CE4202 Geotechnical Design

Tutorial – Lateral earth pressure

Q1.

(a) Taking , and , plot the Mohr-Coulomb failure

envelope.
(b) Draw the Mohr circle for initial stress state of soil at a depth of 8 m. Take
(c) Demonstrate the active and passive pressure for the soil at this depth on your
diagram. Hence, determine the numerical values for active and passive pressure.
(d) Calculate active and passive pressure using Rankine equation.
(Use scale of 10 mm = 20 kPa)

Q2.

0m
Sand 𝜑 ,𝛾 8 𝑘𝑁 𝑚

2m
𝜑 ,𝑐 𝑘𝑁 𝑚2
Clayey Sand
𝛾 6 𝑘𝑁 𝑚
4m

𝜑 ,𝑐 𝑘𝑁 𝑚2
Clayey Sand
𝛾𝑠𝑎𝑡 𝑘𝑁 𝑚
6m

Calculate the active force on the retaining wall assuming that wall back is smooth.

Q3.

𝜑
1.2 m

Sand
𝛾 6 𝑘𝑁 𝑚
6.0 m

Determine the Rankine active

𝜑
Sand force and location of the resultant
𝛾𝑠𝑎𝑡 9 𝑘𝑁 𝑚
Q4.

Soft saturated clay

6.0 m

𝛾 6 𝑘𝑁 𝑚

𝐶𝑢 𝑘𝑃𝑎

𝜑𝑢

Determine the Rankine active force and location of the resultant

Q5. A rough vertical wall 6 m high retains a sloping backfill inclined at an angle to the
horizontal, rising away from the backfill. The backfill is a stiff clay with effective shear
strength parameters , and . Calculate the active force on the wall
using Coulomb’s trial wedge method.

Wall adhesion
2
Interface friction angle

Bulk density of the backfill material is

Q6. Following diagram shows a rough-surfaced concrete wall with a sloping back retained
sand with an irregular ground surface. The soil sits on impervious bedrock and is
submerged to a height of 3 m. A trial wedge analysis is required for the determination of
active thrust and four trial slip surfaces AC, AD, AE and AF are shown. The total
weights of each potential failure “wedge” have been calculated and tabulated with other
data below.

Wedge W (total) kN/m

ABCA 117 AC 80
ABCDA 185 AD 67
ABCDEA 294 AE 55
ABCDEFA 434 AF 45
(a) Sketch a typical wedge at angle and show all the forces acting on it together with the
angles between their lines of action and the horizontal (or vertical). Tabulate values of
these angles for the four wedges shown.
(b) Calculate and tabulate values of all water forces required in the analysis.
(c) Using a scale of 10 mm=20 kN/m, draw a set of vector polygons and hence determine
the Active force for this wall. F
E
D
C

B
Sand

𝜑 6 ,𝛿 4

𝛾 𝑘𝑁 𝑚
(above WT)
5.0 m

3.0 m
𝛾𝑠𝑎𝑡 8 𝑘𝑁 𝑚

𝜃 (below WT)

A
 4.5 m 7.5 m

Q7. 𝑞 𝑘𝑁 𝑚2

Compacted soil fill

𝜑 4 8 ,𝛿 9
6.0 m
𝑐 8 𝑘𝑃𝑎, 𝑐𝑤 6 𝑘𝑃𝑎

𝛾 8 𝑘𝑁 𝑚

2.0 m

Determine the active force.