Example 11.

4-DA2
Mass concrete wall retaining granular fill
Verification of strength (limit state GEO)

Design situation
Consider a mass concrete gravity wall, B = 2.0m wide, which retains
H = 4.0m of granular fill and sits upon a strong rock (so bearing failure is not
a design issue). The top of the wall (which is symmetrical) is b = 1.0m
kN
wide.The weight density of unreinforced concrete is γck = 24 (as per
3
m
EN 1991-1-1 Table A.1). The backfill has characteristic drained strength
kN
parameters φk = 36°, c'k = 0kPa, and weight density γk = 19 . The fill's
3
m
constant volume angle of shearing resistance is φcv,k = 30°. The

characteristic angle of shearing resistance of the rock beneath the wall base
is φk,fdn = 40°. The ground behind the wall slopes upwards at a slope of 1m

− 1 ⎛ 1m ⎞
vertically to h = 4m horizontally, i.e. at an angle β = tan ⎜ ⎟ = 14 °. A
⎝ h ⎠
variable surcharge qQk = 10kPa acts on this ground surface during

persistent and transient situations. n

Design Approach 2

Geometrical parameters
There is no need to consider an unplanned excavation
B−b
Inclination of wall surface (virtual plane) θ = = 7.2 °
2H
B−b
Width of heel bh = = 0.5 m
2

Actions
⎛ B + b⎞ kN
Characteristic self-weight of wall WGk = γck × ⎜ ⎟ × H = 144
⎝ 2 ⎠ m
Characteristic moment about toe (stabilizing)
B kNm
M Ek,stb = WGk × = 144
2 m
Material properties
Partial factors from set M1 are γφ = 1 and γc = 1

Design shearing resistance of backfill φd = tan

⎛ tan
−1⎜ ( φk) ⎟⎞ = 36 °
⎜ γφ ⎟
⎝ ⎠
c'k
Design effective cohesion of backfill c'd = = 0 kPa
γc

UK NA to BS EN 1997-1 allows φcv,d to be selected directly. Here, take the

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ →
(
smaller of φd and φcv,k, i.e. φcv,d = min φd , φcv,k = 30 ° )
For cast in place concrete k = 1

Interface friction between backfill and wall is δd = k × φcv,d = 30 ° o

Design shearing resistance of rock φd,fdn = tan
−1⎜
⎛ tan φk,fdn ⎞ (
⎟ = 40 ° )
⎜ γφ ⎟
⎝ ⎠
Interface friction between rock and wall is δd,fdn = k × φd,fdn = 40 ° p

Effects of actions
Active earth pressure coefficients (giving normal components of stress)
Kaγ = 0.304 , Kaq = 0.297 , and Kac = 0.942 q
Partial factors from sets A1: γG = 1.35 γG,fav = 1 γQ = 1.5

From backfill:
⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯
→
⎛ γk H
2⎞
⎜ ⎟ kN
design thrust: Pahd = ⎜γG × Kaγ cos ( θ) × ⎟ = 61.9
1 ⎝ 2 m ⎠
⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯→ kN
1 ⎝ 1
( ⎠
)
vertical thrust: Pavd = ⎛Pahd × tan θ + δd ⎞ = 46.9
m
r
H kNm
moment about toe: M d = Pahd × = 82.5
1 1 3 m
From surcharge:
⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯→ kN
(
design thrust Pahd = γQ × Kaq cos ( θ) × qQk H = 17.7
2 m
)
⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯→ kN
2 ⎝ 2 ⎠
(
vertical thrust: Pavd = ⎛Pahd × tan θ + δd ⎞ = 13.4
m
) r
 H kNm
from surcharge M d = Pahd × = 35.3
2 2 2 m
2
⎯⎯ → kN
Total design horizontal thrust HEd =
∑=
i 1
Pahd = 79.5
i m

2
⎯⎯ → kN
Total design vertical thrust Pavd =
∑=
i 1
Pavd = 60.3
i m

2
⎯→ kNm
Total design destabilizing moment M Ed,dst =
∑=
i 1
M d = 117.8
i m

kN
Vertical action (unfavourable) Vd = γG × WGk + Pavd = 254.7 s
m
kN
Vertical action (favourable) Vd,fav = γG,fav × WGk + Pavd = 204.3 s
m

Sliding resistance
Partial factors from set R2: γRh = 1.1 and γRv = 1.4

Design drained sliding resistance (ignoring adhesion, as required by EN 1997-1

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯→

exp. 6.3a) H'Rd =

⎜ (
⎛ Vd,fav × tan δd,fdn ⎞ )
⎟ = 155.8 kN
⎜ γRh ⎟ m
⎝ ⎠

Toppling resistance
Design stabilizing moments (about toe):
⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯→
⎡⎢ ⎛⎜ bh ⎞⎤
⎟⎥ kNm
1 ⎣ 1
(
From backfill: M d = ⎢Pahd × tan θ + δd × ⎜B −
⎝
⎟
3 ⎠⎦⎥ )= 86
m
t
⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯→
⎡⎢ ⎡⎢ ⎛⎜ bh ⎞⎤⎤
⎟⎥⎥ kNm
2 ⎣ 2 ⎣
(
From surcharge: M d = ⎢Pahd × ⎢tan θ + δd × ⎜B −
⎝
⎟⎥⎥
2 ⎠⎦⎦
)
= 23.4
m
t
⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯→ kNm
(
From wall M d = γG,fav × M Ek,stb = 144
3
) m
3
⎯→ kNm
Total design stabilizing moment M Ed,stb =
∑=
i 1
M d = 253.4
i m

→
 ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ →
⎛ B MEd,stb − MEd,dst ⎞
Eccentricity of load e B =
⎜ − ⎟ = 0.47 m
⎜2 Vd ⎟
⎝ ⎠
B
To be within middle third of base, e must be not be > = 0.33 m u
B 6

Verifications
kN kN
For drained sliding and HEd = 79.5 and H'Rd = 155.8
m m
HEd
Degree of utilization ΛGEO,2 = = 51 % v
H'Rd

kNm kNm
For toppling M Ed,dst = 117.8 and M Ed,stb = 253.4
m m
M Ed,dst
Degree of utilization ΛGEO,2 = = 46 % v
M Ed,stb

Design is unacceptable if the degree of utilization is > 100%