1

RETAINING WALL PROBLEMS

P1. CANTILEVER RETAINING WALL

Ouestion

For the retaining wall and the profile shown below, calculate:

a. The safety factor against overturning,

b. The safety factor against sliding (minimum required F.S. =1.5),

Do not consider the passive resistance of the fill in front of the wall.

c. If the overturning safety is not satisfactory, extend the base to the right and satisfy the
overturning stability requirement.

If the sliding is not satisfactory, design a shear key (location, thickness, depth) under the
base slab to satisfy the sliding stability. Take advantage of passive resistance of the
foundation soil. Calculate the vertical stress starting from the top level of the base but
consider the passive resistance starting from the bottom level of the base slab (i.e. in the
sand). Use a factor of safety of 2.0 with respect to passive resistance.



0.5m
q=30kPa

SURCHARGE





GRANULAR
7m
BACKFILL





1m
1m

c=0 |=30
0
=18kN/m
3


=20 kN/m
3
FILL
1m

BASE SLAB


5m
MEDIUM DENSE SILTY SAND

c=0, |=32
0
, =20kN/m
3
, tano=0.5(base friction) ,
conc
=24kN/m
3







2

Solution:


0.5m q=30kPa



GRANULAR
V
4
BACKFILL

c=0
7m
|=30
0

=18kN/m
3

H1




=20 kN/m
3
FILL 1m
1m
V1
V5
H2
V2
1m
V
3



5.0m





K
a
=tan
2
(45-|/2)
For granular backfill K
a
=tan
2
(45-30/2)=0.333

Active pressure, p
a
=(q+z)K
a
-2c\Ka
z=0 p
a
=30x0.333=10 kN/m
2

z=8 o
a
=(30+18x8)0.333=58 kN/m
2



Force(kN/m)

V
1
=0.5x7x24=84
Arm,about toe(m)

1.25
Moment(kN.m/m)

105
V
2
=0.5x7x1/2x24=42 1.67 70
V
3
=1x5x24=120 2.5 300
V
4
=0.5x7x1/2x18=31.5 1.83 57.75
V
5
=3x7x18=378 3.5 1323
EV=655.5 EM
r
=1855.75


H
1
=10x8=80 4 320
H
2
=(58-10)x8x1/2=192

EH=272.0
8/3 512

EM
ov
=832



10kPa 48kPa
3

2
a)
(F.S.)
ov
=
M
r

M
ov

=
1855.75
= 2.23

832


(F.S.)
ov
=2.23>2.0 O.K.



c=0(at the base) do not consider

b)

(F.S.)
sliding
=
V. tan o + (2 / 3cB) + P
p

H

(F.S.)
sliding
= V. tan o = 655.5x0.5 = 1.20
H 272




(F.S.)
sliding
=1.20<1.5 NOT O.K. DESIGN BASE KEY



c)

Base key design:

Passive resistance at the base key;





FILL, =20kN/m
3
1m


P
1 D
P
2


65D 65



K
p
=tan
2
(45+32/2)=3.25
z=0 p
p
=1x20x3.25=65 kPa
z=D p
p
=(1x20+20xD)x3.25=65+65D kPa
P
p
=P
1
+P
2
=65D+1/2x65D
2

Use F.S.=2.0 w.r.t. passive resistance P
p
=1/2(65D+1/2x65D
2
)


(F.S.)

sliding
V. tan o + P
p

=

H
=
655.55x0.5 + 1/ 2(65D + 1/ 2x65D )

272

= 1.5

4

Then, 65D+32.5D
2
=160.5 D=1.43m





If passive resistance (with a F.S. of 2.0) is subtracted from the driving horizontal
forces, (i.e. used in the denominator)
Use F.S.=2.0 w.r.t. passive resistance P
p
=1/2(65D+1/2x65D
2
)

(F.S.)
sliding
= V. tan o = 1.50
H-Pp


Then, D=1.07m





Take D=1.43m as it is on safe side.









































5

Soil properties: I)
1
=18.5 kN/m
3
, |
1
=32
0
, c
1
= 0

II)
2
=18.0 kN/m
3
, |
2
=24
0
, c
2
= 30 kN/m
2
P2. GRAVITY RETAINING WALL

Ouestion

A gravity retaining wall is shown below. Use o=2/3 | and Coulomb active earth pressure
theory. Determine
a. The factor of safety against overturning
b. The factor of safety against sliding
c. Calculate base pressures for both cases;

- considering the passive pressure, and

- neglecting it.

concrete
=24 kN/m
3




5m
0.77m
1.53m

1
=18.5kN/m
3
|
1
=32
c
1
=0

2
=18.5kN/m
3

|
2
=24
C
2
=30kN/m
3

0.8m
I
II
3.5m
1.5m
0.3m
0.3m
0.60m
5.7m
II
75
6

a

Note: In Coulombs active earth pressure theory, the forces to be considered are only
P
a
(Coulomb) and weight of the wall i.e. the weight of the soil above the back face of the
wall is not taken into account.

















Coulomb active forces;




P
a
=
1
H
2
K

2

where



H =Height of the wall

K
a
= Coulombs active earth pressure coefficient




2 2
2
)
) sin( ). sin(
) sin( ). sin(
1 ).( sin( . sin
) ( sin
| o o |
o | o |
o | |
| |
+
+
+
+
=
a
K



With horizontal backfill; o=0

With vertical retaining wall; |=90

o: friction between the wall and adjacent soil
o
o
|
H
7

a
Solution:



















For o=0
0



|=75
0


|=32
0

K
a
=0.4023 (use eqn. 1)

o=(2/3)x32=21.3
0





P
a
=
1
..H
2
.K =

2
1
x18.5x6.5
2

2

x0.4023 = 157.22 kN / m



P
h
= P
a
.cos(15 + o) =157.22 x cos 36.3 =126.65 kN / m

P
v
= P
a
.sin(15 + o) =157.22 x sin 36.3 = 93.15 kN / m




5m
0.77m 1.53m

1
=18.5kN/m
3
|
1
=32
c
1
=0
o=2/3|=21.3

2
=18.5kN/m
3

|
2
=24
c
2
=30kN/m
3

0.8m
I
II
3.5m
1.5m
0.3m
0.3m
0.60m
5.7m
II
3
2
1
4
H/3=2.17m
15
75
o=21.3
P
AV

P
AH

P
A

c
=24kN/m
3
8

Force Moment arm about pt. A Moment

(kN/m) (m) (kN.m/m)



1) (
1
x1.53x5.7)x24 = 104.65

2

2) (0.6x5.7)x24 = 82.08

3) (
1
x0.77x5.7)x24 = 52.67

2

4) (3.5x0.8)x 23.58 = 67.20

2.18 228.14


1.37 112.45


0.81 42.66


1.75 117.60

P
v
= 93.15 2.83 263.61



EV=399.75 EM
resisting
=764.46



EM
overturning
= P
h
x H/3 = 126.65x 2.17 = 274.83 kN.m/m




a) (F.S.)
overt.
=

M
r
=

M
o

764.46
=

274.83

2.78

> 2.0 O.K.

Note: if there is cohesionless soil at the base (c=0)
ignore this term


V. tan o + (
2
.c
2
.B) + P
p

3
if passive pressure is considered
b) (F.S.)
sliding
=


H



o=(2/3)x|
2










(F.S)

- P
p
is ignored

399.75x tan(
2
x24) + (
2
x30x3.5)

=
3 3
= 1.46

sliding
126.65



9

c. Pressure on soil at toe and heel

-If P
p
is ignored

EM
net
=764.46-274.83=489.63 kN.m/m

m
V
M
x
net
22 . 1
75 . 399
63 . 489
= = =

m x
B
e 53 . 0 22 . 1
2
5 . 3
2
= = =

=
5 . 3
53 . 0 6
1
5 . 3
75 . 399
max
min
x
q

-If P
p
is considered

K
p
= (1+sin24)/(1-sin24)=2.37
p
p
@z=0 = K
p
(z)+ 2c(K
p
)
0.5
=2x30x2.37
0.5
=92.40 kPa
p
p
@z=1.5 = K
p
(z)+ 2c(K
p
)
0.5
=2.37x18.5x1.5+ 92.40=65.80+92.40=155.20 kPa

M
res
(due to P
p
)=92.4x1.5
2
x0.5+0.5x65.80x(1/3)x1.5
2
=128.63 kN.m/m

EM
res
=764.46+128.63 = 893.09 kN.m/m

EM
net
=893.09-274.83=618.26 kN.m/m

m
V
M
x
net
55 . 1
75 . 399
26 . 618
= = =

m e 20 . 0 55 . 1
2
5 . 3
= =

=
5 . 3
20 . 0 6
1
5 . 3
75 . 399
max
min
x
q

q
max
=217.99 kN/ m
2
/ m (toe)
q
min
=10.44 kN/ m
2
/ m (heel)
q
max
=153.37 kN/ m
2
/ m (toe)
q
min
=75.05 kN/ m
2
/ m (heel)
EV
x
EV
x
A
A
B/2 B/2
B/2 B/2
10

P3. REINFORCED EARTH WALL

Ouestion:

A reinforced earth wall is to be constructed as shown in the figure below. The material that
will be used as backfill shall have the following properties, =17 kN/m
3
, |=30
0
, c=0. The
strips will be galvanized steel and will have a width of 75mm. The yield stress for strip
material is f
y
=3x10
5
kN/m
2
.


a. Design the reinforcements (i.e. determine the length and thickness) by using a factor of
safety of 3.0 for both tie-breaking and pull-out.


b. Find the factor of safety al ong sliding on the base and calculate the base pressures for
the foundation soil.


- Design life for structure 50 yrs.

- Corrosion=0.025 mm/yr
- Use Rankine Earth Pressure Theory and take the friction angle between soil and
reinforcement as 20
0





2.0 m
q=20 kN/m
2



1
st
reinforcement



6.0 m
S
v
=0.75m

4
S
h
= 1.00m




8



6.0 m
6.4 m
12





16





11

Solution:



2.0 m


1

L
wedge
L
e

6.67 kPa


6.0 m




8



6.0 m
6.4 m






45+|/2=60
0

16

76.93 kPa



|=30
0
K
a
= 1/3



a) Design of reinforcement
As far as the tie breaking is concerned, bottom reinforcement (16) is the most critical one
since the lateral pressure is maximum at that level.





s
v p
a
=(z+q)K
a
-2c(K
a
)
0.5

t
w





(F.S.)
breaking
=

w.t.f
y

T
max


= 3.0



T = S
v
.S
h
.(z + q) K
a



T
max
= 0.75x1.0x (12x17 + 20)x
1
= 56 kN

3
12

5
(F.S.)

breaking

=
0.075 x t x3x10

56

= 3.0

t = 7.46 mm
Corrosion rate 0.025mm/yr. x 50 =1.25mm



t=7.46+1.25 = 8.71mm

USE t
design
=9mm





- As far as tie pull-out is concerned,




o
v
=(z+q)

o
v
tan|

t
w

Le


Frictional resistance is
available on both surface
(top and bottom)
Friction angle
between soil and
reinforcement



(F.S.)
pullout
=
2(z + q) tan |

L
e
w

(z + q)K
a
S
v
S
h

=
2 tan |

L
e
w

K
a
S
v
S
h


= 3.0




(F.S.)
pullout
=
2x0.075xL
e
x tan 20

1
x0.75x1.0

3

= 3.0 L
e
= 13.7m
Since first reinforcement (1) is the most critical one when the pull-out criterion is
concerned,


tan(45-|/2)=

L
wedge
+ 2

12.4 0.75

L
wedge
= 4.72m

- Total tie length L=L
wedge
+L
e
=13.7+4.72=18.42m for upper 6m of the wall



- For lower 6m of the wall , L=20.42m



13

b) (F.S.)
sliding
and Base Pressure

18.42m

q=20 kPa


6.67 kPa



6.0m


W
1


H
1



6.4m
H
2


W
2




A
20.42m
76.93 kPa







Forces (kN/m) Moment arm, about A (m) Moment (kN.m/m)
W
1
=18.42x6.0x17=1878.8 11.21 21061
W
2
= (18.42+2)x6.4x17 = 2221.7 10.21 22684
Load = 20x18.42 = 368.4 11.21 4130
EF
v
= 4469

H
1
= 6.67x12.4 = 82.7

12.4 /2
EM
r
= 47875

512.7
H
2
= (76.93-6.67)x12.4x(1/2) = 435.7 12.4 /3 1800
EF
h
= 518 EM
ov
= 2313



(FS)
sliding
= (EF
v
. tan o) / EF
h



In gravity or cantilever retaining walls, at the base of the wall, we would use tan o for soil-wall
friction. However in this problem, we see that, at the bottom of the wall, there is soil-soil
interface, therefore we should use the friction angle of the soil in the F.S. sliding equation. (If
two soils have different internal friction angles, the lower value should be used).
14

(FS)
sliding
= (4469 x tan30) / 518

= 4.98



X = EM
net
/ EF
v
= (47875 2313) / 4469 =10.2 m

e = B/2 X = (18.42 + 2)/2 10.2 = 0.01 ~ 0 no eccentricity



q
max
= EF
v
/ B = 4469 / 20.42

= 218.85 kN/m
2
/ m