UNIVERSITY EXAMINATIONS

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

GTE3601

Geotechnical Engineering III

Total mark: 30

Assignment no: 02

Assignment 02 due date: 03 October 2022

Test Duration: 2H00

Module lecturer Mr M Makaleng

MEMO

1
QUESTION 1
A reinforced-concrete retaining wall is used to retain soil as shown. Drains are designed
throughout the wall so that water pressure does not affect it. With soil condition shown
below, draw the correct placement of reinforcement in the wall in figure 1. (5)

Natural
Ground Level

Figure 1: Reinfirce-concrete wall



2
QUESTION 2
A retaining wall that has a soft, saturated clay backfill is shown in figure 2. For undrained
condition (  = 0 )of the backfill, determine the following values:
2.1 Construct the earth pressure diagram for active state (13)

For  = 0, Ka = 1, and c = cu, for the undrained condition. 

a = z – 2cu 
At z = 0, a = z – 2cu = 18,4*0 – 2*25 = -50 kPa 
At z = 7, a = z – 2cu = 18,4*7 – 2*25 = 78,8 kPa 



2.2 The maximum depth of the tensile crack (4)

Zo = 2cu / =  =  m 
2.3 Pa before the tensile crack occurs (4)

Pa = ½*  H2 - 2cu*H = ½*  72 – 2*25*7 = 100,8 kPa 

2.4 Pa after the tensile crack (4)

Pa = ½* (− Zo) a = 0,5(7-2,72)78,8 = 168,735 kPa 

3
 1.
2.
Saturated Clay
3. kN/m3
ɣ (clay) = 18,4
7m
 = 0o 4.
C = 25 kN/m 5. 2
6.

Figure Q2(Retaining wall)

[25 marks]

TOTAL MARKS [30]

©
UNISA 2022