FOUNDATION ENGINEERING

Design of Cantilever Retaining Wall

EXAMPLE 2
Design of the Cantilever Retaining Wall shown below. The design should include
a) Checking against failure by i) sliding, ii) overturning, and iii) bearing capacity.
b) Checking the concrete thickness (Stem and Base)
c) Determining the reinforcements at the base and stem
Given fc = 21 MPa and fy = 275 MPa.

Cross-section of cantilever retaining wall

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Foundation Engineering / Chapter 6

Cantilever Retaining Wall / Example 2
Dr. Adnan A. Basma

SOLUTION:
Start by assuming the dimensions using H = H2 = 6 m
Use tt = 0.5 m
Thickness of stem at the top, tt = min. 0.3 cm
Thickness of stem at bottom, tb = 0.1 to 0.15 H or 0.6 to 0.9 m
Use tb =
0.7 m
Thickness of base, d = 0.1 to 0.15 H or 0.6 to 0.9 m
Use d = 0.7 m
Dimension of base, B = 0.6 to 0.8 H or 3.6 to 4.8 m
Use B = 4.0 m
Check your assumed dimensions for (a) sliding (SF ! 1.5), (b) overturning (SF !
2.0), and (c) bearing capacity (SF ! 2.5)
From the figure
H = H1 + H2 + H3 = 2.6 tan10 + 6 + 0.7 = 7.158 m
The active force on the wall is calculated by: Pa = "1 H2 Ka For #1 = 30o and slope
angle $ = 10o, Ka = 0.35. Therefore,
Pa = (18) (7.158)2 (0.35) = 161.4 kN /m
Pv = Pa sin10o = 161.4 % 0.174 = 28.03 kN /m
Ph = Pa cos10o = 161.4 % 0.985 = 158.95 kN /m
The following table is prepared to determine the resisting forces and moments
Area
(m3)

Section
1
2
3
4
5

6 x 0.5 = 3
0.5x0.2x6 = 0.6
4 x 0.7 = 2.8
6 x 2.6 = 15.6
0.5 x 2.6 x 0.458 = 0.595
PV =

Weight and
Vertical Force
(kN/m)
70.74
15.15
66.02
280.80
10.71
28.03

&V =

470.45

Moment Arm
From C (m)

Moment
(kN-m)

1.15
0.83
2.00
2.70
3.13
4.00

81.38
11.79
132.04
758.16
33.52
112.12

&MR =

1128.98

Weight = Area x 1.0 x ", "Concrete = 23.58 kN/m3

Factor of Safety Against Overturning
MOV = Ph (H/3) = 158.95 (7.158/3) = 379.25 kN.m / m
SFOV =

( MR
M

OV

'

(Driving moment)

1128.98
' 2.98 > 2.0 OK
379.25

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Foundation Engineering / Chapter 6

Cantilever Retaining Wall / Example 2
Dr. Adnan A. Basma

Factor of Safety Against Sliding

The normal (vertical) forces N = (V = 470.45 kN (from the table)
The Friction force at the base of the wall
F = B (2/3 c2) + (V tan(2/3 #2) = (4) (2/3 % 20) + (470.45) tan(2/3 % 20) = 218.2 kN
By including the passive force Pp, the total force resisting sliding is FRS = F + Pp

where Pp = "2 D2 Kp + D 2 c k p with Kp = tan2(45 + 20/2) = 2.04 and

PP = (19) (1.5)2 (2.04) + (1.5) 2 % 40 2.04 = 215 kN

Therefore: FRS = 218.2 + 215 = 433.2 kN

The safety factor against sliding failure is thus defined as:
F
433.2
SFS = RS =
= 2.73 > 1.5
Ph
158.95

OK

Bearing Capacity:
The eccentricity is calculated by:
e'B,
2

q toe '
heel

(M

, (M

OV

(V

'

4 1128.98 , 379.25
B
,
' 0.406m + ' 0.666m
2
470.45
6

( V 21 3 6e / ' 470.45. 21 3 6 % 0.406 / = 189.2 kN/m2 (toe)

0
0
B 1

B.

= 45.99 kN/m2 (heel)

OK

The ultimate bearing capacity can be calculated by

1
qu (net) = cNc s c dc ic 4 q(Nq - 1) sq dq iq + "B N" s" d" i "
2
Bearing Capacity Factors:
# = 205, Nc = 14.83, Nq = 6.4, N" = 5.39

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Foundation Engineering / Chapter 6

Cantilever Retaining Wall / Example 2
Dr. Adnan A. Basma

Eccentricity: B' = 4 - 2(0.406) = 3.188 m,

Shape Factors: sc = sq = s"6= 1.0 (continuous base)
Depth Factors: With D/B = 1.5/4 < 1 then
dc = 1 + 0.4 (1.5/4) = 1.15
dq = 1 + 2 tan20 [1 - sin20]2 (1.5/4) = 1.12
d" = 1
= P :
= 158.95 :
o
Inclination: 7 = tan ,1 ;; h 88 ' tan ,1 ;
8 ' 18.7
< 470.45 9
<(V9
2

= 18.7 :
ic = iq = ;1 ,
8 ' 0.628 and
90 9
<

= 18.7 :
i" = ; 1 ,
8 >0
20 9
<

qult(net) = (40) (14.53) (1.0) (1.15) (0.628) + (1.5%19) (6.4 - 1) (1.0) (1.12) (0.628)
+ (1/2) (19) (3.188) (5.39) (1.0) (1.0) % 0
= 419.7 + 108.2 = 527.9 kPa

SFBC =

qu
527.9
=
= 2.79 > 2.5
qmax 189.2

OK

Check the thickness of the concrete at the bottom of the stem

The ultimate shear strength of the concrete is calculated by vc = 4.56 21000 = 660.8
kPa. The depth at the bottom of the stem H = 0.458+6=6.458 m. Therefore, the
ultimate shear force at the bottom of the stem
Vu= ku Phb = k [( "1 H2 Ka )(cos $)]
where ku is an ultimate factor ranging from 1.4 to 1.8. Using ku = 1.8,
Vu = 1.8%[ (18) (6.458)2 (0.35) % (cos10)] = 232.9 kN
Thus, the ultimate shear stress at the bottom of the stem is
vu = Vu / (t'b%1.0) = 232.9 / (0.7,0.2) = 465.8 kPa < 660.8

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OK

Foundation Engineering / Chapter 6

Cantilever Retaining Wall / Example 2
Dr. Adnan A. Basma

Shear and Moments in the base (Toe and Heel)

The pressure distribution on the base is shown below
PV = 28.03 kN
[(6+6.46)/2]%18
= 112.14 kPa
19(1.5-0.7) = 15.2 kPa

Toe

Heel
46 kPa

189.2 kPa

xh
slope s = (189.2-46)/4 = 35.8
xt

Equations of the toe

Equations for the heel

q = (-15.2 + 189.2) - 35.8 xt

q = (46 - 112.14) + 35.8 xh

V = 174 xt - 17.9 xt2

V = -66.14 xt + 17.9 xh2 - 28.03

M = 87 xt2 - 5.97 xt3

M = -33.07 xh2 + 5.97 xh3 -28.03 xh

At point A, xt = 0.7m, therefore,

At point B, xh = 2.6m, therefore,

M(xt = 0.7m) = 40.6 kN.m /m

M(xh = 2.6m) = ,190.5 kN.m /m

Mu = 1.4 % 40.6 = 56.8 kN.m /m

Mu = 1.4 % (,190.5) = ,268.1 kN.m /m

V(xt = 0.7m) = 113 kN /m

V(xh = 2.6m) = 79 kN /m

Vu = 1.8 % 113 = 203.4 kN /m

Vu = 1.8 % 79 = 142.2 kN /m

vu = 203.4/(0.5%1.0) = 406.8 kPa

vu = 142.2/(0.5%1.0) = 284.4 kPa

< 660.8

OK

< 660.8

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OK

Foundation Engineering / Chapter 6

Cantilever Retaining Wall / Example 2
Dr. Adnan A. Basma

Shear and Moments in Stem

The equation for the active pressure on the stem can be written as:
pa(z) = ("1 Ka cos $) z = (18 % 0.35 % cos 10 ) z = 6.2 z

for

0 ? z ? 6.4

The ultimate shear and bending moment equations are obtained by integrating the
function of pa and multiplying by the ultimate factor ku (1.8 is used for shear and 1.4
for moment). Thus,
Vu(z) = 3.1 z2 % 1.8 = 5.6 z2

Mu(z) = 1.03 z3 % 1.4 = 1.44 z3

and

The variation of the thickness of the stem can be expressed, as a function of z, by

the following equation: t(z) = 0.5 + [(0.7-0.5)/6] z, where z is measured from the top
of the stem thus z = z - 0.46; therefore, t(z) = 0.5 + 0.033 (z - 0.46)
Stem

Location
0H

z, m
0.46

t, m
0.5

Vu, kN
1.2

vu, kPa*
4.0

Mu, kN.m
0.14

p**, %
pmin

0.25H

1.96

0.55

21.8

62.3

11.1

pmin

0.5H

3.46

0.60

67.9

169.8

60.9

pmin

0.75H

4.96

0.65

139.5

310.0

179.4

pmin

1.0H

6.46

0.70

232.9

465.8

396.3

0.68

* vu = Vu / [(t , 0.2)%1.0] these values must be ? 660.8 kPa

** for fc = 21 MPa and fy = 275 MPa, pmin = 0.51% and pmax = 2.62%
Reinforcement:
Both the moments in toe and heel with d = 0.5, produce a percent steel < pmin @
use pmin = 0.51%. All locations in the stem also produce p < pmin except the bottom
where p = 0.68%. Therefore, the required reinforcement is As = (0.5 m%1.00m) %
0.51/100 = 0.00255 m2 = 25.5 cm2. For the bottom of the stem As =
(0.6m%1.00m)%0.68/100= 0.0041m2 = 41 cm2. From the table use: #26@14cm c-c
for the bottom of the stem and #26@25cm c-c elsewhere. The final plan is shown on
the next page.

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Foundation Engineering / Chapter 6

Cantilever Retaining Wall / Example 2
Dr. Adnan A. Basma

Final Design Plan

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Foundation Engineering / Chapter 6

Cantilever Retaining Wall / Example 2
Dr. Adnan A. Basma