Seismic Passive Earth Thrust on Retaining Walls with Cohesive Backfills Using Pseudo-Dynamic Approach

Abstract

In this paper, the pseudo-dynamic approach is used to estimate seismic passive earth thrust on retaining walls with cohesive-frictional backfills. The time-dependent pseudo-dynamic approach considers the influence of dynamic parameters such as the velocity of primary and shear waves, the period of lateral shaking, and the phase and amplitude variations of horizontal and vertical earthquake accelerations with depth. The failure plane behind the wall is assumed to be planar. The analysis is based on the equilibrium of forces which act within the failure wedge. The obtained results show that the backfill cohesion increases both the seismic passive earth thrust and the failure plane inclination angle with the horizontal plane. It is also observed that both horizontal and vertical seismic accelerations have decreasing effect on seismic passive earth thrust as well as failure plane inclination angle. The results of present pseudo-dynamic analysis propose a lower solution for seismic passive earth thrust compared to earlier pseudo-static solution available in the literature.

Pseudo-dynamic analysis of seismic stability of reinforced slopes considering non-associated flow rule

“…Their solution was based on the associated flow rule. Latter extensions of pseudo-dynamic approach have recently made by SHAFIEE et al [28] and GHOSH and KOLATHAYAR [29].…”

Discussion of the Original Paper “Pseudo-Dynamic Active Response of Non-Vertical Retaining Wall Supporting c-ϕ Backfill” by Sima Ghosh and Richi Prasad Sharma: Geotechnical and Geological Engineering, DOI 10.1007/s10706-010-9321-9

“…The study is based on the pseudo-dynamic approach that uses the concept of phase difference due to the finite shear wave propagation behind a retaining wall as presented originally by Steedman and Zeng (1990), and Zeng and Steedman (1993). The pseudodynamic approach has been adopted in a similar way also in some other recent studies on seismic active and passive earth pressure analyses (Choudhury and Nimbalkar 2005;Choudhury and Nimbalkar 2006;Ghosh 2007;Ghosh et al 2008;Ghosh 2010;Shafiee et al 2010a) considering that this approach idealises the dynamic nature of earthquake loading more appropriately than the method of idealisation adopted in pseudo-static approach of analysing the seismic active and passive earth pressures. It is noted that the initial analysis involving Eqs.…”