05‐11‐2018

Earth retaining structure

CE 31003 • Any structure which is used to retain the backfill soil is

called the earth retaining structure.

SOIL MECHANICS
Instructor:
Dr. Paramita Bhattacharya
(SR Sengupta Foundation Lab)
Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Kharagpur
Email: paramita@civil.iitkgp.ac.in

Earth Pressure on Retaining Wall

• Typical values of lateral deflection of the retaining wall

under different states of soil are provided in the following
Table

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Earth Pressure at rest Rankine’s Theory of Earth Pressure

• At rest condition means wall is unyielded and undeformed • The phrase plastic equilibrium in soil refers to the
state, hence 0 condition where every point in a soil mass is on the verge
∴ ′ ′ where (Derive it by yourself of failure. Rankine (1857) investigated the stress
conditions in soil at a state of plastic equilibrium.
following class works)
• Rankine assumed that the surface of the wall is smooth
• For drained coarse grained soil: 1 sin ′ (i.e. no friction between wall and the backfill soil), vertical
• For normally consolidated fine grained soil: and ground surface is horizontal. The backfill was also
% assumed to be dry cohesionless soil.
0.44 0.42 where PI is the plasticity index.
• The Rankine’s theory of earth pressure is extended later
• For overconsolidated fine grained soil: for inclined ground surface and for c- dry and
partially/fully saturated soil mass also.

Rankine’s Theory of Active Earth Pressure Distribution of Rankine’s Theory of Active Earth Pressure
• We know the following relationship:
• The distribution of active earth pressure is shown below:
1 sin ′ 1 sin ′
′ ′ 2 ′
1 sin ′ 1 sin ′

• Referring the Figures shown above, the lateral pressure exerted on the
wall (pa= ’3f) can be expressed as: • The depth is called the depth at which the
1 sin ′ 1 sin ′ intensity of earth active earth pressure becomes zero.
′ ′ 2 2
1 sin ′ 1 sin ′
• Thus critical depth 2 up to which net lateral
′ ′
where : tan 45
′ load in active state is zero.

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Rankine’s Theory of Passive Earth Pressure

• We know the following relationship: Distribution of Rankine’s Theory of Passive Earth Pressure
1 sin ′ 1 sin ′
′ ′ 2 ′ • The distribution of passive earth pressure is shown below:
1 sin ′ 1 sin ′

• Referring the Figures shown above, the lateral pressure exerted on the
wall (pp= ’1f) can be expressed as:
1 sin ′ 1 sin ′
′ ′ 2 ′ 2
1 sin ′ 1 sin ′
′ ′
where : tan 45
′

Example 1
• An 6 m high retaining wall is shown in following Figure. Determine a.
Rankine active force per unit length of the wall and the location of the
resultant and b. Rankine passive force per unit length of the wall and
the location of the resultant
Example 2
• For the retaining wall shown in the following Figure,
determine the force per unit length of the wall for
Rankine’s active state. Also find the location of the
resultant.

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Solution #2 Example 3
A 6 m high retaining wall with a smooth vertical back
retains a mass of dry cohesionless soil that has a
horizontal surface level with the top of the wall and carries
+ = a uniformly distributed load of 10 kPa. The soil weighs 20
kN/m3 and has an angle of shearing resistance of 36.
Determine the active thrust on the back of the wall per
metre length of wall:
Lateral earth pressure Lateral water Total lateral pressure on wall
pressure a. Without the uniform surcharge and
b. With the surcharge.

Answer (a) 93.6 kN (b) 109.2 kN

Example 4
• A retaining wall that has a soft, saturated clay backfill is shown in
following Figure. For the undrained condition (u = 0) of the backfill,
determine: a. Maximum depth of the tensile crack and critical depth
b. Pa before the tensile crack occurs
c. Pa after the tensile crack occurs
Here ka = 1;
Pa = 177 kN/m length of wall (before tensile crack occurs fully)
Pa = 189.2 kN/m length of wall (before tensile crack occurs fully)
Additional discussion on Example # 4
• If surcharge load will be applied at the ground surface the
net pressure at depth throughout the height of the wall
should not be zero.
• Thus no tension will develop throughout the height of wall.
• Let us assume ‘q’ is the minimum surcharge load.
• Hence the pressure at the ground surface = (q -20) kPa.
• For minimum value of ‘q’ the net pressure at the ground
surface will be zero.
• Thus qmin = 20 kPa
• Please repeat the entire calculation with qmin = 20 kPa on
the ground furface.