Lateral Earth Pressure

v
H

We can calculate v
Now, calculate h which is the horizontal stress

h/ v = K
Therefore, h = Kv (V is what?)

Lateral Earth Pressure

There are 3 states of lateral earth pressure
Ko = At Rest
Ka = Active Earth Pressure (wall moves away from soil)
Kp = Passive Earth Pressure (wall moves into soil)
Passive is more like a resistance

v
H

h
2

At Rest Earth Pressure

At rest earth pressure occur when there is no wall rotation such as
in a braced wall (basement wall for example)
Ko can be calculated as follows:
Ko = 1 sin
Ko = .44 + .42 [PI / 100]
Ko (oc) = Ko (NC) (OCR)1/2

v
H

for coarse grained soils

for NC soils
for OC soils

h
3

Active Earth Pressure

Active earth pressure occurs when the wall tilts away from the soil
(a typical free standing retaining wall)

Active Earth Pressure

Active earth pressure occurs when the wall tilts away from the soil
(a typical free standing retaining wall)

Active Earth Pressure

Active earth pressure occurs when the wall tilts away from the soil
(a typical free standing retaining wall)

Active Earth Pressure

Active earth pressure occurs when the wall tilts away from the soil
(a typical free standing retaining wall)
Ka can be calculated as follows:
Ka = tan2 (45 /2)
thus: a = Ka v 2 c (Ka)1/2
Soil sliding down
pushing the wall

Failure wedge

H
45 + /2
7

Passive Earth Pressure

Passive earth pressure occurs when the wall is pushed into the soil
(typically a seismic load pushing the wall into the soil or a foundation
pushing into the soil)
Kp can be calculated as follows:
Kp = tan2 (45 + /2)
thus: p = Kp v + 2 c (Kp)1/2

Soil being pushed

up the slope

Failure wedge
45 - /2

Active Stress Distribution (c = 0)

c=0

dry soil

Pa = ?
? - What is this value
a = Ka v 2 c (Ka)1/2
a = Ka v

a is the stress distribution

Pa is the force on the wall (per foot of wall)
How is Pa found?

Passive Stress Distribution (c = 0)

c=0

dry soil

Pp = ?
? - What is this value
p = Kp v 2 c (Kp)1/2
p = Kp v

p is the stress distribution

Pp is the force on the wall (per foot of wall)
How is Pp found?

10

Stress Distribution - Water Table (c = 0)

Effective Stress

H1

Pore Water Pressure

Ka H1

H2
Pa
Ka H1

Ka H2

w H2

or

Ka ( H1 + H 2)

Pa = areas = Ka H12 + Ka H1H2 + Ka H22 + 1/2wH22

11

Stress Distribution With Water Table

Why is the water pressure considered separately? (K)
H1

Effective Stress

Pore Water Pressure

0
Ka H1

H2
Pa
Ka H1

Ka H2

w H2

or

Ka ( H1 + H 2)
12

Active Stress Distribution (c 0)

zo

c0

dry soil

_-

Ka H

2 c (Ka)1/2

Ka H 2 c (Ka)1/2

Find zo:
Ka zo 2 c (Ka)1/2 = 0
Zo = 2c / (Ka)1/2
Pa = ?

13

Passive Stress Distribution (c 0)

c0

dry soil

+-

Kp H

2 c (Kp)1/2

Kp H + 2 c (Kp)1/2

Pp = ?
14

Practice Problems
Chapter 12 Problems:
13
15 (part c is using equation 12.47 and part
d uses equation 12.49)

25
13 and 25 are the same problem just one is
active calcs and the other is passive calcs

15