1415 N 32nd, Fort Smith, AR 72904

Ph: 800-736-9089 Fax:479-785-0633

To: Engineers:
Thank you very much for your interest in our products and solutions. The purpose of this calculator is to
show the simplicity and ease of designing Terra Aqua Gabions gravity retaining walls. We are using the
familiar Excel environment to illustrate each step of the calculations used in the gabion gravity retaining
walls design analysis for verification.
Additional calculations may have to be performed including and not limiting to global stability
analysis (by Geotechnical Engineer), seismic forces (by Seismic Engineer) and hydraulic forces
(by Hydraulic Engineer). Please check local, State and Federal requirements. The calculator assumes
drained uniformed retained and foundation soil properties. The calculations should be reviewed, checked
and certified by a Professional Engineer. To the best of our knowledge, the calculator and information
was prepared accurately. Terra Aqua is not responsible for the reliability and validity of the geotechnical
parameters assumed in the calculations. The calculator is intended to provide design assistance to the
engineer for the purpose of designing with Terra Aqua products.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or if you are in need of any assistance.
We will assist you in anyway we can.

Colin Glass
Terra Aqua Gabions
5/30/2007

TERRA AQUA GABIONS GRAVITY RETAINING WALL CALCULATIONS

(STRAIGHT LINE BACK)
PROJECT NAME:

PROJECT #:

LOCATION:

SECTION:

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEER:

REPORT #:

NOTES:

DRAWING #:
DATE:

Descriptions

Backfill slope angle above wall

Angle of internal friction
Wall friction reduction by geotextile
Angle of wall friction
Inclination angle to vertical plane
Back of wall angle to horizontal
Cohesion
Surcharge
Soil density
Rock density
Void in gabion
Gabion density
Actual height of wall
Embedment
Width of base

symbols

fr

c
q
s
r
v
g
H
d
B

Input
Values
18.440
28.000
20.000
22.400
6.000
96.000
0
150.000
125.000
138.000
30.000
96.600
11.934
3.000
7.5

Units

psf
psf
pcf
pcf

Notes

<
Back of wall
(100-fr)/100
for wall with straight back (no offsets)
90+
Ignore cohesion

%
pcf
ft
ft
ft

r(100-v)/100
(hCos) Corrected for inclination
0 ft to ignore passive thrust

qa

Allowable soil bearing capacity

2000.000

psf

determined by Geotechnical Engineer

GABION RETAINING WALL

45

ROW 1

42

ROW 2

39

ROW 3
ROW 4

36

ROW 5

33

ROW 6

X
30

ROW 7
ROW 8

27

ROW 9

24

ROW 10
ROW 11

18

ROW 12

21

ROW 13

15

ROW 14

12

ROW 15

EMBEDMT
BACKFILL

6
3
0
-3
-3

12

-6

Row #
15
14
13
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3

15

18

21

24

27

30

33

36

X
Width
(ft)

Height
(ft)

offset
(from toe) (ft)

3.0
4.5

3.0
3.0

4.50
3.00

Area
(ft)
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.000
9.000
13.500

X
(ft)
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.000
6.000
5.250

Moment
(ft)
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.000
54.000
70.875

Y
(ft)
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.000
10.500
7.500

Moment
(ft)
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.000
94.500
101.250

2
1

6.0
7.5

h=

3.0
3.0
12.0

1.50
0.00

18.000
22.500
63.000

4.500
3.750
4.607

81.000
84.375
290.250

4.500
1.500
4.929

81.000
33.750
310.500

1 COULOMB'S THEORY
BACK
Active earth pressure
coefficient

Sin(+)

Ka =
Sin

0.989

Sin(-)

0.959

0.687
1.814
0.379
Active soil thrust

Active surcharge thrust

Horizontal active soil thrust

Ps =

0.5Kas

3372.263

lb/ft

Pq =

Sin
Sin(+)

KaqH

0.995
0.910

678.168

740.835

lb/ft

Phs =
=

Horizontal active surcharge

thrust

Phq =
=

Vertical active soil thrust

Pvs =
=

Vertical active surcharge

thrust

Pvq =

PsCos(- )
3235.059

PqCos(- )
710.693

Backfill slope

lb/ft

PsSin(- )
952.130

lb/ft

PqSin(- )

209.168

p =
p =
=
p =

0.000
90-p
90.000
0.000

FRONT
Inclination angle to vertical
Front face angle to horizontal

lb/ft

lb/ft

1+

0.687
1+

Sin(+)
Sin(-)

Sin(-)
Sin(+)

0.771
0.959

0.166
0.910

Angle of wall friction

p =

Passive earth pressure

coefficient

Kp =

0.000
Sin(-)
Sin

Sin(+)

1.000

1.000

1-

0.780
1-

Sin(+)
Sin(+)

Sin(+)
Sin(+)

0.469
1.000

0.469
1.000

0.780
0.281
2.770
Passive soil thrust

Pp =

0.5Kps

1558.027

lb/ft

2 Check Overturning:
Vertical distance to Phs

Yhs =
=

Vertical distance to Phq

Yhq =
=

Overturning moment

Weight of Gabion

ft

H/2-BSin
ft

Mo =

YhsPhs +

YhqPhq

14016.823

ft-lb / ft

Wg =

Xg =
=

Horizontal distance to Pvs

3.194

5.183

=
Horizontal distance to Wg

H/3-BSin

Xvs =

A g
6085.800

Ysin

5.097

B/Cos +

lb / ft

XCos
ft

(H/3-BSin)Tan

7.877
Horizontal distance to Pvq

Xvq =

B/Cos +

(H/2-BSin)Tan

8.086
Vertical distance to Pp

YPp =
=

Resisting moment

Mr =

d/3
1.000

Wg Xg +

Pvs Xvs + Pvq Xvq +

PpYPp

=
Overturning factor of safety

41769.145

SFo =

ft-lb / ft

Mr
Mo
2.980

2.000

O.K

WgCos +

PsSin +

PqSin -

PpSin

7456.983

lb/ft

Tan

7456.983

0.532

3964.948

3 Check Sliding

W =

Total Normal forces

Ff

Frictional force

Total Resisting Forces

Total Driving Forces at base

Fr =

Ff + CosPp

5514.440

Fd =

PsCos +

PqCos -

WgSin

1.741

1.500

O.K

0.5 B

( Mr

3166.609

SFs =

Siding factor of safety

Fr
Fd

4 Check the Eccentricity of Resultant Force

(Resultant is in middle one third)

Eccentricity

Mo)

W
=

3.750

3.722

-B/6

0.028

-1.250

O.K

+B/6

1.250

O.K

5 Check Bearing
Applied bearing pressure

Left

W
B

(1

6e/B)

994.264

(1

0.023

1016.810

psf

)
2000.000

O.K

Right

971.719

psf

2000.000

O.K

Additional calculations may have to be performed including and not limiting to global stability analysis (by
(Geotechnical Engineer), seismic forces (by Seismic Engineer) and hydraulic forces (by Hydraulic Engineer).
Please check local, State and Federal requirements. The calculator assumes drained uniformed retained and foundation
soil properties. The calculations should be reviewed, checked and certified by a Professional Engineer. To the best of our
knowledge, the calculator and information was prepared accurately. Terra Aqua is not responsible for the reliability and
validity of the geotechnical parameters assumed in the calculations. The calculator is intended to provided design
design assistance to the engineer for the purpose of designing with Terra Aqua products.