Analysis of Cantilever Retaining Wall

Analyze and verify the capacity and the loads applied on the indicated retaining wall of the figure
below given that it retains granular soil (Use the Rankine Formula for Active soil pressure). For the
soil, a triaxial test has been conducted and the results of the axial and radial stress are provided.
Loads, dimensions and all necessary data are given.

Ka := 0.37

lbf
γ conc := 150
3
ft
Clcover := 2in
fy := 60ksi
tonf
ASP := 2 f'c := 4ksi
2
ft
lbf
γ soil := 125
d b_ini := 1in 3
ft

b := 1ft

s := 2ft O := 2.75ft E := 4ft V := 1.5ft U := 0ft

β := 0deg V := 1ft L := 13ft T := 1ft F := 1ft Z := 12ft

Base := O + E + F = 7.75 ft F' := F − T

1) Determining angle of Internal friction, beta angle, angle of failure plain, the Rankine Active
Pressure and the Total Active Pressure Resultant: This process is not necessary for this example. The "K" value is given

2) Solving for loads and moments generated:

Vertical components:

M sl_v := Psl_v⋅  
E
Psl_v := 1ft⋅ ( Z) ⋅ ( E) ⋅ γ soil Psl_v = 6 ⋅ kip M sl_v = 12⋅ k'
  2

M Base := PBase⋅ 
Base 
PBase := 1ft⋅ V⋅ Base⋅ γ conc PBase = 1.1625⋅ kip M Base = 4.50469 ⋅ k'
 2 

M Stem := PStem⋅  E + 
T
PStem := 1ft⋅ T⋅ Z⋅ γ conc PStem = 1.8⋅ kip M Stem = 8.1⋅ k'
 2

M sc_v := Psc_v⋅  
E
Psc_v := 1ft⋅ s⋅ E⋅ γ soil Psc_v = 1 ⋅ kip M sc_v = 2 ⋅ k'
 
2

Pvert := Psl_v + Psc_v + PBase + PStem Pvert = 9.963 ⋅ kip

M Vtot := M Stem + M Base + M sc_v + M sl_v M Vtot = 26.605⋅ k'

Horizontal components:
M sc_h := Psc_h⋅  
L
Psc_h := 1ft γ soil⋅ Ka⋅ s⋅ ( L) Psc_h = 1.2025⋅ kip M sc_h = 7.81625 ⋅ k'
 
2
2
Psoil_h1 = 3.90813 ⋅ kip M soil_h1 := Psoil_h1⋅  
( L) L
Psoil_h1 := 1ft γ soil⋅ Ka⋅ M soil_h1 = 16.935⋅ k'
2 3  

Phoriz := 1 ⋅ Psoil_h1 + Psc_h Phoriz = 5.11⋅ kip M Htot := M sc_h + M soil_h1 M Htot = 24.75 ⋅ k'

Summing up moments for overturning: M overt := M Vtot + M Htot M overt = 51.36 ⋅ k'
3) We continue with calculations for overturning and sliding at this stage:
Estimating safety indicator against overturning and verifying that that the resultant is within kern
(middle third of footings length):

(Pvert) ⋅ B − M Vtot 
>2
(Pvert) ⋅ Base − M Vtot 
= 2.0445 SI ot = "OK"

(Pvert) 
(Pvert)
SI ot =
M Htot M Htot
 

M overt Or Percentagewise.... M overt

= 5.15 ft = 0.665 Res 3rd = "Kern"
Pvert Pvert⋅ Base

4) Calculating eccentricity and bearing stress: First, the distance from the heel to the
resultant of vertical forces, then the eccentricity, and then the FP bearing.
Vu := PStem + PStem + PBase + Psc_v + Psl_v Vu = 11.763⋅ kip

M overt
d heel_res := d heel_res = 4.37⋅ ft
Vu
2
AF := Base⋅ 1 ft AF = 7.75⋅ ft
Base
ecc := d heel_res − ecc = 0.49109 ⋅ ft
2
 Vu  6Vu⋅ ecc
Fp_toe :=  + Fp_toe = 2.09⋅ ksf
 AF  1ft Base2
Vu 6Vu ⋅ ecc
Fp_heel := − Fp_heel = 0.94⋅ ksf
AF 2
1ft Base
tonf tonf
(
max Fp_toe , Fp_heel = 1.05⋅) 2
( )
min Fp_toe , Fp_heel = 0.47⋅
2
ASPcond = "OK"
ft ft

5) Sizing the depth of the stem:

Note: For the size of the stem we do not apply safety factors as we would do for "strength design", that is for rebars in the
concrete. Instead, we use the loads as estimated because that will be sufficient for deformation and displacement.
In the following formula we see the 1 ft multiplied by the specific weight of soil and then multiplied by the K factor and in the larger
parenthesis we see the following:
Surcharge height multiplied by wall height and then by midheight where the resultant of that rectangular form would be located
Wall height multiplied by wall height (as rotated horizontally) divided by 2 for rectangular form, multiplied by 1/3 of wall height
which will be the location of the resultant.
Triangular formation of Soil above the wall is treated in a mafhion similar to the surcharge.

  L2  L2   L 
M u := b ⋅ γ soil⋅ Ka⋅ s⋅ + ⋅   M u = 24.75 ⋅ k'
  2  2   3 
Determine the β1 value and the coefficient k10 for
the given concrete and steel grades: β 1 = 0.85

(
k 10 := .177⋅ f'c⋅ β 1 ⋅ 1 − .115⋅ β 1 ) k 10 = 0.54⋅ ksi

Calculate the distance necessary to locate the rebars within the

stem: (Note that for "b" we take 1 ft strips)

2 Mu Mu
b⋅ d > d := d = 6.75⋅ in
k 10 b ⋅ k 10
Given the above mentioned value for stem depth, we should also consider 2" for clear cover (The minimum cover for rebar #6 or
above is 2in (ACI 7.7.1)) + the diameter of horizontal rebars + the radius of vertical rebars. We give approximate estimates for
initial values of bar diameter to be used:
d tot = 10⋅ in

6) Designing and determining location for reinforcement. Here we consider safety factor of 1.6 for soil and overburden pressures
that will be applied for the design for strength, i.e. the rebars that we will include in our final product.

Φ := 1.6
ksf
fh := Φ⋅ γ soil⋅ Ka  .25⋅ Z  fh = 0.07⋅
Take y at top surface of base:  ft
.5⋅ Z 
y := 
We give an array of values of depth
Pu = fh ⋅ ( s + y )
based on the total depth divided in  .75⋅ Z 
quarters:  1.0Z
 
 0.37 
0.59 
Pu := fh ⋅ ( s + y ) Pu =  ⋅ ksf
 0.81 
 1.04  1 
  y2 y 3   
M y := b ⋅ fh ⋅  s⋅  5.33 
My = 
+
  2 6  ⋅ k'
 14.99   0.04 
 31.97
 15⋅ My  1   0.2  in2
As_est :=  ⋅ As_est =  ⋅
12d fy b  0.55  ft
   1.18
The above mentioned values for area of steel correspond to the  
depths given in the array of values "y". It is however necessary that
we apply no value less than the minimum at any depth even though
the calculations may yield cross sectional areas that are less than
the As_min defined by the ACI codes.
2
in
As_min := .0033 ⋅ d As_min = 0.27⋅
ft

In this case, we can pick the maximum of the array of values to start with at
the very bottom of the stem.  0.04 
 0.2  in2
As_sel = ⋅
 0.55  ft
 1.18
At various heignt (or depth) values of the stem we can we can specify different  
"ρ" distribution according to the cross sectional area of steel needed.
Bar Designation Weight per
Number foot (lbf) Diameter db Area As Perimeter 2
Ab6 := .44in
3 0.376 0.375 0.11 1.178
4 0.668 0.500 0.20 1.571
5 1.043 0.625 0.31 1.963 d b6 := .75in
6
7
1.502
2.044
0.750
0.875
0.44
0.60
2.356
2.749  194.64 
8 2.670 1.000 0.79 3.142 2 Ab7 36.5  Ab7
=
Ab7 := .6in
9 3.400 1.128 1.00 3.544 ⋅ in = 26.93 ⋅ in
10 4.318 1.270 1.27 3.990 As_sel  12.98  As_min
11 5.304 1.410 1.56 4.430 d b7 := .875in  6.08
14
18
7.650
13.600
1.693
2.257
2.25
4.00
5.319
7.091
 

Take #7 @ 6'' c/c at full depth. At three quarters depth we see that the spacing can be modified to 12" c/c

Selecting the remaining reinforcement (rebars and placement):

We need to place vertical reinforcement to support the horizontal bars on the exterior face of the retaining wall. If Z>14ft we use
#5@18in c/c, otherwise we use #4@18in c/c.
The horizontal shrinkage and temperature reinforcement required for the stem and the footing is given by the following:
Ash :=
(.002⋅ b⋅ dtot) Ab4 := .2in
2
Ash = 0.24⋅
in
2

ft ft

Walls thicker than 10 in require two layers of reinforcement. Ab4

d b4 := .4in = 10⋅ in
Therefore: Take 1 #4@10in c/c. Ash
Given the above bar diameters we can establish the precise
dimension of the cantileven wall's effective depth:
d b7
d := d tot − Clcover − d b4 − d = 7.16⋅ in
2
The shear experienced at the base of the wall is:
 L
2
Vu := fh ⋅  s⋅ L + ⋅b Vu = 8.18⋅ kip
 2 
Therefore, the shear capacity should exceed the experienced shear: Φ := .75
ΦVn = 2 ⋅ Φ⋅ ( b ⋅ d ) f'c ΦVn = 8.15⋅ kip

Vcond = "Redesign"
No need to redesign. Simply make "d_tot" larger by 1/2 inch to be safe.
Too close to worry.