CHAP 2 : LATERAL EARTH PRESSURE

WEEK 5-7 ~ CHAP. 2

LATERAL EARTH PRESSURES

TEACHING LECTURER ;
PM. IR. BAHARDIN BAHAROM
HJH. FAUZILAH ISMAIL
HAIROL ANUAR HARON
DIANA CHE LAT

FKA Level 5-49, 07-3818345

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CHAP 2 : LATERAL EARTH PRESSURE

ACTIVITY : Week 5 ~ CHAP. 2

Lecture ~ 28 slides
Tutorial
Independent learning activities

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CHAP 2 : LATERAL EARTH PRESSURE
LEARNING OUTCOMES
Week 5 : Coverage ~ Principles of lateral pressures; at
rest, active and passive pressures. Lateral pressures
based on Rankines Theory.

Learning outcomes:
At the end of this lecture/week the students would
be able to:

i. Discuss the different types of lateral earth pressures.

ii. Perform analysis to determine lateral thrust
based on Rankines Theory.

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CHAP 2 : LATERAL EARTH PRESSURE

OUTLINE OF PRESENTATION
2.1 Introduction & Overview.
2.1.1 Application of Lateral Earth
Pressures to Retaining Walls
2.1.2 Modes of Failure
2.2 States of Equilibrium at rest, active and
passive & Lateral Pressures Distribution
based on Rankines Theory
(Cohesionless Soil).

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CHAP 2 : LATERAL EARTH PRESSURE

2.1 Introduction and Overview

Retaining structures such as retaining walls and

basement walls are commonly encountered in
foundation engineering, and they may support
slopes of earth mass.

Proper design and construction of these structures

require a comprehensive knowledge of the lateral
forces that act between the retaining structures
and the soil mass being retained.

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2.1.1 Application of Lateral Earth Pressures to Retaining Walls

REINFORCED & ANCHORED
GRAVITY WALLS EMBEDDED WALLS EARTH WALLS

Masonry walls Driven sheet pile Reinforced earth

Gabion walls Contiguous walls
Crib Walls bored-pile Soil nailing
RC walls Secant bored- Ground anchors
Counterfort walls pile
Buttressed walls Diaphragm wall

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2.1.2 Modes of Failure

Sliding- The wall must not slide along Structural Failure- Unsatisfactory
its base or along any lateral joint. performance may also result from
deflection or displacement.

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2.1.2 Modes of Failure

Overall Slip Stability- Where a
retaining wall is supporting sloping
ground, a possible form of failure is a
shear-slip involving the wall and a
portion of the retained earth.
Overtuning- The wall must not
overturn and therefore the moment
balance about any point must be
favorable to stability.

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2.1.2 Modes of Failure

Settlement- If the ground bearing Settlement behind the Wall- Any
pressure beneath the base exceeds forward movement of the wall will
the allowable bearing capacity, some result in corresponding settlement of
settlement may occur. the retained soil.

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2.1.2 Modes of Failure

Vertical Bottom Heave- In braced
trenches, coffer dams and the like,
instability may develop at the base of
the excavation in which a heave or
uplift occurs.
Lateral Bottom Heave- The bottom
of the wall may move forward due to
inadequate passive resistance or the
buckling of a basement ground slab

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2.2 States of Equilibrium & Rankines Theory

2.2.1 Earth Pressure at Rest

2.2.2 Active Earth Pressure
2.2.3 Passive Earth pressure

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Rankines Lateral Pressure

Rankines Theory

Initial work done in 1857

Develop based on semi infinite loose
granular soil (cohesionless soil) mass for
which the soil movement is uniform.
Used stress states of soil mass to determine
lateral pressures on a frictionless wall

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Rankines Lateral Pressure

Assumptions by Rankine :

The earth retaining wall is vertical.

The interface between the wall and soil is
frictionless.
The soil surface is horizontal and no shear
stress acts on horizontal and vertical
boundaries.
The wall is rigid and extends to an infinite depth
in a dry, homogeneous, isotropic soil mass.
The soil is loose and initially in an at-rest state.

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2.2.1 Earth pressure at rest

If wall AB remains static soil
A mass will be in a state of elastic
Unit weight of soil = equilibrium horizontal strain is
f c tan zero.

z Ratio of horizontal stress to

v vertical stress is called
coefficient of lateral earth
h = Ko v pressure at rest, Ko and is given
by;
h
Ko h K o v K o z
v
B

Earth pressure at rest Ko 1 - sin (after Jaky, 1944)

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Active Earth Pressure
2.2.2 Active earth pressure
Plastic equilibrium in soil refers to the
condition where every point in a soil mass
is on the edge of failure.
If wall AB is allowed to move away from the
soil mass gradually to position AB,
horizontal stress will decrease.
If the frictionless wall rotates sufficiently to
position AB (La), then the triangular soil
mass ABC adjacent to wall will reach a
state of plastic equilibrium and will fail
sliding down the plane BC.
At this time, the horizontal effective stress,
h= ha will be referred to as active
pressure.
Unit weight of soil =
h' ha
'
1 sin '
thus K K a ' '
a = 45 + /2 v v 1 sin '
Horizontal effective stress decreased, h <
v and soil failed in expansion.
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Active Earth Pressure
Active pressure distribution for cohesionless soil (c=0)

For cohesionless
soil, c = 0 0

z
'ha z K a - 2c' K a

'ha 'v K a z K a

z Ka
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Passive Earth Pressure
2.2.3 Passive earth pressure
If the wall is pushed into the soil mass to
position AB, the principal stress h will
increase
The lateral earth pressure, p, which is the
major principal stress, is called Rankines
passive earth pressure

If the frictionless wall rotates sufficiently to

position AB (Lp), then the triangular soil
mass ABC adjacent to wall will reach a state
of plastic equilibrium and will fail sliding
upward the plane BC.

At this time, the horizontal effective stress,

h= hp will be referred to as passive
pressure.

1 sin '
hp
'
'
thus K K p '
h
'
v v 1 sin '
p = 45 - /2
Horizontal effective stress increased, h > v
and soil failed in compression.
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Passive Earth Pressure
Passive pressure distribution for cohesionless soil (c=0)

For cohesionless
soil, c = 0 0

z
'hp z K p 2c' K p

hp' v' K p z K p

z Kp

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Rankines Lateral Pressure
2.2.4

Elements behind the retaining wall to be

considered:

Retained soil (single and/or multi-layered)

Presence of water (gwt)

Presence of imposed surcharge, q

Cohesionless or cohesive soils
Effect of sloping slope surface,

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Example 1 (cohesionless soil)

Find the active thrust and line of action for a 5.4 m

high retaining wall with soil properties = 20
kN/m3, = 30, c' = 0.
The water table well below the base of the wall. 5.4
m Pa
Step 1: Calculate Ka za

Step 2: Calculate the Vertical Effective Stress, v = v (u @ w )

h

At the surface, H0=0 : v = 0, u = 0

At the base, H1=5.4 m : v = v - u
v = *H1 - u

Calculate the Lateral Effective Stress, h = Ka * v

Step 3: Sketch the Lateral Earth Pressure Distributions Diagram

Step 4: Calculate the Resultant Active Trust (the area of the Lateral Earth Pressure Distributions diagram), Pa

Step 5: Determine the location of the resultant (line of action), za the resultant is at centroid of the Pressure
Distribution Diagram from the base of the wall
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Rankines Lateral Pressure (Active State)
2.2.4.1 Active pressure (horizontal cohesionless soil
with standing water)

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Pressure
diagram
represents
soil

1
= 1 1
Pressure diagram
2 represents water
= 2 1
4 = 2
3
= 2 ( )2
Pressure
diagram of
weight of top
soil

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Example 2 (cohesionless soil) : Determine the active thrust and its line of
action for the following wall:

Combined Pa1
pressure
1 diagram
Pa2 P =kN/m

Pa3
za

2 3

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Rankines Lateral Pressure (Active State)
2.2.4.2 Active pressure (horizontal cohesionless soil with
imposed surcharge,q)

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Example 3 (cohesionless soil)

Find the active thrust and its line of action for a 6 m high retaining wall loaded with
surcharge of 48 kPa @ kN/m2. Given = 20 kN/m3, = 30o, c' = 0.
q

Pa1
5.4 + = Pa kN/m
m
za Pa2

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END OF WEEK 5

W6
CHAPTER 2

(sub-topic 2.2.4.3)
Active Pressure (effect of multi-layered soil)
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Tutorial Chapter 2
Week 5
 Tutorial 2.1
A retaining wall of 7.5 m height retains sandy soil mass at the back and carries
uniform surcharged load of 40 kPa on the horizontal surface. The sandy
backfilled soil has the following properties;
C = 0 = 30 = 20.5 kNm-3

Based on the data given, determine lateral earth pressure distribution

diagram and also the magnitude and position of total (active & passive) thrust
acting behind the wall.