Seismic Active Pressure on an Inclined Retaining Wall with Surcharge on a Submerged Backfill

Abstract

Seismic design of retaining wall supporting submerged retaining wall requires precise estimation of lateral earth pressure considering realistic parameters that constitute hydro-dynamic pressure, frequency inputs and other dynamic properties. The purpose of this study is to establish a closed-form solution for seismic lateral earth pressure acting on a retaining wall with submerged backfill with surcharge. The proposed method includes the dynamic nature by considering time-period, the frequency of the seismic wave, dynamic soil properties. Boundary conditions in the backfill are satisfied due to the propagation of the seismic wave. This study considers amplified seismic waves to estimate inertial forces due to critical soil mass and surcharge. The excess pore pressure generated during the seismic action is also considered in this study. The obtained formulation shows the significant effect of frequency content, damping resistance offered by backfill soil, amplification of seismic wave on seismic earth pressure. The seismic earth pressure obtained from this study is observed to be in a close agreement with centrifuge test results and analytical studies from the literature. This study definitely addresses the lateral pressure distribution on the retaining wall with backfill submergence and surcharge on the surface.