Revisiting Seismic Active/Passive Earth Pressure in Nonuniform Cohesive–Frictional Backfill

Abstract

A limit analysis of rigid retaining walls is presented to predict active/passive earth pressures for a flat backfill with a linear Mohr-Coulomb (MC) and nonlinear power-law yield criterion under seismic effect. The pseudo-static solutions of the lateral earth pressures are derived with a novel procedure—discretization-based kinematic analysis that retains the merits of the discretization technique and kinematic analysis method, in a nonuniform soil medium. The discretization technique is introduced to generate a kinematically admissible velocity field with a discretized slip line, allowing for considerations of nonuniformity of soil properties with ease. For the case of nonlinear analysis, the mobilized MC strength parameters are transformed with the use of a generalized tangential technique. Within the scope of plasticity theory, the pseudo-static active/passive earth pressure (coefficient) is determined based on the work rate balance equation. The kinematic solutions are calculated through optimization under known parameters, which are presented in the form of figures for providing insight on the implications of influential factors and for ease of practical use.