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17. COULOMB'S METHOD

The method is based on estimating a mechanism of failure. The Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion is
then assumed to be satisfied on the assumed failure planes.

Assumed failure plane

This approach, known as the limit equilibrium method, is widely used in

geotechnical engineering. Experience has shown that it gives solutions
that agree reasonably well with observations of collapse of real soil
structures.

The method has advantages over Rankine's method because:

It can cope with any geometry

It can cope with line loads (In plane problems)
Friction between retaining walls and soil can be taken into account

Its main disadvantage is that the common layered soil profile cannot be
simply accounted for.

For any point on the failure surface we have

= c + tan

Whenever the soil is at failure a Mohr-Coulomb locus of this general form

can be used, however, the appropriate values for c and will depend on the
type of analysis. In a total stress (undrained) analysis c = c u, = u,
whereas in an effective stress analysis c = c, = .

We next need to consider the Forces acting on the failure plane

direction of soil Shear Force T =

ds movement Assumed
failure
plane
Normal Force N = ds

Cohesive Force C = c ds
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If the soil properties are constant we can write the failure criterion in terms
of Forces as

T = C + N tan

to facilitate the analysis we split the unknown forces T, N into two forces C,
which is generally known acting parallel to the failure surface, and a
resultant R, acting at a known angle to the normal to the failure surface.

C
T


N
R
R cos = N

R sin = T - C = N tan

Failure does not always occur within the soil mass. For the failure of the soil
structure a mechanism is required, and for the case of a retaining wall this
means slip must also occur between the wall and the soil. We assume that
the failure conditions can be described by a Mohr-Coulomb criterion, that is

= c + tan

but the parameters c, become:

cw, the adhesion between the wall and the soil

w, the friction angle between the wall and the soil

This can also be expressed in terms of Forces as

Tw C w N w tan w

17.1 Total Stress Analysis

As for Rankine's method a total stress analysis is only appropriate if the soil
remains undrained, and in practice this is only true if the stability of clayey
soils is being investigated.

Use undrained parameters cu, u, and total stresses.

Consider the undrained active failure of a wall of height H in a saturated

clayey soil with undrained parameters cu, u, and between the wall and the
soil undrained parameters cw, w.
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H tan

dirn of C2
soil
moveme W C1
H nt
w
H sec
R2 u

R1

The directions of the Forces on the

where C1 = cu H sec soil wedge must be consistent with
C2 = cw H the assumed failure mechanism.
W = H2 tan

Now we can draw the polygon of forces as the only unknowns are the
magnitudes of R1 and R2.

w
R2

R1

C2
W

C1

A solution can be obtained either analytically or graphically

Resolving horizontally and vertically gives

R1 cos ( + u) = C1 sin + R2 cos w

R1 sin ( + u) = W - C2 - R 2 sin w - C1 cos

By eliminating R1 we can obtain an expression for the unknown force on the

wall R2 in terms of .
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In drawing a polygon of forces the forces must be drawn so that the arrows
indicating their directions all point the same way as you move around the
polygon. It is possible that a polygon of forces cannot be constructed, and if
this happens it indicates that the assumed failure mechanism is incorrect.
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The force R2 determined from the polygon may not be the only force acting
on the wall. In the example above the forces acting on the wall are:
H
w
R2

Ftotal Ftotal
C2 V

We are often interested in the horizontal force, that is R 2 cos w. For the
active case we need to find the maximum value of this quantity. This
requires different failure mechanisms to be investigated to find the value of
that gives Hmax. This can be easily determined by graphical methods.

In the design of retaining walls it is necessary to also check that the vertical
component of the load can be resisted by the soil.

During total stress analyses it is necessary to allow for the presence of

tension cracks, and if water is present the possibility that these cracks will
fill with water.
Tension crack depth is determined from Rankine's method giving
2 cu N
z =

The problem geometry and the forces acting on the soil wedge then
become:

z W1

C2*
H W2 C1*
w

R2* u
R1*

If the tension cracks fill with water this has no influence on the polygon of
forces, but the water provides an additional horizontal force U on the wall
as shown below.
U
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R 2
*

C2* Ftotal
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Example Total Stress Analysis

Consider the retaining wall shown below with the soil properties as
indicated. Determine the minimum force required for stability assuming
that the failure involves a plane at an angle 30o to the vertical passing
through the toe of the wall. Ignore the possibility of tension cracks.

V 10o

W
Soil Properties
dirn of
soil cu = 10 kPa
moveme
5m u = 10o
6.4 cw = 2 kPa
m w = 20o
30o
= 20
kN/m3

From the figure geometry we can determine that V

uv = 6.4 m W
uw = 5 m
Wedge area = 8 m2 Cuw
W Cuv
Hence
20o
Cuv = 6.4 10 = 64 kN/m
Cuw = 5 2 = 10 kN/m 10o
Ruw
W = 8 20 = 160 kN/m 30 o

Ruv
Now the polygon of forces can be drawn U

20o

50o

160
10

30o 64

Measuring from the polygon of forces we obtain Ruw = 60 kN/m

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17.2 Effective stress analysis

Effective stress analysis is always appropriate but pore water pressures

must be known.

The failure criterion must now be written in terms of effective stress so that
= c + tan

and in terms of forces this becomes

T = C + N tan

where N = N - U, and U is the force due to the pore water pressure acting
on the failure plane.

The forces acting on the failure plane are now as shown

T C

N
U
R
U

where C = c ds , U = u ds , N = ds

When performing effective stress stability calculations the critical

state parameters c = 0, = ult should be used.

When the soil is dry the pore pressures everywhere will be zero, and
the effective stresses will equal the total stresses. However, only an
effective stress analysis is appropriate.

If sliding occurs between the soil and a wall appropriate effective

stress failure parameters must be used. The effective parameters
between any interface (eg. a wall) and the soil should be based on
the ultimate conditions so that cw = 0, w= wult

In using Coulombs method you have to assume a failure mechanism.

However, this may not be the most critical (least safe) mechanism.
Therefore, you need to investigate a number of mechanisms (values
of ) to determine which will be the most critical.

For Active failure the mechanism giving the greatest force is needed

For Passive failure the mechanism giving the least force is needed
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The most critical mechanism is unlikely to give an accurate estimate
of the failure load, because observation of real soil shows failure
rarely occurs on planar surfaces.

To assist in selecting the appropriate values of to use for the

assumed failure planes in the soil it is helpful to remember that the
failure plane is inclined at an angle (/4 - /2) to the direction of the
minor principal stress 3.

2
3

If the wall is vertical and frictionless then 3 will be horizontal, and the
angle of the failure plane will be at (/4 - /2) to the vertical. If the
wall is rough then 3 will not be horizontal and the angle of the failure
plane will change.

In the presence of steady state seepage it may be necessary to draw

a flow net to determine the pore water Forces U acting on the soil
wedge.

All the possible forces acting on a failing soil wedge have now been
determined for an effective stress analysis. These are:

17.2.1 Active failure

W V

Cuw Direction of
Cuv movement of
W
Uuw soil wedge
w
Uuv
Ruw

Ruv

U
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17.2.2 Passive failure

W V

Ruw Direction of
W movement of
w soil wedge
Uuw
Ruv

Cuw
Cuv Uuv

Example Effective Stress Analysis

Considering the same wall and geometry as in Example 1, but now using
the effective strength parameters for the soil as given below.

V 10o

W W.T.
X Soil Properties
Water Soil c = 10 kPa
= 10o
5m 6.4 cw = 2 kPa
m w = 20o
dry = 20
30o kN/m3
sat = 22
U
uv = 6.4 m
uw = 5 m
ux = 5.77 m
wx = 2.89 m
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Cuv = 5 6.4 = 32 kN/m
Cuw = 2 5 = 10 kN/m

W = 0.5 5 2.89 22 + (8 - 0.5 5 2.89) 20 = 174.5 kN/m

Water pressures on the soil wedge due to groundwater table are as follows

W
X

Uuv = 0.5 (0 + 5 9.8) 5.77 = 141.5

kN/m

Uuw = 0.5 5 5 9.8 = 122.5 kN/m

Now the Polygon of Forces can be drawno

20

Uuw
60o

Uuv

60o

W Cuw

30o Cuv

From the Polygon of forces we obtain Ruw = 17 kN/m. The forces acting on
the wall are
Ruw
Uuw

Cuw
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The vertical force, Tuw = Ruw sin w + Cuw = 5.8 + 10 = 15.8 kN/m

The horizontal force, Nuw = Ruw cos w + Uuw = 15.97 + 122.5 = 138.5
kN/m

Note that Nuw is largely due to water pressure. However, due to water on
the other side of the wall the net resistance required for stability is only
15.97 kN/m
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Example

The figure below shows an example where there is steady state seepage
towards a wall which has a vertical drain behind it, and the water level to
the right of the wall is maintained at a height H w. The wall supports soil
whose saturated unit weight is , whose ultimate friction angle is cs, and
which has a sloping soil surface. The wall is rough and has an angle of
friction w.

Calculate the limiting horizontal force which is required to prevent failure by

the wall moving away from the soil.

The only difference between this and the previous example is that the flow
net must be used to determine the force due to the pore water along the
assumed failure plane AB.

The pore water pressures can be determined in the normal way. However,
in this situation the pore pressure can be determined simply by noting that
the top flow line is the phreatic surface where u = 0. As the head is
constant on any equipotential the head at D is equal to the head at E, and
the difference in pore pressure is simply w times the vertical distance
between E and D.

The forces on the soil wedge are:

cs Uw = 0.5 w Hw2
U w
From R
flow Rw
net
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