MODULE 2

EARTH PRESSURE

Steep soil slopes will not remain stable for a long period of time; therefore, in order to
maintain a nearly vertical face, some support must be provided. The most common
permanent form of support is the retaining wall. These walls are considered to be rigid and
the design of these structures requires an estimate of the earth pressures that act on the
structure. The soil retained on the back side of wall is referred to as backfill. The induced
earth pressures are caused by the weight of the wall, the weight of the backfill, and if present,
by external loads acting on the wall or the backfill.

Different types of lateral earth pressures

Earth pressure can be grouped into 3 categories depending on the movement of retaining wall
with respect to the soil retained
1. At-rest pressure
2. Active earth pressure and
3. Passive earth pressure

At-rest pressure:- The lateral earth pressure is called at- rest earth pressure, when the soil
mass is not subjected to lateral movement. This occurs when the retaining wall is firmly fixed
at the top and is not allowed to move laterally. The at-rest condition is also known as elastic
equilibrium as no part of the soil mass has failed and attained plastic equilibrium.

Active earth pressure:- When the retaining wall moves away from the backfill there is a
stretching of the soil mass and the active state of earth pressure exists. A portion of backfill
located next to the retaining wall tends to break away from the rest of the soil mass. It is a
state of plastic equilibrium, as the entire soil mass is in the verge of failure.

Passive earth pressure:- If the wall is pushed towards the backfill, the soil is compressed ad
the soil offers resistance to this movement by virtue of its shearing resistance. Since the
shearing resistance build up towards the wall, the earth pressure gradually increases. The
earth pressure at this stage is the passive earth pressure.
VARIATION OF EARTH PRESSURE WITH WALL MOVEMENT

Po- earth pressure at rest

Pa- Active earth pressure

Pp- Passive earth pressure

Earth Pressure at Rest

The earth pressure at rest exerted on the back of a rigid retaining wall can be
determined using theory of elasticity assuming the backfill soil to be elastic, homogenous,
isotropic and semi-infinite.
Consider an element at depth z below the surface of the backfill. Let 𝜎v and 𝜎h denote the
vertical and horizontal stresses acting on the element, as shown in Fig

𝜎h = ƒ(𝜎v) Eq 1

or 𝜎h = K 0 𝜎V

where K 0 = (µ/1-µ) or K 0 = (1- sinɸ/)

K0 is called the coefficient of earth pressure at rest

µ is the poisson’s ratio and

ɸ is the angle of internal friction.

Substituting p0 for 𝜎h and 𝛾z for 𝜎v in equation Eq 1

we can write P0 = K0γz

P0 denotes the intensity of earth pressure at rest at any depth z.

At z = 0, P0 = 0
At z = H, P0 = K0γH

The distribution of earth pressure at rest behind the wall is shown in Fig
If we denote the resultant earth pressure per unit length perpendicular to plane of figure by
P0,
then we have
P0 = area of earth pressure distribution diagram
1
= 2(K0γH)H
1
= 2K0γH2
Alternatively P0 can be obtained as shown below.
𝐻
P0 = ∫0 K𝑜𝛾z 𝑑𝑧
𝐻
= K0γ∫0 z. dz
1
= 2K0γH2.
Since soils are not perfectly elastic materials, they do not have well defined values of
Poisson’s ratio.

Rankine’s Earth Pressure Theory

This is applicable to both active an passive pressure

Following are the assumptions made in the originally proposed Rankine’s theory.

1. The soil mass is homogenous and semi-infinite.

2. The soil mass is cohesionless and dry.
3. The surface of soil is a plane which may be horizontal or inclined.
4. The back of the wall is smooth, and vertical.
5. The wall yields about the base and thus satisfies the deformation condition for plastic
Equilibrium

Because of the assumption that there is no friction between the soil and wall, the
resultant earth pressure must be parallel to the surface of backfill. However in practise the
back of the retaining walls constructed of masonry or concrete will never be smooth and the
resultant active earth pressure will be inclined to the normal to the back of the wall at an
angle equal to the angle of friction between the soil and back of wall

DETERMINATION OF ACTIVE EARTH PRESSURE

Case 1: Dry backfill with no surcharge

Consider an element at depth z below the surface of backfill. Let σv and σh denote the
vertical and horizontal stresses acting on this element. In the active state of plastic
equilibrium

Active earth pressure due to dry back fill

We write,

σh =Ka σv Eq1

1−sinɸ
where Ka=
1+sinɸ

Ka is called Rankine’s coefficient of active earth pressure.

Substituting pa for σh and γz for σv in Eqn 1 we get the intensity of active earth pressure at
depth z as

pa= Kaγz

At z=0, pa = 0
At z=H, pa = KaγH

The resultant or total active earth pressure per unit length perpendicular to plane of
figure is equal to the area of earth pressure distribution diagram.
1 1
2
Pa= 2(KaγH)(H) = 2 KaγH
Pa acts at a distance H/3 above base.

Case 2: Fully submerged backfill

The fig is shows a fully submerged backfill. At any depth z, we have

Pa= Kaγ1 z + γwz

At z=0, pa= 0

At z=H, pa= Kaγ1H + γwH

Fully submerged backfill

The active earth pressure distribution, is shown in Fig. The resultant active earth pressure is
given by the area of pressure distribution diagram.
 1
Pa = ( 2Kaγ1H + γwH)H

1
= Kaγ1H2 + γwH2 acting at a
2
distance H/3 above the base.

Case 3: Partially submerged backfill

Fig.Partially submerged backfill

The fig shown a partially submerged backfill with no change in ∅ on submergence.
For 0 ≤ z ≤ H1 ,

pa = Kaγz

At z = 0, pa= 0

At z = H1, pa = KaγH1

For H1≤ z ≤H,

pa= KaγH1 + Kaγ1(z- H1) + γw(z - H1)

At z = , pa= KaγH1

At z = H, pa= KaγH1 + Kaγ1(H-H1) + γw(H-H1)

= KaγH1 + Ka γ1 H2 + γwH2

The active earth pressure distribution is shown in fig.

Case 4: Backfill with uniform surcharge

Fig Backfill with surcharge

The Fig shows a backfill with a surcharge q per unit area acting on its surface. At any depth
z, intensity of active earth pressure,
pa= Kaγz +Kaq
At z=0,pa=Kaq
At z=H, pa= KaγH + Kaq
The active earth pressure distribution is as shown in fig. Let the resultant active earth
𝐻
pressure per unit length of wall act at distance 3 .above base

We have, ̅

H
P1= KaqH acting at distance 2 Above base
1 H
2
P2= 2KaγH acting at distance 3 above base.
Resultant active earth pressure Pa= P1+P2
i.e Pa= KaqH + 1 KaγH2
2
Case 5: Backfill with sloping surface / Inclined surface

Fig Backfill with sloping surface.

The fig shows a backfill with its surface inclined to the horizontal at an angle β. The
angle β is referred to as surcharge angle. For finding out the active earth pressure in this case
by Rankine’s theory, we consider an element at depth z as shown in Fig. such that the planes
of the element are conjugate and the stresses acting on them, i.e the vertical stress σ and
lateral stress p are conjugate stresses. Note stress p acts parallel to the sloping surface. p and
σ are resultant stresses on the two conjugate planes and have the same angle of obliquity β.
For cohesionless soil c=0.

we can also write,

pa = Kaγz
cosβ−√COS2β−cos2ɸ
where Ka = cosβ
cosβ+√COS2β−cos2ɸ

1−Sinɸ
When surface of backfill is horizontal, β=0 and the equation reduces to Ka= as
1+Sinɸ
Obtained earlier.
 DETERMINATION OF PASSIVE EARTH PRESSURE

Pp=KpγH
1+Sinɸ
Kp=
1−Sinɸ
1
Total earth pressure = 2KpγH

Coulomb’s Earth pressure theory:

Assumptions made in Coulomb’s theory:

1. The backfill is cohesionless, dry, homogenous, isotropic and elastically

undeformable but breakable.
2. The slip surface is a plane which passes through the heel of wall.
3. The sliding wedge behaves like a rigid body and the earth pressure can be computed
by considering the limiting equilibrium of the wedge as a whole.
4. The back of the wall is rough.
5. The position and direction of the resultant earth pressure are known. It acts at
distance one-third the height of the wall above base and is inclined at an angle δ to
the normal to the back of wall, where δ is the angle of wall friction.

COMPARISON OF RANKINE’S AND COULOMB’S THEORY

Rankine’s Theory Coulomb’s Theory

 Considered the equilibrium of the soil  Considered the equilibrium of the

element within the mass. entire sliding wedge.
 Back of the retaining wall is smooth
 Failure surface is plane
 Cannot be used for any shape of the
backfill surface
 Used to find the earth pressure for
cantilever and counter forth retaining
wall
 Back of the retaining wall is rough
 Failure surface is curved
 Can be used for any shape of the
backfill surface
 Used to find the earth pressure for
retaining wall