214.

5 Combination of Seismic Inertia Forces on Soil/Wall Mass and Dynamic Active Earth
Pressure on Abutments and Retaining walls:

The following loads/actions (earthquake effects) shall be considered while designing

abutments/retaining walls.

i. Active Earth pressure including seismic effect (dynamic increment) due to backfill and
Dead Load Surcharge, if present in accordance with clause 214.1.2 and 214.1.5. Live
load surcharge shall not be considered in seismic longitudinal case but shall be
considered in seismic transverse cases.
ii. Inertia forces acting on the mass of the abutment/retaining wall and the mass of the earth
fill resting over its foundation.
iii. Longitudinal Inertia forces on superstructure transferred through fixed bearings or
elastomeric bearings(when elastomeric bearings are used to transmit seismic action) or
connections (links/reaction blocks) and Transverse Inertia forces on superstructure
transferred through transverselyfixed or elastomeric bearingsor connections
(links/reaction blocks).
iv. Hydraulic pressure i.e. any hydrostatic or hydrodynamic pressures, including buoyancy, if
applicable when drainage arrangements are not provided. The direction of the action of
this force shall be in the direction of the action of inertia force on substructure.

In absence of a rigorous analysis considering soil structure interaction for computing the
combined effect of the above-mentioned seismic actions, the following simplified method may
be used.

Weight of soil mass resting on foundation (as stated in ii above) shall be considered in
computation of horizontal seismic force for the purpose of checking external stability i.e., for
checking base pressure, overturning and sliding and design offoundation.

The total longitudinal force (P seis) to be applied to the abutment/retaining wall due todynamic
earth pressureand inertial forces on soil mass& wall, shall be determined considering the
combined effect of (Paw)dyn,(Paq)dynand PIR in which

PSEIS=(Paw)dyn + (Paq)dyn+ PIR

(with appropriate combinations as given below in 214.5.1 to 214.5.4)

(Paw)dyn= dynamic lateral earth pressure force (including static component as per clause
214.1.2.1 and 214.1.5) due to retained earth fill (as shown in Fig. 14C)

(Paq)dyn =dynamic lateral earth pressure force (including static component as per clause
214.1.2.3 and 214.1.5) due to permanent surcharge, if any (as shown in Fig. 14 C).

PIR = Ahs (Ww+ Ws)

PIR = horizontal inertial force due to seismic loading of the wall& soil mass resting on
foundation

214.5.1Seismic Inertia Forces on Abutments/Retaining Walls

Following cases shall be considered for design:

(a) Retaining Walls and Abutments on open foundation with Free sliding bearing –
Seismic longitudinal case:

Ahs= horizontal seismic coefficient applied on weight of wall & soil mass, shall be taken= Z/2

The value of Ahs may be reduced to 50% x Z/2 =0.25 Z for retaining walls/abutments when
thesehave displacement of 25mm or more caused by dynamic lateral earth pressureincluding
static component.
 PIR = Ahs (Ww+ Ws)

Ww=weight of abutment including wall and base slab

Ws=weight of soil resting on base slab

(b) Abutments on Pile or Well foundationswith Free sliding bearing -Seismic

longitudinal case

The value of Ahs may be reduced to 50% x Z/2=0.25Z for abutments with deep
foundation(pile or well) when superstructure is supported on free sliding bearings and no
inertia forces are transferred from superstructure.

Here
PIR = Ahs (Ww+ Ws)

Ww=weight of abutment including wall, pile and pile cap or well cap and well by considering
variation of Ahsas per clause 4.7 of IRS SP 114.

Ws=weight of soil resting on well or pile cap

(c)Abutments on Open or Pile / Well foundationswith ElastomerBearings-Seismic

longitudinal case:

Seismic coefficient Ah on mass of superstructure, abutment walland well or pile cap when
elastomeric bearings are used to transmit seismic action, shall be calculated as per relevant
clauses of IRC:SP:114 by using appropriate Time period, Importance factor and Response
reduction factor. Inertia forces on soil mass for abutments resting on open foundations shall
be calculated by taking Ahs=Z/2 for displacement <25mm and Ahs=50% of Z/2=0.25Zfor
displacement> 25mm caused by dynamic lateral earth pressure including static component.
For abutments supported on deep foundations (pile/well), Ahs=0.25Z shall be considered.

In this case

PIR = Ahs(Ww+Ws) for open foundation and PIR = AhsWs for Pile/Well Foundation

Ww is weight of the base slab only and Ws=weight of soil resting on the base slab/ well or pile
cap

(d) Abutments connected to deckthrough fixed bearings or through seismic connections

(links/reaction blocks) or integral with superstructure (Open or Pile/Well foundations):
This case is similar to the case 215.5.1(c )and Inertia forces shall be calculated in a similar
manner. except that elastomer bearings are replaced by fixed bearings/connection. When
abutment is monolithic with either the superstructure or return/wing walls, Ahs=Z/2 only will be
considered without reducing it by 50% irrespective of the type of foundation.

214.5.2 Combination of Inertia Forces-Longitudinal direction:

During verification ofthe external stability of retaining wall/abutment and design of foundation, the
following two combinations shall be investigated considering the effects of (Paw)dyn + (Paq)dynand
PIR not to be concurrent:
• combine 100 percent of the seismic earth pressure {(Paw)dyn+(Paq)dyn}with 50 percent of
the inertial force PIRand
• combine 50 percent of the seismic earth pressure {(Paw)dyn +(Paq)dyn},but not less than
the Static active earth pressure force with 100 percent of inertial forcePIR.

The higher of results from these two combinations shall be used for checking the external stability
of abutment or retaining wall& design of foundation. When superstructure is supported on
fixed/elastomeric bearings or monolithic with the abutment, inertia forces on abutment wall, pile or
well cap and well shall be considered additionally as stated in clause 214.5.1 (c) and 214.5.1 (d)
above.

The inertial force associated with the soil mass on the foundation behind the retaining wall/abutment
wall is not added to the active seismic earth pressure when structurally designing the
retaining/abutment walls. The basis for excluding this inertial force is that movement of this soil mass
is assumed to be in phase with the structural wall system with the inertial load transferred through the
foundation.

The inertial forces on soil mass and wall mass shall act at their respective CG as shown in Fig.
14C. Value of seismic coefficient Avs applied to Ww and Ws shall be taken as two third of Ahs and
considered in downward or upward direction.

Fig. 14 C: Seismic Force Diagram for External Stability Check for Cantilever Wall

214.5.3 Combination of Inertia Forces-Transverse direction:

In case of combination of forces in transverse seismic case, 100% inertia force (along transverse
direction) shall be combined with 100% staticearth pressure (along longitudinal direction).

Value of Ahs shall be considered same as recommended in 214.5.1 for the purpose of calculation of
inertia forces Ww on wall mass and Ws on soil mass. Inertia forces transferred through superstructure
shall be considered additionally and computed as per IRC:SP:114.

214.5.4Combination of inertia forces shall be done as per clause 4.2.2 of IRC:SP:114 for all types of
abutments/retaining walls.
Abutments with pile/well foundations and connected through fixed bearings/connections or monolithic
with superstructure and designed for ductile detailing with R>1, shall alsobe checked for Capacity
design effects as per Chapter 7 and 8of IRC:SP:114.