Soil Pressure Acting Concrete Retaining Wall

Soil pressure acting on the concrete retaining wall is represented as a loading w per foot length of wall.

Soil pressure acting concrete retaining wall.

W 200 lb ft a 2ft b 12ft c 6ft gamma 150 lb ft2. If concrete has a specific weight gamma per foot length determine the magnitudes of the soil distribution w1 and w2 and the frictional force f for equilibrium. The active pressure develops when the wall is free to move outward such as a typical retaining wall and the soil mass stretches sufficiently to mobilize its shear strength. That is why soil lateral earth pressure is a major concern in the design.

Notice that the pressures acting on the wall are equivalent to the area triangle of the pressure distribution diagram. The resultant force due to the earth pressure acting on a basement wall can be calculated as. Sliding overturning and bearing forces shall be taken into consideration while this type of retaining wall structure is designed. Typical retaining walls a gravity type stone retaining wall a gravity wall relies solely on its mass and geometry to resist the soil pressure forces acting on it.

On the other hand if the wall moves into the soil then the soil mass is compressed which also mobilizes its shear strength and the passive pressure develops. F a 0 5 k γ h s 2 1a where. One large concrete block or multi layer blocks lock block. The main purpose of retaining wall construction is to retain soil.

See below answer for more about that. Static soil pressure total soil pressure 1 3. A retaining wall is a structure designed and constructed to resist the lateral pressure of soil when there is a desired change in ground elevation that exceeds the angle of repose of the soil. F a resultant force acting on the basement wall kn h s height of backfill soil m γ specific weight of backfill soil kn m 3 k coefficient of earth pressure at rest.

Hence pa 1 1 2 ɣk a h 2 eq. The hydrostatic pressure and the soil load act on the wall concurrently. Dynamic soil pressure in a rectangular shape as shown in figure 3. Load combinations for concrete retaining walls supporting sound walls or containing ground anchors have slightly different load combinations than other standard ers.

It can be constructed from different materials such as concrete stone and masonry units. However as you noted the soil load is reduced because the effective weight of the soil is reduced due to buoyant forces. Sliding soil wedge theory is the basis for most of the theories by which lateral earth pressure is computed. Retaining walls are used for supporting soil laterally so that it can be retained at different levels on the two sides.