Tutorial

Lateral Earth Pressure: Coulomb’s

Method
Sem 1 2020/2021
Problem 1
A 10-m high concrete retaining wall (gravity
type) having a vertical backface supports a
cohesionless soil backfill sloping at an inclination
of =20 with the horizontal. The retained soil
has the following properties; =17kN/m3, =34
.
a) Calculate PA using the Rankine theory
b) Calculate PA using the Coulomb theory,
assuming a wall-friction angle equal to 10 .
 a) Rankine
• Use table to solve for the problem or
• Use equation

cos  cos   cos  '

2 2
K a  cos .
cos  cos   cos  '
2 2
Using Equation; with   20,  = 17kN/m3,  
34, Ka = 0.338.

Pa = ½ H2 Ka = ½ (17)(102)(0.338) = 287.3kN/m

What would be the angle of the force?

=
 b) Coulomb
• Use the given table to solve for the problem or
• Use equation
cos2 ( ' )
Ka  2
 sin( ' ' ) sin( ' ) 
cos  cos( ' ) 1 
2

 cos( ' ) cos(   ) 

 = adhesion or friction
between wall and soil

 = is angle of the wall

Using Equation; with =0,   20,  = 17kN/m3,
 = 34,  = 10, Ka = 0.343.

Pa = ½ H2 Ka = ½ (17)(102)(0.343) = 291.6kN/m

What would be the angle of the force?

Problem 2
Details of a gravity-retaining wall
are shown in the Figure. The unit
weight of the wall material being
23.5kN/m3. The unit weight of the
backfill is 18kN/m3 and c’=0 and
’=33. The value of  between
wall and backfill and between wall
and foundation soil is 26. The
pressure on the foundation soil
should not exceed 250kN/m2.
(1) Find the Lateral Force acting
based on Coulomb’s analysis.
(2) What are the other forces
considered in a retaining wall
design?
With values of = 10,   20,  = 18kN/m3,  =
33,  = 26, Ka = 0.485.

Pa = ½ H2 Ka = ½ (18)(62)(0.485) = 157.14kN/m

Acting 1/3 height and at 26  above the normal.

TOE HEEL
The other forces are: (1) Weight of the wall (2) Sliding Force (3)
Bearing Pressure of Soil
Taking moments about toe of the wall

A stability check is to verify that a gravity wall shall withstand (1)

bearing failure (2) overturning (3) sliding