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

c=0 =300
=18kN/m3
1m
1m

=20 kN/m3 FILL 1m BASE SLAB

5m
MEDIUM DENSE SILTY SAND
c=0, =320, =20kN/m3, tan=0.5(base friction) , conc=24kN/m3

1
 Solution:

0.5m q=30kPa

GRANULAR
V4 BACKFILL
c=0
7m =300
=18kN/m3
H1

1m V5 H2
V1
V2
1m
=20 kN/m3 FILL 1m
V3

5.0m
10kPa 48kPa

Ka=tan2(45-/2)
For granular backfill⇒Ka=tan2(45-30/2)=0.333
Active pressure, pa=(q+z)Ka-2cKa
z=0⇒ pa=30x0.333=10 kN/m2
z=8⇒ a=(30+18x8)0.333=58 kN/m2

Force(kN/m) Arm,about toe(m) Moment(kN.m/m)

V1=0.5x7x24=84 1.25 105
V2=0.5x7x1/2x24=42 1.67 70
V3=1x5x24=120 2.5 300
V4=0.5x7x1/2x18=31.5 1.83 57.75
V5=3x7x18=378 3.5 1323
 V=655.5 Mr=1855.75

H1=10x8=80 4 320
H2=(58-10)x8x1/2=192 8/3 512
H=272.0 Mov=832

2
a)
∑ Mr 1855.75
(F.S.)ov    2.23
∑ Mov 832

(F.S.)ov=2.232.0 O.K.

c=0(at the base) do not consider

b)
∑ V. tan   (2 / 3cB)  Pp
(F.S.) sliding 
∑H
(F.S.) sliding ∑ V. tan x
∑ 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/m3 1m

P1 D
P2

65D 65

Kp=tan2(45+32/2)=3.25
z=0⇒pp=1x20x3.25=65 kPa
z=D⇒pp=(1x20+20xD)x3.25=65+65D kPa
Pp=P1+P2=65D+1/2x65D2
Use F.S.=2.0 w.r.t. passive resistance⇒ Pp=1/2(65D+1/2x65D2)

∑ V. tan   Pp 655.55x0.5  1/ 2(65D  1/ 2x65D 2 )

(F.S.) sliding    1.5
∑H 272

3
Then, 65D+32.5D2=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⇒ Pp=1/2(65D+1/2x65D2)

(F.S.) sliding ∑ V. tan 

  H-Pp

Then, D=1.07m

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

4
 P2. GRAVITY RETAINING WALL

Ouestion

A gravity retaining wall is shown below. Use =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.

1=18.5 kN/ m3

1=32
5m 5.7 m
c1’=0

0.3 m 75
 1.5 m
0.77 m 0.60 m 1.53 m
0.8 m

0.3 m 2=18.5 kN/m3

 2=24
3.5 m C2’=30 kN/m3

Soil properties: I) 1=18.5 kN/m3 , 1=320, c1= 0

II) 2=18.0 kN/m3 , 2=240, c2= 30 kN/m2


concrete=24 kN/m3

5
Note: In Coulomb’s active earth pressure theory, the forces to be considered are only
Pa(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;

1
Pa  H 2 K a where
2

H =Height of the wall

Ka = Coulomb’s active earth pressure coefficient

sin 2 (   )
Ka 
sin(   ).sin(   ) 2
sin 2  .sin(   ).(1  )
sin(   ).sin(   )

With horizontal backfill; =0°

With vertical retaining wall; =90°

: friction between the wall and adjacent soil

6
 Solution:

1=18.5 kN/ m3
3
c=24 kN/ m
1=32
5.7 m
PAV c1’=0

5m PA
= 2/3=21.3
=21.3
2 15 PAH
3
1
75 H/3=2.17 m
 1.5 m
0.77 m 0.60 m 1.53 m 0.8 m
4 2=18.5 kN/m3
0.3 m 0.3 m 2=24
3.5 m  c2’=30 kN/m3

For =00
=750 ⇒ Ka=0.4023 (use eqn. 1)
=320
=(2/3)x32=21.30

1 1
Pa= ..H 2 .Ka  x18.5x6.52 x0.4023  157.22 kN / m
2 2

Ph  Pa .cos(15  ) 157.22 x cos 36.3 126.65 kN / m

Pv  Pa .sin(15  ) 157.22 x sin 36.3  93.15 kN / m

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 Force Moment arm about pt. A Moment
(kN/m) (m) (kN.m/m)

1
1) ( x1.53x5.7)x24  104.65 2.18 228.14
2
2) (0.6x5.7)x24  82.08 1.37 112.45
1
3) ( x0.77x5.7)x24  52.67 0.81 42.66
2
4) (3.5x0.8)x 23.58  67.20 1.75 117.60
Pv= 93.15 2.83 263.61

V=399.75 Mresisting =764.46

Moverturning= Ph x H/3 = 126.65x 2.17 = 274.83 kN.m/m

∑ M r  764.46 
a) (F.S.)overt.=   2.78 > 2.0 O.K.
∑ Mo 274.83
Note: if there is cohesionless soil at the base (c=0)
ignore this term

if passive pressure is considered

2
∑ V. tan   ( .c2 .B)  Pp
3
b) (F.S.)sliding=
∑H

=(2/3)x 






 - Pp is ignored

 2 2
 399.75x tan( x24)  ( x30x3.5)
(F.S)  3 3  1.46
sliding
126.65

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c. Pressure on soil at toe and heel

-If Pp is ignored
Mnet=764.46-274.83=489.63 kN.m/m

x
M net

489.63
 1.22m e
B
x
3.5
 1.22  0.53m V
V 399.75 2 2 x

qmax=217.99 kN/ m2 / m (toe) A

max 399.75  6 x0.53 

qmin  1
3.5  3.5  B/2 B/2
qmin=10.44 kN/ m2 / m (heel)

-If Pp is considered

Kp = (1+sin24)/(1-sin24)=2.37

pp @z=0 = Kpz)+ 2c(Kp)0.5=2x30x2.370.5=92.40 kPa

pp @z=1.5 = Kpz)+ 2c(Kp)0.5=2.37x18.5x1.5+ 92.40=65.80+92.40=155.20 kPa

Mres (due to Pp)=92.4x1.52 x0.5+0.5x65.80x(1/3)x1.52=128.63 kN.m/m

Mres=764.46+128.63 = 893.09 kN.m/m

V
x
Mnet=893.09-274.83=618.26 kN.m/m

A
x
M net

618.26
 1.55m e
3.5
 1.55  0.20m
V 399.75 2
B/2 B/2

qmax=153.37 kN/ m2 / m (toe)

max 399.75  6 x0.20 

qmin  1
3.5  3.5 
qmin=75.05 kN/ m2 / m (heel)