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Active Earth Pressure Induced by Strip Loads On A Backfill
Active Earth Pressure Induced by Strip Loads On A Backfill
Mechanics
Classic
Abstract
Presented is a method of two-dimensional analysis of the active earth pressure due to simultaneous effect of both soil
weight and surcharge of strip foundation. The study’s aim is to provide a rigorous solution to the problem in the framework of
upper-bound theorem of limit analysis method in order to produce some design charts for calculating the lateral active earth
pressure of backfill when loaded by a strip foundation. A kinematically admissible collapse mechanism consisting of several
rigid blocks with translational movement is considered in which energy dissipation takes place along planar velocity
discontinuities. Comparing the lateral earth forces given by the present analysis with those of other researchers, it is shown
that the results of present analysis are higher (better) than other researchers’ results. It was found that with the increase in
⁄ , the proportion of the strip load (q) which is transmitted to the wall decreases. Moreover, Increasing the friction
between soil and wall ( ) will result in the increase of effective distance ( ). Finally, these results are presented in the form of
dimensionless design charts relating the mechanical characteristics of the soil, strip load conditions and active earth pressure.
Keywords: Retaining wall, Active lateral earth pressure, Limit analysis, Upper-bound, Strip load.
International Journal of Civil Engineering, Vol. 12, No. 4, Transaction B: Geotechnical Engineering, December 2014
for the traditional method. Esmaeili and Fatollahzadeh the upper-bound theorem of limit analysis.
[16] calculated the lateral pressure on the bridge abutments Yildiz [22] have studied the lateral earth force and its
induced by the operational railway live load pattern LM71 point of application due to strip loads by using an artificial
using elasticity-based equations. Greco [17-18] presented neural network solution based on the data obtained from
an analytical solution to assess active thrust and its point nonlinear finite element method. There are also a large
of application due to line load surcharge based on number of research works which have been
coulomb’s approach. Ghanbari and Taheri [19] also This paper pertains to the solution of the active earth
proposed analytical methods to calculate lateral pressure pressure by the upper-bound theorem of limit analysis
caused by a line surcharge on retaining walls with and when a strip of vertical load exists on the backfill which is,
without reinforcement. They modified horizontal slice in fact, a development of the methods proposed for slope
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method (HSM) and obtained a new formulation of this stability and earth pressure problems in primary works
work to determine the effect of a line surcharge on [23-25].
conventional and reinforced retaining walls with frictional Approximate Methods
or cohesive-frictional backfills. There are two approximate methods to calculate the
Caltabiano et al. [20] proposed a new solution to strip load-generated lateral earth force. These methods are
calculate the yield acceleration and the inclination of the presented in Figs. 1(a and b). Cernia [9] proposed 45°
failure surface in a surcharged backfill based on the distribution approach, which the effect of strip load is
pseudo-static equilibrium of the soil-wall system. They considered as a 45 degree angle distribution at the depth of
also investigated the effect of intensity of the surcharge . In the Beton Kalendar [26] approach (Fig. 1(b)), which
and of its distance from the wall. Mojallal et al. [21] was originally presented by Blum [8], the effect of strip
obtained the coefficient of yield acceleration and load can be applied as either a triangular or uniform
permanent displacements of geosynthetic-reinforced walls distribution on the wall.
with full-height rigid panel facing (GRS-FHR walls) using
a b
q
o o
45 45
b
σ h =K a cosδ q
b+2a
(a)
a b
q
φ 45
o
+φ
2σ h
qb cosδ sin(45o - φ 2)
d σh =
d cos(45o -φ 2-δ)
d=(a+b).tan(45+φ)-a.tanφ
σh
(b)
Fig. 1 Approximate approaches: (a) 45 degree distribution[9]; (b) Beton Kalender distribution [8, 26]
the point of application of the total lateral force. Second, material is perfectly plastic at the limit state; (b) the limit
this solution is independent of the state of failure (active or state is defined by a yield function ( ) = 0, which is
passive) and the values of and [13]. convex in the stress space; (c) the material obeys the
associated flow rule (normality condition)
a b
( )
=
q
(1)
International Journal of Civil Engineering, Vol. 12, No. 3, Transaction B: Geotechnical Engineering, July 2014 283
movement of the wall is assumed to be horizontal. This Due to the normality condition, the velocity increment
horizontal movement of the wall is accommodated by the vectors across velocity discontinuity surfaces are inclined
movement of the rigid blocks. The strip foundation is to those surfaces at the internal friction angle . As shown
assumed to be completely rough in a way that no relative in Figs. 4(b and c), the velocities of the blocks ( =
movement between soil and the foundation is allowed. 0,1,2, … , ! − 1; n=the number of blocks) and the velocity
Thus, the velocity vectors of the block No. n-1 and the discontinuities between adjacent blocks $ % can be
strip foundation are the same. derived by means of trigonometry in the way that the
As shown in Fig. 4(a), block No. 0 is adjacent to the velocity & , which is vertical component of velocity vector
vertical wall and is limited by the lower plane FE and the of the block No. n-1, is considered to be unit ( & = 1),
radial plane OE. Block No. is bounded by two radial then other velocities and velocity discontinuities are
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planes OD and OC, the lower plane DC and the ground calculated from hodograph.
surface OM. Block No. n-1 emerges from ground surface
where the strip foundation is located.
a b
z
F=q.b
O y
η0 M ηn-2 A
Vwall ηi n − 1 Vn-1
[V]-1 α n-1
V0 [V]i
B
[V]0
Vi [V]-1
i
VF H
Vn-1 Vi C
[V]0
αi
[V]i
D
δ
0
(b) V0
E
α0
F
(a)
αi − αi-1
α n-1 -φ
α i-1 +ηi-1 -2φ Vi-1
Vi Vn-1 VF
[V]i-1
Vi Vi-1 [V]i-1
= = VF =Vn-1 . sin(α n-1 -φ)
sin(αi-1 +ηi-1 -2φ) sin(α i +ηi-1 -2φ) sin(αi -α i-1 )
(c)
Fig. 4 Collapse mechanism: (a) cross section; (b) hodograph; (c) trigonometric relationships between velocity vectors
Energy Balance Equation work dissipation rate or internal rate of work. In this
inequality ( =unknown true limit stress vector on
The upper-bound theorem of limit analysis allows one boundary ) where velocity vector is and . is the
to determine the upper bound to the work rate of unknown volume. The second term on the left-hand side denotes the
limit force rather than the upper bound to the limit force work rate of body forces where , =body force vector; and
itself. The upper-bound theorem can be written in the form -
=velocity vector. The term on the right-hand side of
inequality denotes the rate of work dissipation within the
-
' ( )+' , -
.≤' - -
.
material where = assumed field of admissible
deformation rate; and - =stress field related to - through
(2)
* / /
the flow rule [Eq. (1)].
Where the left-hand side of the inequality denotes the The external rate of work includes works done by the
external rate of work and the right-hand side shows the active earth force 12 , the soil weight of blocks and the
12 ≥ [(@, \, , ). + ](@, \, , ).
limit equilibrium method. This improvement is about 3%
S
−^(@, \, , ). J
(10) on average.
Figure 7 provides another comparison between two
approaches. In this Figure, ratio 1 ⁄G. obtained for
Where [,] and ^ are the functions of geometrical different distances of the strip load from the wall ( ⁄ ) is
parameters (@, \) and soil properties ( , ). These shown. In both analyses, lateral earth force decreases
International Journal of Civil Engineering, Vol. 12, No. 3, Transaction B: Geotechnical Engineering, July 2014 285
significantly as the strip load distance increases. The attains 8% and 16% for ⁄ . = 1 and ⁄ . = 2,
results of the present method are higher (better) than limit respectively.
equilibrium method. This improvement, when ⁄ = 0.5,
1⁄b.q"
"1
1.4
45 Degree Distribution
1.2 Beton Kalender Approach
Current Method
Extended Coulomb's approach
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1
Elastic Solution
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
l/m
m
Fig. 5 Comparison of present solution with 45° distribution approach, Beton Kalendar method and elastic solution for: ϕ = 30°, b⁄H = 0.3,
δ⁄ϕ = 2⁄3 , q⁄γH = 1.5
1⁄b.q
1.2
n/om=p
1.1
1
0.9
0.8
0.7 n/om=q
0.6
Limit Equilibrium Method
0.5 Current Method
0.4
28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42
°
Fig. 6 Comparison of current method with extended Coulomb approach for: a⁄H = 0, b⁄H = 0.3, δ⁄ϕ = 1⁄2
1⁄b.q
1.4
1.2 n/om=r
1
0.8
0.6 n/om=p
0.4 Limit Equilibrium
Method
0.2 Current Method
0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
l/m
m
Fig. 7 Comparison of current method with extended Coulomb approach for: ϕ = 35°, b⁄H = 0.2, δ⁄ϕ = 1⁄2
1⁄b.q
1.4
/ =0.5
1.2
/ =1
1
/ =2
0.8
0.6
de
0.4
0.2
0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9
l/m
m
(a)
International Journal of Civil Engineering, Vol. 12, No. 3, Transaction B: Geotechnical Engineering, July 2014 287
1⁄b.q
1.4
/ =0.5
1.2 / =1
/ =2
1
0.8
0.6
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0.4
0.2
0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9
l/m
m
(b)
Fig. 9 Design charts for lateral earth force due to simultaneous effect of the soil weight and the strip load with: ϕ = 40°, b⁄H = 0.3; (a)
δ⁄ϕ = 0; (b) δ⁄ϕ = 1
1⁄b.q
1.2
/ =0.5
1 / =1
/ =2
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9
l/m
m
(a)
1⁄b.q
1.2
/ =0.5
1 / =1
0.8 / =2
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9
l/m
m
(b)
Fig. 10 Design charts for lateral earth force due to simultaneous effect of the soil weight and the strip load with: ϕ = 40°, b⁄H = 0.4; (a)
δ⁄ϕ = 0; (b) δ⁄ϕ = 1
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4
l/m
m
(a)
1⁄b.q
1.8
1.6 / =0.5
1.4 / =1
1.2 / =2
1
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4
l/m
m
(b)
Fig. 11 Design charts for lateral earth force due to simultaneous effect of the soil weight and the strip load with: ϕ = 30°, b⁄H = 0.3; (a)
δ⁄ϕ = 0; (b) δ⁄ϕ = 1
1⁄b.q
1.8
1.6 / =0.5
/ =1
1.4
/ =2
1.2
1
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1 1.1 1.2 1.3
l/m
m
(a)
International Journal of Civil Engineering, Vol. 12, No. 3, Transaction B: Geotechnical Engineering, July 2014 289
1⁄b.q
1.6
/ =0.5
1.4
/ =1
1.2 / =2
1
0.8
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0.6
0.4
0.2
0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1 1.1 1.2 1.3
l/m
m
(b)
Fig. 12 Design charts for lateral earth force due to simultaneous effect of the soil weight and the strip load with: ϕ = 30°, b⁄H = 0.4; (a)
δ⁄ϕ = 0; (b) δ⁄ϕ = 1
The influence of the position of the strip load ( ⁄ ) collapse mechanism consists of several rigid blocks with
and the strip load intensity ( ⁄ ) can be easily derived translational movement which is a development of the
from these charts as follows: method proposed by Farzaneh and Askari [25].
• The ratio 1 ⁄G. decreases with the growth of Comparing the present analysis with the conventional
⁄ . This states that the proportion of the strip load Coulomb method proposed by Steenfelt and Hansen [13],
which is transmitted to the wall decreases with the growth Motta [14] and Greco [4] and also method presented by
of the strip load intensity ( ⁄ ). For instance, for Ghanbari and Taheri [19], it indicates good compatibility.
configurations = 30° , ⁄ = 1, G⁄ = 0.3, ⁄ = The results are presented in the form of dimensionless
0.4, when ⁄ equals to 1, the proportion of the strip charts. The main conclusions based on these results can be
obtained as follows:
1. With the increase in ⁄ , the proportion of the
load (q) which is transmitted to the wall is 31% while,
when ⁄ equals to 2 this percentage is 24%.
• Increasing the distance between the wall and the strip load (q) which is transmitted to the wall decreases.
strip load, the total lateral force decreases significantly. 2. Decreasing the friction angle of the soil, the
• Generally, the higher ratio ⁄ is, the higher effective distance drastically increases.
the critical distance . for example, for = 30°, 3. Increasing the friction between soil and wall, the
⁄ = 1, G⁄ = 0.3, the effective distance corresponding effective distance increases.
to ⁄ = 2, is 20% greater than the effective distance
pertained to ⁄ = 1. Notation
• Decreasing the friction angle of the soil, the
effective distance drastically increases. For instance, for The following symbols are used in this paper:
⁄ = 2, G⁄ = 0.4, ⁄ = 1, the = distance of the strip load from the wall
<
configurations
effective distance ( ) corresponding to = 30° is 39% = area of block
< PQ
greater than the effective distance corresponding to area of lower plane for unit length of the
= 40°.
=
wall
<RQ
• With the increase in friction angle between soil area of radial plane for unit length of the
=
wall
G
and wall, the effective distance increases. For example, for
= 30°, ⁄ = 2, G⁄ = 0.3, the effective distance = loading width
pertained to ⁄ = 1 is 8% greater than the effective J = cohesion of soil
distance pertained to ⁄ = 0. = effective distance
= wall height
= block number
!
6. Conclusion
= total number of blocks
1 vY 12
active earth force due to soil weight and the
This paper has presented a formulation based on upper- =
strip load
bound approach of limit analysis for evaluation of active
= strip load intensity
)
earth force when a strip foundation acts on the backfill.
= boundary
(
The analysis allows assessment of active earth force with
= true limit stress vector
.
various strip load conditions and soil properties. The
= Volume
@ , \
109, pp. 271-273.
geometrical parameters of failure
= [14] Motta E. Generalized Coulomb active-earth pressure for
mechanism distanced surcharge, Journal of Geotechnical
= specific weight of soil Engineering, 1994, No. 6, Vol. 120, pp. 1072-1079.
= friction angle between soil and wall [15] Kim J, Barker M. Effect of live load surcharge on
= stress rate tensor retaining walls and abutments, Journal of Geotechnical
= stress tensor and Geoenvironmental Engineering, 2002, No. 10, Vol.
128, pp. 808-813.
= internal friction angle
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International Journal of Civil Engineering, Vol. 12, No. 3, Transaction B: Geotechnical Engineering, July 2014 291