Design and Detailing of Counterfort

Retaining wall

Dr. M.C. NATARAJA

1
Counterfort Retaining wall

When H exceeds about 7m,

• Stem and heel thickness is more CF

• More bending and more steel

• Cantilever-T type-Uneconomical Stem
• Counterforts-Trapezoidal section
Base Slab
• 1.5m -3m c/c
CRW

2
 Behaviour of Counterfort RW
-M

+M Important points
•Loads on Wall
COUNTERFORT •Deflected shape
STEM
•Nature of BMs
•Position of steel
-M
•Counterfort details
HEEL SLAB
TOE +M

4
 Parts of CRW
• Same as that of Cantilever Retaining wall Plus
Counterfort

Stem Counterforts

Toe Heel
Base slab
Cross section Plan
5
Design of Stem
• The stem acts as a continuous slab
• Soil pressure acts as the load on the
slab. BF
• Earth pressure varies linearly over
the height
• The slab deflects away from the
earth face between the counterforts
• The bending moment in the stem is
maximum at the base and reduces
towards top.
• But the thickness of the wall is kept p=Kaγh
constant and only the area of steel
is reduced.

6
Maximum Bending moments for stem

Maximum +ve B.M= pl2/16

(occurring mid-way between counterforts)
and
l
Maximum -ve B.M= pl2/12
(occurring at inner face of counterforts) -

Where ‘l’ is the clear distance between the + p

counterforts
and ‘p’ is the intensity of soil pressure

7
 Design of Toe Slab
The toe slab is subjected to an upward
soil reaction and is designed as a
cantilever slab fixed at the front face of
the stem. H
Reinforcement is provided on earth face
along the length of the toe slab.
In case the toe slab projection is large i.e.
> L/3, front counterforts may be
provided above the toe slab and the
slab is designed as a continuous
horizontal slab spanning between the L
front counterforts.

8
 Design of Heel Slab

The heel slab is designed as a continuous slab

spanning over the counterforts and is
subjected to downward forces due to weight of
soil plus self weight of slab and an upward
force due to soil reaction.

Maximum +ve B.M= pl2/16 BF

(mid-way between counterforts)
And
Maximum -ve B.M= pl2/12
(occurring at counterforts)

9
 Design of Counterforts
• The counterforts are subjected to
outward reaction from the stem.
• This produces tension along the
outer sloping face of the counterforts.
• The inner face supporting the stem is
in compression. Thus counterforts
are designed as a T-beam of varying
depth. C T
• The main steel provided along the
sloping face shall be anchored d
properly at both ends.
• The depth of the counterfort is
measured perpendicular to the
sloping side.

10
 PROBLEM
-Counterfort Retaining Wall
• A R.C.C. retaining wall with counterforts is
required to support earth to a height of 7 m above
the ground level. The top surface of the backfill is
horizontal. The trial pit taken at the site indicates
that soil of bearing capacity 220 kN/m2 is available
at a depth of 1.25 m below the ground level. The
weight of earth is 18 kN/m3 and angle of repose is
30°. The coefficient of friction between concrete
and soil is 0.58. Use concrete M20 and steel
grade Fe 415. Design the retaining wall.

11
Draw the following:
• Cross section of wall near the counterfort
• Cross section of wall between the counterforts
• L/s of stem at the base cutting the counterforts

Given:
fck = 20 N/mm2, fy = 415N/mm2, H = 7 m above G.L,
Depth of footing below G.L. = 1.25 m, γ = 18 kN/m3,
μ = 0.58, fb =SBC= 220 kN/m2

12
 SOURCE : REINFORCED CONCRETE
DESIGN (PILLAI AND MENON)

h = total height of wall (height of retained

earth + Depth of foundation) = H in our case
 a. Proportioning of Wall Components
Coefficient of active pressure = ka = 1/3
Coefficient of passive pressure= kp = 3
The height of the wall above the base
= H = 7 + 1.25 = 8.25 m = 8250 mm
Assume thickness of vertical wall = 450 mm at bottom,
tapering to 300 mm at top
Thickness of heel slab = 0.05 * 8250= 412.5, say 450 mm
Assuming no buttress / front counterfort, thickness of toe
slab = 0.08 * 8250 = 660 mm, say 700 mm.

14
Using Krishna and Jain formula,
q = (18)*(8.25-0.45)/ (220) = 0.6382
m = (1)-(4q/9) = 0.304, but m should be
between 0.35-0.65
So using m = 0.35, L = total length of base
slab = 4.11 m, say 4.20 m
mL = length of toe slab = 1470 mm, say 1.5
metres
Length of heel = 4.2-0.45-1.5 = 2.25 metres
Spacing of counterforts

l1 = clear spacing of counterforts

l1
l1 generally varies from H/3 to H/2.
i.e. (8.25/3) = 2.75 m, to (8.25/2) = 4.125 m
 Provide counterforts at 3 m clear spacing.

Thickness of counterfort = 0.05 h, say 500 mm

c/c spacing = 3.50 metres

16
 Details of wall
300 mm

CF: 3.50m c/c,

500 mm thk

h1=7 m H=8.25 m

d
h=7.8 m
1.5 m θ
1.25m 2.25 m
0.7 m 0.45 m

T L = 4.2 m
17
CHECKS FOR STABILITY

- AS NORMAL, neglecting
counterforts
Practice Problem
Design a T shaped cantilever retaining wall to retain earth
embankment 3.2 m high above the ground level. The
unit weight of the earth is 18 kN/m2 and its angle of
repose is 30 degrees. The embankment is horizontal
at it top. The SBC of soil is 120 kN/m2 and the co-
efficient of friction between soil and concrete is 0.5.
Use M20 concrete and Fe 415 steel. Draw the
following to a suitable scale:
1. Section of the retaining wall
2. Reinforcement details at the inner face of the stem.
60 Marks
Data: h1=3.2 m, µ=0.5, γ=18 kN/m2, ө=30º, SBC= 120
kN/m2,
M20 Concrete and Fe 415 steel
Find H= h1 + Df
26