Methods of Failure of Retaining Walls

Prepared by:
Engr. Kenny B. Cantila
 Methods of Failure of Retaining Walls

• Sliding along its base

• Overturning about its toe

• Bearing capacity failure of soil supporting the base

• Bending failure of stem or base of slab or heel slab

 Factor of Safety Against Sliding

x6
𝛽

W6

x4
H
x1
Fav Fa
x3
Fah
x5 W1 W4

W5 W3 H/3
h x2
Fp
h/3
Toe W2 Heel
 Factor of Safety Against Sliding (cont’d)

Total Vertical Weight

R v = W1 + W2 + W3 + W4 + W5 + W6 + F𝑎v

Active Force per unit length

1 cos β + cos 2 β − cos 2 ∅

Fa = K a γs H 2 K a = cos β
2 cos β − cos 2 β − cos 2 ∅

Passive Force per unit length

1 1 + sin ∅
Fp = K p γs h2 Kp =
2 1 − sin ∅
 Factor of Safety Against Sliding (cont’d)

μR v + Fp
FSs =
Faℎ

where:

β = angle that the backfill makes with horizontal

∅ = angle of friction of backfill
μ = coefficient of friction between the base and the soil foundation
K a = Rankine’s active earth pressure coefficient
K p = Rankine’s passive earth pressure coefficient
Fah = Fa cos β
F𝑎v = Fa sin β
 Factor of Safety Against Sliding (cont’d)

If the wall is found to be unsafe against sliding, shear key below the base
should be provided. Such a key develops passive pressure which resists
completely the sliding tendency of the wall. A factor of safety of 1.5 must be
used against sliding.

In the absence of elaborate tests, the following values of μ may be adopted:

Soil μ
Coarse-grained soil without silt 0.55
Coarse grained soil with silt 0.45
Silt 0.35
 Stability of Retaining Walls (cont’d)

Range of Wall Friction Angle

Backfill Material δ
Gravel 27 – 30
Coarse Sand 20 – 28
Fine Sand 15 – 25
Stiff clay 15 – 20
Silty clay 12 – 16

1 2
The value of the wall friction angle, 𝛿 is between ∅ and ∅.
2 3

http://web.itu.edu.tr/~teymurb/fe1lecture4.pdf
 Factor of Safety Against Overturning

x6
𝛽

W6

x4
H
x1
Fav Fa
x3
Fah
x5 W1 W4

W5 W3 H/3
h x2
Fp
h/3
Toe W2 Heel
 Factor of Safety Against Overturning (cont’d)

Righting Moment (RM)

h
RM = W1 x1 + W2 x2 + W3 x3 + W4 x4 + W5 x5 + W6 x6 + Fp
3

Overturning Moment (OM)

H
OM = Fah
3

Factor of Safety

RM
FSo =
OM
 Factor of Safety Against Bearing Capacity

c = B/2

LB 3
I= L = 1m
12

Rv
M = Rve
Toe Heel
B/3 B/6 B/3

q min
q max RM − OM
x=
Rv
x
B
B/2 e B/2 e= −x
2
For a good design of retaining walls, the resultant of the vertical force should
be located within the middle thirds of the base, to avoid tensile stresses at the
base.

R v Mc Rv 6e
q= ± q= 1±
A I B B

B
R v (R v ∙ e) 2 Rv 6e
q= ± q max = 1+
BL LB 3 B B
12

R v 6R v e Rv 6e
q= ± 2 qmin = 1−
B B B B

Factor of Safety Against Bearing Capacity Failure

qu
FSb =
q max
 Factor of Safety for Various Conditions

Mode of Minimum Factor of

Definition
Failure Safety
Ability of the retaining wall
Sliding structure to overcome the FSs = 1.5
horizontal force applied to the wall
Ability of the retaining wall FSo = 1.5
structure to overcome overturning (granular backfill)
Overturning
moment created by the rotational FSo = 2.0
forces applied to the wall (cohesive backfill)
Ability of the underlying soil to
Bearing
support the weight of the retaining FSb = 3.0
Capacity
wall structure.
 References

http://teacher.buet.ac.bd/sid/download/CE341/Lecture15_4on1.pdf

http://www.slideshare.net/rahulagrawal05/retaining-walls-21085895

http://www.aboutcivil.org/retaining-wall-definition-types-uses-retaining-walls.html

http://www.slideshare.net/penchalavineeth/retaining-wall-36905472?next_slideshow=2