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Mechanics and performance of a tied‐back wall under seismic loads
Author(s) -
Neelakantan G.,
Budhu Muniram,
Richards R.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
earthquake engineering and structural dynamics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.218
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1096-9845
pISSN - 0098-8847
DOI - 10.1002/eqe.4290190303
Subject(s) - embedment , lateral earth pressure , seismic analysis , acceleration , seismic loading , geotechnical engineering , retaining wall , structural engineering , rotation (mathematics) , geology , fictitious force , engineering , mechanics , geometry , mathematics , physics , classical mechanics
In this paper the stability of a tied‐back wall subjected to seismic loads is analysed for a predetermined mode of failure (rotation about the top of the wall) and the analysis is compared with data from tests on this type of wall using the seismic simulator at the State University of New York at Buffalo. We carried out a pseudo‐static analysis of the problem using the Mononobe‐Okabe earth pressure coefficients, wherein the dynamic effects due to the seismic loading are converted into equivalent static loads. The acceleration ratio at which the wall fails by rotation about the top was obtained by considering the moments due to the various lateral earth pressure resultants and the inertial forces induced in the soil due to the seismic loading. We found that the presence of wall friction on the passive side significantly enhances the stability of the flexible retaining wall under seismic loads. Thus, flexible retaining walls supporting dry cohesionless soil can be very efficient during earthquakes. Under moderate earthquakes, an increase in the depth of embedment increases the dynamic factor of safety significantly. However, beyond a certain acceleration ratio for a soil with a particular value of ø, any increase in the depth of emdedment has no effect in impeding failure, irrespective of any change in the geometry of the system. Seismic design charts are presented to evaluate the stability of, and to design, flexible retaining walls embedded in dry cohesionless soils under seismic loading.