The pressure of clay backfill against retaining structures

1991 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 282-297 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. R. I. Clayton ◽  
I. F. Symons ◽  
J. C. Hiedra-Cobo
Keyword(s):  
Moisture Content ◽  
Stress Reduction ◽  
Numerical Study ◽  
Earth Pressure ◽  
Retaining Walls ◽  
Pilot Scale ◽  
High Plasticity ◽  
Retaining Structures ◽  
Constant Moisture Content ◽  
Pressure Changes

This paper investigates the pressures exerted by clay backfills against retaining structures. The lateral pressures are developed during three main phases: placement, compaction, and burial; horizontal total stress reduction at constant moisture content; and swelling or consolidation under approximately constant vertical stress. Experimental data from laboratory and pilot-scale studies, using clays of intermediate and high plasticity, are presented and used to assess the magnitude of the pressure changes in each phase. The process of compaction is examined and it is concluded that previously developed theories for assessing the pressures on retaining walls developed by compaction of granular soils are inapplicable for cohesive soils. The factors controlling the swelling of cohesive backfill are reviewed and results from a preliminary numerical study are used to provide an indication of the likely effects of plasticity and placement moisture content. Key words: earth pressure, retaining walls, clay, compaction, swelling.

scholarly journals Evaluating the Role of Geofoam Properties in Reducing Lateral Loads on Retaining Walls: A Numerical Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 4754
Author(s):  
Muhammad Imran Khan ◽  
Mohamed A. Meguid
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Study ◽  
Retaining Wall ◽  
Earth Pressure ◽  
Retaining Walls ◽  
Expanded Polystyrene ◽  
Wall Structure ◽  
Eps Geofoam ◽  
Lateral Earth Pressure ◽  
Backfill Soil

Expanded polystyrene (EPS) geofoam is a lightweight compressible material that has been widely used in various civil engineering projects. One interesting application of EPS in geotechnical engineering is to reduce the lateral earth pressure on rigid non-yielding retaining walls. The compressible nature of the EPS geofoam allows for the shear strength of the backfill soil to be mobilized, which leads to a reduction in lateral earth pressure acting on the wall. In this study, a finite element model is developed and used to investigate the role of geofoam inclusion between a rigid retaining wall and the backfill material on the earth pressure transferred to the wall structure. The developed model was first calibrated using experimental data. Then, a parametric study was conducted to investigate the effect of EPS geofoam density, relative thickness with respect to the wall height, and the frictional angle of backfill soil on the effectiveness of this technique in reducing lateral earth pressure. Results showed that low-density EPS geofoam inclusion provides the best performance, particularly when coupled with backfill of low friction angle. The proposed modeling approach has shown to be efficient in solving this class of problems and can be used to model similar soil-geofoam-structure interaction problems.

Lateral Earth Pressure Coefficient of Soils Subjected to Freeze–Thaw

2017 ◽  
Vol 140 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaodong Zhao ◽  
Guoqing Zhou ◽  
Bo Wang ◽  
Wei Jiao ◽  
Jing Yu
Keyword(s):  
Pressure Coefficient ◽  
Earth Pressure ◽  
Retaining Walls ◽  
Saturated Soil ◽  
Frozen Soils ◽  
Freeze Thaw ◽  
Lateral Earth Pressure ◽  
Soil Deposits ◽  
Earth Pressure Coefficient ◽  
Water Saturated

Artificial frozen soils (AFS) have been used widely as temporary retaining walls in strata with soft and water-saturated soil deposits. After excavations, frozen soils thaw, and the lateral earth pressure penetrates through the soils subjected to freeze–thaw, and acts on man-made facilities. Therefore, it is important to investigate the lateral pressure (coefficient) responses of soils subjected to freeze–thaw to perform structure calculations and stability assessments of man-made facilities. A cubical testing apparatus was developed, and tests were performed on susceptible soils under conditions of freezing to a stable thermal gradient and then thawing with a uniform temperature (Fnonuni–Tuni). The experimental results indicated a lack of notable anisotropy for the maximum lateral preconsolidated pressures induced by the specimen’s compaction and freeze–thaw. However, the freeze–thaw led to a decrement of lateral earth pressure coefficient  K0, and  K0 decrement under the horizontal Fnonuni–Tuni was greater than that under the vertical Fnonuni–Tuni. The measured  K0 for normally consolidated and over-consolidated soil specimens exhibited anisotropic characteristics under the vertical Fnonuni–Tuni and horizontal Fnonuni–Tuni treatments. The anisotropies of  K0 under the horizontal Fnonuni–Tuni were greater than that under the vertical Fnonuni–Tuni, and the anisotropies were more noticeable in the unloading path than that in the loading path. These observations have potential significances to the economical and practical design of permanent retaining walls in soft and water-saturated soil deposits.

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