Chapter IV

Lateral Earth Pressure &

Earth Retaining Structures
PRESENTED BY:
JOMMAR V. TAGALOG, CE
Type of support for vertical or near-vertical slopes of soil:
retaining walls
cantilever sheet pile walls
sheet-pile bulkheads
braced cuts
and other, similar structures

The proper design of these 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.
Lateral Earth Pressure at Rest
Coarse grained soils:

For dense sand backfill:

For fine-grained, normally consolidated:

For over-consolidated clays

Earth Pressure At-Rest for Partially Submerged
Soil
Example 4.1
For the retaining wall shown in the 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.
Example 4.2
Active Earth Pressure
 Rankine’s Theory
1857 by William John Macquorn Rankine, is a stress field solution that
predicts active and passive earth pressure.
Major Assumptions:
soil is cohesion-less
wall is frictionless,
soil-wall interface is vertical, the failure surface on which the soil moves is 
planar,
the resultant force is angled parallel to the backfill surface
Example 4.3(Horizontal Backfill)
Example 4.4 (Horizontal Backfill)
A Generalized Case for Rankine Active
Pressure – Granular Backfill
Note: The formula presented is
only applicable for c = 0.
Example 4.5
Example 4.6
A 5m tall cantilever retaining wall retains soil having the following properties:
◦ Cohesion = 0
◦ Unit weight = 19.8kN/m3
◦ Angle of internal friction = 300
The ground surface behind the wall is inclined at a slope of 3 horizontal to 1 vertical, and
the wall has moved sufficiently to develop the active condition. Use Rankine’s theory and
consider 1m length of wall.
a. Determine the coefficient of active pressure.
b. Determine the total active force.
c. Determine the overturning moment on the wall.
Example 4.7
A 3m high vertical retaining wall is shown in the figure.
a. What is the effective vertical stress at the base of the wall?
b. What is the total active force acting on the wall?
c. What is the total active moment on the wall?

𝛾  =15.7 𝑘𝑁 / 𝑚 3
∅  =0
𝑐=0
 

𝛾  𝑠𝑎𝑡 =18.9 𝑘𝑁 / 𝑚 3
∅  =26
𝑐=2𝑘𝑃𝑎
 
Rankine’s Passive Earth Pressure
Example 4.8
 Example 4.9

From the figure shown: Surcharge load is applied at the ground surface.
H1 = 3m, ,
H2 = 4m, ,
a. Determine the total lateral pressure at the base of the wall.
b. Determine the total active force acting on the wall.
c. Determine the total active moment acting on the wall.
d. Determine the total passive force acting on the wall.
Example 4.10
Analyze the stability of the frictionless wall shown in the figure.

𝑞  𝑜=20 𝑘𝑃𝑎

H = 2m

20 𝑘𝑁 20 𝑘𝑁
𝛾  𝑠𝑎𝑡 = 𝛾  𝑠𝑎𝑡 =
𝑚3 𝑚3
0
∅  =300 ∅  =30
H = 4m
Example 4.11
A solid concrete retaining wall is shown in the figure. The fill behind the wall has a unit weight
of 110pcf whose active soil pressure may be assumed equivalent to a fluid pressure of 30psf
per foot. The passive pressure may be assumed equivalent to a fluid pressure of 300psf per
foot. The live load surcharge behind the wall is equivalent to an additional of 2ft of fill. Assume
unit weight of concrete = 150pcf. Consider 1m length of wall. Determine (a) total active force
acting on the wall, (b) the overturning moment about the toe, (c) the factor of safety against
overturning.

18ft

4ft 2ft 6ft

2ft
Example 4.12
From the figure shown, determine (a) the embedment depth, (b) the total active force,
(c) the value of T.

2m
T
G = 2.7
2m
e = 0.85

G = 2.7
  e = 1.0
4m

d
Jommar V. Tagalog
jommar.tagalog@yahoo.com
Department of Civil Engineering
Southern Leyte State University

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING !!!