PROBLEM SOLVING:

LATERAL EARTH PRESSURE

PROBLEM 1.
A 3m high vertical retaining wall is shown in Figure 08.15.
A.) What is the effective vertical stress at the base of the wall?
B.) What is the total active force acting on the wall?
C.) What is the total active moment on the wall?

SOLUTION:
A.) Effective vertical stress at the bottom of the wall.
P𝜖 = (Υsat-Υω)(H2)+ Υ(H1)
P𝜖 = (18.9kN/m3-9.81)(1m)+15.7kN/m3(2m)
P𝝐 = 40.49 kPa
 1−sinθ 1−sin 30° 1
Ka1 = 1+sinθ = =3
1+sin30°

1−sinθ 1−sin 26°

Ka2 = 1+sinθ = = 0.39
1+sin26°

1
F1 = 2(ΥH1)(H1)(Ka1)
1 1
= 2 {(15.7kN/m3)(2m)}(2m)(3)
F1 = 10.47 kN

F2 =(ΥH1)(H2)(Ka2)
={(15.7kN/m3)(2m)}(1m)(0.39)
F2 = 12.25 kN
1
F3 = 2 (Υsat − Υω)(H2)(Ka2)(H2)
1
= 2(18.9kN/m3-9.81)(1m)(0.39)(1m)
F3 = 1.77 kN

F4 = -2c√Ka2(H2)
= -2(2kPa)√0.39(1m)
F4 = -2.50 kN
1
F5 = 2(Υω)(H2)(H2)
1
= 2(9.81)(1m)(1m)
F5 = 4.91kN
2 5
y1 = 1m+3 = 3 m
1
y2 = y4 = 2 = 0.5m
1
y3 = y5 = 3m

B.) Total active force acting on the wall.

Fa = F1+F2+F3+F4+F5
= (10.47 kN)+(12.25 kN)+(1.77 kN)+(-2.50 kN)+(4.91 kN)
Fa = 26.90 kN

C.) Total active moment acting on the wall.

Ma = F1y1+F2y2+F3y3+F4y4+F5 y5
5 1 1
=(10.47kN)(3 m)+(12.25 kN)(0.5 m)+(1.77kN)(3 m)+(-2.50 kN)(0.5 m)+(4.91 kN)(3 m)
Ma = 24.55 kN-m
PROBLEM 2.
A vertical retaining wall retains 26-ft deep of soil. The soil has a dry unit weight of 110
pcf above water table and 120 pcf below water table. The ground water table is 10-ft
below the ground surface. The angle of internal friction of the soil is 35°.
A.) Calculate the total active pressure acting on the wall in pounds per foot width.
B.) Determine the location of the resultant pressure from the ground surface.
C.) Determine the overturning moment caused by the active pressure acting on the
wall per foot width.

SOLUTION:

Υb = Υsat − Υω
= 120 pcf - 62.4 lb/ft3
Υb = 57.6 pcf

1−sinθ 1−sin 35°

Ka = 1+sinθ = = 0.271
1+sin35°

Part a. Considering 1-foot length of wall.

Pressure:
P1 = ΥdKaH1
= (110 pcf)(0.271)(10 ft.)
P1 = 298.1 psf

P2 = ΥbKaH2
= (57.6 pcf)(0.271)(16 ft.)
P2 = 249.75 psf

P3 = ΥωH2
= (62.4 lb/ft3)(16 ft.)
P3 = 998.4 psf
Total Pressure:
1
F1 = 2 P1H1
1
= 2 (298.1 psf)(10 ft.)
F1 = 1,490.5 lbs.

F2 = P1H2
= (298.1 psf)(16 ft.)
F2 = 4,769.6 lbs.
1
F3 = 2 P2H2
1
= 2 (249.75 psf)(16 ft.)
F3 = 1,998 lbs.
1
F4 = 2 P3H2
1
= 2 (998.4 psf)(16 ft.)
F4 = 7,987.2 lbs.

A.) Total active pressure acting on the wall.

F = F1+F2+F3+F4
= (1,490.5 lbs.)+(4,769.6 lbs.)+(1,998 lbs.)+(7,987.2 lbs.)
F = 16,245.3 lbs.

Location Of F:
2 2 20
y1 = 3 H1 = 3 (10 ft.) = 3 ft.
1 1
y2 = H1+ 2 H2 = 10 ft.+ 2 (16 ft.) = 18 ft.
2 2
y3 = y4 = H1+ 3 H2 = 10 ft.+ 3 (16 ft.) = 20.667 ft.

Taking moment forces about the top:

B.) Location of the resultant pressure from the ground surface.
F Υ = F1y1+F2y2+F3y3+F4y4
20
16,245.3 lbs. Υ = (1,490.5 lbs.)( 3 ft.)+(4,769.6 lbs.)(18 ft.)+(1,998 lbs.)(20.667 ft.)
+(7,987.2 lbs.)(20.667 ft.)
𝚼 = 18.6 ft.
C.) Overturning moment caused by the active pressure acting on the wall.
x = HT - Υ
= 26 ft. – 18.6 ft.
x = 7.4 ft.

OM = Fx
= (16,245.3 lbs.)(7.4 ft.)
OM = 120,215.22 ft-lb.
PROBLEM 3.
A retaining wall is shown in Figure 08.17.
A.) Determine the total active pressure before tensile crack occurs.
B.) Determine the total active pressure after tensile crack occurs.

SOLUTION:
1−sinθ 1−sin 26°
Ka = = = 0.39
1+sinθ 1+sin26°

A.) Total active pressure before tensile crack occurs.

1
Fa = 2 Ka γH2 + KaqH – 2c √Ka (H)

1
= 2 (0.39)(16.5 kN/m3)(6 m)2 + (0.39)(15 kN/m2)(6 m) – 2(10 kN/m2)√0.39(6 m)

Fa = 76 kN

At H=0
𝑃𝛼1 = 0 + Kaq – 2c √Ka
= 0 + (0.39)(15 kN/m2) – 2(10 kN/m2)√0.39
𝑃𝛼1 = -6. 64 kN/m2

At H=6
𝑃𝛼2 = Ka γH + Kaq – 2c √Ka
= (0.39)(16.5 kN/m3)(6 m) + (0.39)(15 kN/m2) – 2(10 kN/m2)√0.39
𝑃𝛼2 = 31.97 kN/m2
 y H
=
𝑃𝛼1 𝑃𝛼1+ 𝑃𝛼2

y = 1.03 m
H – y = 6 m – 1.03 m = 4.97 m

B.) Total active pressure after tensile crack occurs.

1
Fa = 2 (𝑃𝛼2)(H-y)

1
= 2 (31.97 kN/m2)(4.97 m)

Fa = 79.45 kN
 BEARING CAPACITY OF SOILS
PROBLEM 1.
A circular footing 2.5 m in diameter is shown in Figure 09.15. Assume general shear
failure and use a factor of safety of 3. Determine the following:
A.) The gross allowable bearing capacity.
B.) The net allowable bearing capacity.
C.) The safe load that the footing can carry.
SOLUTION:
General shear failure for circular footing:
From Table 09.1, for 𝜙 = 25° :
Nc = 25.13
Nq = 12.72
N𝛾 = 8.34

c = 80 kPa

q = effective vertical stress at base footing

q = (Υsat − Υω)(Df – Hy) + y(Hy)
= (19.2 kN/m3 – 9.81)(1.8 m – 1.1 m) + 18.5 kN/m3(1.1 m)
q = 26.923 kPa

𝛾e = 𝛾𝑏 = Υsat − Υω
= 19.2 kN/m3 – 9.81
𝛾e = 9.39 kN/m3

B = 2.5 m

qu = 1.3 c Nc + q Nq + 0.3 𝛾e B N𝛾
= 1.3 (80 kPa)(25.13) + (26.923 kPa)(12.72) + 0.3(9.39 kN/m3)(2.5 m)(8.34)
𝑞𝑢 = 3,014.72 kPa

A.) The gross allowable bearing capacity.

𝑞𝜐
(qallow)gross = 𝐹𝑆
3,014.72 kPa
= 3
(qallow)gross = 1,004.9 kPa

B.) The net allowable bearing capacity.

qu net = qu – q
= 3,014.72 kPa - 26.923 kPa
qu net = 2,987.8 kPa
𝑞𝑢 𝑛𝑒𝑡
(qallow)net = 𝐹𝑆
2,987.8 kPa
= 3
(qallow)net = 995.9 kPa

C.) The safe load that the footing can carry.

Qallow = (qallow)net x Area of footing
𝜋
= 995.9 kPa x 4 (2.5 m)2
Qallow = 4,888.8 kN