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Chapter 7

RETAINING WALLS

^Problem 7.1 Earth pressures on a vertical wall, horizontal backfill, above

the water table

A 4m high wall serves as a retaining-wall for a mass of horizontal flattened

dry sand (Fig. 7.1). The dry sand's unit weight is 18.3 kN/m3 and its internal
angle of friction is 36°.
What is the magnitude of the earth force P on a 1 m wide wall slice, as-
suming that the wall does not deflect? Calculate also the earth force Px if the
wall deflects sufficiently to generate active (Rankine) pressure conditions in
the backfill. Assume that the back face of the wall is frictionless.

D r y sand

u- :18.3kN/ m 3
if-- 3 6 "

Fig. 7.1.

Solution
If no wall deflection occurs, the earth pressure at rest condition prevails,
i.e. that pressure P 0 , then acting on the wall, may be represented by the
Mohr's circle equilibrium condition comprised between the Coulomb's
envelopes (Fig. 7.2). In general, for a sand: 0.33 < K0 < 0.7. (cf. 6.1.4 in
Costet-Sanglerat, where the values of K0 are calculated from empirical
formulas.) The pressure distribution on the inner wall face is triangular and
because it is assumed that the face is frictionless, the pressures act perpen-
dicular to the wall.