Reduction of Earth Pressures on Rigid Retaining Walls with Narrow Backfill Width Using Compressible Geofoam Inclusions

Data Availability Statement

Acknowledgments

Notation

c

cohesion of the backfill (kPa);

d

width of the backfill (m);

d_a1

width of the differential element between the retaining wall and rock in the active state (m);

d_a2

width of the differential element between the retaining wall and slip surface in the active state (m);

d_p1

width of the differential element between the retaining wall and rock in the passive state (m);

d_p2

width of the differential element between the retaining wall and slip surface in the passive state (m);

E

Young's modulus of EPS (MPa);

H

backfill height (m);

K

EPS stiffness;

K₀

at-rest earth-pressure coefficient by Jaky (dimensionless);

K_a

lateral active stress ratio (dimensionless);

K_p

lateral passive stress ratio (dimensionless);

k₀

at-rest earth-pressure coefficient (dimensionless);

k_a

active earth-pressure coefficient (dimensionless);

k_p

passive earth-pressure coefficient (dimensionless);

p

earth pressure on the retaining wall (kPa);

p₀

at-rest earth pressure (kPa);

p_aw

lateral stress of the differentiation element at the wall back in the active state (kPa);

p_az

vertical stress of any point in the differential element in the active state (kPa);

$\overline{p_{az}}$

mean value of vertical stress on the differential element in the active state (kPa);

p_pw

lateral stress of the differentiation element at the wall back in the passive state (kPa);

p_pz

vertical stress of any point in the differential element in the passive state (kPa);

$\overline{p_{pz}}$

mean value of vertical stress on the differential element in the passive state (kPa);

q

surcharge load on the backfill surface (kPa);

R_a

radius of the trajectory of minor principal stress (m);

R_p

radius of the trajectory of major principal stress (m);

t

thickness of EPS (m);

z

distance between the top surface of the differential element and backfill surface;

α_a

principal stress rotation angle corresponding to any point in the differential element in the active state (rad);

α_ar

principal stress rotation angle corresponding to the point at the rock surface in the active state (rad);

α_as

principal stress rotation angle corresponding to the point at the slip surface in the active state (rad);

α_aw

principal stress rotation angle corresponding to the point at the wall back in the active state (rad);

α_p

principal stress rotation angle corresponding to any point in the differential element in the passive state (rad);

α_pr

principal stress rotation angle corresponding to the point at the rock surface in the passive state (rad);

α_ps

principal stress rotation angle corresponding to the point at the slip surface in the passive state (rad);

α_pw

principal stress rotation angle corresponding to the point at the wall back in the passive state (rad);

Δ

compression from geofoam inclusion (m);

δ_E

interface friction angle between the backfill and geofoam inclusion (°);

δ_r

interfacial friction angle between the backfill and rock (°);

δ_w

interface friction angle between the backfill and retaining wall (°);

φ

internal friction angle of the retained soil (°);

θ_a

inclination angle of the slip line in the active state (°); and

θ_p

inclination angle of the slip line in the passive state (°).

References