Example 8: Cantilever Wingwall Design Loads 1

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EXAMPLE 8: CANTILEVER WINGWALL DESIGN LOADS

Problem Statement
Example 8 covers the design of a wingwall cantilevered off a standard CDOT integral abutment.
The example illustrates the following items:
• The 20 ft. length (measured as shown in Figures 1 & 2) used in Example 8 is the
maximum length permitted for cantilevered wingwalls per BDM Section 11.3.6.1.
• The example wingwall is skewed 30°, which is the maximum allowed for an integral
abutment per BDM Section 11.3.1.
• At-rest earth pressure is required for skewed wingwalls per BDM Section 11.3.6.2.
• Per BDM Section 11.3.6.2, a portion of the earth pressure acting on the buried part of the
wingwall may be neglected, as shown in Figure 1 below. Equations are provided to assist
in calculating the resultant wingwall force effects from the trapezoidal shape of earth
pressure.
• Force effects are summarized at the two design sections shown in Figure 2. Design
Section A is the critical design section for the wingwall. Design Section B summarizes the
force-effects transferred to the abutment .
Assumptions
• The backfill is assumed to be sufficiently drained so that hydrostatic pressure does not
develop.
• Example 8 assumes that no settlement of the backfill is anticipated. See BDM Section
11.3.6.1 for guidance when significant settlement is expected.

Figure 1 - Wingwall Elevation

Figure 2 - Partial Plan

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Example 8: Cantilever Wingwall Design Loads 2
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Givens
Wingwall Height, H = 10.00 ft.
Wall Thickness, t = 1.00 ft.
Live Load Surcharge Height, S = 2.00 ft. BDM 11.3.6.2
End Height, h = 3.00 ft.
Wingwall Length, L = 20.00 ft.
Abutment Width, A = 3.00 ft.
Skew Angle, θ =  30.00 degrees
Backfill Unit Weight, γ1 = 0.130 kcf (CDOT Class 1)
Angle of Internal Friction of Backfill, Φ1 = 34.0 degrees
Dead Load Factor, γDC = 1.25 AASHTO 3.4.1
Horizontal Earth Pressure Factor, γEH = 1.35 for at-rest pressure AASHTO 3.4.1
Live Load Surcharge Factor, γLS = 1.75 AASHTO 3.4.1
Unit Weight of Concrete, γc = 0.15 kcf

1
Provided by Geotechnical Engineer.

Figure 3 - Horizontal Load Geometry

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Example 8: Cantilever Wingwall Design Loads 3
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Calculations
Earth Pressure
Earth pressure moments are calculated about the A and C axes shown in Figure 3.
The total thrust, P, due to horizontal earth pressure and live load surcharge, is also
calculated and located. The following equations are adopted from a Caltrans design
aid; the derivations are not provided.
At-rest Lateral Earth Pressure AASHTO
Coefficient, k 0 1 sin Φ Eq. 3.11.5.2-1
= 0.441
Effective Fluid Weight, W 𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝑘 ∗ 𝛾, 0.057 𝑘𝑐𝑓 BDM 11.3.6.2
= 0.057 kcf
Service Limit State:
𝑊𝐿
Service Moment, MS_AA 3ℎ 𝐻 4𝑆 𝐻 2ℎ
24
= 301 kft
𝑊𝐿
Service Moment, MS_CC 2𝑆ℎ𝐻 𝐻 ℎ 2𝑆 𝐻 ℎ
12
= 188 kft
𝑊𝐿
Service Thrust, PS 𝐻 ℎ 𝐻 ℎ 3𝑆
6
= 41.5 kip
𝑀_
𝑥̅
𝑃
= 7.26 ft., from back face of abutment
𝑀_
𝑦
𝑃
= 4.55 ft., from top of wall
Strength Limit State:

Nominal depth of live load surcharge is

𝛾
Effective Surcharge height, S' 𝑆 increased to account for the difference in
𝛾 load factors

= 2.59 ft.

Ultimate Moment, MU_AA 𝑊𝐿

𝛾 3ℎ 𝐻 4𝑆′ 𝐻 2ℎ
24
= 455 kft

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Example 8: Cantilever Wingwall Design Loads 4
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𝑊𝐿
Ultimate Moment, MU_CC 𝛾 2𝑆′ℎ𝐻 𝐻 ℎ 2𝑆′ 𝐻 ℎ
12
= 276 kft
𝑊𝐿
Ultimate Thrust, PU 𝛾 𝐻 ℎ 𝐻 ℎ 3𝑆′
6
= 61.9 kip
𝑀 _
𝑥̅
𝑃
= 7.35 ft., from back face of abutment
𝑀 _
𝑦
𝑃
= 4.45 ft., from top of wall
Self Weight:

Service Wall Weight, V S 𝐻𝐿𝑡 ∗ 𝛾

= 30.0 kip

Ultimate Wall Weight, V U 𝛾 𝑉

= 37.5 kip
𝐿
Service Moment at Design Section A, MS_wall 𝑉 ∗
2
= 300 kft
𝐿
Ultimate Moment at Design Section A, MU_wall 𝑉 ∗
2
= 375 kft

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Example 8: Cantilever Wingwall Design Loads 5
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Design Section A Summary
Primary Horizontal Reinforcement
MS_AA = 301 kft
MS_AA, per ft. 𝑀 _ ⁄𝐻
= 30.1 kft/ft
MU_AA = 455 kft
MU_AA, per ft. 𝑀 _ ⁄𝐻
= 45.5 kft/ft.

These moments are used to design the primary horizontal reinforcement along the inside face of
the wingwall for a 1 ft. wide section with a depth of t. For example calculations of reinforced
concrete design, see BDM Design Examples 6 and 11. Per calculations not shown, #8 bars at 6
in. spacing are selected as primary reinforcing. All wingwall reinforcement is required to be
corrosion resistant, in accordance with BDM Section 5.4.5.

Figure 4 - Primary Horizontal Reinforcement

Top Horizontal Reinforcement

MS_wall = 300 kft

MU_wall = 375 kft

These moments are used to design the required top reinforcing bars in the wingwall for a section
of width t and depth of H. Per calculations not shown, the primary horizontal reinforcing provided
above is sufficient to resist the imposed moment; no additional bars are needed.

Figure 5 - Top Horizontal Reinforcement

Wingwall Reinforcement Details
See Figures 11.6-1, 11.6-2, and 11.7-1 of the Bridge Detail Manual for additional wingwall
reinforcement details, including development of top and primary horizontal bars into the
abutment.

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Example 8: Cantilever Wingwall Design Loads 6
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Design Section B Summary
Earth pressure and dead loads are ultimately transferred to, and must be resisted by, the
abutment and its supporting foundation elements. This section resolves earth pressure and self-
weight forces into design forces and moments about centroidal axes of the abutment, and at
Design Section B (see Figure 2).

The abutment width along the skew, A' 𝐴⁄cos 𝜃

= 3.46 ft.

Figure 6 - Abutment Eccentricities

Service Limit State:

Tension, Ps = 41.5 kip
Shear, Vs = 30.0 kip

𝑒 𝐴′
_ 𝑥̅
2
= 8.99 ft.
𝐻
𝑒 _ 𝑦
2

= 0.454 ft.

My, Service 𝑃 ∗𝑒 _

= 373 kft

Mx, Service 𝑃 ∗𝑒 _

= 18.8 kft
𝐿 𝐴′
Tz, Service 𝑉
2
= 352 kft

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Example 8: Cantilever Wingwall Design Loads 7
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Strength Limit State:
Tension, Pu = 61.9 kip
Shear, Vu = 37.5 kip
𝐴′
𝑒 _ 𝑥̅
2
= 9.08 ft.

𝑒 𝐻
_ 𝑦
2
= 0.548 ft.

My, Ultimate 𝑃 ∗𝑒 _

= 562 kft

Mx, Ultimate 𝑃 ∗𝑒 _

= 34.0 kft
𝐿 𝐴′
Tz, Ultimate 𝑉
2
= 440 kft
The shear, tension, torsion, and bi-axial moments summarized above are concurrent and must
be resisted by the abutment. Careful detailing is required to provide adequate capacity and
sufficient reinforcement development at Design Section B. See Figure 11-13 of the BDM for
reinforcement details at the wingwall/abutment interface.
Conclusion
This design example shows the primary calculations needed to develop design forces for a
cantilever wingwall supported by an integral abutment. While all force effects were calculated for
completeness, it is noted that for this example the following force effects are negligible: self-
weight shear at sections A & B, self-weight moment M_wall at Section A, and earth pressure
moment Mx at Section B.

Other configurations, such as a cantilever wingwall attached to a semi-integral abutment cap,

need to resist the same loading as illustrated in this design example. However, in this case, the
structural section available to resist the wingwall forces is reduced because the wingwall is
supported only by the abutment cap. It is noted that the aforementioned force effects that are
typically inconsequential for an integral abutment are more critical for this configuration.

CDOT Bridge Design Manual April 2021