Nonlinear Slip-Failure Surface and Associated Lateral Earth Pressure
Publication: International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 22, Issue 4
Abstract
In optimizing the design of retaining structures and monitoring their health, it is important to determine the actual nonlinear slip-failure surface and the associated nonlinear lateral stress distribution. This paper presents a model developed for the nonlinear geometry of active and passive slip-failure surfaces in cohesionless soils and for determining their three main associated variables; that is, lateral earth pressure distribution, coefficient of lateral earth pressure, and location of the resultant lateral force. The variational limit-equilibrium method, as applied to a normally consolidated dry granular media, and the plane-strain critical-state friction angle at failure are used to develop the model. The model outputs the governing geometry of the slip-failure surface and its associated lateral stress distribution as a unique nonlinear function of the ultimate shearing resistance at failure. Mostly existing studies are complex unilateral approaches of the lateral stress or the slip-failure geometry as separated issues. In contrast, the present paper addresses a simple coupled solution at critical state that uses a disambiguated friction angle and avoids arbitrary input assumptions such as the geometry of the slip-failure surface.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
Financial support from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and Concordia University is gratefully acknowledged.
References
Benmebarek, N., H. Labdi, and S. Benmebarek. 2016. “A numerical study of the active earth pressure on a rigid retaining wall for various modes of movements.” Soil Mech. Found. Eng. 53 (1): 39–45. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11204-016-9362-z.
Bobryakov, A., and A. Revuzhenko. 2009. “Experimental simulation of spiral slip lines on granular materials.” J. Min. Sci. 45 (2): 99–104. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10913-009-0013-x.
Cao, W., T. Liu, and Z. Xu. 2019. “Calculation of passive earth pressure using the simplified principal stress trajectory method on rigid retaining walls.” Comput. Geotech. 109: 108–116. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compgeo.2019.01.021.
Chen, W. F., and N. Snitbhan. 1975. “On slip surface and slope stability analysis.” J. Jpn. Geotech. Soc. Soil Found. 15 (3): 41–49. https://doi.org/10.3208/sandf1972.15.3_41.
Cinicioglu, O., A. Altunbas, B. Soltanbeigi, and A. T. Gezgin. 2015. “Characterization of active failure wedge for cohesionless soils.” In Vol. 1–7 of Geotech. Eng. Infrastruct. Dev.: XVI ECSMGE, Conf. Proc., 3135–3140. London: ICE Publishing.
Cornforth, D. H. 1973. “Prediction of drained strength of sands from relative density measurements.” In Evaluation of relative density and its role in geotechnical projects involving cohesionless soils, edited by E. Selig and R. Ladd, 281–303. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.
Handy-Richard, L. 1985. “The arch in soil arching.” J. Geotech. Eng. 111 (3): 302–318. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9410(1985)111:3(302).
Harrop-Williams, K. O. 1989. “Geostatic wall pressures.” J. Geotech. Eng. 115 (9): 1321–1325. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9410(1989)115:9(1321).
Hettiaratchi, D. R. P., and A. R. Reece. 1974. “The calculation of passive soil resistance.” Géotechnique 24 (3): 289–310. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.1974.24.3.289.
Jessee, S. J. 2012. “Skew effects on passive earth pressures based on large-scale tests.” M.Sc. thesis, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Brigham Young Univ.-Provo.
Khosravi, M. H., T. Pipatpongsa, and J. Takemura. 2013. “Experimental analysis of earth pressure against rigid retaining walls under translation mode.” Géotechnique 63 (12): 1020–1028. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.12.P.021.
Lambe, T. W., and R. V. Whitman. 1969. Soil mechanics. New York: Wiley.
Li, X. G., and W. N. Liu. 2006. “Study on limit earth pressure by variational limit equilibrium method.” In Advances in Earth Structures: Research to Practice, Geotechnical Special Publication 151, edited by J. Han, J.-H. Yin, D. J. White, and G. Lin, 356–363. Reston, VA: ASCE.
Liu, S., Y. Xia, and L. Liang. 2018. “A modified logarithmic spiral method for determining passive earth pressure.” J. Rock Mech. Geotech. Eng. 10 (6): 1171–1182. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrmge.2018.03.011.
Paik, K. H., and R. Salgado. 2003. “Estimation of active earth pressure against rigid retaining walls considering arching effects.” Géotechnique 53 (7): 643–653. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.2003.53.7.643.
Reece, A. R., and D. R. P. Hettiaratchi. 1989. “A slip-line method for estimating passive earth pressure.” J. Agric. Eng. 42 (1): 27–41. https://doi.org/10.1016/0021-8634(89)90037-1.
Sadrekarimi, A., and S. M. Olson. 2011. “Critical state friction angle of sands.” Géotechnique 61 (9): 771–783. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.9.P.090.
Santamarina, J. C., and G. C. Cho. 2001. “Determination of critical state parameters in sandy soils—Simple procedure.” Geotech. Test. J. 24 (2): 185–192. https://doi.org/10.1520/GTJ11338J.
Sokolovskii, V. V. 1965. Statics of granular media. Oxford, UK: Pergamon.
Stewart, J. P., E. Taciroglu, J. W. Wallace, A. Lemnitzer, C. H. Hilson, A. Nojoumi, S. Keowan, R. L. Nigbor, and A. Salamanca. 2011. Nonlinear load–deflection behavior of abutment backwalls with varying height and soil density. No. CA12-2040. Los Angeles, CA. Dept. of Transportation. Division of Research and Innovation.
Terzaghi, K., R. B. Peck, and G. Mesri. 1996. Soil mechanics in engineering practice. New York: Wiley.
Tsagareli, Z. V. 1965. “Experimental investigation of the pressure of a loose medium on retaining walls with a vertical back face and horizontal backfill surface.” Soil Mech. Found. Eng. 2 (4): 197–200. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01706095.
Wilson, P., and A. Elgamal. 2010. “Large-scale passive earth pressure load–displacement tests and numerical simulation.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 136 (12): 1634–1643. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0000386.
Xie, Y., and B. Leshchinsky. 2016. “Active earth pressures from a log-spiral slip surface with arching effects.” Géotech. Lett. 6 (2): 149–155. https://doi.org/10.1680/jgele.16.00015.
Xinggao, L., and L. Weining. 2010. “Study on the action of the active earth pressure by variational limit equilibrium method.” Int. J. Numer. Anal. Methods. Geomech. 34 (10): 991–1008. https://doi.org/10.1002/nag.840.
Yang, M., X. Tang, and Z. Wu. 2020. “Slip surface and active earth pressure of cohesionless narrow backfill behind rigid retaining walls under translation movement mode.” Int. J. Geomech. 20 (8): 04020115. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GM.1943-5622.0001746.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
© 2022 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Apr 8, 2021
Accepted: Nov 28, 2021
Published online: Jan 28, 2022
Published in print: Apr 1, 2022
Discussion open until: Jun 28, 2022
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.
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).