Earth pressure theories, effect of water table, layered soils.

Different types of lateral earth pressures:

1. At rest pressure: If the wall is static, that is, if it does not move either to the right or
the left of its initial position, the soil mass will be in a state of static equilibrium. In
that case the horizontal effective pressure is known as at rest earth pressure.
2. Active pressure: It is a state of plastic equilibrium as the entire soil mass is yielding
in such a way that it tends to stretch horizontally. A retaining wall when moves away
from the back fill, there is a stretching of the soil mass and the active state of earth
pressure exists.
3. Passive pressure: A state of passive pressure exists when the movement of the wall is
such that the soil tends to compress horizontally.

Rankine’s theory:
Assumptions:
1. The soil mass is semi-infinite, homogeneous, dry and cohesion less.
2. The ground surface is a plane which may be horizontal or inclined
3. The face of the wall in contact with the backfill is vertical and smooth.
4. The wall yields about the base sufficiently for the active pressure conditions to
develop. If it is the passive case that is under consideration, the wall is taken to be
pushed sufficiently towards the fill for the passive resistance to be fully mobilized.
1. Active case:

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 Failure plane:
( ) 45+ ⁄ with major principal plane

[1- which is horizontal.

∴ =
= where =

2. Passive case:

.
=( )
[1-

∴ = = where =

Failures planes:45+ ⁄ with major principal plane which is vertical.

Inclined surcharge or sloping backfill:

1. Active

=
=

∴ PD=√
But= PC=FC=OC
=√ http://civilengineeringmcq.com/
=OC.√
 √
∴ =
√
√
= √
=
√
= .
√
√
= where
√

2. Passive
√
= where
√

Rankine’s earth pressure in cohesive soils:

= √ where =
At z=0 = √

The negative sign shows that the pressure is negative. i.e., it tries to cause a
pull on the wall. This tensile stress decreases with an increase in depth, and it
becomes zero at a depth , given by
O= √ √
The depth is known as the depth of tensile crack. Critical height of
unsupported vertical cut= 2 =
√

Passive:
√ Where

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