Example 15.

4
Plot the variation of active and passive lateral pressures with depth for the soil profile shown in
Figure P15.4.

Solution 15.4

Active Passive
Lateral Lateral
Depth ' ' Ka Water Depth Kp Water
Pressure Pressure
m kN/m3 kN/m3 kPa kPa m kPa kPa
0 0
4+ 17 17 20 0.49 0.49 x 17 x 4 = 33.3
4- 0.33 0.33 x 17 x 4 = 22.4 0
0.33 x 18 x 3 + 22.4 =
7+ 18 18 30 0.33 0
40.2
0.38 x (17 x 4 + 18 x 3)
7- 0.38 0 7 0 0
= 46.4
0.38 x 8 x 5 + 46.4 = 2.66 x 8 x 5
12 17.8 8 27 0.38 49 12 2.66 49
61.6 = 106.4
 Pressure (kPa)
-150 -100 -50 0 50 100
0

Active pressure
2
Passive pressure
4
Water pressure (Active)
Depth (m)

Water pressure 6
(Passive)

10

12

14
Example 15.5
A retaining wall 8 m high supports a soil of saturated unit weight 18 kN/m3, cs = 30 .
The backfill is subjected to a surcharge of 15 kPa. Calculate the active force on the wall if
(a) the wall is smooth and (b) the wall is rough ( = 20). Groundwater is below the base
of the wall.

Solution 15.5
All forces are per m length of wall.
Determine K a
cs 30 1
Rankine: = 0, K aR = tan 2 45 = tan 2 45 =
2 2 3
Coulomb: = 20, = cs , = 0 and = 0
From computer program utility Ka Kp coefficient at www.wiley.com/college/budhu,
K a = 0.3

Determine lateral forces

Smooth wall: Use Rankines method

1 1 1
Rankine: PaR = K aR H o2 = 18 82 = 192 kN
2 2 3

1
Surcharge q s = 15kPa ; x = K aR q s = 15 = 5 kPa
3
Surcharge force = Ps = x H o = 5 8 = 40 kN

Total lateral force = FaR = PaR + Ps = 192 + 40 = 232 kN

Rough wall: Use Coulombs method.

1 1
Coulomb: Pac = K ac H 2 = 0.3 18 82 = 172.8 kN
2 2
Surcharge Ps = 15 0.3 8 = 36kN
Total lateral force = Fac = 172.8 + 36 = 208.8 kN

Horizontal component of Fac : (Fax )c = Fac cos= 208.8cos20 =196.2 kN

Vertical component of Fac : (Faz )c = Facsin=208.8sin20=71.4kN

Example 15.8
Which of the two walls in Figure P15.8 gives the larger horizontal force? (Show
calculations.)

Solution 15.8

(a)
= 18 kN m 3 , cs 30 , 15 , = 0, 0

From computer program utility: Ka Kp coefficient at www.wiley.com/college/budhu

K aC 0.3
The horizontal component is KaC x cos (15) = 0.29

(b)
=18 kN m 3 cs 30 , 15, 90 60 30 , 0

From computer program utility: Ka Kp coefficient at www.wiley.com/college/budhu

K aC = 0.686
The horizontal component is KaC x cos (45) = 0.485

Therefore (b) gives the larger horizontal force

Example 15.9
Determine the stability of the concrete gravity wall shown in Figure P15.9.

Solution 15.9

Determine the stability of the concrete gravity wall

W1
Backfill: Coarse-grained soil:
cs 32, 18 kN m 3 , 15, concrete 24 kN m 3

W2 Base soil: Coarse-grained soil:

'cs 34, 19 kN m3 , 'b 20
Step 1: Determine K aC

From computer program utility: Ka Kp coefficient at www.wiley.com/college/budhu

K aC 0.32

Step 2: Determine lateral forces

1 1
PaC K aC H 2 0.32 18 4 2 46.1 kN ;
2 2
PaC acts at an angle 15 to the horizontal
 Horizontal component of PaC : Pax c PaC cos 46.1 cos15 44.5 kN
Vertical component of PaC : Paz c Pac sin 46.1 sin15 11.9 kN

Surcharge
Fx K aC qsH cos 0.32 10 4 cos15 12.4 kN
Fz K aC qsH sin 0.32 10 4 sin15 3.3 kN
Total horizontal force
Rx 44.5 12.4 56.9 kN

Step 3: Determine wall stability

W1 b 2 H c 0.5 4 24 48 kN
1 1
W2 b1 H c 2.5 4 24 120 kN
2 2
Total weight = 120 + 48 = 168 kN
Total vertical force: R z = 168 + 11.9 + 3.3 = 183.2 kN

M o W1 x1 W2 x2 Paz C B Fz B Pax C z a Fx
H
2
0.5 2 4 4
= 48 2.5 120 2.5 11.9 3 3.3 3 44.5 12.4
2 3 3 2
= 293.5 kNm

293 .5
x = 1.6m
183 .2

B
e= x 1.6 1.5 0.1 m
2

Check rotational stability

B 3 B
0.5 ; e < , therefore wall is unlikely to rotate
6 6 6

Check translation

Base resistance, T = R z tan = 183.2 tan20 = 66.7 kN

T 66 .7
FS 1.2 1.5 ; unsatisfactory
R x 56 .9