"WALLPRES" --- WALL PRESSURE ANALYSIS

Program Description:

"WALLPRES" is a spreadsheet program written in MS-Excel for the purpose of determining the horizontal
(lateral) pressures to be applied to walls from various types of loading including lateral earth pressure,
hydrostatic pressure, as well as uniform, point, line, and strip surcharge loadings.

This program is a workbook consisting of five (5) worksheets, described as follows:

Worksheet Name Description

Doc
Wall Soil Pressures
Wall Pressures from Point Load
Wall Pressures from Line Load
Wall Pressures from Strip Load
This documentation sheet
Static horizontal soil pressure against wall
Horizontal pressures on rigid wall from point surcharge load
Horizontal pressures on rigid wall from continuous line surcharge load
Horizontal pressures on rigid wall from continuous strip surcharge load

Program Assumptions and Limitations:

1. This program is based on the following references:

a. NAVFAC DM-7.02 Manual - "Foundations & Earth Structures" (1986)
b. NAVFAC DM-7.01 Manual - "Soil Mechanics" (1986)
c. Army TM 5-818-1 / Air Force AFM 88-3, Chap. 7 (Oct. 1983)
"Soils and Geology Procedures for Foundation Design of Buildings and Other Structures"
d. "Foundation Analysis and Design" (2nd Edition), by: Joseph E. Bowles
McGraw-Hill, 1977
e. "USS Steel Sheet Piling Design Manual" - updated and reprinted by FHWA with permission (July 1984)
f. "Lateral Soil Pressure on Retaining Walls and Embedded Exterior Walls of Structures"
Report U7-PROJ-S-RPT-STRU-6001, by: Sargent & Lundy, LLC (Feb. 26, 2009)
for South Texas Project Units 3 & 4, Project No.: 12462-003
2. The resulting pressures obtained from the worksheets in this workbook can be used in the design of the
stems of either cantilever or propped cantilever retaining walls, as well as for long walls of tanks and pits.
3. The equations used in the "Wall Pressures from Point Load" and "Wall Pressures from Line Load"
worksheets are from References "a" through "e" above, utilizing original (1885) Boussinesq Equations
modified to correlate with experimental test results. The Boussinesq equations assume the that wall is
rigid and does not move, and that the wall is perfectly smooth (no shear stress between wall and soil).
Thus, the equations overestimate the wall pressures for flexible walls by up to a factor of 2.
4. The equation used in the "Wall Pressures from Strip Load" worksheet is from References "d" and "e" above.
Again, this equation assumes that the wall is rigid (does not move), which overestimates the wall pressures
for flexible walls by up to a factor of 2. Thus, the factor of 2 appears in the numerator of this version of the
equation. Other references may cite this equation without the factor of 2, which would normally be more
applicable for flexible walls which are able to move at top.
5. This program contains “comment boxes” which contain information including explanations of input items, etc.
(Note: presence of a “comment box” is denoted by a “red triangle” in the upper right-hand corner of a cell.
Merely move the mouse pointer to the desired cell to view the contents of that particular "comment box".)
 "WALLPRES.xls" Program
Version 1.2

WALL PRESSURE ANALYSIS

For Static Horizontal Soil Pressure Against Wall with Level Backfill
Using Rankine Theory for either Active or At-Rest Condition
Job Name: Subject: Hw =
Job Number: Originator: Checker: Active
At-Rest
Input Data: Ko1 =
Wall Height, H = 20.000 ft. Data & Parameters: Ko2 =
Depth to GWT, H1 = 20.000 ft. Hw = 0.000 ft. Hw = H - H1
Soil Dry Unit Wt., gs = 0.120 kcf gw = 0.0624 kcf gw = 62.4 psf (for water)
Soil Sat. Unit Wt., g(sat) = 0.135 kcf g(sub) = 0.0726 kcf g(sub) = g(sat) - gw Ps =
Soil Friction Angle, f1 = 30.00 deg. Ko1 = 0.500 Ko1 = 1-SIN(Ø) P1 =
Soil Friction Angle, f2 = 30.00 deg. Ko2 = 0.500 Ko2 = 1-SIN(Ø) P2 =
Active or At-Rest Cond.? At-Rest P3 =
Surcharge Load, Q = 0.000 ksf Equivalent Fluid Pressure (EFP): P4 =
EFP1 = 0.060 kcf EFP1 = Ko1*γs P5 =
Results: EFP2 = 0.099 kcf EFP2 = Ko2*γ(sub)+γw P6 =

Wall Pressures:
Ps = 0.000 ksf Ps = Ko1*Q Resultant, Ph =
P1 = 1.200 ksf P1 = Ko1*γs*H1 Distance from Top, Zc =
P2 = 1.200 ksf P2 = P1 + Ko2*γ(sub)*Hw
P3 = 0.000 ksf P3 = gw*Hw
P4 = 1.200 ksf P4 = P2 + P3 + Ps
P5 = 1.200 ksf P5 = P1 + Ps
P6 = 0.000 ksf P6 = Ps

Resultant and Location:

Resultant, SPh = 12.00 kips SPh = P6*H+P1*H1/2+P1*Hw+(P4-(P6+P1))*Hw/2
Distance from Top, Zc = 13.333 ft. Zc = ((P6*H)*H/2+(P1*H1/2)*(Hw+H1/3)+(P1*Hw)*Hw/2+…..
+((P4-(P6+P1))*Hw/2)*Hw/3)/SPh
Q=0

Grade Level & Top/Wall P6=0

gs, f1 Soil H1=20

Ground Water Table

P1=1.2 P5=1.2
Zc=13.333
g(sub), f2
H=20
+ + = ΣPh=12

Hw=0

P2=1.2 P3=0 Ps=0 P4=1.2

Soil Pressure Hydrostatic Surcharge Total Static Pressure Diagram
Water Pressure

Nomenclature for Static Horizontal Soil Pressure on Wall

2 of 11 08/26/2019 00:49:54
 "WALLPRES.xls" Program
Version 1.2

Nomenclature for Static Horizontal Soil Pressure on Wall

3 of 11 08/26/2019 00:49:54
 "WALLPRES.xls" Program
Version 1.2

WALL PRESSURE ANALYSIS

Horizontal Pressures on Rigid Wall
from Point Surcharge Load at Top Surface
Job Name: Subject: m = x/H =
Job Number: Originator: Checker:
Z
Input Data: point load = 1/2 axle load (ft.)
Qp
Wall Height, H = 20.000 ft. x=m*H Top/Wall: 1
Point Load, Qp = 40.00 kips ###
Distance to Qp, x = 1.000 ft. ###
###
Results: Ph Zc ###
Z=n*H
Horizontal Wall Pressures - Vertical Distribution ###
m = x/H = 0.050 <=0.4 ###
SPh H
###
Distance n Pressure ###
Z (n =Z/H) Ph ###
(ft.) (ksf) Bot./Wall: 11
Top/Wall: 0.000 0.00 0.000 ###
2.000 0.10 0.057 ###
4.000 0.20 0.140 Nomenclature By Given Fo
6.000 0.30 0.161 For m<=0.4: SP h=
8.000 0.40 0.137 Ph = 0.28*n^2/(0.16+n^2)^3*Qp/H^2 SYC =
10.000 0.50 0.102 For m>0.4: Wall Result
12.000 0.60 0.072 Ph = 1.77*m^2*n^2/(m^2+n^2)^3*Qp/H^2 q
14.000 0.70 0.050 (deg.)
16.000 0.80 0.035 Resultant Load & Location: ###
18.000 0.90 0.025 Resultant, SPh = 1.57 kips
Bot./Wall: 20.000 1.00 0.018 Distance, Zc = 8.248 ft. (from top)
###
Horizontal Wall Pressures - Vertical Distribution ###
Pressure (ksf)
Perpendicular to Wall:
###
Distance from Top, Z (ft.)

###
0.000

0.200

0.600

1.200
0.400

0.800

1.000

0.000 ###
###
###

5.000

Note: Area under curve (resultant)

is calculated using straight-line
segments connecting data points.
10.000

15.000

20.000

25.000
4 of 11 08/26/2019 00:49:54
15.000

20.000
"WALLPRES.xls" Program
Version 1.2

25.000

5 of 11 08/26/2019 00:49:54
 "WALLPRES.xls" Program
Version 1.2

Wall Resultant Load - Horizontal Distribution

Angle Distance Resultant

q y SPh' x = m*H
(deg.) (ft.) (kips)
75 3.732 0.03
60 1.732 0.26
45 1.000 0.66

Wall
30 0.577 1.11
15 0.268 1.45
Perpendicular to Wall: 0 0.000 1.57 SPh @ q=0o SPh Qp
y q
-15 -0.268 1.45
-30 -0.577 1.11
SPh'
-45 -1.000 0.66
-60 -1.732 0.26
-75 -3.732 0.03

Nomenclature
Distance from Qp along Wall Length, y (ft.)

Wall Resultant Load - Horizontal Distribution SPh' = SPh*COS(1.1*q)^2

Resultant Load (kips)

5.000

4.000

3.000

2.000

1.000

0.000
SPh @ q = 0o
0.400

0.600

0.800

1.200

1.400

1.600

1.800
0.000

0.200

1.000

-1.000

-2.000

-3.000

-4.000

-5.000
6 of 11 08/26/2019 00:49:54
-3.000

"WALLPRES.xls" Program
-4.000 Version 1.2

-5.000

7 of 11 08/26/2019 00:49:54
 "WALLPRES.xls" Program
Version 1.2

WALL PRESSURE ANALYSIS

Horizontal Pressures on Rigid Wall
from Continuous Line Surcharge Load at Top Surface
Job Name: Subject: m = x/H =
Job Number: Originator: Checker:
Z
Input Data: (ft.)
QL
Wall Height, H = 20.000 ft. x=m*H Top/Wall: 1
Line Load, QL = 2.00 kips/ft. ###
Distance to QL, x = 8.000 ft. ###
###
Results: Ph Zc ###
Z=n*H
Horizontal Wall Pressures - Vertical Distribution ###
m = x/H = 0.400 <=0.4 ###
SPh H
###
Distance n Pressure ###
Z (n =Z/H) Ph ###
(ft.) (ksf) Bot./Wall: 11
Top/Wall: 0.000 0.00 0.000 ###
2.000 0.10 0.069 ###
4.000 0.20 0.100 Nomenclature By Given Fo
6.000 0.30 0.096 For m<=0.4: SP h=
8.000 0.40 0.078 Ph = 0.20*n/(0.16+n^2)^2*QL/H SYC =
10.000 0.50 0.059 For m>0.4: SA =
12.000 0.60 0.044 Ph = 1.28*m^2*n/(m^2+n^2)^2*QL/H Xc =
14.000 0.70 0.033 Yc =
16.000 0.80 0.025 Resultant Load & Location:
18.000 0.90 0.019 Resultant, SPh = 1.06 kips/ft. Length
Bot./Wall: 20.000 1.00 0.015 Distance, Zc = 7.932 ft. (from top)

Horizontal Wall Pressures - Vertical Distribution

Pressure (ksf)
Distance from Top, Z (ft.)

0.000

0.200

0.400

0.600

0.800

1.000

1.200

0.000

5.000

Note: Area under curve (resultant)

is calculated using straight-line
segments connecting data points.
10.000

15.000

20.000

25.000
8 of 11 08/26/2019 00:49:54
15.000

20.000
"WALLPRES.xls" Program
Version 1.2

25.000

9 of 11 08/26/2019 00:49:54
 "WALLPRES.xls" Program
Version 1.2

WALL PRESSURE ANALYSIS

Horizontal Pressures on Rigid Wall
from Continuous Strip Surcharge Load at Top Surface
Job Name: Subject: No. of Points =
Job Number: Originator: Checker:
Z
Input Data: (ft.)
x2
Wall Height, H = 20.000 ft. Top/Wall: 1
x1 Qs
Strip Load, Qs = 8.000 ksf ###
Distance to Load, x1 = 1.000 ft. b ###
Distance to Load, x2 = 20.000 ft. a ###
Zc ###
Z Ph
Results: ###
Horizontal Wall Pressures - Vertical Distribution ###
SPh H
###
Distance Angle Angle Pressure ###
Z a b Ph ###
(ft.) (deg.) (deg.) (ksf) Bot./Wall: 11
Top/Wall: 0.000 0.00 0.00 0.000 ###
2.000 55.43 57.72 6.664 ###
4.000 46.36 64.65 5.966 Nomenclature
6.000 41.38 63.84 5.099 Ph = 2*Qs/p*(b-SIN(b)*COS(2*a)) SXC =
8.000 37.66 61.07 4.299 SYC =
(per "USS Steel Sheet Piling Design Manual"
- Reprinted by FHWA, 1984,
10.000 34.57 57.72 3.598 and "Foundation Analysis and Design", SA =
12.000 31.90 54.27 2.999 by Joseph. E Bowles, 2nd Ed. 1977) Xc =
14.000 29.55 50.92 2.496 Yc =
16.000 27.46 47.76 2.078 Resultant Load & Location:
18.000 25.60 44.83 1.735 Resultant, SPh = 71.32 kips/ft. Length
Bot./Wall: 20.000 23.93 42.14 1.453 Distance, Zc = 8.065 ft. (from top)

Horizontal Wall Pressures - Vertical

Pressure (ksf) Distribution
Distance from Top, Z (ft.)

0.000

1.000

2.000

3.000

4.000

5.000

7.000
6.000

0.000

5.000

Note: Area under curve (resultant)

is calculated using straight-line
segments connecting data points.
10.000

15.000

20.000

25.000
10 of 11 08/26/2019 00:49:54
20.000 "WALLPRES.xls" Program
Version 1.2

25.000

11 of 11 08/26/2019 00:49:55