THE OVERALL STABILITY OF FREE AND PROPPED EMBEDDED CANTILEVER RETAINING WALLS

This paper examines some of the commonly used design methods for overall stability based on factoring the passive resistance of the toe. These methods lead to widely differing levels of safety with respect to shear strength for a variety of conditions and sometimes give illogical results (e.g. A decreasing factor of safety with increasing wall penetration for uniform ground conditions). A revised definition of factor of safety with effect to passive failure is proposed. This revised definition is based on an analogy with bearing capacity theory and is shown to be consistent with the factor of safety as regards shear strength. The calculations take into account cohesive and frictional strength components, undrained conditions, surcharges and seepage pressures. A section deals with the application of the revised load factor to unpropped cantilever walls. The revised definition is shown to be logical and consistent for a wide range of conditions and overcomes the major difficulties that are inherent in current definitions. (TRRL)

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00174653
• Corporate Authors:

  Foundation Publications Limited

  7 Ongar Road
  Brentwood CM15 9AU, Essex,   England 
• Authors:
  • Burland, J B
  • Potts, D M
  • Walsh, N M
• Publication Date: 1981-7

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: p. 28
• Serial:
  • GROUND ENGINEERING
  • Volume: 14
  • Issue Number: 5
  • Publisher: EMAP CONSTRUCT LIMITED
  • ISSN: 0017-4653

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bearing capacity; Calculation; Cantilevers; Coefficients; Cohesion; Design methods; Earth pressure; Failure; Friction; Loads; Pressure; Retaining walls; Safety; Saturated soils; Seepage; Shear strength; Stability (Mechanics); Strength of materials; Support piles; Theory; Toes
• Uncontrolled Terms: Active earth pressure; Passive earth pressure; Passive resistance; Surcharge; Undrained conditions; Undrained soils
• Old TRIS Terms: Coefficient of safety; Embedment (Pile); Embedments (Pile)
• ITRD Terms: 3085: Bearing capacity; 6464: Calculation; 5903: Cohesion; 5726: Earth pressure (active); 5727: Earth pressure (passive); 5520: Failure; 5452: Friction; 5567: Load; 3422: Restraint (fixing); 3359: Retaining wall; 5504: Safety coefficient; 4315: Seepage; 5531: Shear; 5930: Stability; 5544: Strength (mater); 9078: Theory; 5782: Undrained soil
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Design; Geotechnology; Highways; Hydraulics and Hydrology; Safety and Human Factors; I24: Design of Bridges and Retaining Walls;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00342392
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Dec 22 1981 12:00AM