GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING
Lateral Earth Pressure of Soil
by
Dr. Khairil Azman Masri
Faculty of Civil Engineering and Earth Resources
[email protected] Coulomb’s lateral earth pressure
• He develop the
analytical study of
lateral earth pressures
which he published in
1776 which the theory
remains the standard
choice of analysis for
lateral forces upon
structures in soils.
Charles-Augustine de Coulomb (1736-1806)
In Coduto (1998)
Assume that failure occurs in the form of a wedge.
Assume frictions occurs between wall and soil. Coulomb also
took into account the inclination of the backfill β, the inclination
of the back-wall with respect to the vertical α, and the angle of
friction δ between the wall and the soil being retained.
coefficient of active earth pressure, Ka
cos 2 ( ' )
Ka 2
sin( ' ' ) sin( ' )
cos cos( ' ) 1
2
cos( ' ) cos( )
Resultant force per unit length of wall,
Pa = ½ KaH2
coefficient of passive earth pressure, Kp
cos 2 ( ' )
Kp 2
sin( ' ) sin( ' )
cos cos( ' ) 1
2
cos( ' ) cos( )
Resultant force per unit length of wall,
Pp = ½ KpH2
COULOMB E.P THEORY (1776)
Assumption
for cohesion-
less back fill:
The failure
surface is a
plane, the
wall friction
take into
consideration
.
Coulomb Active Earth Pressure :
Coulomb Active Earth Pressure Coefficient :
The value of Ka is given in Table 13.6, 13.7 and 13.8
Calculation example
See Fig. 13.22.
Given = 10,
θ 5, H = 4 m
=15 kN/m³
Soil friction angle,
= 30 ,
= 15
Estimate Active Force, Pa/unit length of the wall,
state the direction and resultant of Pa
Solution:
For Given = 30 ; = 15 ,,,, / =15/30 = ½; =
10; and θ 5,
The magnitude of Ka from Table 13.8 Ka = 0.3872
= ½ *15*4²*0.3872
= 46.46 kN/m
Graphic Solution for Coulomb
Active EP
For granular
Backfill
c = 0,
WORK EXAMPLE 6
Determine the total active pressure per foot of
wall, by Coulomb theory.
α=5 °
θ=8° γ=15kN/m3
φ=30°
10m
Pa δ=25°
δ=25 °
Coulomb Passive EP
For cohesionless
Backfill c = 0,
For frictionless wall with vertical back face
supporting soil granular back fill with hor. Surface θ
= 0, = 0, = 0
The variation of Kp is given in Table 13.9
COMMON TYPES OF R WALL IN FIELD
1. Rigid R Walls:
Gravity R Walls
Semi Gravity R Walls
Cantilever R Walls
Counterfort R Walls
2. Mechanical Stabilized Earth (MSE) Walls:
Backfill – which is granular soil
Reinforcement in the backfill
A cover (or skin) on the front face
Common Types of Retaining Walls
DESIGN CONSEDIRATION FOR R
WALL
In designing R Wall we have to consider the following
step :
1. To determine the magnitude and location of
the Active E Pressures that will be acting on
the wall
2. To assume a R Wall size, know the height
and estimate wall thickness & base width.
3. Checking R Wall safety against: sliding
horizontally, overturning, allowable
bearing pressure of foundation
BRACED CUTS
Braced cuts usually use as temporary work in civil
engineering construction work. Fig. 14.7 shows one
of
several bracing system commonly using at side
Some example of braced cuts made for subway are
shown
on Fig 14.8
BRACED CUTS (cont.)
The deformation of braced wall differ from R Wall,
in
braced wall, the rotation is about the top.
For this reason, neither COULOM’S nor
RANKINE’S theory
give the actual EP as illustrated in A-B
Fig.is14.9
friction less wall
With granular soil
backfill
Active Thrust on bracing –granular soil
Estimated by using trial wedges & Terzaghi’s wedge
theory
(1941) as shown in Fig. 14.10
A-B is friction less wall
Wall friction equal &
The point of active trust is
naH (to be known) and the
curve of sliding assumed to
be an Arc of a log spiral.
To proceed with the trial
wedge solution and look at
the Equilibrium of wedge
failure: Got P1
Where lw(1) and lp(1) are the moment arms for the forces
W1 and P1
The active trusts : P1, , , Pn derived from the trial wedge
and plotted to some scale in the upper portion of Fig.
14.10 b and the max point of the curved are desires as
max active trust Pa.
Kim & Preber (1969) determined the valie of Pa/0.5 H²
for braced excavations for value of , , na are given on
Table 14.3.
Active Thrust on bracing – cohesive soil
(c-)
Using the principles of the general wedge theory,
we also can determine the active thrust .
Table 14.4 gives the variation of Pa in a non-dimensional
form for various values of , , na and c/H.
Pressure Variation for design of Sheeting, Struts,
Wales Lateral Pressure diagram against sheeting
Empirical
given
by Peck for cuts in sand, soft to medium clay, stiff clay
as
illustrated in Fig. 14.11 and 14.12
Calculation Example:
A 7-m deep braced cut in sand is shown in Fig. 14.13.
In the plan, the struts are places at s = 2 m center to
center. Using peck empirical diagram, calculate the
design
strut load.
Solution:
Refer to Fig.14.11 a 7-m deep braced cut in sand is
shown
in Fig. 14.13a
= 0.65*16*7*tan²(45-30/2)
= 24.27 kN/m²
See Fig. 14.14
Assuming that the sheeting is hinged at all strut level.
ΣB₁ = 0, A*2 – ½ H² = 0
2A = ½ *24.27*3², A = 54.61
a H = A + B₁
B₁ = a *H – A=24.27*3 – 54.61
= 18.2 kN/m
ΣB2 = 0, C*2 – ½ H² = 0
2C = ½ *24.27*4², C = 97.08
a H = C + B2
B2 = a *H - C
= 24.27*4 – 97.08
= 0 kN/m
The strut load:
At A: A*s = 54.08 * 2 = 109.22 kN
At B: (B1 +B2)*s = (18.2 + 0) * 2 = 36.40 kN
At C: C*s = 97.08 * 2 = 194.16 kN
Conclusion
• Conclusion #1
– Lateral earth pressure of the soil can be calculated using two methods
(Rankine and Coulomb theory).
• Conclusion #2
– There are many cases that need to be consider in calculating soil’s
lateral earth pressure (cohesion less soil, cohesive soil, horizontal
backfill, sloping backfill, multiple layer, additional surcharge,
groundwater level).
