Theoretical and Numerical Analysis of Cohesive-Frictional Backfill against Battered Retaining Wall under Active Translation Mode
Publication: International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 23, Issue 6
Abstract
The appropriate prediction of horizontal earth pressure against retaining walls can lead to a safer and more efficient design of such structures. Retaining walls are among the structures in which the arching phenomenon plays an essential role in distributing horizontal earth pressure. In this research, based on the limit equilibrium condition and considering the arching effect, a new theoretical method is proposed to estimate the earth pressure against a battered wall under translation movement with a cohesive-frictional backfill soil. A parametric study is conducted for assessing the effect of the surcharge pressure, cohesion, internal friction angle, wall–soil friction angle, and wall inclination on lateral earth pressure. In addition, a series of numerical models is employed to implement the finite difference method. The development of shear bands inside the backfill and the changes in earth pressure behind the wall are studied. The outcomes of the suggested analytical solution are compared with the numerical data as well as with some other theories. It is concluded that the proposed method is applicable to a wide range of cohesive-frictional soils retained with walls, covering a variety of batter angles and face frictional conditions.
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Acknowledgments
This work was partially supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number 20H02242 for publication.
Notation
The following symbols are used in this paper:
- c
- backfill cohesion;
- E
- Young's modulus of the backfill;
- H
- wall height;
- ha
- application height of the resultant lateral force;
- kw
- ratio of the normal stress against the wall to the average vertical stress;
- Mh
- moment of the lateral stress;
- Ph
- resultant horizontal force;
- Q
- surcharge on the backfill;
- R
- radius of the major principal stress path;
- Zc
- depth of the tension crack;
- z
- vertical distance from the surface;
- α
- angle of the slip surface with respect to the horizontal;
- β
- wall inclination angle with respect to the vertical;
- Δx
- horizontal wall movement;
- δ
- wall–soil interface friction angle;
- γ
- unit weight of the backfill;
- σ1, σ3
- major, minor principal stresses;
- σah
- active lateral earth pressure;
- σnw
- normal stress acting on the wall;
- σs
- normal stress along the failure line;
- τs
- shear stress along the failure line;
- τw
- shear stress acting on the wall;
- φ
- backfill internal friction angle;
- θ
- angle of σ1 with the horizon at the wall;
- ψ
- angle of σ1 with the horizon at an arbitrary point; and
- ν
- Poisson's ratio of the backfill.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 23 • Issue 6 • June 2023
Copyright
© 2023 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Sep 9, 2022
Accepted: Jan 24, 2023
Published online: Apr 13, 2023
Published in print: Jun 1, 2023
Discussion open until: Sep 13, 2023
ASCE Technical Topics:
- Analysis (by type)
- Backfills
- Construction engineering
- Construction methods
- Continuum mechanics
- Design (by type)
- Dynamics (solid mechanics)
- Engineering fundamentals
- Engineering mechanics
- Excavation
- Friction
- Geomechanics
- Geotechnical engineering
- Lateral pressure
- Numerical analysis
- Pressure (type)
- Retaining structures
- Soil dynamics
- Soil mechanics
- Soil pressure
- Soil properties
- Solid mechanics
- Structural design
- Structural safety
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Cited by
- Amin Keshavarz, Fatemeh Khani, Active and Passive Lateral Earth Pressure with Anisotropic Seepage Effect, International Journal of Geomechanics, 10.1061/IJGNAI.GMENG-9394, 24, 8, (2024).