DESIGN OF GRAVITY RETAINING

WALL
TYPES OF FAILURES OF
RETAINING WALLS
TYPICAL FORCES ACTING ON THE
RETAINING WALL

BEARING PRESSURE
 1. CALCULATION OF LATERAL
FORCES hsu

ACTIVE EARTH PRESSURE (BOTTOM) SURCHARGE (BOTTOM)

𝑃 𝑎𝑠𝑙 =𝐾 𝑎 𝑤 𝑠𝑙 h 𝑃 𝑎𝑠𝑢 =𝐾 𝑎 𝑤 𝑠𝑙 h𝑠𝑢

Where: Where:
1− 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜃 1− 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜃
𝐾 𝑎= 𝐾 𝑎=
1+ 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜃 1+ 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜃
wsl = Unit weight wsu = Surcharge
𝑤 𝑠𝑢 q=Pasu
of soil h 𝑠𝑢 =
𝑤 𝑠𝑙 yz=Pasl
h = height of
backfill
 1. CALCULATION OF LATERAL
FORCES
WATER PRESSURE (BOTTOM) PASSIVE EARTH PRESSURE (BOTTOM)
𝑃 𝑎𝑠𝑙 =𝑤𝑊 h 𝑃 𝑝𝑠𝑙 =𝐾 𝑃 𝑤 𝑠𝑙 h
Where: Where:
wW = Unit weight of 1+ 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃
𝐾 𝑝=
water 1 − 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜃
h = height of backfill wsl = Unit weight of
soil
h = height of backfill
at toe
 1. CALCULATION OF LATERAL
FORCES
ACTIVE EARTHQUAKE LOAD
2
𝑤 𝑠𝑙 h ( 𝐾 𝑎𝑒 − 𝐾 𝑎 ) 𝑏𝑤
𝑃 𝑎𝑒 =
2

[ ]
2 Pae
𝑠𝑖𝑛 ( 𝜙+ 𝛿 ) 𝑠𝑖𝑛 ( 𝛼+ 𝜃 − 𝛽 )
2 ′ ′
𝑠𝑖𝑛 ( 𝛼+ 𝜃 −𝜙 )
𝐾 𝑎𝑒 = 2
1+
𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝜃 ′ 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝛼 sin ⁡(𝛼+ 𝜃 ′ − 𝛿 ) 𝑠𝑖𝑛 ( 𝛼+ 𝛿+ 𝜃 ′ ) 𝑠𝑖𝑛 ( 𝛼 − 𝛽 )

α = Slope of retaining wall to horizontal (90o used for vertical face)

β = slope of backfill soil
δ = Angle of wall friction
φ = Angle of internal friction of soil
θ = An angle whose tangent is the ground acceleration
−1
𝜃=𝑡𝑎𝑛 𝐾h
2. CALCULATION OF GRAVITY
FORCES

STONE MASONRY GABION

 3. CHECK FOR STABILITY
FACTOR OF SAFETY AGAINST SLIDING FACTOR OF SAFETY AGAINST OVERTURNING
𝜇 𝑅𝑦 𝜇 𝑅𝑦 𝑅𝑖𝑔h𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑀𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 Σ 𝑥𝑖𝑊 𝑖
𝐹𝑆= = 𝐹𝑆= =
Σ 𝑃 𝑎 − Σ 𝑃 𝑝 𝑃 𝑎𝑠𝑙 + 𝑃 𝑎𝑠𝑢 + 𝑃 𝑎𝑤 + 𝑃 𝑎𝑒 − 𝑃 𝑝𝑠𝑙 𝑂𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑀𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 Σ 𝑦 𝑖 𝑃 𝑎𝑖 − Σ 𝑦 𝑖 𝑃 𝑝𝑖

Where: Where:
μ = Coefficient of friction xi = Moment arm for the gravity force
Ry = Summation of gravity forces Wi = Gravity force
Pa = Active lateral forces yi = Moment arm for the lateral force Wi
Pp = Passive lateral forces Pa = Active lateral forces Pai
Pasl = Active earth force Pp = Passive lateral forces
Pasu = Surcharge yi
Notes: OM
Paw = Active force due to water pressure
1. Pp is usually ignored for the reason
Pae = Active lateral earthquake force RM xi
that the top soil is being washed out
2. Computed FS must be greater than
the allowable FS
4. CHECK BEARING PRESSURE
Notes:
1. fmax must not exceed the allowable
soil bearing pressure
2. fmin should never be negative.
Negative fmin means the heel is lifted.
Positive fmin reduces fmax
L Where:
fmax = Maximum pressure at the base of the wall
fmax fmin fmin = Maximum pressure at the base of the wall
Ry = Summation of gravity forces
F
z e L = Base length
e = Eccentricity
F = Resultant of bearing pressure
z = Location of F from the toe
 START
DESIGN
PREDETERMINE RETAINING
WORK WALL CONFIGURATION
FLOW PREDETERMINE INITIAL
RETAINING WALL DIMENSIONS
CALCULATION OF LATERAL FORCES
CHANGE RETAINING
CALCULATION OF GRAVITY FORCES WALL DIMENSIONS
NOTE: IF OUTPUT DIMENSIONS
SEEMS UNECONOMICAL,
CHECK FOR STABILITY NO
CHANGE THE CONFIGURATION -AGAINST SLIDING
OR CHANGE THE TYPE OF -AGAINST OVERTURNING
RETAINING WALL
YES
NO
CHECK BEARING PRESSURE
YES
FINISH
DESIGN EXAMPLE
GRAVITY RETAINING WALL DESIGN
DESIGN PARAMETERS
FORCES ACTING ON THE WALL

BACK
 SOLUTION
PRELIMINARY EARTH PRESSURE CALCULATION LATERAL EARTH PRESSURE
SOLUTION
RIGHTING AND OVERTURNING MOMENT FACTOR OF SAFETY CHECK

FORCES
SOLUTION
BEARING PRESSURE CHECK

NOTE:
To ensure that Ry is located
within the middle third of the
base, fmin should be equal to or
greater than zero
VALUE
ENGINEERING
CONSIDERATION
GRAVITY RETAINING WALL DESIGN
Design Configurations
RETAINING WALL CONFIGURATION

1 2 3 4

UNSYMMETRICAL SYMMETRICAL

STONE MASONRY
 Economical Design
DIRECTIONS FOR STONE MASONRY: 2.1. Structure dimension
1. MAIN OBJECTIVE: DESIGN AID PREPARATION 2.1.1. Variable Data:
1.1. Variable Data: - Height of backfill (H) 2.50-7.0m with an
- Soil bearing capacity, qa increment of 0.50m
1.2. Given Fixed Data: - Bottom width = H/2
- Weight of soil, Wsl = 19 KN/M3 - Top width = 0.30 - 0.60 for configuration
- Surcharge, Wsu = 9.81 KPa 2 & 3 with an increment of 0.10m
- Weight of concrete, Wsc = 24 KN/M3 - Top width = 0.6 - 2.50 for configuration
1
- Weight of stone masonry, Wsm = 26 KN/M3
- Top width = 0.5 - 1.50 for configuration
- Angle of internal repose, φ = 35 degrees 4
- F.S. against sliding = 1.75
- Toe width, a
- F.s. against overturning = 2.0 2.1.2. Fixed Data
- Coefficient of friction between soil & stone masonry, μ =
- Height of parapet, Z = 0.60
0.50 - PCCP thickness, h = 0.23
- z = 0.30
 TOP WIDTH THICKNESS
CONSIDERATION
AREA-SOIL BEARING CAPACITY RELATIONSHIP AREA-SOIL BEARING CAPACITY RELATIONSHIP
9 16
8 14
7 12
10
6 TW = 0.30

AREA
8
5 TW = 0.40
AREA

TW = 0.50 6
4 4
TW = 0.60
3 TW = 0.70 2
2 0
1 0 50 100 150 200 250
0 SOIL BEARING CAPACITY
50 100 150 200 250 300
SOIL BEARING CAPACITY TW=0.3 TW=0.4 TW=0.5 TW=0.6

CONFIGURATION 2 CONFIGURATION 3
 TOE WIDTH CONSIDERATION
CONFIGURATION 3 CONFIGURATION 1 & 4
TOE WIDTH - HEIGHT RELATIONSHIP TOE WIDTH - HEIGHT RELATIONSHIP

TOE WIDTH (% OF HEIGHT)

TOE WIDTH (% OF HEIGHT)

16.00% 20.00% CONFIGURATION 1

14.00%
12.00% 15.00%
10.00%
8.00% 10.00%
6.00% 5.00%
4.00% CONFIGURATION 4
2.00% 0.00%
0.00%1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
2 3 4 5 6 7 8

HEIGHT HEIGHT

TW=0.30 TW=0.40 TW=0.50 SYMMETRICAL

TW=0.30 TW=0.40 TW=0.50 TW=0.60
TW = TOP WIDTH TOE WIDTH = AVERAGE PERCENTAGE OF
TOE WIDTH = AVERAGE PERCENTAGE OF 17.42% AND 9.87% OF THE HEIGHT TO GAIN
10.54% OF THE HEIGHT TO GAIN THE MOST THE MOST ECONOMICAL AREA FOR
ECONOMICAL AREA CONFIGURATIONS 1 AND 4 RESPECTIVELY
 HEIGHT CONSIDERATION
INTERPRETATION:
HEIGHT-SOIL BEARING CAPACITY RELATIONSHIP 1. BASED ON THE DATA
CONFIGURATION
300 CONFIGURATION GATHERED,
CONFIGURATION NUMBER 3 CONFIGURATION NUMBER
NUMBER 4
2 IS LIMITED TO A HEIGHT
SOIL BEARING CAPACITY

250 NUMBER 2
OF LESS THAN 5 AT A VERY
200 HIGH SOIL BEARING
CAPACITY. TRYING TO
150 MAKE THE SECTION
100 ADEQUATE WOULD BE
UNECONOMICAL
CONFIGURATION
50 COMPARED TO OTHER
NUMBER 1
CONFIGURATION
0 2. BASED ON THE FIGURE,
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
CONFIGURATION NUMBER
HEIGHT 1 REQUIRES LOW SOIL
BEARING CAPACITY AT ANY
TW=0.3 W/ TOE TW=0.4 W/ TOE TW=0.5 W/ TOE TW=0.6 W/ TOE GIVEN HEIGHT.
TW=0.30 W/ HEEL TW=0.40 W/ HEEL TW=0.50 W/ HEEL TW=0.60 W/ HEEL
TW=0.70 W/ HEEL W/ TOE ONLY symmetrical
 CONFIGURATION COMPARISON
AREA-SOIL BEARING CAPACITY RELATIONSHIP
INTERPRETATION: CONFIGURATION
1. CONFIGURATION #1 IS 300 CONFIGURATION CONFIGURATION
NUMBER 2 NUMBER 3
BEST FOR LOW NUMBER 4

SOIL BEARING CAPACITY

250
BEARING CAPACITY
BUT BASING ON THE 200 CONFIGURATION
DATA, IT REQUIRES NUMBER 1
WIDER TOP WIDTH 150
2. CONFIGURATION #2 100
REQUIRES A VERY NOTE: THE CURVE FOR
HIGH BEARING 50 CONFIGURATION 1 & 4 HAS
CAPACITY FOR A VARIABLE TOP WIDTHS
0
GIVEN AREA. 0 5 10 15 20 25
AREA

TW=0.3 W/ TOE TW=0.4 W/ TOE TW=0.5 W/ TOE TW=0.6 W/ TOE

TW=0.30 W/ HEEL TW=0.40 W/ HEEL TW=0.50 W/ HEEL TW=0.60 W/ HEEL
TW=0.70 W/ HEEL W/ TOE ONLY symmetrical
 DATA ANALYSIS FOR THE STONE
MASONRY
AREA-HEIGHT RELATIONSHIP
INTERPRETATION: 25
CONFIGURATION # 4

BASING ON THE GRAPH, AT A GIVEN

HEIGHT, CONFIGURATION NUMBERS 2 CONFIGURATION # 1
20
AND 3 IS MORE ECONOMICAL THAN
CONFIGURATION NUMBER 1 AS LONG AS
THE SOIL PRESSURE AT THE BASE DOES 15
NOT EXCEED THE SOIL BEARING CAPACITY

AREA
10

CONFIGURATION # 3
5
CONFIGURATION # 2

0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

HEIGHT

TW=0.3 W/ TOE TW=0.4 W/ TOE TW=0.5 W/ TOE TW=0.6 W/ TOE

TW=0.30 W/ HEEL TW=0.40 W/ HEEL TW=0.50 W/ HEEL TW=0.60 W/ HEEL
TW=0.70 W/ HEEL W/ TOE ONLY symmetrical
 PIC
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OF
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