Lateral Earth Pressure Considering the Displacement of a Rigid Retaining Wall

Abstract

In this study, an analytical model is proposed to calculate earth pressure considering the displacement of a rigid wall, and this model is developed based on the hyperbolic soil stress-strain relationship. By introducing the soil–failure ratio, the classic limit earth pressure theories can be incorporated into this analytical model. Using the axis-translation method, the earth pressure at rest is the initial state without wall movement. As the wall moves away from the soil mass, the earth pressure decreases and reaches the limit active earth pressure if the wall displacement reaches a threshold value. Similarly, the earth pressure increases to the limit passive earth pressure as the wall moves against the soil mass. This analytical model is verified when compared with experimental and numerical results and can predict the nonlinear earth pressure distribution under various modes of wall movement. This proposed analytical model provides an effective approach to predict the variation of earth pressure, with various wall displacements ranging from the limit active state to the limit passive state.