at-rest
increasing to
passive with
movement

seismic
increment

Building Weight, W

traction
(front and
back walls)

Vertical
Seismic, V

active

Hydrostatic
Uplift, U

Kag'H

Kg'H
Base Friction = m N (m reduced 25%)
where N = W - U - V
+ Base adhesion

Applicable loads
resisting earth pressure is dependent on amount of movement
surcharge stress from surface loading
U = buoyancy due to water table
V = vertical seismic force
N = normal stress along basemat
reduced base friction using interface coefficient, mred
reduced traction = friction along building sides = at-rest pressure x msides_red
msides_red = reduced friction coefficient along sidewalls of structure
seismic increment = horizontal base forces from SASSI output include all driving forces,
composed of those from seismic, at-rest, and building inertia
Sliding check

Compare SASSI basemat horizontal driving forces (Demand = D)

against basemat friction/adhesion + side friction + passive resistance (Capacity = C)
using reduced resistance coefficients for frictional/adhesional components
If FS = C/D 1.1, then building is stable against further sliding

Dynamic Earth pressures - Myths, Realities and Practical Ways for Design : October 2012

Standard Practice for Partially or Fully

Buried Liquid-containing Structures

Total Base Shear and Wall Pressures

Dynamic Earth pressures - Myths, Realities and Practical Ways for Design : October 2012

Practical Earth Pressure Analysis

Select all potential critical interface combinations at the
base and sides of the structure on which to determine the
minimum base frictional resistance.

Compare base and side frictional resistance to seismic atrest demand. If C/D > 1.0, then use seismic at-rest
demand to design walls.
If the C/D < FS, then sliding will occur. Then reduce base
and side friction coefficients by 25%. loading side of the
structure will be subject to the active earth pressure, the
seismic lateral active earth pressure increment, and the
building inertia. Increase resisting load on the passive
side, until C/D 1.0.

Dynamic Earth pressures - Myths, Realities and Practical Ways for Design : October 2012

Sliding or wall rotation must occur for K < K0

Dynamic Earth pressures - Myths, Realities and Practical Ways for Design : October 2012

Hydrodynamic Pressures (ACI 350)

Dynamic Earth pressures - Myths, Realities and Practical Ways for Design : October 2012

Seismic Active and At-Rest Lateral Earth

Pressure
NCHRP 611

2 ( )

cos cos 2 cos( + + ) 1 +

PAE = 0.5gH2(KA+DKAE)

sin + sin( )
cos( + + ) cos( )

pAD = DKAEg(H-z) DKAE~0.75kh

= tan1

p0D = 2DKAEg(H-z)

Dynamic Earth pressures - Myths, Realities and Practical Ways for Design : October 2012

Dynamic Soil Pressures ASCE 4-98

(Wood 1973)

Dynamic Earth pressures - Myths, Realities and Practical Ways for Design : October 2012

Soil Pressures Sample Calculation

H = 20 ft.
q = tan-1(0.25) = 14o
KAE = = 0.48
KA = 0.31
DKAE = 0.48-0.31 = 0.17
DKAE ~ 3/40.25 = 0.1875, use 0.17
g moist = 120 pcf
g sub = 120-62.4 = 57.6 pcf

EL 0
EL -5

g = 120 pcf
Kh = 0.25

K0S = 1-sin(32o) = 0.47, use K0S = 0.5

DK0E = 2DKAE = 20.17 = 0.34

0
-5

= 320

EL -20

249 (498) psf

249 (498) psf

0 psf
186 (300) psf

333 (594) psf

147 (294) psf

-20
454 (732) psf
Static Earth Pressure

0 psf

Seismic Earth Pressure

936 psf

Hydrostatic Pressure

1390 (1668) psf

Total Pressure

Dynamic Earth pressures - Myths, Realities and Practical Ways for Design : October 2012

Ground Water Considerations

if the backfill is well drained, seismic ground water
pressures need not be considered. In this case,
only hydrostatic pressures are taken into
consideration:
pW = gWz

Whitman, RV (1990) suggests that the seismic ground

water thrust exceeds 35% of the hydrostatic thrust for
kh>0.3g.

Dynamic Earth pressures - Myths, Realities and Practical Ways for Design : October 2012

Influence of Wall Movement on Intensity of

Earth Pressures in Cohesionless Materials
SEISMIC - NO MOVEMENT

surcharge, w
ground surface
compaction

groundwater
compaction

Building inertia
Building Weight, W

seismic increment

surcharge

Hw

traction
(front and
back walls)

water
at-rest

surcharge

Vertical
Seismic, V

Hydrostatic
Uplift, U

water

at-rest

K0g'H

K0w

Base Friction = m N , where N = W - U - V

+ Base adhesion

ground surface

gwHw

Applicable loads
at-rest earth pressure
SEISMIC
- WITH MOVEMENT
surcharge stress from
surface loading
compaction stresses from Duncan's method (1991 and 1993)
U = buoyancy due to water table
V = vertical seismic force
N = normal stress along basemat
base friction using interface coefficient, m
traction = friction along building sides = at-rest pressure x msides
w
m
= friction coefficientsurcharge,
along sidewalls
of structure
sides

seismic increment = horizontal base forces from SASSI output include all driving
forces,
groundwater
composedBuilding
of thoseinertia
from seismic, at-rest, and building inertia
Sliding check

K = at-rest
increasing to
passive with
movement

Compare SASSI basemat horizontal forces (Demand = D)

Building Weight, resistance
W
against basemat
frictional/adhesional
(Capacity = C).
H
If FS = C/D 1.1, then building is stable against sliding
Hw
traction
(front and
back walls)
active
Hydrostatic
Vertical
Uplift, U
Seismic, V

seismic
increment

Kag'H

Kg'H
Base Friction = m N (m reduced 25%)
where N = W - U - V
+ Base adhesion

Applicable loads
resisting earth pressure is dependent on amount of movement
surcharge stress from surface loading

Dynamic Earth pressures - Myths, Realities and Practical Ways for Design : October 2012
U = buoyancy due to water table

Experimental Results

Recent Experimental Studies (PEER 2007/06)

Centrifuge model configuration

Stiff and flexible model structures configuration

L. Atik and N. Sitar (2007)

Dynamic Earth pressures - Myths, Realities and Practical Ways for Design : October 2012

Representative Experimental Results

L. Atik and N. Sitar (2007)

Dynamic Earth pressures - Myths, Realities and Practical Ways for Design : October 2012

Maximum total dynamic pressure

distributions measured and estimated

L. Atik and N. Sitar (2007)

Dynamic Earth pressures - Myths, Realities and Practical Ways for Design : October 2012

Detailed Seismic Fluid Soil Structure

Interaction

Fluid Structure Interaction

Dynamic Earth pressures - Myths, Realities and Practical Ways for Design : October 2012

Seismic Soil Structure Interaction

Substructuring in the Flexible Volume Method

Substructuring in the Substructure Subtraction Method

(SASSI2010 Theory Manual)

Dynamic Earth pressures - Myths, Realities and Practical Ways for Design : October 2012

Case Study: Intake Pump Station

Dynamic Earth pressures - Myths, Realities and Practical Ways for Design : October 2012

Structure Geometry
Traveling Screen
Enclosure

2'-0"

EL. + 26'-6"

EL. + 11'-6"
(Operating Deck)

Pump house Enclosure

EL. + 11'-6"
(Operating Deck)

Slanting/
Skimmer Wall

EL. + 20'-6"
Pump Room

Slanting/
Skimmer Wall

2'-0"

EL. +0'-0" (Maximum

Operating Level in Forebay)

Baffle Wall

EL. (-) 8'-0"

EL. (-) 11'-0"

Baffle
Wall

EL. (-) 10'-0"

Bar Screens

EL. + 10'-6"

EL. + 10'-0"

3'-0"

3'-0"

Expansion
Joint

Staircase
Enclosure

EL. + 3'-0" (GWT)

EL. (-) 5'-6"

5'-0"

EL. (-) 10'-0"

UHS Electrical
Building
Y

EL. (-) 22'-6"

X
Circulating Water
Intake Structure

5'-0"

Forebay Structure

UHS Intake Structure

60" dia.
Intake Pipe (TYP)

Debris Basin
Slab
Z

105'-11" (including
slab on grade portion)

59'-0"

33'-0"

18'-6"

CWS Makeup Water

Intake Structure

74'-0"
7'-0"

60'-0"

36'-6"

Pump House
Enclosure

Electrical
Room Slab

100'-0" (clear
dimension)

Debris Basin
Slab

Expansion
Joint

80'-0" (clear
dimension)

Pump House Enclosure

Slab on grade

Forebay Structure

UHS Electrical
Building
UHS Makeup Water
Intake Structure

CCNPP
Unit 3
NORTH

26'-6"

Dynamic Earth pressures - Myths, Realities and Practical Ways for Design : October 2012

Overall Analysis/Design Approach

The finite element model of the structures is developed

using GT STRUDL Version 29.1.

Lumped Mass is used to model the Hydrodynamic Load.

The SSI analysis is performed using Site-Specific Input

Ground Motion and three soil cases (UB, BE and LB).

The FE model used for the SSI analysis is modified to

obtain the static response of the structure, using GT
STRUDL.

Only critical panels are designed. Microsoft Excel

Workbook is used to combine element forces and
moments from static and SSI analyses, for these critical
panels.

Dynamic Earth pressures - Myths, Realities and Practical Ways for Design : October 2012

Finite Element Model, Showing Critical Panels

Dynamic Earth pressures - Myths, Realities and Practical Ways for Design : October 2012

Hydrodynamic loads
CCNPP Unit 3 NORTH

208, 1454

208, 1454

207, 1449

(a) Actual distribution

(b) Idealized distribution

Equivalent weights of accelerating liquid

207, 1449

Impulsive Weight Distributions

Wiy.ew( y )

Wi.ew
2

208, 1454

208, 1454

tanh 0.866 ew

HL

W
Wi.ew
L
L
ew

0.866 H

Height to centers of gravity EBP

4HL 6 hi.ew 6 HL 12 hi.ew Hy

HL

hi.ew

Lew
L

H if ew 1.333
0.5 0.09375
L

HL
HL

( 0.375) HL otherwise

Dynamic Earth pressures - Myths, Realities and Practical Ways for Design : October 2012

Comparison of Acceleration Transfer

Functions

EQx

EQy
EQz

Dynamic Earth pressures - Myths, Realities and Practical Ways for Design : October 2012

SSI Model

Dynamic Earth pressures - Myths, Realities and Practical Ways for Design : October 2012

Sample Results

Dynamic Earth pressures - Myths, Realities and Practical Ways for Design : October 2012

Design of Walls and Slabs

Forces and moments computed after combination of seismic
and static results are used for the design of each critical
panel, using a Microsoft Excel Workbook, as outlined next
and described in detail later.
a. Design for In-plane shear using full section cuts.

b. Design vertical and horizontal sections for out-of-plane

moments and axial forces using a P-M interaction
analysis.
c. Conservatively add the reinforcement from steps a and b

d. Check out-of-plane shear for the whole wall, or whole

segments on either side of openings, based on average
shear.
e. Check for punching shear where required.
Dynamic Earth pressures - Myths, Realities and Practical Ways for Design : October 2012

Design of Walls and Slabs

Dynamic Earth pressures - Myths, Realities and Practical Ways for Design : October 2012

Conclusions
Simplified and detailed approached for the dynamic
analysis of embedded liquid containing structures
where presented. Conclusions and recommendations
are as follows:
Additional guidelines are required for the calculations
of dynamic earth pressures. In particular regarding
the use of active or at rest dynamic soil pressures.
Detailed soil structure interaction analyses can
provide additional inside regarding the behavior of
embedded liquid containing structures. However they
are only warranted for critical structures.

Dynamic Earth pressures - Myths, Realities and Practical Ways for Design : October 2012

Thank You!