Lateral Earth Pressure

Shekh Muhsen Uddin Ahmed
DUET
CE-3301
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING -I
NOTE NO. 06
LATERAL EARTH PRESSURE
PREPARED BY:
Dr. Md. Mokhlesur Rahman
Professor
Civil Engineering Department
Dhaka University of Engineering & Technology (DUET),
Gazipur
Prepared by: Dr. Mokhlesur Rahman, Professor, Department of Civil Engineering,
DUET, Gazipur

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Lateral Earth Pressure

Earth Pressure: The pressure exerted by the soil against an engineering
structure or acting on a surface of surrounding soil mass is called earth pressure.
Ex. Earth pressure mainly two type:
Building
(b)
(a)
I.
Lateral earth pressure, Fig-1(a)

Earth Pressure
II.
Vertical earth pressure, Fig-1(b)
Retaining wall
Assumption for Lateral earth pressure analysis :

I.
The strains in longitudinal direction of the structure in soil are zero.
II.
Lateral pressure is function of soil type.
Magnitude of lateral earth pressure will depend on:
Cohesion less soil i.e. sand i.e. sand
(i) Physical properties of soil

soil
(ii)
-Cohesive soil i.e. Clay i.e. c soil and silt i.e. c-
Deformation characteristics of structure:

(a)
No deformation i.e. earth pressure at rest.
(b)
Lateral contraction i.e. passive pressure.
(c)
Lateral expansion i.e. Active pressure.

(a) No Deformation
(b) Lateral contraction
(c) Lateral expansion
(iii) Slope of the soil surface.

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State of Lateral earth pressure:

Earth Pressure at rest: When the soil maintains the same lateral dimension
regardless of the vertical pressure, the lateral pressure exerted or induced by the
soil is called earth pressure at rest. This condition is called soil state at rest.
Example:
No
Defor
mation
Earth pressure at rest,

say 10 Mpa.
Active earth pressure:
When the soil expands laterally the maximum

lateral stress at which the soil fails due to shear is called active earth pressure.
This state is called active state.
60, 50, 40, 30, 20 Mpa

At fail is called earth pressure
Passive earth Pressure:
When the soil contracts laterally the
minimum lateral stress at which it fails due to shear is called passive earth
pressure. This condition is called passive state.

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Practical Explanation for State of Lateral earth pressure :
Figure (a) shows the practical example of earth pressure at rest for no
movement of bridge two abutment.
Figure (b) shows the practical example of active earth pressure from filling
soil and passive earth pressure on existing soil for left ward movement of
bridge one abutment.

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Figure (a) shows the practical graphical example of active earth pressure is
less than earth pressure at rest, is less than passive earth pressure
depending on movement of bridge abutment.
Figure (b) shows the practical example of direction of failure fill wedge for
active earth pressure and Figure (b) shows the practical example of
direction of failure fill wedge for passive earth pressure depending on
movement of bridge abutment.
The Co-efficient of earth pressure:

(a) Co-efficient of active earth pressure (Ka) At active state, the ratio of the
lateral stress to the vertical stress is called the co-efficient of active earth
pressure.
Ka
(b) Co-efficient of passive earth pressure (Kp) - At passive condition or state, the
ratio of the lateral stress to the vertical stress is called the co-efficient of passive
earth pressure.
(c) Co-efficient of earth pressure at rest. (Ko)- At soil state at rest, the ratio of
lateral stress to vertical stress is called Co-efficient of earth pressure at rest (Ko).
Position the magnitude for the Co-efficient of earth pressure
Kp >Ko>Ka or Ka <Ko<Kp
Determination of Ko:
For sand and normally consolidated clays, the value of (Ko) can be related
approximate to the effective stress parameter,
(true angle of internal friction)
in a formula proposed by Jaky;

Ko = 1- Sin
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'
For over consolidated clay (OC), the value of Ko will depend on stress history,
which is usually expressed as over consolidation ratio i.e. OCR
i.e.
Typing relationship between Ko and OCR :

3
2
1
Ko 0
1
10
15
20
25
OCR
Typical values of Ko:
Soil
Ko
Dense sand
0.35
OCR = 2,
Ko = 0.80 0.90
Loose sand
0.60
OCR = 5,
Ko = 1.20 1.30
NC Clay
0.5-0.6
OC clay, OCR
3.5-1.0
OC clay, OCR
20-2.80
OCR =10,
Ko = 1.70 1.80
Determination of Ka (coefficient of Active pressure) for

cohesionless soil by Rankines Method. Horizontal earth
surface.
Assumptions:
i.
The retaining wall must be smooth.
I.
The retaining wall must be vertical.
Let us consider a smooth vertical retaining wall holding back a cohesionless soil
with angle of internal friction ,

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II.
The top of the soil surface is horizontal and level with the top of the
retaining wall.
III.
Let us consider a path in the soil mass at a depth of (h) below the top of
the wall .
IV.
Assuming that the wall has yielded sufficiently to satisfy active earth
pressure condition .
From above figure,
Ka =

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, which is expression of Ka.
= Ka

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Determination of Kp (coefficient of passive pressure) for

cohesion less soil by Rankines method: (Horizontal earth
surface)
Assumption:
i)
The retaining wall must be smooth.
ii)
The retaining wall must be vertical.
iii)
Let us consider a smooth vertical retaining wall holding cohesionless soil

with as angle of internal friction,
iv)
The top of soil surface is horizontal and level with the top of the retaining
wall must be vertical.
v)
Let us consider a path in the soil mass at a depth of h below the top of the
wall.
vi)
Assuming that the wall has yielded sufficiently to satisfy active earth
pressure condition.
Here,
>

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= Kp
Relation of Ka and Kp :
Ka
Example-1:
Using Rankin theory, determine the total active thrust on a vertical retaining wall
of 10m high if the soil retained has the following properties:
10m
51.3
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Step -1: Ka =
= 0.27
Step- 2 : Active earth pressure at h=0 and h= 10m .
Step -3 : Assume, width=1m = b

Total thrust = A b =
If given, b= 10m.
Then total thrust =
Effective of surcharge on retaining wall:

Type of surcharge:
I.
Point load
II.
Line Load
III.
Uniform distributed load or uniform surcharge which is the most common
type.
Point load
Line Load
Point load, kN
Line
load, kN/m
Uniform surcharge:
If soil surface is horizontal and vertical surface of back retaining wall.
Ws, kN/m2

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Then the uniform surcharge should be converted to a height of the soil to be
retained is called equivalent height, (he) he
Where
s
m
intensity of uniform lead/unit area.
If soil surface is inclined and the back retaining wall is inclined.

Ws, kN/m2
m
Where,
Example-2:
Using Rankine theory , determine the total active thrust on a vertical retaining
wall of 10m high , which is subjected to uniform surcharge 57kN/
on horizontal
surface of soil.
Given that,
57 kN/m2 = Ws

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15.39 kN/
19 kN/m
66.6 kN/
Total active thrust
=A
=
= 4099.50 kN (Ans:)
Determination of Lateral active pressure(Pa) for

cohesive soil(c-
by Rankines method:
A cohesive soil is Partially self supporting and it will therefore exert a

smaller pressure on a retaining wall than cohesion less soil having the same
angle of friction and density.
Let us consider two such cases with their horizontal surface.
The Mohr circle diagrams for both soils are superimposed shown in figure.
At depth of h both soils are subjected to the same major principal stress,

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The minor principal stress for cohesion less soil is

soil is only
but for cohesive (c- )
In triangle FGH,
So,

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H
90
Now, triangle HEF
AB = EF =
45-
=>AB =
=>AB = 2ctan(45-
45+
So,
= Ka
Which is the required expression.
+
+
for Lateral stress of c-

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Determination of Passive earth pressure for c- soil by

Rankines method:

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Determination of unsupported height/ critical height for

purely cohesion soil:
We know for c-
soil, the lateral active
Pressure,
Now , 0=
C-
=>
+
of tension
crack
= Depth of tension crack.
Theoretical unsupported height / Critical height,
= 4c/ [tan (45+ /2)]

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for c-
soil
=tan(45+
So, Hu =
For purely cohesive soil
=
Which is the expression for unsupported height for purely
cohesive soil.
Example:
Compute the total thrust and point of action on a retaining wall of 10m long
considering two layer of soil shown in Figure.
4m
(1)
(2)
6m
Step 1:

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Step- 2: Layer1
Step 3: Layer 2
Uniform surcharge on layer
2=
=0.27
=0.27

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4m
P1
17.3 21.33
P2
6m
P3
3m
2m
49.6
Step -4 :
Point of action
Where,
,
.
=10-3.36=6.64ft. from top.

Total thrust =
=243.36 kN/m-width. (Ans:)
Effect of surcharge and tension crack.

,
Example:
A vertical wall 9m high, supports cohesive soil, the surface of which is level with
the top of the wall. The density of the soil is 1900kg/
, its cohesion is 20kN/

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and the angle of shearing resistance is 10 . Find the active thrust on wall per m
run and also find the unsupported height.
Ans :C=20kn/m3
9m
+
(9-2.6)m
Kp =
Ka =
h=9m , c=20kn/
=0.704
=84.4 Kn/m.
Depth of tension crack =
=2.6m
Total thrust =
The unsupported height =
(Ans.)
=2
=5.2m (Ans.)
Effects of water :
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For the effect of water, there will also be decrease in active pressure below the
water table, since the submerged density of the soil is used :
Pa = Ka
, Where
For water , Pw =
.
h.

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Example:
For an earth retaining structure shown in Figure below construct earth pressure
diagram for active state and find the total thrust per unit length of wall.
Step -1
For,
= 0.333 =
Dry unit weight =

Submerged unit weight =
= 1.0 t/
= 1 t/
Step -2 :
Layer ,
(h = 0) =
(h = 3m) =
Step 3:
layer
=
=(
)
=1.6
= 6.2m

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(
(
Step 4:
For water
=
=1
Total thrust = Summation of area of different parts of pressure diagram

= (.468+2.067)
=50.937
(2.067+4.4)
Width (Ans.)
Determination of active earth pressure for cohesion less

soil (
Assumption: i) The pressure acting parallel to earth surface.
ii) Wall is vertical, smooth.
90 D
h
B
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H
From figure, OB = hcos , OA =

=
Now, OD = OC cos ,
AD =
=
=
=
= OC
=
=
(thrust) =
Similarly , For passive pressure ,
=
(thrust) =

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Example :
A vertical wall 6m high, retains a 20 soil slope, the retained soil having the
properties,
, C=0 ,
Determine the total active thrust on the
wall.
`
20
c=0,
6m
= 0.265
H = 6m
Then, Total thrust,
=
= 81 kN/m (Ans.)
Limitation of Rankines method:

(a)
Rankines method breaks if

i.
The back surface of retaining wall is inclined.
ii.
Ground surface is irregular or undulated.
iii. The wall has rough surface.

Overcome this by:
(b)
Coulomb analysis.
(c)
Culmanns analysis.
Assumption of Coulombs analysis:

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Instead of considering the equilibrium of an element in a stressed soil mass like
Rankine, Coulombs (1776) considered the stability as a whole of the wedge of
soil between the wall and a trail failure surface. The basic assumption analysis
are:
(1)
The soil is dry, homogenous, isotropic and elastically undeformable but

breakable.
(2)
When the wall yields a soil, wedge is torn off from the rest of the soil mass.
The wedge it self is considered as a right body.
(3)
The failure surface for the sake of convenience in analysis is assumed to be

a plane passing through the heel of the wall.
(4)
Friction between wall and soil is taken into consideration.
(5)
Failure is a two dimensional problems that is a plane strain condition.
(6)
The position and direction of resultant earth pressure assumed to be known.

For a back fill with plane surface , the resultant pressure acts on the back of
the wall at a point one third the height of the wall above from the bottom
Failure surface
cg
Active pressure and Passive pressure by Coulomb method:

C
180-W
R

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R
H
H/3
B
P is
for Particular value of
The solution,
And where,
=
Similarly,
Where,
=
Culmanns graphical method for solution of active earth
pressure:
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I.
Draw the retaining wall, back fill etc to a convenient scale on a graph paper.
II.
From point A lay off a line AC at an angle of
III.
From point A, a line AD is drawn which makes an angle,

The angle
with a horizontal line.

with AC.
is the angle between the back of the retaining wall and a
horizontal line, S is the angle of a wall friction.

IV.
Some possible failure wedges,
V.
The weights of the wedges are computed.
VI.
Using a convenient scale along line AC, the respective weight of the wedges
are marked on the line locating point,
VII. Through each point

intersecting
the
corresponding
etc are drawn.
etc.]
etc a line parallel to AD is drawn,

line
etc
at
points
etc.
VIII. Through the point
etc a smooth curve is drawn which is
known as Culmanns line.

IX.
A line that is both tangents to the Culmanns line and parallel to AC is

drawn.
X.
A line is drawn through the tangent points that is parallel to the line AD and
intersects line AC. The length of this line, PQ applied to weight scale gives

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the value of total active thrust
, AE line from point A through the point
defines the failure plane.

Culmanns graphical method of solution for passive earth pressure:
-Soil.
The procedure for determining passive earth pressure by using Culmanns
method is similar to that for active earth pressure with some notable different:
(a)
The line AC makes an angle,
degrees below rather than above the
horizontal line.
(b)
The reference line AD makes an angle,
, with the line AC.
Example on Culmanns solution

Example:
i.
For a retaining wall system, the following data were available:
Height of wall = 7m

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ii.
Properties of back fill soil :
iii.
Angle of wall friction , S =20
iv.
Back wall is inclined at 20
v.
Backfill surface is sloping at 1:7.
= 1.6
, = 35o
Determine the magnitude of active earth pressure by Culmanns method.
(a)
Figure on graph paper shows the wall drawn to a scale of 1 cm =2m. -line
and pressure lines are also drawn,
.
(b)
The trail rupture lines
etc are drawn by marking
etc = 1cm.
(c)
The length of perpendicular for A to the backfill surface =3.6cm
(d)
The area of wedges

lengths
etc are respectively equal to =
(Base
etc) X perpendicular length (AV).

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(e)
The weights of the wedges in (d) above per meter length of wall may be
found by multiplying the areas by the unit weight of soil and the result are
tabulated below:
Wedges
Weight (tones)
11.5 =
23.0 = 2
34.5 = 3
11.5
46.0 = 4
57.5 = 5
(f)
The weights of wedges

etc on the
(g)
etc are respectively plotted

line using a scale 1cm = 20T.
Lines drawn parallel to the pressure line from points

respectively the trail rupture lines
etc meet
etc points
etc.
(h)
Pressure locus is drawn passing through points
(i)
Line ZZ is drawn tangential to the pressure locus at a point coincides with

the point
.
PQ = gives the active earth pressure.
(j)
per meter
(k)
etc.
= 0.9cm
= 18tonnes
= 1.6cm length of wall.
is the critical rupture line or plane.
Exercise :
1(a) Prove that
+2C
1(b) For an earth retaining structure shown in figure below construct earth
pressure diagram for active state and find the total thrust per unit length of
wall and point of action.
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2.
A vertical retaining wall supports a cohesion backfill having a cohesion of

24kn/
and an angle of shearing resistance of 8 . The height of the wall is
12m and G.W.L is 4m below the crest .The bulk destiny of the soil above
G.W.L is 1640 kg/
and the saturated soil density is 2000 kg/
.The
ground surface behind the wall, will is horizontal and level with the wall
crest, carries a uniform surcharge of 12 kN/
4m
12 kN/
12 m
a)
Determine the total horizontal thrust on wall in kN per liner meter if the
angle of wall friction is zero and tension cracks have formed.
b)
To what depth is the pressure on wall zero?
c)
At what height above the base does the total horizontal thrust act?
Ans: (a)
3.
= 692kN; (b)
= 2.7m, (c) h = 3m.
A retaining wall 5m high supports a backfill consisting of 2m of sandy clay

overlying 3m of sand. G.W.L coincides with the upper surface of the sand.
The soil constants are as follows: Sandy clay; density =1840 kg/
cohesion =11.5 kN/
= 35 C=0.
Determine the total active thrust on the retaining wall and it point of section,
assuming tension cracks have developed.
Ans: P = 86 kN acting 1.4m above the base.

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Lateral Earth Pressure

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Shekh Muhsen Uddin Ahmed

Shekh Muhsen Uddin Ahmed