Elements of Soil Mechanics, 8th Edition

Example 7.2

The worksheets in this spreadsheet illustrate the use of the EQU and GEO
design methods for the design of cantilever gravity walls.

Although the spreadsheet contains the data for Example 7.2 from the book
may be changed so that the reader can see the effect of varying the soil p
retained height etc.

Instructions:

1. As the routines call data from the partial factors spreadsheet, a dialog b
whether to update the data will appear. To use the default Eurocode 7 par
values, click "Don't Update". If, however, you have changed values in the
spreadsheet, click "Update".

2. Select Data input sheet and enter data. Results are displayed on other s

Ian Smith, Sept 2005

 Revised: Oct, 2006

e of the EQU and GEO limit state

walls.

mple 7.2 from the book, the data

ct of varying the soil properties,

preadsheet, a dialog box asking

default Eurocode 7 partial factor
changed values in the partial factors

re displayed on other sheets.

Thickness of base tbase = 0.40 m
Height of wall hwall = 5.00 m
Breadth of base bbase = 3.00 m
Thickness of wall stem tstem = 0.40 m
Breadth of toe btoe = 0.50 m

Concrete weight density γconc = 24.00 kN/m3

Water weight density γwater = 9.81 kN/m3

Retained fill
Weight density γfill.dry = 18.00 kN/m3 tbase
Shearing resistance φfill = 38.00 º
Effective cohesion c'fill = 0.00 kPa

Applied surcharge q= 10.00 kPa

Design Results:
Enter values into blue fields. EQU: Overturning
GEO: Sliding: DA1, Cb
GEO: Sliding: DA1, Cb
GEO: Bearing: DA1, C
GEO: Bearing: DA1, C
 surcharge, q

tstem
hwall

btoe
tbase

bbase

Design Results:
EQU: Overturning 2.02 (OK)
GEO: Sliding: DA1, Cbntn 1: 2.14 (OK)
GEO: Sliding: DA1, Cbntn 2: 1.73 (OK) (Governs)
GEO: Bearing: DA1, Cbntn 1: 182.47 OK - within middle 1/3
GEO: Bearing: DA1, Cbntn 2: 163.74 OK - within middle 1/3
1. Geometry

Wall dimensions:
Height of wall stem hstem = 4.60
Height of virtual plane above wall heel hheel = 5.00
Breadth of heel bheel = 2.10

2. Representative actions

Self-weight of wall:
Wall stem, Wstem Gvk.stem = 44.16
Wall base, Wbase Gvk.base = 28.80
Soil on heel Gvk.heel = 173.88
Total: 246.84

3. Characteristic material properties

Concrete weight density γk.conc = 24.00 kN/m3

Retained fill
Weight density γk.fill.dry = 18.00 kN/m3
Shearing resistance φk.fill = 38.00 º
Effective cohesion c'k.fill = 0.00 kPa
EQU Limit State - Overturning

1. Partial factors

On unfavourable actions/action effects

Permanent actions γG = 1.10

Variable actions γQ = 1.50

On favourable actions/action effects

Permanent actions γG.fav = 0.90

Variable actions γQ.fav = -

On material properties/resistances
Coefficient of shearing resistance γφ = 1.25
Effective cohesion γc = 1.25
Weight density γγ = 1.00

2. Design geometry
Retained height of wall H= 5.00

3. Design material properties:

Backfill
Angle of shearing resistance φd.fill = 32.01
Effective cohesion c'd.fill = 0.00
Active earth pressure coefficient Kad.fill = 0.307
Angle of interface friction δd = 32.01
Weight density γd.fill = 18.000

4. Design actions

Self-weight of wall (permanent - favourable)

Wall stem Gvd.stem = 39.74
Wall base Gvd.base = 25.92
Soil on heel Gvd.heel = 156.49
Total: Gvd.wall = 222.16

Active earth stresses & pressures

@ base
Active lateral earth pressure pbase = 27.65
Active thrust above wall heel (permanent - unfavourable)
Active earth pressure Pa = 76.03

Active thrust above wall heel (variable - unfavourable)

Surcharge pressure Pq = 23.04

5. Design effect of actions

Lever arms:
Pa due to fill LPa = 1.67
Pa due to surcharge LPq = 2.50

Moments:
Destabilising mmt due to fill Mdst1 = 126.71
Destabilising mmt due to surcharge Mdst2 = 57.60

Total destabilising moment Mdst = 184.31

Effect of actions Edst = 184.31

6. Design resistance

Lever arms:
Wall stem Lstem = 0.70
Wall base Lbase = 1.50
Soil on heel Lheel = 1.95

Moments:
Wall stem Mstem = 27.82
Wall base Mbase = 38.88
Soil on heel Mheel = 305.16

Total stabilising moment Mstb = 371.86

7. Verification of overturning

Overdesign factor
Ratio of resistance to effects Γ= 2.02

Degree of utilisation
Proportion of available resistance used Λ= 50%
7. Verification of overturning

Overdesign factor
Ratio of resistance to effects Γ= 2.02

Degree of utilisation
Proportion of available resistance used Λ= 49.6%

red= from Partial Factors table

GEO Limit State - Sliding & Bearing Design Approach 1, Combination 1
A1+M1+R1

1. Partial factors

On unfavourable actions/action effects

Permanent actions γG = 1.35

Variable actions γQ = 1.50

On favourable actions/action effects

Permanent actions γG.fav = 1.00

Variable actions γQ.fav = -

On material properties/resistances
Coefficient of shearing resistance γφ = 1.00
Effective cohesion γc = 1.00
Bearing resistance γRv = 1.00
Sliding resistance γRh = 1.00

2. Design geometry
Retained height of wall H= 5.00

3. Design material properties:

Backfill
Angle of shearing resistance φd.fill = 38.00
Effective cohesion c'd.fill = 0.00
Active earth pressure coefficient Kad.fill = 0.238
Angle of interface friction δd = 38.00
Weight density γd.fill = 18.000

4. Design actions

Self-weight of wall (permanent - favourable)

Wall stem Gvd.stem = 44.16
Wall base Gvd.base = 28.80
Soil on heel Gvd.heel = 173.88
Total: Gvd.wall = 246.84

Active earth stresses & pressures

@ base
Active lateral earth pressure pbase = 21.41

Active thrust above wall heel (permanent - unfavourable)

Active earth pressure Pa = 72.26
Active thrust above wall heel (variable - unfavourable)
Surcharge pressure Pq = 17.84

5. Design effect of actions

Total horizontal thrust Hd = 90.10

Effect of actions Ehd = 90.10

6. Design resistance

Friction on underside of base

Horizontal resistance Rhd.base = 192.85

7. Verification of sliding resistance

Overdesign factor
Ratio of resistance to effects Γ= 2.14

Degree of utilisation
Proportion of available resistance used Λ= 47%

8. Verification of bearing resistance

Design effect of actions

Lever arms:
Pa due to fill LPa = 1.67
Pa due to surcharge LPq = 2.50

Moments:
Destabilising mmt due to fill Mdst1.b = 120.43
Destabilising mmt due to surcharge Mdst2.b = 44.60

Total destabilising moment Mdst.b = 165.03

Design resistance
Lever arms:
Wall stem Lstem = 0.70
Wall base Lbase = 1.50
Soil on heel Lheel = 1.95

Moments:
Wall stem Mstem.b = 41.73
Wall base Mbase.b = 58.32
 Soil on heel Mheel.b = 457.74

Total stabilising moment Mstb.b = 557.79

Eccentricity:
Lever arm of Rv x= 1.18 OK - within middle 1/3
Eccentricity e= 0.32

Max bearing pressure (Rv in middle 1/3) σ= 182.47

pproach 1, Combination 1

7. Verification of sliding resistance

Overdesign factor
Ratio of resistance to effects Γ= 2.14

Degree of utilisation
Proportion of available resistance used Λ= 46.7%

Max bearing pressure σ= 182.47

OK - within middle 1/3 kPa

red= from Partial Factors table

OK - within middle 1/3
GEO Limit State - Sliding & Bearing Design Approach 1, Combination 2
A2+M2+R1

1. Partial factors

On unfavourable actions/action effects

Permanent actions γG = 1.00

Variable actions γQ = 1.30

On favourable actions/action effects

Permanent actions γG.fav = 1.00

Variable actions γQ.fav = -

On material properties/resistances
Coefficient of shearing resistance γφ = 1.25
Effective cohesion γc = 1.25
Bearing resistance γRv = 1.00
Sliding resistance γRh = 1.00

2. Design geometry
Retained height of wall H= 5.00

3. Design material properties:

Backfill
Angle of shearing resistance φd.fill = 32.01
Effective cohesion c'd.fill = 0.00
Active earth pressure coefficient Kad.fill = 0.307
Angle of interface friction δd = 32.01
Weight density γd.fill = 18.000

4. Design actions

Self-weight of wall (permanent - favourable)

Wall stem Gvd.stem = 44.16
Wall base Gvd.base = 28.80
Soil on heel Gvd.heel = 173.88
Total: Gvd.wall = 246.84

Active earth stresses & pressures

@ base
Active lateral earth pressure pbase = 27.65

Active thrust above wall heel (permanent - unfavourable)

Active earth pressure Pa = 69.11
Active thrust above wall heel (variable - unfavourable)
Surcharge pressure Pq = 19.97

5. Design effect of actions

Total horizontal thrust Hd = 89.08

Effect of actions Ehd = 89.08

6. Design resistance

Friction on underside of base

Horizontal resistance Rhd.base = 154.28

7. Verification of sliding resistance

Overdesign factor
Ratio of resistance to effects Γ= 1.73

Degree of utilisation
Proportion of available resistance used Λ= 58%

8. Verification of bearing resistance

Design effect of actions

Lever arms:
Pa due to fill LPa = 1.67
Pa due to surcharge LPq = 2.50

Moments:
Destabilising mmt due to fill Mdst1.b2 = 115.19
Destabilising mmt due to surcharge Mdst2.b2 = 49.92

Total destabilising moment Mdst.b2 = 165.11

Design resistance
Lever arms:
Wall stem Lstem = 0.70
Wall base Lbase = 1.50
Soil on heel Lheel = 1.95

Moments:
Wall stem Mstem.b2 = 30.91
Wall base Mbase.b2 = 43.20
 Soil on heel Mheel.b2 = 339.07

Total stabilising moment Mstb.b2 = 413.18

Eccentricity:
Lever arm of Rv x= 1.00 OK - within middle 1/3
Eccentricity e= 0.50

Max bearing pressure (Rv in middle 1/3) σ= 163.74

pproach 1, Combination 2

7. Verification of sliding resistance

Overdesign factor
Ratio of resistance to effects Γ= 1.73

Degree of utilisation
Proportion of available resistance used Λ= 57.7%

Max bearing pressure σ= 163.74

OK - within middle 1/3 kPa

red= from Partial Factors table

OK - within middle 1/3
This spreadsheet has been downloaded from the website that supports
Smith's Elements of Soil Mechanics, 8th Edition

Published by Blackwell Publishing, May 2006

ISBN: 1-4051-3370-8

Visit the website:

http://sbe.napier.ac.uk/esm

Purchase the book:

(Blackwell Publishing website)

Please note:
This spreadsheet is an aid for learning and should really only be
used in conjunction with the relevant section in the book.

It is not intended for use in geotechnical design.

Ian Smith, May 2006

http://sbe.napier.ac.uk/esm