LATERAL EARTH PRESSURE ACTIVE CONDITION

EXAMPLES

Example 1: A 6-m high retaining wall is to support a soil unit weight γ = 17.4kN/m 3, soil friction
angle ϕ = 26o, and cohesion c’ = 14.36kN/m2. Determine the Rankine active force per unit length of
the wall both before and after the tensile crack occurs, and determine the line of action of the
resultant in both cases.

Solution:
1. Solve for Rankine Active Coefficient

( )
'
2 ∅ 2
K a =tan 45− =tan ( 45−13 )=0.39
2
Hence:
√ K a=0.625
2. Active Force before the Tensile Crack Appeared

Before the tensile crack After the tensile crack

 1
Pa= γ H K a−2 c H √ K a
2 '
2

( kN
)
2 kN
( )
Pa= ( 0.5 ) 17.4 3 ( 6 m ) ( 0.39 ) −2 14.36 3 ( 6 m ) ( 0.625 )
m m
kN
Pa=14.45
m

The line of action of the resultant can be determines by taking the moment of the area of the
pressure diagrams about the bottom of the wall:

Before the tensile

H/2
H/3

1 1 kN
[( ) ]
Areaof a triangle= ( H ) ( γH K a ) = ( 6 ) 17.4 3 ( 6 ) ( 0.39 ) =122.16
2 2 m
kN
m

[
Areaof a rectangle=H [ 2 c √ K a ]= (6 ) ( 2 ) 14.36
'
( kN
m
2 ) ]
( 0.625 ) =107.7 kN
m

Thus,
Pa ( z )= Areaof a triangle ( moment arm )− Areaof rectangle (moment arm)
14.45 ( z )=122.16
6
3 ()
−107.7
6
2 ()
z=−5.45 m
z=5.45 m↓

3. Active Force after the Tensile Crack

zc=
2c
'
=
(
2 14.36
kN
m
2 ) =2.64 m
γ √ Ka kN
17.4 3 √( 0.625 )
m

1 1 kN
Pa= ( H−z c ) ( γH K a−2 c √ K a ) = ( 6−2.64 ) ( 22.77 )=38.25
'
2 2 m
Take note that Pa = 38.25 kN/m is the area of the hatched triangle. Hence, the line of action of the
resultant is:
z = (H – zc)/3
= (6 – 2.64)/3
= 1.12m

After the tensile crack

z = (H – zc)/3

Example 2: Assume that the retaining wall shown can yield sufficiently to develop an active state.
Determine the Rankine active force per unit length of the wall and the location of the resultant line
of action.

Solution:
1. Solve for Rankine Active Coefficient for the top layer of soil
If ϕ = 30o
 2
(
K a (1 )=tan 45−
∅'
2 ) 2
=tan ( 45−15 ) =
1
3

2. Solve for Rankine Active Coefficient for the bottom layer of soil
If ϕ = 36o

(
K a (2)=tan2 45−
∅'
2 )
=tan 2 ( 45−18 ) =0.26

3. Solve for the Pressure

Soil Pressure Water Pressure

diagram diagram

P1 = γH1Ka1
= 102(10)(1/3)
= 340 lb/ft2

P4 = γwH2
= 62.4(10)
= 624 lb/ft2

P2 = (γ)H1Ka2 P3 = (γsat – γw)H2Ka2 + P2

= (102)(10)(0.26) = (121 – 62.4)(10)(0.26) + 265.2
= 265.2 lb/ft2 = 417.6lb/ft2

Area of Triangle (1) = (1/2)(10)(340) = 1700 lb/ft

Area of Rectangle (2) = 10(265.2) = 2652 lb/ft
Area of Triangle (3) = (1/2)(10)(417.6 – 265.2) = 762 lb/ft
Area of Triangle (4) = (1/2)(10)(624) = 3120 lb/ft

The force per unit length is the sum of the areas = 8234 lb/ft

The distance of the line of action of the resultant force from the bottom of the wall can be
determined by taking the moment about the bottom of the wall.

z=
(
( 1700 ) 10+
10
3 )
+ ( 2652 )
10
2 ( )
+ ( 762+ 3120 )
10
3 ( )
=5.93 ft
8234