WASEEM AL-RAYYES KAMAL ABU HASSERAH

Retaining Walls
Stability requirement:

1) Bearing capacity of soils

2) Sliding instability:
3) Overturning instability
4) Overall instability (slope instability)

Types of retaining walls

L/3
1) Gravity walls
These walls have big cross sections because
there is no reinforcement.
The allowable height up to 3 m.

B/3

B
The vertical force should be in the shaded
area (as in the figure) which gives
eccentricity" e" not greater than L/6.
L

2) Cantilever walls
These walls have reinforcement to resist tension.
The allowable height up to 6 m.

3) Counterform wall.
It has ribs under tension (ribs in soil side) do as supports.

4) Buttressed wall.
It has ribs under compression do as supports.

Typical dimensions:

(1) Gravity walls:

0.3 - H/12

1
slope

48
H

(0.5 - 1)D
D=(H/8 - H/6)

(0.5 - 0.7)H

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(2) Cantilever Wall:

0.2 - 0.3

1
slope

48

D=(H/12 - H/10)
B/3

B=(0.4 - 0.7)H

(3) Counter form Walls:

0.2 - 0.3

9
0,6
H/12 - H/10

H
.6)
-0
.3
(0

Loads
For stability equipments use working loads
For strength design) of retaining wall, use ultimate loads

U = 1.2 D + 1.6 (L + H ) ( Equation 9.2 In ACI code)

U = 0.9 D + 1.6 (H + W ) ( Equation 9.6 In ACI code)
Note \ if H applied on against direction of W take H only.
U = 0.9 D + E + 1.6 H ( Equation 9.7 In ACI code)

Note\ we can use equation 9.7 if we have Earthquake loads, if not we can ignored
it because it is will be smaller than or equal equation 9.6
Where:
U: Ultimate loads
D: Dead load
L: Live load
H: Soil loads
W: Wind loads
E: Earthquake load

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0.3 20 KN/m2
Example:

=18 KN/m2
=35 o

5m
fc' =21 Mpa
fy = 420 Mpa
1.3

1m
Surcharge (w) = 20KN/m

3.8 m
Solution:
Calculate the typical dimension:

Total height H = 5+ 1= 6 m
Base width = (0.4 " 0.7) H = (2.4 " 4.2) m
Take the average = 3.8 m
Toe length = B/3=3.8/3 = 1.3 m
Thickness of base D = 6/10 = 0.6 m

e1=5.4

Soil calculation:
P1
1 sin 1 sin( 35 )
Ka = = = 0 .27 P2
1 + sin 1 + sin( 35 )
1 1
Kp = = = 3 .7 e2=34.6
Ka 0 .27
e1 ( Surcha rge) = w K a = 20 ( 0.27) = 5.4 KN / m 2
e2 ( Active) = (w + H ) K a = (20 + 18 (6) ) 0.27 = 34.6 KN / m 2
e3 ( Passive) = ( H ) K P = (18 (1) )3.7 = 66.6 KN / m 2
Note \ we ignored passive pressure for more safety

Strength Design process (ultimate loads):

Consider 1 m length of the wall. In this case the loading diagram is equal to
the pressure diagram.
The required stability can be checked based on this loading diagramed.

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5.4

Design of stem:

Analysis: P1

y
We take max. V and Max. M at bottom
1
P1 = 5.4 y , P2 = y 2 K a P2
2
V y = P1 + P2
Vy 5.4+(18*5.4*0.27)
y y
My = ( P1 ) + ( P2 ) My
2 3
The critical section (may be assumed at "d" from the face).
To be more conservative critical section is assumed at the face of support
similar to critical section for bending.
1
VU = 1.6 5.4 y + y 2 K a
2
1
= 1.6 5.4 (5.4) + (18) (5.4) 2 (0.27) = 160 KN
2
y y 1
M U = 1.6 (5.4 y) + ( y 2 K a
2 3 2
5.4(5.4) 2
(5.4) 3

= 1.6 + (18)(0.27) = 330.1 KN .m
2 6

Design for flexure:

1
Assume = b
2
fc' 0.003
or fc' 600
b = (0.85) b = (0.85)
fy 0.003 + y
fy 600 + fy
1 1 21 600
b = (0.85)(0.85) = 0.0106 300
2 2 420 1020
Use Design Aids
fy 420
= = 0.0106 = 0.212
1m

fc' 21
MU 330.1(10) 6
= d = 306 mm
bd 2 fc' 0.9 *1000 * d 2 * 21
400
d
Thickness = 306+cover + d b/2=400mm

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As = 0.016 * 306 *1000 = 3243.6 mm 2 / m' (use 10.5 20 / m' )

Check As min. (from ACI-02 code section 14.3.2)

for bars > 16 use = 0.0015
for bars 16 use = 0.0012
As = 0.0015 *1000 * 400 = 600 mm 2 < 3243.6 mm 2 O.K

Design for shear:

Use equation 11.3 in code
21
Vc = 0.75 *1000 * 306 (10) 3 = 175.3 KN > VU O.K
6

Design of heal:

Analysis:
qU = 1.2 D + 1.6 ( L + H )
qu
= 1.2(0.6 * 25) + 1.6 (20 + 5.4 * 18)
= 205.5 KN / m 2 = 205.5 KN / m'
Note\ surcharge load consider live load
By taking the critical section for shear at
face of stem (similar to moment) Soil Pressure is ignored
to be more safe

VU = 205.5 * 2.1 = 431.55 KN

(2.1) 2
M U = 213 * = 470 KN .m
2

Design for shear

21 1.3 0.4 2.1
VC = 0.75 * 1000 * (600 75 10) 10 3
6
= 295 KN < VU N .O.K (we must change dimension)
Redesign:
Let d be unknown
21
431.55(10) 3 = 0.75 * 1000 * d
6
d = 753.4 mm
D = d+ cover + db/2=753.4+75+10 = 838.4 mm (use D = 850mm)
d = 850 75 10 = 765 mm
qU = 1.2(0.85 * 25) + 1.6 (20 + 5.4 * 18)
= 213 KN / m'

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VU = 213 * 2.1 = 447.3 KN

21
VC = 0.75 * 1000 * (765) 10 3
6
= 438 KN VU O.K (since the soil pressure is ignored )

Design for flexural:

(2.1) 2
M U = 213 * = 470 KN .m
2
MU 470(10) 6
= = 0.042
bd 2 fc' 0.9 *1000 * (765) 2 * 21
= 0.043 ( From design aids)
fc' 21
= = 0.043 = 0.0022
fy 420
As = 0.0022 * 1000 * 765 = 1680 mm 4
Check
As( shrinkage ) = 0.0018 * 1000 * 850 = 1530 mm 2
(Use 8.5 16 / m' )

Design of toe:
Consider ultimate upward soil pressure in addition to reduced ultimate own
weight of the toe.
Critical section for shear is assumed at "d" from the face at the stem and
critical section for bending moment is assumed at face of the stem.

Note\ When we design Heel we use dead load (Own weight) factored by 1.2
Because the own weight of concrete increase the Design moment value but in
Toe Designing we factored the Own weight by 0.9 because it is reduced the
design moment by.

Analysis:
To calculate the maximum Shear force "V"
and maximum bending moment "M" you need
to compute the upward soil pressure.

Continue by yourself
Soil pressure

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Reinforcement Details of Retaining Wall:

For stem use minimum horizontal reinforcement (ACI 14.3.3)

for bars > 16 use = 0.0025
for bars 16 use = 0.002
Assume our steel smaller than 16
As = 0.002 * 1000 * 400 = 800 mm 2
1 2
As Must be place on the outer face.
2 3
We will use 2/3As in outer face and 1/3 on inner face (soil side)
2
(800) = 533 mm 2 (use 5 12 / m' )
3
1
(800) = 267 mm 2 (use 3.5 12 / m' )
3
For the base slab use minimum reinforcement (shrinkage) when ever it is
needed

10.5 ? 20/m'
3.5? 10/m'

5 ? 12/m'

Shrinkage
8.5 ? 16/m'

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