Generalized Coulomb Active‐Earth Pressure for Distanced Surcharge

Earth‐pressure problems are of great interest in geotechnical engineering and closed‐form solutions for evaluating the active‐earth pressure are widely used in the design of retaining structures. The note presents a closed‐form solution based on the Coulomb‐failure wedge for the case in which a surcharge is applied a certain distance from the wall. This allows the earth pressure to be evaluated according to the actual‐site conditions and to avoid uneconomical design. The basic assumptions are that the failure surface is a plane; the soil is homogeneous, dry, and cohesionless; and the extent of the surcharge is sufficiently large to ensure that the failure plane intersects it at the ground surface. Indications are then given to ensure the compatibility of the solution with the real‐site conditions.