Mean StDev x* µN sN nx g gsat q f' d Tyld z1 z2 z3

normal g 17 0.4 16.58 ### ### ### g 1 0.5 0 0.5 0.4 0 0 0 0

normal gsat 20 0.5 19.38 ### ### ### gsat 0.5 1 0 0.5 0.4 0 0 0 0
normal q 10 2 10.17 ### ### ### q 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
normal f' 36 3.0 29.82 ### ### ### f' 0.5 0.5 0 1 0.8 0 0 0 0
normal d 18 1.5 15.32 ### ### ### d 0.4 0.4 0 0.8 1 0 0 0 0

normal Tyield 200 15 200 ### ### ### Tyld 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0

normal z1 4.5 0.23 4.508 ### ### ### z1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.7 0
normal z2 6 0.3 6.068 ### ### ### z2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.7 1 0
normal z3 8 0.4 8.541 ### ### ### z3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Steps for hand
(1) Copy mean
crmatrix (Correlation matrix)
This initializ
Boxed cells contain equations. The formulae in the boxed
cells below refer to the x* values, not the mean values. (2) Click Tools
the paper.
(Need to fir
Ka Kah Kp Kph gw L d i gea gep p'h 1 p'hb pw1 pw2 a b (3) For L = 12.
0.303 0.292 4.991 4.814 9.8 ### 3.66 0.137 10.9 8.24 24.83 49 13 9.9 1.5 ### point is def

Forces Lever arm Moments Forces Lever arm Moments

(If L = 11.0 m, b
order to achiev
(kN/m) (m) (kN-m/m) (kN/m) (m) (kN-m/m) = sqrt(mmult(transpose(nx),
mmult(minverse(crmat),nx))) negative from p
1 -36 4.600 -167 6 -10.3 4.05 -41.6 Ctrl+Shift, then Enter
This encapsulates equation (6b) The other two
2 -49.3 1.506 -74 7 -24.4 5.80 -141 in a single cell, for constrained below¾show r
optimization by Excel's built-in
3 -168 6.854 ### 8 -4.12 5.39 -22.2
Solver program. correlated bet
4 -95 8.136 -769 9 -18.0 8.26 -149
5 265 9.48 2516 PerFn1
2E-06
=sum(Moment
s)
All Normal variates: L = 12.20 m, for b =2.50, as shown, against rotational
failure.

All symmetric BetaDist variates: L = 12.17m, for b =2.50. (If L = 12.20 m, b =

2.53)

All LogNormal variates: L= 12.12 m, for b =2.50. (if L = 12.20 m, b = 2.59)

Fig. 7. Reliability-based design of wall height L for target relibility index of

2.50. The required average embedment is (L - mean z3).
 This workbook is provided by B. K. Low, author of "Reliability-based design applied to
retaining walls", Geotechnique, Vol. 55, No. 1, 63-75, 2005. The aim is to allow hands-
on experinece and to enhance understanding of the reliability approach.

Radians
This Excel file, for the anchored wall design of Figs. 6 &
f'* 0.52051
7, contains the user-defined VBA macro EqvN,as listed in
d* 0.26735 Fig. 8 of the paper. You need to set Tools\Macro\Security
level to Medium to enable the macro to function.

Steps for hands-on reliability analysis involving correlated normals:

(1) Copy mean column (cells D2:D10), and paste onto x* column (cells G2:G10).
This initializes the x* values.
(2) Click Tools\Solver, and Solve. The settings shown in Solver are explained in
the paper. Solver\Options\UseAutomaticScaling can also be activated.
(Need to first select Solver in Tools\Add-Ins, if never use it before)
(3) For L = 12.20 m, the reliability index b obtained by Solver is 2.50. The design
point is defined by the solution values in the x* column.

(If L = 11.0 m, b = 1.10. A few trial L values will lead to the required L of 12.20 m in
order to achieve b = 2.50. See also the paper's subsection "distinguishing
negative from positive reliability indices".)

The other two worksheets of this file¾reached via the sheet tabs
below¾show reliability-based design involving correlated lognormal and
correlated beta distributions, as described in the paper.

For vertical wall and horizontal surface of backfill (i.e.,  = 90 and  = 0), the
Coulomb equation for active earth pressure coefficient
2
 sin      sin  
Ka   
 sin       sin       sin       sin      
 

simplifies to:
For vertical wall and horizontal surface of backfill (i.e., 2  = 90 and  = 0), the

Coulomb equation K a for

 cos    
 active earth pressure coefficient


 cos    sin       sin     2
 sin      sin  
Ka   
 sin       sin       sin       sin      
Similarly, for vertical wall and horizontal surface of backfill, the Coulomb  equation for
passive earth pressure coefficient is:
simplifies to:
2
 cos   
cos 
KKpa   
 cos
cos   
 sin
sin    
sin
sin 
  
 
 

Similarly, for vertical wall and horizontal surface of backfill, the Coulomb equation for
passive earth pressure coefficient is:

 cos   
Kp   
 cos    sin       sin    
 
 Mean StDev x* µN sN nx g gsat q f' d Tyld z1 z2 z3
lognormal g 17 0.4 16.61 ### ### ### g 1 0.5 0 0.5 0.4 0 0 0 0
lognormal gsat 20 0.5 19.41 ### ### ### gsat 0.5 1 0 0.5 0.4 0 0 0 0
lognormal q 10 2 9.979 ### ### ### q 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
lognormal f' 36 3.0 30.54 ### ### ### f' 0.5 0.5 0 1 0.8 0 0 0 0
lognormal d 18 1.5 15.59 ### ### ### d 0.4 0.4 0 0.8 1 0 0 0 0

lognormal Tyield 200 15 199.4 ### ### ### Tyld 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0

lognormal z1 4.5 0.23 4.504 ### ### ### z1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.7 0
lognormal z2 6 0.3 6.069 ### ### ### z2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.7 1 0
lognormal z 3 8 0.4 8.68 ### ### ### z3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Steps for hand
(1) Enter "log
crmatrix (Correlation matrix) (2) Copy mean
Boxed cells contain equations. The formulae in the boxed
cells below refer to the x* values, not the mean values.
This initializ
(3) Click Tools\
the paper.
Ka Kah Kp Kph gw L d i gea gep p'h 1 p'hb pw1 pw2 a b (4) For L = 12.
0.295 0.284 5.242 5.049 9.8 ### 3.52 0.140 11 8.24 24.06 48 13 9.6 1.5 ### random var

The other two

Forces Lever arm Moments Forces Lever arm Moments
below¾show r
(kN/m) (m) (kN-m/m) (kN/m) (m) (kN-m/m) = sqrt(mmult(transpose(nx),
mmult(minverse(crmat),nx))) correlated bet
1 -35 4.600 -159 6 -10.3 4.05 -41.8 Ctrl+Shift, then Enter
This encapsulates equation (6b)
2 -47.8 1.503 -72 7 -25.1 5.87 -148 in a single cell, for constrained
optimization by Excel's built-in
3 -163 6.852 ### 8 -4.66 5.44 -25.3
Solver program.
4 -92 8.135 -751 9 -16.9 8.35 -142
5 258 9.53 2457 PerFn1

=sum(Moment -3E-05
s)
All Normal variates: L = 12.20 m, for b =2.50, as shown, against rotational
failure.

All symmetric BetaDist variates: L = 12.17m, for b =2.50. (If L = 12.20 m, b =

2.53)

All LogNormal variates: L= 12.12 m, for b =2.50. (if L = 12.20 m, b = 2.59)

 This workbook is provided by B. K. Low, author of "Reliability-based design applied to
retaining walls", Geotechnique, Vol. 55, No. 1, 63-75, 2005. The aim is to allow hands-
on experinece and to enhance understanding of the reliability approach.

Radians
This Excel file, for the anchored wall design of Figs. 6 &
f'* 0.53299
7, contains the user-defined VBA macro EqvN,as listed in
d* 0.27215 Fig. 8 of the paper. You need to set Tools\Macro\Security
level to Medium to enable the macro to function.

Steps for hands-on reliability analysis involving correlated lognormals:

(1) Enter "lognormals" in cells A2:A10. (Done)
(2) Copy mean column (cells D2:D10), and paste onto x* column (cells G2:G10).
This initializes the x* values.
(3) Click Tools\Solver, and Solve. The settings shown in Solver are explained in
the paper. Solver\Options\UseAutomaticScaling can also be activated.
(4) For L = 12.20 m, the reliability index b obtained by Solver is 2.59 when the
random variables are lognormally distributed.

The other two worksheets of this file¾reached via the sheet tabs
below¾show reliability-based design involving correlated normal and
correlated beta distributions, as described in the paper.

For vertical wall and horizontal surface of backfill (i.e.,  = 90 and  = 0), the
Coulomb equation for active earth pressure coefficient
2
 sin      sin  
Ka   
 sin       sin       sin       sin      
 

simplifies to:
For vertical wall and horizontal surface of backfill (i.e.,2  = 90 and  = 0), the
 cos   
Coulomb equation  active earth pressure coefficient
K afor
    
  cos    sinsin     sin 2
     sin  
Ka   
 sin       sin       sin       sin      
 wall and horizontal surface of backfill, the Coulomb
Similarly, for vertical  equation for
passive earth pressure coefficient is:
simplifies to:
2
 cos   
K ap   
 cos    sin       sin    
 

Similarly, for vertical wall and horizontal surface of backfill, the Coulomb equation for
passive earth pressure coefficient is:

 cos   
Kp   
 cos    sin       sin    
 
 betadist parameters x* µN sN nx g gsat q f' d Tyld z1 z2 z3 This workbook is p
retaining walls", G
betadist g 4 4 15.8 18.2 16.58 ### ### ### g 1 0.5 0 0.5 0.4 0 0 0 0
on experinece and
betadist gsat 4 4 18.5 21.5 19.36 ### ### ### gsat 0.5 1 0 0.5 0.4 0 0 0 0
betadist q 4 4 4 16 10.25 ### ### ### q 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
betadist f' 4 4 27.0 45 30.3 ### ### ### f' 0.5 0.5 0 1 0.8 0 0 0 0
betadist d 4 4 13.5 22.5 15.44 ### ### ### d 0.4 0.4 0 0.8 1 0 0 0 0

betadist Tyield 4 4 155 245 200 ### ### ### Tyld 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0

betadist z1 4 4 3.81 5.19 4.512 ### ### ### z1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.7 0
betadist z2 4 4 5.1 6.9 6.101 ### ### ### z2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.7 1 0
betadist z3 4 4 6.8 9.2 8.61 ### ### ### z3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
crmatrix (Correlation matrix)
Boxed cells contain equations. The formulae in the boxed
cells below refer to the x* values, not the mean values.

Ka Kah Kp Kph gw L d i gea gep p'h 1 p'hb pw1 pw2 a b

0.29753 0.287 5.14 5 9.8 ### 3.59 0.141 10.9 8.18 24.39 49 13 9.9 1.5 ###

Forces Lever arm Moments Forces Lever arm Moments

(kN/m) (m) (kN-m/m) (kN/m) (m) (kN-m/m) = sqrt(mmult(transpose(nx),
mmult(minverse(crmat),nx)))
1 -36 ### -165 6 -10.63 4.07 -43.3 Ctrl+Shift, then Enter
This encapsulates equation (6b)
2 -48.4 ### -73 7 -24.88 5.86 -146 in a single cell, for constrained
optimization by Excel's built-in
3 -165 ### ### 8 -4.349 5.44 -23.6
Solver program.
4 -93 ### -755 9 -17.8 8.31 -148
5 261 9.50 2484 PerFn1

=sum(Moment 1E-10
s)
All Normal variates: L = 12.20 m, for b =2.50, as shown, against rotational For vertical wall an
failure.
Coulomb equation
All symmetric BetaDist variates: L = 12.17m, for b =2.50. (If L = 12.20 m, b =
2.53) Ka
All LogNormal variates: L= 12.12 m, for b =2.50. (if L = 12.20 m, b = 2.59)
simplifies to:

Ka

Similarly, for vertic

passive earth press

Kp
Similarly, for vertic
passive earth press

Kp
This workbook is provided by B. K. Low, author of "Reliability-based design applied to
retaining walls", Geotechnique, Vol. 55, No. 1, 63-75, 2005. The aim is to allow hands-
on experinece and to enhance understanding of the reliability approach.

Radians
This Excel file, for the anchored wall design of Figs. 6 &
f'* 0.52881
7, contains the user-defined VBA macro EqvN,as listed
d* 0.26945 in Fig. 8 of the paper. You need to set Tools\Macro\
Security level to Medium to enable the macro to
function.

Initial x*
17
Steps for hands-on reliability analysis involving correlated beta-
20 distribution variables (need Excel 2002 or later versions):
10 (1) Enter "betadist" in cells A2:A10. (done)
36 (2) Enter betadist parameters as shown, cells C2:F10. (done)
(3) Modify formulas in cells H2:I10, to read input from columns
18 C:F. (done)
200 (4) Copy mean values (cells V10:V18), and paste onto x*
column (cells G2:G10). This initializes the x* values.
4.5
(5) Click Tools\Solver, and Solve. The settings shown in Solver are
6 explained in the paper. Solver\Options\UseAutomaticScaling can
8 also be activated.
(6) For L = 12.20 m, the reliability index b obtained by Solver is 2.53
when the random variables follow symmetric beta distributions.

The other two worksheets of this file¾reached via the sheet tabs
below¾show reliability-based design involving correlated normal
and correlated lognormal distributions, as described in the paper.

For vertical wall and horizontal surface of backfill (i.e.,  = 90 and  = 0), the
Coulomb equation for active earth pressure coefficient
2
 sin      sin  
Ka   
 sin       sin       sin       sin      
 

simplifies to:
2
 cos   
Ka   
 cos    sin       sin    
 

Similarly, for vertical wall and horizontal surface of backfill, the Coulomb equation for
passive earth pressure coefficient is:
For vert ica l wal l an dhori zont al sur f ace of ba ckf il l (i.e .,= 90  an d= 0), the
Coulombequati onf or activ e ear th pressur ecoef ficient
2
 si n   sin 
K a 

cos  
sin    si n  si n    sin   

 
sim pli fi es to:
co s   
2
 
Ka  
cos  sin    si n  

Simila rl y, for ve r ti cal wall andhor iz ontal surfaceofback f il l, theCoul ombequati onf or
passive ear th pr essure co ef fic ient i s:

 cos  
Kp
 cos   si n   si n    

Kp   
 cos    sin       sin    
 
  

Similarly, for vertical wall and horizontal surface of backfill, the Coulomb equation for
passive earth pressure coefficient is:
For vert ica l wal l an dhori zont al sur f ace of ba ckf il l (i.e .,= 90  an d= 0), the
Coulombequati onf or activ e ear th pressur ecoef ficient
2
 si n   sin 
K a 

cos  
sin    si n  si n    sin   

 
sim pli fi es to:
co s   
2
 
Ka  
cos  sin    si n  

Simila rl y, for ve r ti cal wall andhor iz ontal surfaceofback f il l, theCoul ombequati onf or
passive ear th pr essure co ef fic ient i s:

 cos  
Kp
 cos   si n   si n    

Kp   
 cos    sin       sin    
 