1/21/2018

Lesson 5.2

SEISMIC DESIGN OF
RETAINING WALLS

3-1

Earth Retaining Structure

Seismic Vulnerabilities

3-2

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Seismic Active Displacement

3-3

Seismic Demand and Resistance

Demand
• Seismic active thrust
• Inertial loading on the wall
• Surcharge loads
Resistance
• Frictional sliding and bearing resistance
• Seismic passive resistance
• Pile capacity and lateral resistance

7-4

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Seismic Active Thrust Calculation

Calculation methods include:
Mononobe-Okabe Equation
Coulomb wedge analysis
General limit equilibrium (GLE) analysis

7-5

Mononobe-Okabe Limitations
Assumes clean cohesionless backfill
c’ = 0
Unrealistic for high kh, steep backfill, e.g.
kh > 0.3 g
Backfill steeper than 3H:1V
Not applicable to steep back-cuts
Active wedge flatter than for static loading

7-6

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Coulomb Analysis (“Trial Wedge”)

Coulomb Analysis can account for:
All kh values
Soil cohesion
Charts for uniform soils available at:
NCHRP Project 12-70 (NCHRP Report 611)
Wedge procedure can also consider:
Back-cut steeper than active wedge
Layered soil profile
Non-uniform backfill slope

7-7

Active Thrust
Active Thrust: Pae = ½ H2 kae
kae = seismic active pressure coefficient
Active Pressure Coefficient: kae = f(c/H, kh)
c = cohesion
H = wall height
kh = seismic coefficient

Distribute Pae uniformly over the wall

(Some say put Pae at H/3 above base)

7-8

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Impact of Cohesion on Active Thrust

Small values of c large impact on kae, Pae

“A little bit of cohesion goes a long way!”

(Wall pressures and slope stability)

Cohesion may be due to

Dirty granular backfill (real cohesion)
Capillarity (apparent cohesion)

7-9

Design Charts for kae for  = 35o

Source: NCHRP Report 611

7-10

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General Limit Equilibrium Method:

Active Thrust

Use conventional slope stability program

Create fictitious, weightless wall
Apply kae as seismic coefficient (kh)
Apply active thrust, PAE, as external force on
wall
Apply at H/2 at angle  (from normal to wall)
Increase PAE until FS = 1

7-11

GLE Analysis: Active Thrust

Any conventional limit equilibrium slope
stability program can be used

W
kaeW
H

H/2 PAE
“Critical surface that
yields maximum value of
PAE
Note: Some programs are sensitive to
orientation of load and failure mechanism
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Seismic Coefficient, kh
Key factor in kae (and other inertial forces)
Similar to slope stability seismic coefficient:
kh = r ∙  ∙ FPGA∙PGA
where:
FPGA∙PGA : site class-adjusted PGA
 : spatial coherence factor
r : ductility (displacement) reduction factor

For H < 20 ft, use  = 1

kh = r ∙ FPGA∙PGA
7-13

Spatial Coherence
MHA = failure mass (backfill) peak average
acceleration
• MHA =  x PGA where  = spatial coherence factor ≤ 1

9-14

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Spatial Coherence Factor (, H > 20 ft

Wave scattering factor:  =1+ 0.01 H (0.5 – 1)
•  = (S1 FV) / (FPGAPGA) Source: NCHRP Report 611

Large M,
WUS

Small M,
CEUS

7-15

Ductility (Displacement) Reduction, r

r = 1 for no displacement
r = 0.5 for 1-2 inch displacement
r < 0.5 (by calculation) for displacement, d,
> 2 inch
With owner’s permission
Double calculated displacement for critical
structures (as defined by owner)

7-16

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Seismic Active Thrust Summary

Active Thrust: Pae = ½ H2 kae
kae = f(c/H, kh)
kh = r ∙  ∙ FPGA ∙ PGA
FPGA∙PGA is the site adjusted PGA
r = ductility reduction factor
 = spatial incoherence (wave scattering)
factor
Place resultant at H/2 with inclination 
= interface friction angle
 approximately 0.67’ for soil on concrete
7-17

Zone of Displacement: Active Case

Extends approximately Hw laterally from top of
wall
Settlement approximately equal to 0.1 x
lateral displacement 0.1 d

Hw Hw

7-18

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Seismic Passive Resistance

Mononobe-Okabe unconservative: Do not use
Acceptable methods include
Log spiral analysis
Design charts with kpe = f (c/h) where Ppe = ½kpeH2
General limit equilibrium analysis
Use kh = 0 for H < 5 ft
Use Ppe/1.5 for r > 0.5 (small deformation)
Resultant at H/2
Include wall friction with  = 0.67’

7-19

Design Charts for kpe for cH = 0.0

Note: = 0.67 ’ Source: NCHRP Report 611

7-20

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Design Charts for kpe for cH 0.25

Note: = 0.67 ’
Source: NCHRP Report 611

7-21

GLE Analysis
Any conventional limit equilibrium slope
stability program can be used

W Ppe
khW  = 0.67’ H
Vary from
0.33H to 0.6 H

Direction of slope failure assumed by

computer program
7-22

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Zone of Displacement: Passive Case

Extends approximately 5He laterally from top
of wall
Heave approximately equal to lateral
displacement d

5 He He

7-23

Effect of Surcharge
Add: kh x Kae x qs x L* to active thrust
Add: kh x Kpe x qs x L* to passive resistance

qs
qs
PAE L*
PPE
L*

Seismic active wedge

Seismic passive wedge

7-24

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Semi-Gravity Wall Surcharge

Treat surcharge over heel as static surcharge
for force on wall
Add mass to wall inertia force
Treat as static Add to active thrust
qs

7-25

Retaining Wall Design

Meet all gravity and live load requirements
Resist seismic forces without excessive
sliding or rotation (external stability)
• Displacement limits set by owner, structural
considerations
Provide adequate internal and global
stability

7-26

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Rigid Gravity and Semi-Gravity Walls

Pae Par
 = ’
H  = 0.67’ H

HT/2 H/2 H/2

HT Ppe

Gravity Walls Semi-Gravity Walls

7-27

Bearing Capacity

kh Ws
kh Wc •C s PAE
Hw •C c
Ws
Wc Hw/2
A
V
 Min
 Max
N 7-28

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Eccentricity
Criterion: e < B/4 C
L
Find e by moment equilibrium

A
x e
B
N 7-29

Other Considerations
See FHWA GEC-3 and NCHRP Report
611 (free downloads) for:
Bridge abutments
Rigid walls
Tied-back walls
Anchored walls

See other FHWA guidance for MSE walls

7-30

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Lesson 5.2

Any Questions?

6-31

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