THE EARTH PRESSURE PROBLEM

EARTH PRESSURES UNDER ADDITIONAL LOADS

excavation

CONDITIONS OF PLASTIC EQUILIBRIUM

A. CONCEPT OF FAILURE

B. EQUATIONS OF PLASTIC EQUILIBRIUM

failure surfaces

DEVELOPMENT of ACTIVE EARTH PRESSURE

Active condition is reached by reduction in lateral stress (extension)

0.001H-0.003H :required movement

at rest
circle

=Kaz

=0
=Koz

=z

Ko= coefficient of earth pressure at-rest

Ka=active earth pressure coefficient

ACTIVE EARTH PRESSURE

=.z

h=

.z.Ka

Pa acts at H from base

DEVELOPMENT of PASSIVE EARTH PRESSURE

0.02H-0.2H: required movement to reach plastic equilibrium

Ko=at-rest earth pressure

Kp=passive earth pressure coefficient

plastic equilibrium
at rest circle moving to right

o
=Koz

=z

=Kpz

PASSIVE EARTH PRESSURE

h = . z . Kp

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF MOVEMENTS

ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF EARTH PRESSURE

PLASTIC EQUILIBRIUM in SAND

tan

1 3 N
N

1 Sin

tan 2 45
1 Sin
2

f
45 / 2

ACTIVE

x z K a
1
Ka
tan 2
N
1
x z
N

K0

45
2

x z tan 45
2

45 / 2

PASSIVE

x z K p

K p N tan 2 45
2

x z N

x z tan 2 45
2

PRESSURE DISTRIBUTION in ACTIVE STATE

(SAND)

45

Failure
wedge

H
Sand

c0

Pa
H/3

K a . .H
1 K a . .H 2
Pa K a . .H .H .
2
2

PRESSURE DISTRIBUTION FOR PASSIVE STATE (SAND)

45

Failure
wedge
H
Sand

c0

Pp
H/3

K p . .H
2
1 K p . .H
Pp K p . .H .H .
2
2

EQUILIBRIUM IN SOIL CAN BE DESCRIBED BY THREE STATES

ELASTIC EQUILIBRIUM CONDITION :

K0

PLASTIC EQUILIBRIUM- ACTIVE STATE :Ka caused by extension

PLASTIC EQUILIBRIUM- PASSIVE STATE: Kp caused by
compression/shortening

ACTIVE AND PASSIVE PRESSURES of SAND (SUBMERGED)

ph z K

Soil pressure at any depth

H
1
2N
P = p dz= H
p
h
2
0

H
1
1
2
P = p dz= H
a
h
2
N
0

Total thrust (submerged)

Pxx Pa , p Pw

ACTIVE STATE

Pa

1
H 2 K
a
2

PASSIVE STATE

Pa

1
H 2 KP
2

1
1
H2 w
H 2 K a w
2
2

1
1
H2 w H 2 K P w
2
2

EFFECT of DISTRIBUTED LOAD (q)

use equivalent height h'or

. H h ' .Ka
Kp
Ko

q.K

.H . K

ACTIVE PRESSURE of CLAY

2c
N

2c
N

plastic equilibrium equations

OC : 1 3 N 2 c N

NL : 1 3 2c

The distribution of pressures in c- conditions:

1 n .z 0

at the surface

0 3 N 2 c N
3
in tension zone

2 c
N

z=0

3 0

z0 0 2 c N
2 c
z0
N
n

+
z=H

CRITICAL EXCAVATION DEPTH IN CLAY

Theoretically, it should be possible to excavate to a depth where
the active thrust becomes equal to the passive resistance : 2 z0

H c 2 z0

If =0, then H c 2 z0

4 c
n

4 c
N
n

PASSIVE RESISTANCE of CLAY

Distributed
Load q

cohesion

mass

(kN/m3 )
c

(kPa = kN/m 2 )

(o )
45

q.N

ph q N 2 c N z N
Pp q N H 2 c N

2c. N

N K p

1
H H 2 N
2

.H . N

EXAMPLE 1:

Determine the active lateral earth pressure on the frictionless surface

shown in figure. Calculate the resultant force and its location from the
base of the wall.

H=5m

d 20kN / m 2
30o
c0

STEP-1: Calculate Ka

1 Sin 1 Sin(30o ) 1
Ka

1 Sin 1 Sin(30o ) 3

or

(30o ) 1
2
K a tan (45 ) an (45
)
2
2
3
2

STEP-2: Calculate the vertical effective stress (z)

At the surface: z 0.uw 0

At the base:
z .H o (20 9.81) 5 51kPa
uw w .H o 9.81 5 49kPa
STEP-3: Calculate the lateral effective stress (x)a

1
( x ) a K a . z 51 17 kPa
3

EXAMPLE 1:
(continued)

STEP-4: Sketch the lateral earth pressure distributions

Lateral Earth
Pressure

Hydrostatic Pressure

H=5m

17 kPa

49 kPa

STEP-5: Calculate the active thrust

Pa Pwater pressure Pearth pressure

where (Pwater pressure) is the due to the pore water and (Pearth pressure) is the lateral force due to the soil

1
1
1
1
Pa ( x ) a H o uH o ( 17 5) ( 49 5) 165 kN
2
2
2
2

STEP-6: Determine the location of the resultant

Since both lateral pressure and the pore water (hydrostatic)pressure distributions are triangular over the
whole depth, the resultant is at the centroid of the triangle, that is;

z H o / 3 5 / 3 1.67 m

from the base of the wall

EXAMPLE 2:
Determine the active earth pressure on the frictionless surface shown
15 kPa

H=4m

d 19 kN/m3
26o
c 8 kPa

GWT

STEP-1: Calculate Ka

1 sin 1 sin 26
K a tan 2 (45 )

0.39
2 1 sin 1 sin 26
STEP-2: Calculate the vertical effective stress (z)
At the surface: z 0.uw 0
At the base:
z .H o (19 9.81) 4 36.76 kPa
uw w .H o 9.81 4 39.24 kPa

STEP-3: Calculate the lateral effective stress at the base (x)a

( x ) a K a . z 0.39 36.76 14.34 kPa

STEP-4: Calculate the lateral effective stress due to external load at the base(q)a

( q ) a K a .q 0.39 15 5.85 kPa

STEP-5: Calculate the lateral tension effect due to cohesion (c)a
2c
28
( c ) a

10 kPa
N
26
tan 2 (45 )
2

EXAMPLE 2:
(continued)

STEP-6: Sketch the distributions of lateral earth pressure

q=15 kPa

GWT

Lateral Earth
Pressure

Load

Hydrostatic

(+)

(+)

Cohesion

H=4m

(+)
14.34 kPa

5.85 kPa

39.24 kPa

(-)
-10 kPa

STEP-7: Calculate the total lateral force(thrust)

Pa Pearth Pload Pwater Pcohesion

1
1
Pa ( x ) a H o ( q ) a H o uH o ( c )a H o
2
2
1
1
Pa ( 14.34 4) 5.85 4 ( 39.24 4) 10 4
2
2
Pa 28.68 23.4 78.48 40 90.56 kN

EXAMPLE 3:
Determine the active earth pressure on the frictionless surface
shown.
10 kPa
SW
H=3

n 17 kN/m3
GWT

SP
H=3

32o
SW

n 19.31 kN/m3
30o
SP

STEP-1: Calculate Ka values

1 sin 1 sin 32
( K a ) SW tan 2 (45 )

0.307
2 1 sin 1 sin 32
1 sin 1 sin 30
( K a ) SP tan 2 (45 )

0.333
2 1 sin 1 sin 30

EXAMPLE 3: (continued)
Load

H=3

SW
n 17 kN/m3
32
SW

H=3

GWT

SP
d 19.31 kN/m 3
30
SP

Lateral Earth
Pressure
SP

Lateral Earth
Pressure
SW

10 kPa

III

II

IV
2

3.33

Hydrostatic
Pressure

16.98

PRESSURES
p1 10 0.307 3.07 kPa

VI

V
5

9.50

29.43

FORCES
PaI 3.07 3 9.21 kN / m

p2 10 0.333 3.33 kPa

PaII 3.33 3 9.99 kN / m

p3 K aSW nSW H SW 0.307 17 3 15.66 kPa

PaIII 15.66 3

p4 nSW H SW K aSP 17 3 0.333 16.98 kPa

H SP K aSP (19.31 9.81) 3 0.333 9.50 kPa
p5 SP
p6 W HW 9.81 3 29.43 kPa

PaIV

1
23.49 kN / m
2
16.98 3 50.94 kN / m

1
14.25 kN / m
2
1
PaV 29.43 3 44.15 kN / m
2
PaV 9.50 3

P 152.05 kN / m

PROBLEM 4
SW sand is filled into the timber box with shown dimensions. Calculate thrust on the
door(a)at rest (b)active in dry state (c)passive force required when the box is full of water.
Results of shearbox tests are supplied.
X

( k 19 kN / m3 , d 22.5 kN / m3 )

Results from Shearbox

tests

max

Test No

150

300

113

229

L=30m
1 ) Calculate shearing resistance of sand:

tan

113 229

37 s max tan tan 37

150 300

K 0 1 Sin 1 sin 37 0.398

p0 K 0 z k 0.398 5 19 37.81

kPa

tabanda

1
1

2
P0 k H K0 B 1952 0.398
10 945.3
kN
2
2


1 Sin
1

b ) K a tan 2 45

tan 2 26.5 0.249

2
1 Sin N

pa K a z k

0.249 5 19 23.66

kPa

sw

Aktif
Durum

tabanda

1
1

k H 2 Ka B 1952 0.249
10 591.4
kN
2
2

Pa

63.5
23.66 kPa

1 Sin

c) K p tan 2 45
N tan 2 63.5 4.023
2
1 Sin

p p K p z z w 4.023

5 12.69

5 9.81
255.26

49.05

304.31
kPa tabanda

Pp H 2 K p B w H 2 B
2

Pp 12.69
52 4.023
10 9.81
52 10
2

Pp 6381.5 1226.3 7607.8 kN

sw

26.5

Pasif
Durum

255.26 kPa

49.05 kPa

PROBLEM 5
Calculate the force F required to keep the door in active equilibrium.
n=18
d=20

30
1

K a SP tan 2 45
2
3

35

K a SW tan 2 45 0.271
2

d=22

PRESSURES
1
p1 18 2 12 kPa
3
1
p2 18 2 20 9.81 1

15.4
kPa
3
p3 p4 18 2 10.19 1 0.271

12.5
kPa

p5 0
p6 22 9.81 3
0.271 9.91 kPa

p7 0
p8 9.81 4 39.24 kPa

FORCES(THRUST)
1
2 12
12 kN / m
2
1
Pa 2 12 15.4 1 13.7 kN / m
2
Pa 3 12.5 3 37.5 kN / m

Pa1

1
3
9.91 14.9 kN / m
2
1
Pa 5 39.2 4 78.4 kN / m
2
Pa 4

P 156.5 kN / m

MOMENTS

M0 0

2
3
1

6 F 12 3 1 13.7 3.4 37.5 1.5 14.9 78.4 4

3
3
3

F 46 kN / m

PROBLEM 6 HOMEWORK

Construct the active pressure diagram on vertical plane XX and calculate the
thrust Pa.
Dry sand Submerged CH

k=19 kN/m3 SP
=300

YASS

d=18 kN/m3
3 =100
CH
c=10 kPa
2

d=22 kN/m
GW
=450

CH

IV

III
X

10

K aCH tan 2 45 0.704

2

VI

II

pressures
1
p1 19 3 19 kPa
3
p2 19 3 0.704 40.13 kPa

(- )

VIII

7 VII

8
PaI

1
3 19
28.47 kN / m
2

PaII 3 40.13 120.39 kN / m

Pa III 2 9.75 19.5 kN / m

p4 18 9.81 3 0.704 17.30 kPa

PaIV

1
3 17.30

25.95 kN / m
2

PaV 2 4.20 8.40 kN / m

2 c
2 10

p6

16.78 kPa
1.192
N

PaVI 3 16.78 50.34 kN / m

p7 22 9.81 2 0.171 4.17 kPa

PaVII

p8 9.81 5 49.05 kPa

10

N CH tan 45 1.192
2

FORCES

p3 19 3 0.171 9.75 kPa

p5 18 9.81 3 0.171 4.20 kPa

30
1

K a SP tan 2 45
2
3

45

K aGW tan 2 45 0.171

2

cohesion

submerged GW water

PaVIII

1
2 4.17 4.17 kN / m
2
1
5 49.05 122.63 kN / m
2

P 279.17 kN / m