FOUNDATION ENGINEERING I
CENG 4201
Retaining Wall
Example
ASTU
April 2021
1
Stability of Rigid Retaining Walls
The stability of the retaining wall should be
checked against :
1. Translation/Sliding
Horizontal Resisting force R V tan 0.5 Pp
( FS ) Sliding
Horizontal Sliding force RH
∑V
Ph
Pp
2
… Stability of Rigid Retaining Walls
2. Overturning
Sum of moments to resist overturning MR
( FS ) R
Sum of overturning moments Mo
∑V
Ph
O
3 .. overturning about O
… Stability of Rigid Retaining Walls
3. For base pressure (to be compared against the
bearing capacity of the founding soil. Recommended FS =
3.0)
RV 6e
qb 1
B B
∑V
Lever arm of base resultant is:
Moment Ph
x
RV
Pp
Thus eccentricity is:
B
e - x
2
4
Example 1: Gravity Retaining Wall
A gravity retaining wall, shown in Figure below, is
required to retain 5 m of soil. The backfill is a coarse-
grained soil with sat=18 kN/m3, ’=30o. The existing soil
(below the base) has the following properties: sat=20
kN/m3, ’=36o. The wall is embedded 1m into the
existing soil and a drainage system is provided, as
shown. The groundwater level is 4.5m below the base
of the wall. Determine the stability of the wall for the
following conditions (assume = 20o):
a) Wall friction is zero.
b) Wall friction is 20o.
c) The drainage system becomes clogged during several days
of a rainstorm and the groundwater rises to the
5 surface. Neglect seepage forces.
… Example 1: Gravity Retaining Wall
sat=18 kN/m3,
’=30o
6 sat=20 kN/m3, ’=36o
… Example 1: Gravity Retaining Wall
Solution
a) Wall friction is zero.
For zero wall friction Rankine’s method is used.
The passive resistance can be neglected in rigid retaining walls if
embedment depth is small.
Since groundwater is below the base, =sat over the wall depth.
Determine Ka.
1 sin ' ' 30 1
Ka tan (45 ) tan (45 )
2 2
1 sin ' 2 2 3
Determine the lateral forces. All forces are per unit
length of wall.
Pa k a ' H x x18x5 75kN
1
2
2 1
2
1
3
2
7
… Example 1: Gravity Retaining Wall
8
… Example 1: Gravity Retaining Wall
Determine wall stability. Consider a unit length of
wall.
Calculate the location of the resultant from O and
determine the moment about point O.
M O W1 x1 W2 x2 Pa z a
72 x (3.6 0.3) 216x 23 x 3.6 75x 53 674.2kN.m
9
… Example 1: Gravity Retaining Wall
Stability Analysis
1. Translation/Sliding
Horizontal Resisting force R V tan
( FS ) Sliding
Horizontal Sliding force RH
288 tan ( 23 x 36)
( FS ) Sliding 1.71 1.5;.......OK
75
10
… Example 1: Gravity Retaining Wall
Stability Analysis
2. Rotation/Overturning
Sum of moments to resist overturning MR
( FS ) Rotation
Sum of overturning moments Mo
W1 x1 W2 x 2 72 x 3.9 216x 2.4
( FS ) Rotation 6.4
Pa za 75x 5 / 3
11
… Example 1: Gravity Retaining Wall
Stability Analysis
… Rotation/Overturning
The rotation of the wall about its toe is satisfied if the
resultant vertical force lies within the middle third of
the base.
Taking moments about the toe of the base, the
resultant vertical force at the base is located at
Moment 674.2
x 2.34m
RV 288
B 4.2 B 4.2
e | - x || - 2.34 | 0.24m 0.7m; OK
2 2 6 6
12
… Example 1: Gravity Retaining Wall
Stability Analysis
3. Base Pressure
(to be compared against the bearing capacity of
the founding soil. Recommended FS = 3.0)
R V 6e 288 6x0.24
qb 1 1
B B 4.2 4.2
45 kPa
88 kPa
The maximum base pressure is compared
13 to the bearing pressure of the soil.
… Example 1: Gravity Retaining Wall
Assignment
Determine the stability of the gravity RW in example 1
for the following conditions:
b) Wall friction is 20o. (Use Coulomb’s method to
determine the lateral earth pressure coefficient).
c) The drainage system becomes clogged during
several days of a rainstorm and the groundwater
rises to the surface. Neglect seepage forces.
14
Example 2: Cantilever Retaining Wall
Figure below shows the cross-section of a reinforced
concrete retaining structure. The retained soil behind
the structure and the soil in front of it are cohesionless
and has the following properties:
SOIL 1 : ’ = 35o, d = 17 kN/m3;
SOIL 2 : ’ = 30o, = 25o , d = 18 kN/m3, sat = 20 kN/m3
The unit weight of concrete is 24 kN/m3. Taking into
account the passive resistance in front of the wall,
determine a minimum value for the width of the wall to
satisfy the following design criteria:
Factor of safety against overturning > 2.5
Factor of safety against sliding > 1.5
Maximum base pressure should not exceed 150 kPa
Example 2: Cantilever Retaining Wall
30 kN/m2
0.5 m
SOIL 1
’ = 35o 2.0 m
d = 17 kN/m3
4.0 m GWT
SOIL 2
’ = 30o, = 25o 2.9 m
d = 18 kN/m3,
sat = 20 kN/m3
SOIL 2
0.6 m
4.5 m
2.0 m
… Example 2: Cantilever Retaining Wall
THE SOLUTION 30 kN/m2
0.5 m
SOIL 1
W1 2.0 m P1 P3
W3 GWT
4.0 m
SOIL 2
W4
2.9 m
P2 P4
SOIL 2
PP P5 P6
W2
0.6 m
4.5 m
2.0 m
… Example 2: Cantilever Retaining Wall
Determination of the Earth Pressure Coefficients
1 sin 1 - sin 35o
K a1 0.271
1 sin 1 sin 35o
1 sin 1 - sin 30
o
K a2 0.333
1 sin 1 sin 30o
1 sin 1 sin 30o
K p2 3.00
1 sin 1 sin 30 o
Moment
Elem. Force (kN/m) Total Lever Arm (m)
(kNm/m)
HORIZONTAL
Active
P1 Ka1 x qs x H1 0.271 x 30 x 2 16.26 3.5+2/2 4.5 73.17
P2 Ka2 x qs x H2 0.333 x 30 x 3.5 34.97 3.5/2 1.75 61.19
P3 0.5xKa1xγxH1xH1 0.5 x 0.271 x 17 x 2 x 2 9.21 3.5+2/3 4.167 38.39
P4 Ka2 x γ x H1 x H2 0.333 x 17 x 2 x 3.5 39.63 3.5/2 1.75 69.35
P5 0.5xKa2xγ'xH2xH2 0.5x0.333x(20-9.81)x3.5x3.5 20.78 3.5/3 1.1667 24.25
P6 0.5 x γw x H2 x H2 0.5 x 9.81 x 3.5 x 3.5 60.09 3.5/3 1.1667 70.10
SUM 180.94 336.45
Passive
Pp 0.5xKp2xγ xH3x H3 0.5 x 3 x 18 x 1.5 x 1.5 60.75 3.5/3 0.5 30.38
VERTICAL
W1 t x H s x γc 0.5 x 4.9 x 24 58.80 1.5+0.5/2 1.75 102.90
W2 t x Lb x γc 0.6 x 4.5 x 24 64.80 4.5/2 2.25 145.80
W3 H1xγ1+H2xγ'2+qsxL 2x2.5x17+2.9x2.5x20+30x2.5 305.00 2+2.5/2 3.25 991.25
W4 0.9 x 1.5 x 18 24.30 1.5/2 0.75 18.23
SUM 452.90 1258.18
… Stability Analysis
To check for stability of the retaining wall
(i) FOS against overturning > 2.5
Resisting moment 1288.56
FSOverturning 3.83 2.5, thus it is OK
Disturbing moment 336.45
(ii) FOS against sliding > 1.5
Horizontal resisting force R V tan 0.5 Pp
( FS ) Sliding
Horizontal sliding force RH
452.9 tan 25 0.5 * 60.75
( FS ) Sliding 1.33 1.5, thus it is NOT OK
180.94
… Stability Analysis
(iii) For base pressure
RV 6e
qb 1
B B
Now, Lever arm of base resultant
Moment 1288.56 - 336.45
x 2.10
RV 452.9
B
Thus eccentricity e - x 2.25 - 2.10 0.15
2
452.9 6 x 0.15
Therefore qb 1
4.5 4.5
… Stability Analysis
qb = 120.8 and 80.5 kPa
Since maximum base pressure is less than the
bearing pressure of the soil, the foundation is
stable against base pressure failure.
DISTRIBUTION OF BASE PRESSURE
80.5 kPa
120.8 kPa
In conclusion the retaining wall is not safe against
sliding. To overcome this the width of the base may
be increased or a key constructed at the toe.
