Lecture 3.
3
Lateral Earth Pressure
LATERAL EARTH PRESSURE
▪ AT-REST LATERAL EARTH PRESSURE
❖ Earth Pressure At-Rest (Case 1)
▪ RANKINE’S LATERAL EARTH PRESSURE
❖ Active Pressure (Case 2)
❖ Passive Pressure (Case 3)
LATERAL EARTH PRESSURE
At-Rest Pressure, Active, and Passive
Pressures Coefficient
The mass is bounded by a frictionless wall of height
AB. A soil element located at a depth z is subjected to
a vertical effective pressure, 𝜎𝑜′ , and horizontal
effective pressure, 𝜎ℎ′ . There are no shear stresses on
the vertical and horizontal planes of the soil element.
AT-REST LATERAL
EARTH PRESSURE
Case 1: At-Rest Earth Pressure
If the wall AB is static—that is, if it
does not move either to the right or to
the left of its initial position—the soil
mass will be in a state of static
equilibrium. In that case, 𝜎ℎ′ is
referred to as the at-rest earth
pressure, or
𝐾𝑜 = at-rest earth pressure coefficient
Case 1: At-Rest Earth Pressure
For coarse-grained soils, the
coefficient of earth pressure at rest
can be estimated by using the
empirical relationship (Jaky, 1944)
∅′ = drained angle of friction
Case 1: At-Rest Earth Pressure
(Pressure Diagram)
Distribution of lateral earth pressure at-rest on a wall
Case 1: At-Rest Earth Pressure
(Pressure Diagram)
Distribution of earth pressure at-rest for partially submerged soil
RANKINE’S LATERAL
EARTH PRESSURE
Case 2: Active Pressure
If the frictionless wall rotates
sufficiently about its bottom to a
position of A’B, then a triangular soil
mass ABC’ adjacent to the wall will
reach a state of plastic equilibrium and
will fail sliding down the plane BC’. At
this time, the horizontal effective
stress, 𝜎ℎ′ = 𝜎𝑎′ , will be referred to as
active pressure. Now,
𝐾𝑎 = active earth pressure coefficient
Case 2: Active Pressure
Case 3: Passive Pressure
If the frictionless wall rotates
sufficiently about its bottom to a
position A’’B, then a triangular soil
mass ABC’’ will reach a state of plastic
equilibrium and will fail sliding upward
along the plane BC’’. The horizontal
effective stress at this time will be 𝜎ℎ′ =
𝜎𝑝′ , the so-called passive pressure. In
this case,
𝐾𝑝 = passive earth pressure coefficient
Case 3: Passive Pressure
Example 1:
Figure below shows a 4.5-m-high retaining wall. The wall is restrained
from yielding. Calculate the lateral force per unit length of the wall.
Also, determine the location of the resultant force from the bottom of
the wall. Assume that for sand OCR 1.5.
Example 2:
A retaining wall 5.8 m high supports soil that
has the following properties:
▪ Calculate the normal force acting at the back
of the wall assuming no tensile crack occurs
in the soil.
▪ Determine the active force acting on the wall
if tensile crack occurs in the soil.
▪ Find the location of tensile crack measured
from the surface of horizontal backfill.
Example 3:
The backfill behind the concrete
retaining wall weighs 115 pcf and the
angle of internal friction is 28 degrees.
The live load surcharge on the surface
of horizontal backfill is 220 psf. Unit
weight of concrete is 150pcf
▪ Determine the total active force
acting on the wall per unit width.
▪ Find the factor of safety against
overturning
Reminders
▪ Take home Quiz 3.2 Submission – December 6 (Online)
▪ Plate Submission – December 5 (Online)
▪ Best Notebook – December 10
▪ Final Exam – December 10
