Retaining Wall

Retaining walls are structures used to retain earth which would not be able to stand vertically
unsupported.

Different types of retaining wall are

 Free standing (gravity wall)

 Reinforced cantilever wall
 Counterforts

Which of the three types of wall is

appropriate in a given case depends
on variety of conditions, such as
local availability and price of
construction materials and property
rights.

 In general gravity walls are

economical only relatively low
walls. Possibly up to 10 ft.
 Cantilever wall are economical
for heights from 10 to 20 ft.
 Counterforts are used for grater
heights.

Figure - 1 Types of retaining walls and

back drains: (a) gravity walls; (b)
Cantilever walls; (c) Counterfort

3-d view of Counterfort

Main use:
 At bridge abutment (figure-2)

Figure -2

 Retaining to retain vertical cut surface(figure -3)

Figure -3

 At water channel or swimming poll (figure-4)

 At basement (figure-5)

Figure -4
Figure -5
Earth Pressure for common load conditions

Kahwh Kahwh
Kahw(h+h’)

(a) (b) (c)

Figure-6 Earth pressure for (a) horizontal surface; (b) Sloping Surface; (c)
horizontal surface with surcharge s.

If the ground water level is above the base of the wall, additional water pressure is
to be considered.

Possible Failure mode

Failure mode Remedy

 Individual parts may fail because
they are not so strong to resist the
acting forces
 The wall as a whole may be bodily
displaced by the earth pressure,
without breaking up initially
 By providing necessary dimensions,
thickness, and reinforcement to
resist the moments and shares
 By ensuring the external stability
Design of cantilever retaining wall

Different parts of cantilever retaining wall

Steam (sometime
Heel may be tapered)

Toe
Base

Figure -7; Different parts of cantilever retaining wall

External force acting on the wall

Earth pressure on the steam

Weight of soil above heel

Weight of base and steam

Friction between base and soil

1
3 Passive earth pressure on the face of
2
toe
5Soil pressure on the base
4

6
Figure -8; External force acting on the wall
For external stability

 Sliding must be prevented by the friction between the soil and footing i.e.
the summation of 4 and 5 must be greater than force 1
 Compression must act through out the base i.e. resultant of 1, 2, and 3
must be pass through the center third of the base
 Pressure under the footing does not exceed the permissible bearing pressure

For giving the required strength

Tension
Rebar

Tension

Tension

Dimensions Estimations
Figure 9; Tension zone and placement of rebar
 (8" absolute minimum)
(12" preferable minimum)
Minimum batter
0.25 in/ft

Greater than frost penetration

and depth for which there is
a seasonal change in volume
0.07h to h
b/3 0.12h

0.07h to 0.1h
b = 0.4h to 0.6h (10 in. to 12 in. min.)

Figure-10, Economical Dimensions

Example 1 [ McCormac 13.2]

Using the approximate rules presented in this section,

estimate the sizes of the parts of the retaining wall shown
in Figure 11. The soil weighs 100 lb/ft 3, and a surcharge
of 300 psf is present. Assume Kah = 0.32. (For many
practical soils such as clays or silts, kah will be two or
more times this large.)

Figure-11

Solution:
Stem Thickness
Assume 12-in. thickness at top.

Assume bottom thickness = 0.07h = (0.07)(21) = 1.47' Say 1’-6”

Base Thickness
Assume base t = 7% to 10% of overall wall height:
Say 1’-6”
t = (0.07)(21) = 1.47'
Height of stem = 21’ 0" minus 1’6" = 19'6"

Base Length and Position of Stem

Calculating horizontal forces without load factors, as shown in Figure 12.

Pa = kahwh = (0.32)(100)(21) = 672 lb

H1 = (0.5)(21)(672) = 7056 lb
H2 = (21)(96) = 2016 lb
W = (x)(24)(l00) = 2400x

∑ Ma = 0
-(7056)(7.00) - (2016)(10.5) + (2400x)(x/2) = 0
x = 7.67'
b = (3/2)(7.67) = 11.505' Say 11’-6”

Figure-12

Example 2[Mccormac 13.3]

Complete the design of the cantilever retaining wall whose dimensions were estimated in
Example 1 and are shown in Figure 12, if = 3000 psi, = 60,000 psi, = 4000 psf,
and the coefficient of sliding friction equals 0.50 for concrete on soil. Use p approximately
equal to 0.18 / to maintain reasonable deflection control.

Solution:
The safety factors against overturning and sliding and the soil pressures under the heel and
toe are computed using the actual unfactored loads.

Safety Factor against Overturning (with Reference to Figure 13)

Overturning Moment
Force Moment arm Moment

H1 = ( )(21)(672) = 7056 lb X 7.00 =49,392 ft-lb

H2 = (21)(96) = 2016lb X 10.50 =21,168 ft-lb

Total 70,560 ft-lb

Figure-13
 Rightining Moment
Force Moment arm Moment
W1 = (1.5)(11.5)(150) = 2588lb X 5.75 =14,881 ft-lb

W2 = ( )(l9.5)( )(150) = 731lb X 4.08 =2982 ft-lb

= 2925 lb X 4.75 =13,894 ft-lb

W3 = (19.5)( )(l50)

W4 = (22.5)(6.25)(100) = 14,062 lb X 8.37 =117,699 ft-Ib*

Rv = 20,306 lb M = 149,456 ft-Ib
*including surcharge

OK
Safety factor against overturning = = 2.12 > 2

Factor of Safety against Sliding

Force causing sliding = H1 + H2 + 9072 lb

Resisting force = µRv = (0.50)(20,306) = 10,153 lb
N.G.
Safety factor = = 1.12 < 1.5

little wider footing on the heel side will easily take care of the situation. In addition to or
instead of this solution a key, perhaps 1 ft-6 in. X 1 ft-6 in.

Footing Soil Pressures

Rv = 20,306 lb and is located a distance from the toe of the footing

Just inside the middle third

= = = 3.89’

Soil pressure = -

A= (1)(11.5) = 11.5 ft2

I= (1)(11.5)3 = 126.74 ft4

ftoe =

= - 1766 - 1714 = -3480 psf

fheel = - 1766 + 1714 = -52 psf
Design of Stem

The lateral forces applied to the stem are calculated using a load factor of 1.6 as shown in
Figure 14.

Figure-14

Design of Stem for Moment

Mu = (H1)(6.50) + (H2)(9.75) = (9734)(6.50) + (2995)(9.75)

Mu = 92,472 ft-lb

= approximately 0.18 / = = 0.009

 = 482.6 psi [from Graph A.1b]

Say 18”(d= 15.50”)

h = 14.59 + 2" + = 17.09"

= 0.00786 [from Graph A.1b]

2
Use # 8 @ 6” (1.57 in. )
As = (0.00786)(12)(15.5) = 1.46 in.2

OK
Minimum vertical by ACI Section 14.3 = 0.0015

Minimum horizontal Ag = (0.0025)(12)(average stem t)

(say one-third inside face and two-thirds outside face).

Use # 4 @ 7.5” out side face and 15” in side face

Checking Shear Stress in Stem

Actually, Vu at a distance d from the top of the footing can be used, but for simplicity.

Vu = H1 + H2 = 9734 + 2995 = 12,729 lb

OK
= 15,281 lb > 12,729 lb

OK
Design of Heel
The upward soil pressure is conservatively neglected, and a load factor of 1.2 is used for
calculating the shear and moment because soil and concrete make up the load.

Vu = (22.5)(6.25)(100)(1.2) + (1.5)(6.25)(150)(1.2) = 18,563 lb

No Good

Try 24-in. Depth (d = 20.5 in.)

Neglecting slight change in Vu with different depth

Mu at face of stem = lb-ft

Use ρ =0.0033

Using 0.00333,
Ax = (0.00333)(12)(20.5) = 0.82 in.2/ft Use # 8 @ 11” c/c

ld required calculated with ACI Equation 12-1 for #8 top bars with c = 2.50 in. and K tr = 0 is
43 in. < 72 in. available.
OK

Note: Temperature and shrinkage steel is normally considered unnecessary in the heel and toe.
However, the author has placed #4 bars @ 8 in. on center in the long direction, as shown in Figures
15 and 16 to serve as spacers for the flexural steel and to form mats out of the reinforcing.

Design of Toe

Vu = 10,440 + 7086 = 17,526 lb

OK

Use # 8 @ 11” c/c

 Mu at face of stem = lb-ft

Therefore, use

As = (0.00333)(12)(20.5) = 0.82 in. 2/ft

ld required calculated with ACI Equation 12-1 for #8 bottom bars with c = 2.50 in. and Ktr =
0 equals 33 in. < 42 in. available.

Figure-15 Heel reinforcement

Figure-16

Figure-16 Toe reinforcement

Details of Vertical reinforcement

Distance Effective
As required Bars
from the top MU (lb-ft) Stem depth d
(in.2/f) needed
of stem (in.)
5’ 2987 11.04 0.44 #8 @ 18"
Use min = 0.0033

10’ 16,213 12.28 0.50 #8 @ 18"

Use min = 0.0033

15’ 46,080 14.12 0.00452 0.77 #8 @ 12”

19.5’ 92,472 15.50 0.00786 1.46 #8 @ 6"

Contraction and Expansion joint

To handling shrinkage problems and differential settlements contraction joints are useful.
They need to be spaced at intervals about 25 ft on center (the AASHTO says not greater
than 30 ft).

Expansion joints ate vertical joints that completely separate the different parts of a wall.
They are placed approximately 50 to 100 ft on centers (the AASHTO says maximum spacing
should not be greater than 90 ft).

Drainage

 Weep Holes – consisting of 6 or 8 in. pipe embedded in the wall, as shown as in

figure 1 (c), are usually spaced horizontally about 5 to 10 ft. In addition to bottom
row, additional rows should be provided in walls of substantial height. To facilitate
drainage and prevent clogging, 1 ft3 or more of crushed stone is placed at the rear
end of weeper.
 Longitudinal drains – figure 1 (b)
 Continuous back drain – figure 1 (a)

Why back sands and gravels are superior to all other soils as a backfill material
 Sands and gravels are fee-draining
 Not susceptible to frost action
 Do not become less stable with the passage of time