NPTEL - ADVANCED FOUNDATION ENGINEERING-1

Module 6
(Lecture 22)
LATERAL EARTH PRESSURE

1.1 LATERAL EARTH PRESSURE DUE TO SURCHARGE

1.2 ACTIVE PRESSURE FOR WALL ROTATION ABOUT TOPBRACED CUT
1.3 ACTIVE

EARTH

PRESSURE

FOR

TRANSLATION

RETAINING WALL-GRANULAR BACKFILL

OF

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LATERAL EARTH PRESSURE DUE TO SURCHARGE
In several instances, the theory of elasticity is used to determine the lateral earth pressure
on retaining structures caused by various types of surcharge loading, such as line loading
(figure 6.18a) and strip loading (figure 6.18b).

Figure 6.18 Lateral earth pressure caused by (a) line load and (b) strip load
According to the theory of elasticity, the stress at any depth, z, on a retaining structure
caused by a line load of intensity q/ unit length (figure 6.18a) may be given as
2

= ( 2 + 2 )2

[6.36]

Where

= horizontal stress at depth =

(See figure 6.18a for explanations of the terms a and b).

However, because soil is not a perfectly elastic medium, some deviations from equation
(36) may be expected. The modified forms of this equation generally accepted for use
with soils are as follows:

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4

0.203

= ( 2 + 2 )2 for > 0.4

[6.37]

And
=

(0.16+ 2 )2

for 0.4

[6.38]

Figure 6.18b shows a strip load with an intensity of /unit area located at a distance
from a wall of height H. based on the theory of elasticity, the horizontal stress, , at any
depth z on a retaining structure is

= ( sin cos 2)

[6.39]

(The angles and are defied in figure 6.18b).

However, in the case of soils, the right-hand side of equation (39) is doubled to account
for the yielding soil continuum, or
=

( sin cos 2)

[6.40]

The total force per unit length (P) due to the strip loading only (Jarquio, 1981) may be
expressed as

= 90 [(2 1 )]

[6.41]

Where

1 = tan1 (deg)
2 = tan1
Example 8

[6.42]

(deg)

[6.43]

Refer to figure 6.18b. Here, = 2 m, = 1 m, = 40 kN/m2 , and = 6 m.

Determine the total pressure on the wall caused by the strip loading only.
Solution
From equations (42 and 43),
1
1 = tan1 = 9.46
6

2 = tan1

2+1
= 26.57
6

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From equation (41),
=

40
[(2 1 )] =
[6(26.57 9.46)] = 45.63 kN/m
90
90

ACTIVE PRESSURE FOR WALL ROTATION ABOUT TOP-BRACED CUT

In the preceding sections, we have seen that a retaining wall rotates about its bottom
(figure 6.19a). With sufficient yielding of the wall, the lateral earth pressure is
approximately equal to the obtained by Rankine theory of Coulombs theory. In contrast
to retaining walls, braced cuts show a different type of wall yielding (see figure 6.19b). in
this case, deformation of the wall gradually increases with the depth of excavation. The
variation of the amount of deformation depends on several factors, such as the type of
soil, the depth of excavation, and the workmanship. However, with very little wall
yielding at the top of the cut, the lateral earth pressure will be lose to the at-rest pressure.
At the bottom of the wall, with a much larger degree of yielding, the lateral earth pressure
will be substantially lower than the Rankine active earth pressure. As a result, the
distribution of lateral earth pressure will vary substantially in comparison to the linear
distribution assumed in the case of retaining walls.

Figure 6.19 Nature of yielding of walls: (a) retaining wall; (b) braced cut
The total lateral force per unit length of the wall, , imposed on a wall may be evaluated
theoretically by using Terzaghi (1943) general wedge theory (figure 6.20). The failure
surface is assumed to be the arc of a logarithmic spiral, defined as

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Figure 6.20 Braced cut analysis by general wedge theory-wall rotation about top
= tan

[6.44]

Where

= angle of friction of soil

In figure 6.20, H is the height of the cut. The unit weight, angle of friction, and cohesion
of the soil are equal to , , and , respectively. Following are the forces per unit length
of the cut acting on the trial failure wedge:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

weight of the wedge, W

resultant of the normal and shear forces along ,
cohesive force along ,
adhesive force along ,
,which is the active force acting a distance from the bottom of the wall and
is inclined at an angle to the horizontal

The adhesive force is

=

[6.45]

Where
= unit adhesion

A detailed outline for the evaluation of is beyond the scope of this text; those
interested should check a soil mechanics text for more information (for example, Das,
1998), Kim and Preber (1969) provided tabulated values of /12 2 determined by using
the principles of general wedge theory, and these values are given in table 8. In
developing the theoretical values in table 8, it was assumed that

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tan

= tan

[6.46]

ACTIVE EARTH PRESSURE FOR TRANSLATION OF RETAINING WALLGRANULAR BACKFILL

Under certain circumstances, retaining walls may undergo lateral translation, as shown in
figure 6.21. A solution to the distribution of active pressure for this case was provided by
Dubrova (1963) and was also described by Harr (1966). The solution of Dubrova
assumes the validity of Coulombs solution [equations 25 and 26)]. In order to understand
this procedure, let us consider a vertical wall with a horizontal granular backfill (figure
6.22). For rotation about the top of the wall, the resultant R of the normal and shear forces
along the rupture line is inclined at an angle to the normal drawn to . According
to Dubrova there exists infinite number of quasi-rupture lines such as , C, for
which the resultant force R is inclined an angle , where
=

[6.47

Figure 6.21 Lateral translation of retaining wall

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Figure 6.22 Quasi-rupture lines behind retaining wall

Table 8 / ] , , , /

, in
degrees
(1)

, in
degrees
(2)

0
5

10

15

= 0.3 /
0.1

0.2

(3)

(4)

(5)

0.952

0.558

0.787

= 0.4 /
0.1

0.2

(6)

(7)

(8)

0.164

0.652

0.431

0.076

0.899

0.756

0.345

-0.066

0.653

0.334

0.623

10

= 0.5 /
0.1

0.2

(9)

(10)

(11)

0.192

0.782

0.495

0.092

1.050

0.863

0.399

-0.064

0.015

0.734

0.378

0.274

-0.074

0.700

0.610

0.242

-0.125

0.542

0.254

0.518

10

0.505

= 0.6 /
0.1

0.2

(12)

(13)

(14)

0.230

0.978

0.288

0.580

0.110

1.261

0.697

0.134

1.006

0.474

-0.058

1.209

0.573

-0.063

0.021

0.840

0.434

0.027

0.983

0.507

0.032

0.312

-0.077

0.799

0.358

-0.082

0.933

0.420

-0.093

0.685

0.277

-0.131

0.783

0.324

-0.135

0.916

0.380

-0.156

-0.033

0.602

0.285

-0.033

0.679

0.322

-0.034

0.778

0.370

-0.039

0.214

-0.089

0.575

0.240

-0.094

0.646

0.270

-0.106

0.739

0.310

-0.118

0.187

-0.131

0.559

0.210

-0.140

0.629

0.238

-0.153

0.719

0.273

-0.174

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20

25

30

35

40

15

0.499

0.169

-0.161

0.554

0.191

-0.171

0.623

0.218

-0.187

0.714

0.251

-0.212

0.499

0.191

-0.067

0.495

0.210

-0.074

0.551

0.236

-0.080

0.622

0.266

-0.090

0.430

0.160

-0.110

0.473

0.179

-0.116

0.526

0.200

-0.126

0.593

0.225

-0.142

10

0.419

0.140

-0.139

0.460

0.156

-0.149

0.511

0.173

-0.165

0.575

0.196

-0.184

15

0.413

0.122

-0.169

0.454

0.137

-0.179

0.504

0.154

-0.195

0.568

0.174

-0.219

20

0.413

0.113

-0.188

0.454

0.124

-0.206

0.504

0.140

-0.223

0.569

0.160

-0.276

0.371

0.138

-0.095

0.405

0.150

-0.104

0.447

0.167

-0.112

0.499

0.187

-0.125

0.356

0.116

-0.125

0.389

0.128

-0.132

0.428

0.141

-0.146

0.477

0.158

-0.162

10

0.347

0.099

-0.149

0.378

0.110

-0.158

0.416

0.122

-0.173

0.464

0.136

-0.192

15

0.342

0.085

-0.172

0.373

0.095

-0.182

0.410

0.106

-0.198

0.457

0.118

-0.221

20

0.341

0.074

-0.193

0.372

0.083

-0.205

0.409

0.093

-0.222

0.456

0.104

-0.248

25

0.344

0.065

-0.215

0.375

0.074

-0.228

0.413

0.083

-0.247

0.461

0.093

-0.275

0.304

0.093

-0.117

0.330

0.103

-0.124

0.361

0.113

-0.136

0.400

0.125

-0.150

0.293

0.078

-0.137

0.318

0.086

-0.145

0.347

0.094

-0.159

0.384

0.105

-0.175

10

0.286

0.066

-0.154

0.310

0.073

-0.164

0.339

0.080

-0.179

0.374

0.088

-0.198

15

0.282

0.056

-0.171

0.306

0.060

-0.185

0.334

0.067

-0.199

0.368

0.074

-0.220

20

0.281

0.047

-0.188

0.305

0.051

-0.204

0.332

0.056

-0.220

0.367

0.062

-0.242

25

0.284

0.036

-0.211

0.307

0.042

-0.223

0.335

0.047

-0.241

0.370

0.051

-0.267

30

0.289

0.029

-0.230

0.313

0.033

-0.246

0.341

0.038

-0.265

0.377

0.042

-0.254

0.247

0.059

-0.129

0.267

0.064

-0.139

0.290

0.069

-0.151

0.318

0.076

-0.165

0.239

0.047

-0.145

0.258

0.052

-0.154

0.280

0.067

-0.167

0.307

0.062

-0.183

10

0.234

0.038

-0.157

0.252

0.041

-0.170

0.273

0.046

-0.182

0.300

0.050

-0.200

15

0.231

0.030

-0.170

0.249

0.003

-0.183

0.270

0.035

-0.199

0.296

0.039

-0.218

20

0.231

0.022

-0.187

0.248

0.025

-0.198

0.269

0.027

-0.215

0.295

0.030

-0.235

25

0.232

0.015

-0.202

0.250

0.016

-0.218

0.271

0.019

-0.234

0.297

0.020

-0.256

30

0.236

0.006

-0.224

0.254

0.008

-0.238

0.276

0.011

-0.255

0.302

0.011

-0.281

35

0.243

-0.243

0.262

0.001

-0.260

0.284

0.002

-0.279

0.312

0.002

-0.307

0.198

0.030

-0.138

0.213

0.032

-0.148

0.230

0.036

-0.159

0.252

0.038

-0.175

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45

0.192

0.021

-0.150

0.206

0.024

-0.158

0.223

0.026

-0.171

0.244

0.029

-0.186

10

0.189

0.015

-0.158

0.202

0.016

-0.170

0.219

0.018

-0.182

0.238

0.030

-0.199

15

0.187

0.008

-0.171

0.200

0.010

-0.180

0.216

0.011

-0.195

0.236

0.012

-0.212

20

0.187

0.003

-0.181

0.200

0.003

-0.195

0.216

0.004

-0.208

0.235

0.004

-0.227

25

0.188

-0.005

0.202

-0.003

0.218

-0.003

0.237

-0.003

30

0.192

-0.010

0.205

-0.010

0.222

-0.011

0.241

-0.012

35

0.197

-0.018

0.211

-0.018

0.228

-0.018

0.248

-0.020

40

0.205

-0.025

0.220

-0.025

0.237

-0.027

0.259

-0.030

0.156

0.007

-0.142

0.167

0.008

-0.150

0.180

0.009

-0.162

0.196

0.010

-0.177

0.152

0.002

-0.148

0.163

0.002

-0.158

0.175

0.002

-0.170

0.190

0.003

-0.185

10

0.150

-0.003

0.160

-0.004

0.172

-0.003

0.187

-0.004

15

0.148

-0.009

0.159

-0.008

0.171

-0.009

0.185

-0.010

20

0.149

-0.013

0.159

-0.014

0.171

-0.014

0.185

-0.016

25

0.150

-0.018

0.160

-0.020

0.173

-0.020

0.187

-0.022

30

0.153

-0.025

0.164

-0.026

0.176

-0.026

0.190

-0.029

35

0.158

-0.030

0.168

-0.031

0.181

-0.034

0.196

-0.037

40

0.164

-0.038

0.175

-0.040

0.188

-0.042

0.204

-0.045

45

0.173

-0.046

0.184

-0.048

0.198

-0.052

0.215

-0.057

After Kim and Preber (1969)

Now, refer to equation (25 and 26) for Coulombs active pressure. For = 90 and =
0, the relationship for Coulombs active force can also be rewritten as

= 2 cos

1
+(tan 2
cos

+tan tan )0.5

[6.48]

The force against the wall at any z is then given as

= 2 cos

1
+(tan 2 +tan
cos

tan )0.5

The active pressure at any depth z for wall rotation about the top is

[6.49]

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() =

cos 2

2 cos 2

cos 1+ sin )2 (1 sin ) (sin + )

[6.50]

tan 0.5

Where = 1 + tan

[6.51]

For frictionless walls, = 0 and equation (50) simplifies to

2

() = tan2 45 2 cos

[52]

For wall rotation about the bottom, a similar expression can be found in the form

cos

() = cos 1+ sin

[6.53]

For translation of the wall, the active pressure can then be taken as
()translation = 12[ ()motion

about top

+ ()motion

about bottom

[6.54]

An experimental
verification of this procedure was provided by Matsuzawa and
Hazarika (1996). The results were obtained from large-scale model tests and are shown in
figure 6.23. The theory and experimental results show go agreement.

Figure 6.23 Experimental verification of Dubrovas theory for lateral wall translation by
large-scale model tests
Example 9
Consider a frictionless wall 16 ft high. For the granular backfill, = 110 lb/ft 3 and
= 36 . Calculate the plot the variation of () for a translation mode of the wall
movement.

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Solution
For a frictionless wall, = 0. Hence, m is equal to one [equation (51)]. So for rotation
about the top, from equation (52),

2
() = () = tan 45

2
cos

For rotation about the bottom, from equation (53),

() = () =
()translation

cos 2

1 + sin

() + ()
=
2

The following table can now be prepared with = 110 lb/ft 3 , = 36 , and = 16 ft.
(ft)

()(lb/ft 2 )

()(lb/
ft 2 )

()translation (lb
/ft 2

269.9

112.6

191.25

311.2

225.3

268.5

12

233.6

337.9

285.75

16

102.2

450.6

276.4

The plot of () versus z is shown in figure 6.24.

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Figure .6.24