NPTEL - ADVANCED FOUNDATION ENGINEERING-1

Module 7
(Lecture 25)
RETAINING WALLS

Topics

Check for Bearing Capacity Failure

Example
Factor of Safety Against Overturning
Factor of Safety Against Sliding
Factor of Safety Against Bearing Capacity Failure

1.6 OTHER TYPES OF POSSIBLE RETAINING WALL FAILURE

Check for Bearing Capacity Failure

The vertical pressure as transmitted to the soil by the base slab of the retaining wall should be
checked against the ultimate bearing capacity of the soil. The nature of variation of the vertical
pressure transmitted by the base slab into the soil is shown in figure 7.10. Note that
q toe and q heel are the maximum and the minimum pressures occurring at the ends of the toe and
heel sections, respectively. The magnitudes of q toe and q heel can be determined in the following
manner.

NPTEL - ADVANCED FOUNDATION ENGINEERING-1

Figure 7.10 Check for bearing capacity failure

The sum of the vertical forces acting on the base slab is (see column 3, table 2), and the
horizontal force is cos . Let R be the resultant force, or

=
+ ( cos )

[7.15]

The net moment of these forces about point C (figure 7.10) is

net =

[7.16]

Note that the values of and have been previously determined (see column 5, table 2
and equation (3)]. Let the line of action of the resultant, R, interest the base slab at E, as shown in
figure 7.10. The distance then is

= = net

[7.17]

Hence the eccentricity of the resultant, R, may be expressed as

= 2

[7.18]

The pressure distribution under the base slab may be determined by using the simple principles
of mechanics of materials:

NPTEL - ADVANCED FOUNDATION ENGINEERING-1

=

Where

net

[7.19]

net = moment = ( )

= moment of inertia per unit length of the base section = 121 (1)(2 )

For maximum and minimum pressures, the value of y in equation (19) equals /2. Substituting
the preceding values into equation (19) gives

()(1)

max = toe =
Similarly,

min = heel =

2
1
( 2 )
12

( )

1 +

[7.20]

[7.21]

Note that includes the soil weight, as shown in table 2, and that, when the value of the
eccentricity, e, becomes greater than /6, min becomes negative [equation (21)]. Thus, there
will be some tensile stress at the end of the heel section. This stress is not desirable because the
tensile strength of soil is very small. If the analysis of a design shows that > /6, the design
should be reproportioned and calculations redone.
The relationships for the ultimate bearing capacity of a shallow foundation were discussed in
chapter 3. Recall that
= 2 + + 122
Where

= 2

= 2

= 1 + 0.4

= 1 + 2 tan 2 (1 sin 2 )2
= 1

= = 1 90

= 1
2

[7.22]

NPTEL - ADVANCED FOUNDATION ENGINEERING-1

= tan1

cos

Note that the shape factors , , and given in chapter 3 are equal to 1 because they can be
treated as a continuous foundation. For this reason, the shape factors are not shown in equation
(22).
Once the ultimate bearing capacity of the soil has been calculated by using equation (22), the
factor of safety against bearing capacity failure can be determined.
(bearing

capacity )

[7.23]

max

Generally, a factor of safety of 3 is required. In chapter 3 we noted that the ultimate bearing
capacity of shallow foundations occurs at a settlement of about 10% of the foundation width. In
the case of retaining walls, the width B is large. Hence the ultimate load will occur at a fairly
large foundation settlement. A factor of safety of 3 against bearing capacity failure may not
ensure, in all cases, that settlement of the structure will be within the tolerable limit. Thus this
situation needs further investigation.
Example 1
The cross section of a cantilever retaining wall is shown in figure 7.11. Calculate the factors of
safety with respect ot overturning and sliding and bearing capacity.

Figure 7.11

NPTEL - ADVANCED FOUNDATION ENGINEERING-1

Solution
Referring to figure 7.11,
= 1 + 2 + 3 = 2.6 tan 10 + 6 + 0.7 = 0.458 + 6 + 0.7 = 7.158 m

The Rankine active force per unit length of wall= = 121 2 . For 1 = 30 , = 10 , is
equal to 0.350 (table 2 from chapter 6). Thus,
= 12(18)(7.158)2 (0.35) = 161.4 kN/m

= sin 10 = 161.4(sin 10 ) = 28.03 kN/m

= cos 10 = 161.4(cos 10 ) = 158.95 kN/m

Factor of Safety Against Overturning

The following table can now be prepared for determination of the resisting moment:
Section no.
1
2
3
4
5

Area (2 )
6 0.5 = 3

70.74

Moment from C Moment

(kN/m)
(kN m)
1.15

81.35

14.15

0.833

11.79

4 0.7 = 2.8

66.02

2.0

132.04

280.80

2.7

758.16

1
(2.6)(0.458)
2

10.71

3.13

33.52

1
(0.2)6
2

= 0.6

6 2.6 = 15.6

Weight/unit
length (kN/m)

= 0.595
=
28.03

4.0

= 470.45

1128.98
For section numbers, refer to figure 7.11,

concrete = 2358 kN/m3

112.12
=

NPTEL - ADVANCED FOUNDATION ENGINEERING-1

The overturning moment,

7.158

= 3 = 158.95
(overturning

= 379.25 kN m

1128 .98
379.25

= 2.98 > 2 OK

Factor of Safety Against Sliding

From equation (11)
(sliding ) =

( ) tan ( 1 2 )+ 2 2 +
cos

Let 1 = 2 = 23
Also

= 12 2 2 + 22
= tan2 45 +

= 1.5 m

= tan2 (45 + 10) = 2.04

So

= 12(2.04)(19)(1.5)2 + 2(40)(2/04) (1.5)

= 43.61 + 171.39 = 215 kN/m
Hence

(sliding ) =
=

(470.45)tan

111.5+106.67+215
158.95

220
2
+(4) (40)+215
3
3

158.95

= 2.73 > 1.5 OK

Note: For some designs, the depth D for passive pressure calculation may be taken to be equal to
the thickness of the base slab.
Factor of Safety Against Bearing Capacity Failure
Combining equations (16, 17 and 18),

= 2

= 0.406m <

=2

1128 .98379.25
470.45

= 6 = 0.666 m

NPTEL - ADVANCED FOUNDATION ENGINEERING-1

Again, from equations (20 and 21)
toe
heel
=

470.45
4

60.406

189.2 kN/m2 (toe)

45.9 kN/m2 (heel)

The ultimate bearing capacity of the soil can be determined from equation (22):
= 2 + + 122

For 2 = 20 (table 4 from chapter 3), = 14.83, = 6.4 and = 5.39. Also
= 2 = (19)(1.5) = 28.5 kN/m2

= 2 = 4 2(0.406) = 3.188 m

1.5

= 1 + 0.4 = 1 + 0.4 3.188 = 1.188

1.5

= 1 + 2 tan 2 (1 sin 2 )2 = 1 + 0.315 3.188 = 1.148

= 1

= = 1 90
cos

= tan1
So

= = 1

2
158.95

= tan1 470.45 = 18.67

18.67

90

= 0.628

= 1 = 1

18.67

Hence

20

= (40)(14.83)(1.188)(0.628) + (28.5)(6.4)(1.148)(0.628) + 12(19)(5.93)(3.188)(1)(0)

= 442.57 + 131.50 + 0 = 574.07 kN/m2
(bearing

capacity )

Example 2

toe

574.07
189.2

= 3.03 > 3 OK

A concrete gravity retaining wall is shown in figure 7.12. Determine

a. The factor of safety against overturning

NPTEL - ADVANCED FOUNDATION ENGINEERING-1

b. The factor of safety against sliding
c. The pressure on the soil at the toe and heel

Figure 7.12
(Note: Unit weight of concrete = = 150 lb/ft 3 ).
Solution

= 15 + 2.5 = 17.5 ft
= tan2 45

1
2

= tan2 45

30
2

=3

= 12( )2 = 12(121)(17.5)2 13 = 6176 lb/ft

= 6.716 kip/ft
Since = 0

= = 6.176 kip/ft
= 0

Part a: Factor of Safety Against Overturning

NPTEL - ADVANCED FOUNDATION ENGINEERING-1

The following table can now be prepared to obtain :
Area (from figure Weight (kip)
7. 12)

Moment arm from C(ft)

1
(0.8)(15)( )
2

= 0.9

(1.5)(15)( )
= 3.375

1
(5.25)(15)( )
2

= 5.906

1.605

1.25 + 0.8 + 0.75 = 2.8

9.45

5.25
3
= 5.3

1.25 + 0.8 + 1.5 +

1
(5.25)(15)(0.121)
2

1.25 + 0.8 + 1.5

2
+ 3(5.25)
= 7.05

33.59

(1.5)(15)(0.121)=
2.723

1.25 + 0.8 + 1.5 + 5.25

+ 0.75
= 9.55

26.0

21.531
The overturning moment
=

17.5

(overturning

(6.176) = 36.03 kip/ft

121.84
36.03

= 3.38

Part b: Factor of Safety Against Sliding

From equation (11), with 1 = 2 = 23 and assuming that = 0,
(sliding ) =

2
3

2
3

tan 2 + 2

about

31.30

19.89

= 4.764
6

1.25 + 3(0.8) = 1.783

10.3
= 5.15
2

(10.3)(2.5)( )
= 3.863

Moment
(kip/ft)

121.84 =

NPTEL - ADVANCED FOUNDATION ENGINEERING-1

=
=

21.531 tan
5.1+6.87
6.176

220
2
+10.3 (1.0)
3
3

6.176

= 1.94

Part c: Pressure on the Soil at the Toe and Heel

From equations (16, 17 and 18),

= 2
toe =

heel =

1 +

V
B

Example 3

6e

6e

10.3
2

21.531

10.3

121.8436.03

1 +

21.531
10.3

21.531

= 5.15 3.99 = 1.16 ft

(6)(1.16)

10.3

= 3.5 kip/ft 2

(6)(1.16)
10.3

= 0.678 kip/ft 2

Repeat example 2 and use Coulombs active pressure for calculation and = 2/3.
Solution

Refer to figure 7.13 for the pressure calculation:

Figure 7.13
= 23 = 23(30) = 20

From table 5 (chapter 6), = 0.4794( = 0 , = 70 ), so

NPTEL - ADVANCED FOUNDATION ENGINEERING-1

= 12(0.121)(17.5)2 (0.4794) = 8.882 kip/ft

= cos 40 = (8.882)(cos 40) = 6.8 kip/ft

= sin 40 = 5.71 kip/ft

Part a: Factor of Safety Against Overturning

Refer to figure 7. 14 and 12.
Area (from figure 7. Weight (kip)
12 and 14)

1.783

1.605

5.906

5.3

31.30

1.25 + 0.8 + 1.5 + 5.25

121
= 7.59

43.34

3.375

3.863

= 5.71

19.75

Same as in example 2
The overturning moment is
=
Hence

= (6.8)

(overturning

17.5

105.6

Moment
(kip/ft)

0.9

1
2

Moment arm from C(ft)

= 39.67 kip/ft

= 39.67 = 2.66

2.8

9.46

5.15

19.89

105.6

about

NPTEL - ADVANCED FOUNDATION ENGINEERING-1

Figure 7.14
Part b: Factor of Safety Against Sliding
(sliding ) =
=

tan 23 2 +23 2

19.75 tan 23(20)+10.323 (1.0)

6.8

= 1.7

Part c: Pressure on the Soil at the Toe and Heel

= 2
toe =

19.75

heel =

10.3

1 +

19.75
10.3

10.3
2

(6)(1.8)

10.3

(105.639.67)
19.67

= 1.8 ft

= 3.93 kip/ft 2

(6)(1.8)
10.3

= 0.093 kip/ft 2 0

OTHER TYPES OF POSSIBLE RETAINING WALL FAILURE

In addition to the three types of possible failure for retaining walls discussed in section 4, two
other types of failure could occur: shallow shear failure and deep shear failure.
Shallow shear failure in soil below the base of a retaining wall takes place along a cylindrical
surface passing through the heel, as shown in figure 7.15a. The center of the arc of the
circle is located at , which is found by trial and error (corresponds to the minimum factor
of safety). This type of failure can occur as the result of excessive induced shear stress along the

NPTEL - ADVANCED FOUNDATION ENGINEERING-1

cylindrical surface in soil. In general, the factor of safety against horizontal sliding is lower than
the factor of safety obtained by shallow shear failure, if (sliding ) is greater than about 1.5,
shallow shear failure under the base may not occur.

Figure 7.15 (a) Shallow shear failure; (b) deep shear failure
Deep shear failure can occur along a cylindrical surface as shown in figure 7.15b, as the
result of the existence of a weak layer of soil underneath the wall at a depth of about 1.5 times
the width of the retaining wall. In such cases, the critical cylindrical failure surface has to be
determined by trial and error with various centers, such as O (figure 7.15b). The failure surface
along which the minimum factor of safety is obtained is the critical surface of sliding. For the
backfill slope with less than about 10 , the critical failure circle apparently passes through the
edge of the heel slab (such as in figure 7.15b). In this situation, the minimum factor of
safety also has to be determined by trial and error by changing the center of the trial circle.
The following is an approximate procedure for determining the factor of safety against deepseated shear failure for a gently sloping backfill ( < 10 ) developed by Teng (1962). Refer to
7.16.

NPTEL - ADVANCED FOUNDATION ENGINEERING-1

Figure 7.16 Deep shear failure analysis

1. Draw the retaining wall and the underlying soil layer to a convenient scale.
2. For a trial center O, draw an arc of a circle . For all practical purposes, the weight of
the soil in the area is symmetrical about the vertical line drawn through point O.
let the radius of the trial circle be r.
3. To determine the driving force on the failure surface causing instability (figure 7.16a),
divide the area in the zone into several slices. These slices can be treated as
rectangles or triangles, as the case may be.
4. Determine the area of each of these slices and then determine the weight W of the soil
(and/or concrete) contained inside each slice (per unit length of the wall).
5. Draw a vertical line through the centroid of each slice, and locate the point of intersection
of each vertical line with the trial failure circle.
6. Join point O (that is, the center of the trial circles) with the points of intersection as
determined in step 5.
7. Determine the angle, , that each vertical line makes with the radial line.

NPTEL - ADVANCED FOUNDATION ENGINEERING-1

8. Calculate sin for each slice.
9. Determine the active force on the face , 121 2 .
10. Calculate the total driving force:
( sin ) +
Where

[7.24]

= perpendicular distance between the line of action of and the center

11. To determine the resisting force on the failure surface (figure 7.16b), divide the area in
the zones and into several slices, and determine the weight of each slice, 1
(per unit length of the wall). Note that points and are on top of the soft clay layer; the
weight of each slice shown in figure 7.16b is 1 is contrast to the weight of each slice W,
as shown in figure 7.16a.
12. Draw a vertical line through the centroid of each slice and locate the point of intersection
of each line with the trial failure circle.
13. Join point O with the points of intersection as determined in step 12. Determine the
angles, 1 , that the vertical lines make with the radial lines.
14. For each slice, obtain
1 tan 2 cos 1

15. Calculate

2 2 + 3 2 + 2 3

Where 1 , 2 , and 3 are the lengths of the arcs , , and

16. The maximum resisting force that can be derived along the failure surface is
(1 tan 2 cos 1 ) + 2 2 + 3 2 + 2 3

[7.25]

17. Determine the factor of safety against deep shear failure for this trial failure surface:
(deep

shear failure )

(1 tan 2 cos 1 )+2 2 +3 2 +2 3

( sin )+

[7.26]

Several other trial failure surfaces may be drawn, and the factor of safety can be determined in a
similar manner. The lowest value of the factor for safety obtained from all trial surfaces is the
desired factor of safety.