Earth Pressures by the

Coulomb Approach
Dr. I Wayan Sengara
Source Material Provide
By : D. A. Cameron
Rock & Soils
2009

Lateral Earth
Pressure
Retaining structures such as
retaining walls, basement walls,
and bulkheads commonly are
used in foundation engineering.
These structures are also
subjected to lateral loads,
coming from either a soil mass,
or from seismic forces operating
upon these soil masses.

Lateral Earth
Pressure
Some of the examples of these lateral
loads covered in this lecture include:
1. Soil stability problems;
2. The temporary of permanent
bracing of excavations;
3. The design of retaining walls for
highways (abutments) or buildings
(walls), and
4. The various types of anchorages
that transfer loads from the walls to
foundations.

Lateral Earth
Pressure

Lateral Earth
Pressure

Lateral Earth
Pressure
In order to be able to design the
structures that can carry these
lateral loads, a theory of how these
lateral loads behave is reviewed.
Specifically, this lecture will present,
1. Define the different types of lateral
pressures: at rest, active and
passive earth conditions,
2. Distinguish between the theories
developed by Charles Coulomb and
William Rankine.

Coulomb (1736-1806)

Charles-Augustine de
Coulomb (1736-1806) was a
military engineer and a
famous French physicist that
discovered the force between
two electrical charges.
Less known was his
development of the first
thoroughly analytical study of
lateral earth pressures which
he published in 1776.
That theory remains the
standard choice of analysis
for lateral forces upon
structures in soils.

Rankine (1820-1872)

William J.M. Rankine

(1820-1872), the famous
Scot engineer and physicist
is best known as one of the
founders of the science of
thermodynamics.
He held the Queen Victoria
Chair of civil engineering at
the University of Glasgow.
In soil mechanics, he
simplified Coulombs theory
for cases when the surface
of the backfill is horizontal,
the friction between the
wall and the backfill is
negligible and the retaining
wall is vertical.

COULOMB
APPROACH
Upper bound theorem
(Rankine is a lower bound)

Plausible collapse mechanism

assumed

Equilibrium of forces, moments or

energy

Predicted force > collapse load

NOTE: when an upper bound and a

lower bound agree = the true
solution!

COULOMB
APPROACH
HANDLES:
Irregular backfill surfaces
Sloping backs of walls
Sloping backfill
Surface surcharges
Wall friction
Interface

friction angle,

Although failure surfaces were

known to be curved, a planar
approximation was adopted
(OK for Active earth pressures)

Influence of Friction
Pa
Active

Fa
ilu
re

lin
e

Fa
ilu
re

lin
e

Passive

Pp

Coulomb Wedge
Analysis
Case 1: Uniform soil, c = 0,
vertical back of retaining wall
- no wall friction

Pa

N
R
T

FORCES

W = weight of soil wedge

needs

support

N = force normal to sliding plane from

underlying supporting soil

T = tangential force along sliding plane

= Ntan

R = resultant reaction from supporting soil

forces, T & N

Pa = maxm reaction from wall required for

equilibrium for critical wedge angle, a

VECTOR DIAGRAMS
Case 1: no wall friction
Pa

a - W

90 - a +

90

Sliding
plane

a
R

SOLUTION
Pa Wtan(a )

But

H2
W
tan a
2
2

H
Pa

tan a tan( a )

0.334

2Pa /( H )

0.332
0.33
0.328
0.326
0.324
0.322
50

55

60

65

trial angle, a (degrees)

70

Note: for this simple

problem, Rankine and
Coulomb expressions
coincide failure plane is at
(45 + /2) = 60
i.e. where the maximum
value of Pa is obtained

AND

Ka = 0.333 = 2Pa/(H2)

for this simple problem

Case 2: Uniform soil, c = 0,

vertical backed retaining wall,
wall friction (tan)

Pa

a
R

VECTOR DIAGRAMS
Case 2: with wall friction

Pa

R
90 - a +

a - W

SOLUTION
H
(as before)
W
tana
2
2

From the sine rule:

Pa
W

sin(a ) sin(90 a )

H2

Pa
2

sin(a )

sin(90 a )tan(a )

Influence of = 2/3 = 20
- simple case study 2
0.298

2Pa /( H )

0.296
0.294
0.292
0.29
0.288
0.286
50

55

60

trial angle, a (degrees)

4 flatter failure plane

Ka 11% less

65

Consider - - -

sli
d

in

su
rfa

backfill

ce
?

tension
crack

natural soil

natural soil

FORCES

cl

Pa

c wh

natural soil

FORCE VECTOR
DIAGRAM P
a

W
R

cl

c wh

Consider water in
crack

sli
d

in

su
rfa

backfill

ce
?

tension
crack

natural soil

natural soil

FORCES
z
W

cl

U = 0.5wz2

Pa

c wh

natural soil

FORCE VECTOR
DIAGRAMP
a

W
R

c wh

cl

SEEPAGE FORCES

cl

Pa

c wh

So whats Coulomb
method
all
about?
Must appreciate all the forces acting on

the potentially unstable wedge of backfill

soil, including shear against the wall

The forces includes a base reaction, the

magnitude of which is unknown

Do know the direction which is useful in

finding the active thrust force vectors

Numerous trial wedges are needed to

find the maximum thrust
analagous to finding the critical
sliding surface in slope stability

OVERALL
SUMMARY

Earth pressures are needed for design

of retaining walls & excavations

3 major states: at rest, Active & Passive

Earth pressure coefficients are based

on effective stresses

Water pressures are important

Cohesion leads to potential cracked

zone for Active earth pressure state

Coulomb a superior approach as wall

interface forces considered

DESIGN OF RETAINING
WALLS

Masonry Gravity walls

Crib gravity
wall
(concrete,
timber)

Generally rely on mass

- needs to be substantial

Gabion
gravity
wall

Concrete Cantilever
Walls
Dead
Weights
Active
thrust

Flexural strength BUT also mass

of soil above footing, which
moves with the wall

Design
Requirements
a)

The wall is structurally sound

b)

The foundation can carry the loads

c)

will not fail - bearing capacity

The wall is safe against overturning

and translation

d)

flexure, compression & tension

toppling or sliding

Settlement and tilting are minimized

remains serviceable

Design Steps
Determine:
1.

earth pressures

2.

resultant thrust behind wall

3.

soil reactions at base of wall (footing)

4.

location of resultant soil reaction on

base

take moments of all forces about

toe of wall

Consider the loads

subscript w = wall

and the Reactions

Tw

xw

Pw

y
x

toe N

EXAMPLE

Evaluate earth pressures

Pw and Tw, horizontal and vertical

components of Pa

Soil reaction: N = (W + Tw)

Moments of all forces about toe

of wall to find x
(Nx + Pwy) = (TwB + Wxw)

i.e. overturning = restoring moments

Moment equilibrium

Design Steps, contd.

Checks
1.

Base reaction is in MIDDLE third?

If not, then widen footing to avoid lift
off

2.

Resistance to potential overturning?

restoring moment
1.5
overturnin g moment

3. Bearing capacity of soil

foundation?
4. Base sliding resistance?

EXAMPLE contd
5. 0.67B x 0.33B?
6. Overturning?
Wx w TwB
1.5
Nx Pw y

7. Bearing capacity = function of

soil shear strength parameters
(later in the course)
8. Base sliding?
T
Pw

1.5, where T c aB Ntan

Adhesion & wall

friction

Adhesion, ca, between soil foundation and wall

footing

natural soil and concrete?

sliding resistance of interface for zero

normal force

Wall or interface friction, tan

Typically assume:

ca = 0.67c'

tan = 0.67tan'

but can vary with roughness of footing

material

Soil base reactions

N Centreline
x

e =(B/2 x)

B/2

Average pressure, N/(LB)

+ Pressure due to
moment, Ne

6Ne
LB 2
L 1m

Point of lift off at zero contact

pressure
N 6Ne
2 0
B
B
or
N
6e
1
0
B
B
i.e._when
B
e
6

i.e. the middle third rule

Design Steps, contd.

Finally, check:
9.

Global stability
Slope stability

10.

Shear & moment capacity of

wall & base

Designers of Retaining Walls:

AS 4678 2002
Some Features:
1) 3 levels of classification of structure
2) characteristic strengths factored for
ultimate or serviceability limit state
3) reduction factors depend on how well
controlled the backfill compaction is
4) Load factors 1.25DL,1.25'h, 1.5LL
5) Minm. LL of 5 kPa on backfill surface
6) good information on reinforced soil
systems

SMITHS EXERCISES

7.2 Gravity retaining wall:

Check FoS for sliding and overturning
Answers 3.53 and 1.85

1.8 m

4.0 m

c = 0, = 35,
= 18 kN/m3

1.0 m

2.5 m

wall = 23.5 kN/m3

Passive pressure at front of wall?