CE 421 : Earth Retaining

Structures
Lateral Earth Pressure
Afrad Ibn Harun
Lecturer
University of Information technology & Sciences (UITS)
Department of Civil Engineering
 Earth Retaining
Structures (ERS)
❑ Earth retaining structures or systems
are used to hold back earth and
maintain a difference in the elevation
of the ground surface as shown in
Figure.

❑ The retaining wall is designed to

withstand the forces exerted by the
retained ground or “backfill” and other
externally applied loads, and to
transmit these forces safely to a
foundation
 Applications
❑ new or widened highways in developed areas;

❑ new or widened highways at mountain or steep slopes;

❑ grade separation;

❑ bridge abutments

❑ flood walls, bulkheads

❑ cofferdams for construction of bridge foundations

❑ culvert walls;
 Examples

Grade Separation Tunnel Portal

Flood Walls Culvert Walls
highways at mountain Cofferdam Foundation
 Lateral Earth Pressure
❑ Lateral earth pressure is the pressure that
soil exerts in the horizontal direction.

❑ The lateral earth pressure is important

because it affects the consolidation
behavior and strength of the soil and
because it is considered in the design of
geotechnical engineering structures such as
retaining walls, basements, tunnels, deep
foundations and braced excavations

❑ The proper design of those structures

requires an estimation of lateral earth
pressure, which is a function of several
factors, such as
(a) the type and amount of wall movement,
(b) the shear strength parameters of the soil,
(c) the unit weight of the soil, and
(d) the drainage conditions in the backfill.
Consider a mass of soil shown in Figure a. The mass is bounded by a frictionless wall of height AB. A soil
element located at a depth z is subjected to a vertical effective pressure σ0, and a horizontal effective pressure,
σh . There are no shear stresses on the vertical and horizontal planes of the soil element. Let us define the ratio
of σh to σ0 as a nondimensional quantity K, or

σℎ
K=
σ0
Now, three possible cases may arise concerning the retaining wall; they are described as follows:

Case 1 : If the wall AB is static—that is, if it does not move either to the right or to the left of its initial
position—the soil mass will be in a state of static equilibrium. In that case, is referred to as the at-rest earth
pressure, or

σℎ
K = K0 =
σ0
Where, K0 = At-rest earth pressure co-efficient
# Case 2 : If the frictionless wall rotates sufficiently about its bottom to a position of A’B (Figure b), then a triangular
soil mass ABC’ adjacent to the wall will reach a state of plastic equilibrium and will fail sliding down the plane BC’. At
this time, the horizontal effective stress,σh = σa will be referred to as active pressure. Now,

σℎ σ𝑎
K = Ka = =
σ0 σ0
Where, Ka = Active earth pressure co-efficient
Case 3 : If the frictionless wall rotates sufficiently about its bottom to a position A’’B (Figure c), then a
triangular soil mass ABC’’ will reach a state of plastic equilibrium and will fail sliding upward along the
plane BC’’. The horizontal effective stress at this time will be σh = σp the so-called passive pressure. In this
case,

σℎ σ𝑝
K = Kp = =
σ0 σ0

Where, Kp = Passive Earth pressure co-efficient

 Lateral Pressure from water
As we learned previously in fluid mechanics course, the pressure of static fluid at a specific point is the
same in all directions “Pascal’s Law”. So if there exist water in the soil (saturated soil) we must calculate
the vertical stress for soil alone (effective stress) and calculate the vertical pressure for water alone
(because the horizontal pressure of water is the same as vertical pressure)
Variation of the magnitude of lateral earth
pressure with wall tilt

Where,
ΔLa = A’ A

ΔLp = A’ A
Lateral Earth Pressure at rest
Without water table
In case of water table ( if exists)
 Example
For the retaining wall shown in
Figure , determine the lateral earth
force at rest per unit length of the
wall. Also determine the location of
the resultant force. Assume OCR 1.
 Active earth pressure ( Rankines Theory)

∅
Where, Ka = tan2 ( 450 - ) = Rankines active earth pressure co-efficient
2
# Example :
An 5-m-high retaining wall is shown in Figure . Determine

(i) Rankine active force per unit length of the wall and the
location of the resultant

(ii) Rankine passive force per unit length of the wall and the
location of the resultant
# Example :
A frictionless retaining wall is shown in Figure . Determine:

(i) The active force Pa after the tensile crack occurs

(ii) The passive force Pp

# Example :
A 6-m-high retaining wall is to support a soil with unit weight γ = 17.4 kN/m3 , soil friction angle
26°, and cohesion c = 14.36 kN/m2 . Determine the Rankine active force per unit length of the wall
both before and after the tensile crack occurs, and determine the line of action of the resultant in
both cases
# Example :
Assume that the retaining wall shown in Figure can yield
sufficiently to develop an active state. Determine the
Rankine active force per unit length of the wall and the
location of the resultant line of action.
Solution :
 Special cases for active earth pressure (Granular backfill)
Figure shows a retaining wall whose back is inclined at
an angle u with the vertical. The granular backfill is
inclined at an angle α with the horizontal

General case for a retaining wall with

granular backfill
Location and direction of Rankine
active earth pressure
 Special cases for active earth pressure( Granular backfill
with vertical face )
If the backfill of a frictionless retaining wall is a granular soil
and rises at an angle with respect to the horizontal , the active
earth-pressure coefficient may be expressed in the form
Special cases for active earth pressure( Granular backfill
with vertical face of cohesive soil )
# Example :
Refer to the retaining wall in Figure . The backfill is
granular soil. Given

Determine the Rankine active force and its direction.

 # Example :
For the retaining wall shown in Figure :

H 7.5 m
γ 18 KN/m3
Ф 200
c 13.5 KN/m2
α 100

Calculate the Rankine active force per unit length of the

wall and the location of the resultant force after the
occurrence of the tensile crack.
Solution
 Rankines passive earth pressure
As previously introduced, the wall in this case pushed into the soil.
# Example :
A 3-m high wall is shown in Figure . Determine the
Rankine passive force per unit length of the wall.
 Special cases for passive earth pressure (Granular vertical
backfill)
For a frictionless vertical retaining wall with a granular
backfill the Rankine passive pressure at any depth can be
determined in a manner similar to that done in the case of
active pressure . The pressure is:
Special cases for passive earth pressure( Granular backfill
with vertical face of cohesive soil )