EARTH PRESSURES AGAINST AN EXPERIMENTAL RETAINING WALL BACKFILLED WITH HEAVY CLAY

This report describes a pilot scale study of the compaction and swelling pressures developed by a clay backfill against two experimental retaining walls. The plasticity of the clay was well outside the upper limits for cohesive fill to structures given in the current specification (Department of Transport 1986). The investigation forms a sequel to studies using backfills of sand and silty clay (carder, pocock and murray 1977, carder, murray and krawczyk 1980) and was carried out in three main stages. During stage 1 the clay was placed in an 'as dug' condition and compacted in layers to a depth of 3 metres. On completion of filling the measured total lateral pressures were considerably in excess of the calculated 'active' and 'at rest' values. Stage 2 was a four week rest period during which significant reductions in lateral pressure were measured on both experimental walls. Sand drains were then installed and the water level maintained constant at the surface of the fill during the 20 month swelling stage (stage 3). The average total lateral pressures on both walls rose rapidly to reach maximum values about six months after the start of swelling and then decreased over the following seven months. On completion of stage 3 the measured lateral pressure over the upper 1-1.5 m on both walls were substantially in excess of the calculated limiting passive values. (Author/TRRL)

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/02665247
• Corporate Authors:

  Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL)

  Wokingham, Berkshire  United Kingdom 
• Authors:
  • SYMONS, I F
  • CLAYTON, CRI
  • DARLEY, P
• Publication Date: 1989

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: 27 p.
• Serial:
  • TRRL RESEARCH REPORT
  • Issue Number: RR18
  • Publisher: Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL)
  • ISSN: 0266-5247

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Backfilling; Clay; Compaction; Earth pressure; Mathematical models; Motion; Plasticity; Retaining walls; Sand; Shear strength; Stress (Psychology); Stresses; Swelling soils; Trench backfill
• Uncontrolled Terms: Active earth pressure; Models; Passive earth pressure
• ITRD Terms: 4177: Clay; 5904: Compaction (state of); 5726: Earth pressure (active); 5727: Earth pressure (passive); 5735: Earth pressure at rest; 2801: Embankment; 6205: Model (not math); 5483: Movement; 5922: Plasticity; 3359: Retaining wall; 4105: Sand; 5531: Shear; 5575: Stress (in material); 5203: Swelling (soil)
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Geotechnology; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00491704
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Report/Paper Numbers: RR 192
• Files: ITRD, TRIS, ATRI
• Created Date: Mar 31 1990 12:00AM