Geotechnical Engineering II
Lateral Earth Pressure
Emmanuel B. Barbas
Lateral Earth Pressure
Why study lateral earth pressure?
The structures shown have to
withstand the lateral pressures
from earth the mass they support
on their faces.
The design and construction,
therefore, require a thorough
knowledge on these lateral earth
pressure.
Lateral Earth Pressure
ground surface Stress ratio:
𝜎′ℎ
=𝐾
𝜎′𝑜
The lateral earth pressure (𝜎ℎ ) generally
𝑧 is taken as a fraction of the vertical
Retaining wall
pressure (𝜎𝑣 )
𝜎′𝑜
𝜎′ℎ =𝐾𝜎′𝑜
𝜎′ℎ
Where K is a non-dimensional factor called
the lateral earth pressure coefficient
The lateral pressure (or K) depends on the
following soil states:
1. At-Rest State
2. Active State
3. Passive State
Lateral Earth Pressure
At-Rest Earth Pressure
If there is no relative movement
between the wall and the soil on its
immediate surface, the soil mass will
be in a state of static equilibrium
and the horizontal effective earth
pressure is referred to as the at-rest
(or static) earth pressure.
Where Ko = at-rest (or static) earth
pressure coefficient
Lateral Earth Pressure
At-Rest Earth Pressure
Empirical formula for determining Ko
Jaky (1944) equation for coarse- Mayne and Kulhawy equation for
grained soils (loose sand) clay to gravel
good for loose sand
𝑂𝐶𝑅 = overconsolidation ratio
Sherif, Fang, and Sherif (1984) (1944)
equation for compacted sand
Massarsch (1979) equation for
NC fine-grained soils
𝛿𝑑 = actual compacted dry unit
weight of retained sand
𝛿𝑑(𝑚𝑖𝑛) = dry unit weight of retained
sand at its loosest state
Lateral Earth Pressure
At-Rest Earth Pressure
Coefficients of earth pressure for at rest condition
Lateral Earth Pressure
At-Rest Earth Pressure
Lateral earth pressure distribution for dry soil
(add notes)
Lateral Earth Pressure
At-Rest Earth Pressure
Lateral earth pressure distribution for partially submerged soil
(add notes)
Lateral Earth Pressure
Active Earth Pressure
If the frictionless wall moves
sufficiently away from soil by rotating
about its bottom to a position of A’B, a
triangular soil mass ABC’ adjacent to
the wall will be in a state of plastic
equilibrium and will fail by sliding
down the plane BC’. The horizontal
effective stress, will be referred to as
active pressure.
Where Ka = active earth pressure
coefficient
Lateral Earth Pressure
Passive Earth Pressure
If the frictionless wall moves
sufficiently into the soil by rotating
about its bottom to a position of A’’B, a
triangular soil mass ABC’’ adjacent to
the wall will be in a state of plastic
equilibrium and will fail by sliding
down the plane BC’’. The horizontal
effective stress, will be referred to as
passive pressure.
Where Kp = passive earth pressure
coefficient
Lateral Earth Pressure
Lateral earth pressure variation with wall tilt
Away from soil Into the soil
Lateral Earth Pressure
Lateral Earth Pressure
Classical Earth Pressure Theories
1. Coulomb's earth pressure theory
o Coulomb made the first publication on lateral earth pressures in 1776
o His lateral earth pressure theories are more generalized (considers
wall friction, wall surface tilt, and backfill soil surface inclination),
however, more complex.
2. Rankine's earth pressure theory
o Rankine’s lateral earth pressure theories are more simplified
o Assumes frictionless wall
Lateral Earth Pressure
Rankine’s Active Earth Pressure Theory
Active state
At rest state
Rankine’s active earth pressure Rankine’s active earth pressure
coefficient (c’=0)
Lateral Earth Pressure
Lateral earth pressure variation with depth based on the equation
Lateral Earth Pressure
Rankine’s Passive Earth Pressure Theory
Passive state
At rest state
Rankine’s passive earth pressure Rankine’s passive earth
pressure coefficient (c’=0)
Lateral Earth Pressure
Lateral earth pressure variation with depth based on the equation
Lateral Earth Pressure
Generalized Case for Rankine’s Active and Passive
Earth Pressures for Granular Backfill (Chu 1991) Active Case
Active earth pressure
where
Active pressure inclination
Pressure coefficient
Active force
Lateral Earth Pressure
Generalized Case for Rankine’s Active and Passive Earth
Pressures for Granular Backfill
Location of active Force (Pa) and inclination of failure plane
Lateral Earth Pressure
Generalized Case for Rankine’s Active and
Passive Earth Pressures for Granular Backfill
- A special case for vertical backface
Active Case
Active force
Pressure coefficient
Lateral Earth Pressure
Generalized Case for Rankine’s Active and Passive
Earth Pressures for Granular Backfill (Chu 1991) Passive Case
Passive earth pressure
where
Passive pressure inclination
Pressure coefficient
Passive force
Lateral Earth Pressure
Generalized Case for Rankine’s Active and Passive Earth
Pressures for Granular Backfill
Location of active Passive (Pp) and inclination of failure plane
Lateral Earth Pressure
Generalized Case for Rankine’s Active and
Passive Earth Pressures for Granular Backfill
- A special case for vertical backface
Passive Case
Passive force
Pressure coefficient
Lateral Earth Pressure
Problem no 1.
Lateral Earth Pressure
Problem no 2.(3933.6, 5)
Lateral Earth Pressure
Problem no 3.(12.45,2.67)
Lateral Earth Pressure
Problem no 4. (2340,2.91)
Lateral Earth Pressure
Problem no 5. (5.74’, 3225lb/ft, 5233lb/ft, 3.09m)
Lateral Earth Pressure
Problem no 6. (10.02 kN/m)
Lateral Earth Pressure
Coulomb’s Active Earth Pressure Theory
variables
𝛼 = 𝑏𝑎𝑐𝑘𝑓𝑖𝑙𝑙
𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑒
𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛
𝜃 = 𝑤𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑏𝑎𝑐𝑘 −
𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑒 𝑡𝑖𝑙𝑡 𝑤𝑖𝑡
𝑡𝑒 𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙
𝛽 = 𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛
𝑜𝑓 𝑡𝑒 𝑓𝑎𝑖𝑙𝑢𝑟𝑒
𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑒 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚
𝑜𝑟.
′
𝛿 = 𝑤𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑓𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛
Force polygon 𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒
Failure wedge
Coulomb’s active earth
Coulomb’s active force pressure coefficient
Lateral Earth Pressure
Coulomb’s Passive Earth Pressure Theory
Force polygon
Coulomb’s passive earth
Failure wedge
pressure coefficient
Coulomb’s passive force
Lateral Earth Pressure
Problem no 7. (85.14 kN/m,84.80 kN/m)
