UNIT 3 LATERAL EARTH PRESSURE

Pretest:
Discuss the following:

1) Lateral Pressure 4) Backfill

2) Slope 5) soil bearing capacity
3) Submerged soil

Learning Outcomes:
 Study at-rest active and passive lateral earth pressure using
 Rankine theory
 Coulomb’s Theory
 Determine lateral earth pressure at rest for partially submerged
soil
 Solve related problems

Lateral earth pressure is the horizontal pressure applied by or to soil when

it is against standing structures like basement (in buildings) and retaining walls.
Retaining structures support slope of earth masses. Proper design and
construction of these structures require a thorough knowledge of the lateral forces
that act between the retaining structures and the soil masses being retained. The
magnitude and distribution of lateral earth pressure depends on several factors
such as the shear strength parameters or the soil being retained, the inclination of
the surface of the backfill, the height and inclination of the retaining wall at the
wall-backfill interface, the nature of wall movement under lateral pressure, and the
adhesion and friction angle at the wall-backfill interface.

Active earth pressure is the pressure that is exerted by the soil against
the retaining wall that tends to overturn or slide it. This is unfavorable to the stability
of the wall.

Passive earth pressure is the pressure exerted from the other side of the
wall making it move against the soil in an attempt to push it back stabilizing the
wall. This pressure is applied near the toe of the wall.

Under conditions when there is no lateral strain within the ground mass, the
value of the lateral soil pressure is commonly called the lateral earth pressure
at-rest. Sometimes it is also defined as the neutral lateral earth pressure or the
lateral earth pressure at consolidated equilibrium.
Rankine Active Earth Pressure with a horizontal backfill

Rankine Active pressure

1) Non-cohesive soil

h h

𝜎= 𝛾 hko

Where:
Ko = coefficient of at-rest pressure
Ka = active earth pressure coefficient
C = cohesion of backfill in kPa
𝛾 = unit weight of cohesive backfill
𝜎 = active pressure
F = active force

∅ ∅
ka = ka = 𝑡𝑎𝑛 (45 - )
∅

σ= 𝛾 hko F=

2. Cohesive soil

Rankine active pressure and force on the wall

h
h

𝛾 ka - 2c √𝑘𝑎
A) Before tensile crack occurs
Active pressure
σ= 𝛾 hka - 2c √𝑘𝑎

Active force before tensile crack occurs

 F= – 2ch 𝑘
B) After tensile crack occurs

h-2

𝛾 ka - 2c √𝑘𝑎

Depth of crack (z) z=

Active force after tensile force occurs

( )( )
F=𝛾 ℎ𝑘 – 2c 𝑘

Rankine Passive Earth Pressure with a Horizontal Backfill

∅
∆𝑥 45- 2c 𝑘

2C 𝑘 + 𝛾ℎ𝑘

Rankine Passive Earth Pressure Coefficient

∅ ∅
𝑘 = 𝑡𝑎𝑛 (45 + ) kp =
∅
Passive force per unit length of wall c = cohesion
F= 𝛾ℎ 𝑘 + 2ch 𝑘 𝛾 = unit weight of cohesive backfill in
N/mm3
∅ = angle of friction of cohesive
backfill
Rankine active pressure for inclined backfill
A) For cohesionless soil

𝜶
 h 𝜶

h/3
Rankine active earth pressure coefficient

∅
Ka = cos 𝛼
√ ∅

Rankine active force for inclined backfill 𝜶 = angle that the backfill makes
with the horizontal
Pa = 𝛾ℎ 𝑘 ∅ = angle of friction of soil

B) For cohesive soil

Depth of tensile crack (z)

∅
𝜶 z=
∅
z
H
h 𝜶
𝜶

h/3 𝜎a

Active pressure at depth H ( 𝝈a)

𝜎a = 𝛾 H ka’ cos 𝛼
Resultant active force after crack occurs
Pa = 𝛾 H ka’ cos 𝛼 h h=H-z

ka’ = active pressure coefficient for cohesive backfill

Pa = active force after crack occurs
c = cohesion of backfill in kPa
𝛾 = unit weight of cohesive backfill in kN/m3
∅ = angle of cohesion of cohesive backfill

Rankine Passive Earth Pressure for Inclined Backfill

A) For cohesionless soil

𝜶

h
𝜶 h/3
Pp
Rankine passive earth pressure Rankine passive force on wall
Coefficient with inclined backfill
∅
Kp = cos 𝛼 Pp = 𝛾ℎ 𝑘
√ ∅

B) For cohesive soil

k’p = passive earth pressure coefficient

𝜶 = angle the backfill makes with the horizontal
∅ = angle of friction of soil
c = cohesion of soil

Pp = 𝛾 𝐻 𝑘 𝑝 𝜎a = 𝛾z kp’ cos 𝛼

Coulomb’s Active Force on a Horizontal Backfill

Type equation here.
o o
𝛽 = 90 𝛼 =0

𝛿 h

h/3
Pa

( ∅)
kp =
(∅ ) (∅ )
( )[ ]
( ) ( )

𝛿 = wall friction angle

∅ = angle of internal friction of soil
𝛽 = angle that the back face is inclined with the horizontal

Coulomb’s Passive Force on a Horizontal Backfill

𝛽 = 90o 𝛼 = 0o

Pa
𝛿 h
h/3

( ∅)
kp = Pp = ℎ 𝑘
(∅ ) (∅ )
( )[ ]
( ∓ ) ( )
Coulomb’s Active Earth Pressure for Inclined Backfill

h/3 m 𝛽
𝛿
Pa

Coulomb’s Active earth Pressure Coefficient

( ∅)
ka =
(∅ ) (∅ )
( )[ ]
( ) ( )

𝛽 = angle the back face is inclined with the horizontal

𝛿 = wall friction angle
∅ = angle of internal friction

Coulomb’s Active Force Pa = 𝛾ℎ 𝑘

Coulombs Passive Earth Pressure for Inclined Backfill

𝛼

h
Pp
h/3

𝛿 𝛽

Coulomb’s Passive Pressure Coefficient

( ∅)
kp =
(∅ ) (∅ )
( )[ ]
( ∓ ) ( )

Coulomb’s Passive Force

Pp = ℎ 𝑘
Failure Wedge of Retaining wall

A) Active Pressure B) Passive Pressure

Rupture Zone Rupture Zone

H Failure Wedge H Failure Wedge

∅ ∅
𝛽 = 45 + 𝛽 = 45 +

∅ = angle of internal friction

C) Active Pressure D) Passive Pressure

Rupture Zone 𝛼 Rupture Zone

𝛼

H Failure Wedge H Failure Wedge

∅ ∅
𝛽 = 45 + 𝛽 = 45 +

E) Active Pressure and Passive Pressure

Surcharge

Rupture Zone

H Failure Wedge
∅
𝛽 = 45 +

Coefficient of at-Rest Soil Pressure

A) Normally consolidated soil

ko = 1 – sin ∅ Po = 𝛾 ℎ 𝑘

ko = coefficient of at rest soil pressure (normally consolidated soil

∅ = angle of internal pressure
 B) Over consolidated soil

ko = (1 – sin ∅) √𝑂𝐶𝑅

ko = coefficient of at-rest soil pressure (over consolidated soil)

OCR = Present over burden ratio

At rest Pressure on the Wall

A) Without surcharge
𝜎 = 𝛾 ℎ𝑘
h
F= F

𝜎 = 𝛾 ℎ𝑘

B) with surcharge

q = surcharge (kPa)

F1 = q ko h

F2 = 𝛾 ℎ 𝑘 h F1

𝜎 = 𝑘 (𝑞 + 𝛾 ℎ) F2

qko 𝜎= 𝑘 (+𝛾 ℎ)

Sample Problem 1:

A retaining wall has a height of 6 m and is supporting a horizontal

backfill as shown. Compute:
a) Rankine’s active force per unit length of wall.
b) Rankine’s passive force per unit length of wall
c) Lateral force per unit length of wall if the wall is prevented
from moving.
Figure: backfill

𝛾 = 16

6m c=0

∅ = 32o

Solution to sample problem 1

a) Rankine Active force

∅
ka = ka = ka = 0.307
∅
. ( ) ( )
Pa = 𝛾ℎ 𝑘 Pa = Pa = 88.42 kN/m

b) Rankine’s passive force

∅
kp = kp = kp = 3.25
∅

Pp = ℎ 𝑘 Pp = (16)(6)2(3.25) Pp = 936 kN/m

c) lateral force is the wall is prevented from moving

ko = 1 – sin ∅ ko = 1 – sin 32 ko = 0.47

( )( ) ( . )
Po = 𝛾 ℎ 𝑘 Po = Po = 135.36 kN/m

Sample Problem 2

A retaining wall 8 m high is supporting a horizontal backfill having a

dry unit weight of 1600 kg/m3. The cohesionless soil has an angle of
friction of 33o. Compute:

a) The Rankine active force on the wall.

b) The Rankine active force on the wall if the water table is
located at a depth of 3.5 m below the ground surface. Saturated
unit weight is 18.7 kN/m3
c) The location of the resultant active force from the bottom for the
second condition.
Solution to sample problem 2:
a) Rankine active force when the soil is dry

Horizontal Backfill

8m 𝛾𝑑𝑟𝑦 = 16000 kg/m3

P

∅
ka = ka = ka = 0.295
∅
( )( . )
𝛾𝑠 = 𝛾𝑠 = 15.696 kN/m3
( . )( ) ( . )
Pa = 𝛾ℎ 𝑘 Pa = Pa = 148.17 kN

b) Rankine active force when the water table is located 3.5m

below the ground surface

backfill

8m 𝛾dry = 15.696 3.5m F1

𝛾𝑠𝑎𝑡 =18.7 4.5m F2

water table F3 F4

𝜎1 𝜎2 𝜎3
Pressure is equal to the product of the unit weight of soil backfill,
depth and the active coefficient of soil
𝜎1 = (15.696) (3.5) (0.295) 𝜎1 = 16.21 kN/m2
𝜎2 = (18.7 – 9.81) (4.5) (0.295) 𝜎2 = 11.80 kN/m2
𝜎3 = (9.81) (4.5) 𝜎3 = 44.145 kN/m2

The magnitude of the force is equal to the area projected by the

pressure diagram.
( . )( . )
F1 = F1 = 28.37 kN
F2 = (4.50) (16.21) F2 = 72.95 kN
( . )( . )
F3 = F3 = 26.55 kN
( . )( . )
F4 = F4 = 99.34 Kn
 Total Force R:

R = F 1 + F 2 + F 3 + F4 = 28.37 + 72.95 + 26.55 + 99.34

R = 227.21

c) Location of the resultant active force

3.5m F1

8m F2 R

4.5m F3 F4 y

Lever arm:

X1 = 4.5 + 3.5(1/3) = 5.67 m

X2 = 4.5/2 = 2.25m
X3 = 4.5/3 = 1.5 m
X4 = 4.5/3 = 1.5 m

R y = F1 x1 + F2 x2 + F3 x3 + F4 x4
. ( . )( . )( . )( . )( . )( . )( . )
y=
.
y = 2.26 m

Learning Activity:

1. A 6m vertical retaining wall is supporting a cohesionless horizontal backfill

having a unit weight of 16 kN/m3 and an angle of friction of 33o. It carries
a uniform surcharge of 15 kN/m2. Determine:
a. The at-rest lateral strength per unit length of wall
b. The Rankine’s active force per unit length of wall.
c. The Rankine’s passive force per unit length of wall.
Figure:

15kN/m2

𝛾𝑠𝑎𝑡 = 16 kN/m3

6m c=0

∅ = 33o
Solution to Learning Activity 1: b) Rankine’s active force per unit
length of wall

∅
F1 ka = =
∅
6m F2 ..
ka = ka = 0.30
.

𝜎 = (15)(1) (0.30) = 4.5 kPa

a)At-rest lateral force per unit
length of wall 𝜎 = (16) (0.30) (6) = 28.8 kPa
kO = 1 – sin ∅ = 1 – sin 33o Rankine’s active force
kO = 0.455 . ( )
P = F1 + F2 = 4.5(6) +
pressure due to the uniform P = 113.4 kN/mm
surcharge
c) Rankine’s Passive force per
𝜎 = 𝛾ℎ𝑘 = 15(1) (0.455) unit length of wall
.
𝜎 = 6.825 kPa kp = = = 3.40
.
𝜎 = 𝛾 ℎ𝑘 = (16)(6) (0.455)
𝜎 = 43.68 kPa 𝜎 = 15(3.4) = 51 kPa
𝜎 = 16(6) (3.40) = 326.4 kPa
At-rest lateral pressure:
. ( )
P = F 1 + F2 P = F1 + F2 = 51(6) +
( . )( )
P = (6.825) (6) +
P = 1285.2 kN/mm
P = 172 kN/mm