Seismic Displacement Criterion for Soil Retaining Walls Based on Soil Strength Mobilization
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 135, Issue 1
Abstract
This paper presents a seismic displacement criterion for conventional soil retaining walls based on the observations of a series of shaking table tests and seismic displacement analysis using Newmark’s sliding-block theory taking into account internal friction angle mobilization along the potential failure line in the backfill. A novel approach that relates the displacement of the wall and the mobilized friction angle along the shear band in the backfill is also proposed. A range of horizontal displacement-to-wall height ratios between 2 and 5% representing a transitional state from moderate displacement to catastrophic damage were observed in the shaking table tests on two model retaining walls. This observation is supported by both Newmark’s displacement analysis and a new approach that relates the movement of the wall to the mobilization of the friction angle along the shear band in the backfill. A permissible displacement of the wall as defined by the displacement-to-wall height ratio, namely, , equal to 2% was found to be of practical significance in the sense that peak friction angle of the investigated sand is retained along the shear band in the backfill. It is also suggested that be used as a conservative indicator for the onset of catastrophic failure of the wall associated with fully softened soil strength along the shear band in cohesionless backfill.
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Acknowledgments
Shaking table tests reported herein were conducted at Japan Railway Technical Research Institute under the supervision of Dr. M. Tateyama, manager of Foundation and Geotechnical Engineering, Structures Technology Division and Professor F. Tatsuoka, formerly a professor at the University of Tokyo. The leaning-type model wall test was conducted as part of international co-research program partially supported by the National Science Council, Taiwan under Contract No. NSC 38139F during February and July, 2000. Financial and technical support for all tests provided by Professor F. Tatsuoka, and Dr. M. Tateyama is highly appreciated. The writers also acknowledge Professor J. Koseki of the University of Tokyo for providing details of the shaking table test on the cantilever-type model wall.
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Information
Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 135 • Issue 1 • January 2009
Pages: 74 - 83
Copyright
© 2009 ASCE.
History
Received: Aug 7, 2006
Accepted: Sep 21, 2007
Published online: Jan 1, 2009
Published in print: Jan 2009
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