• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.23 no.9
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• pp.25-31
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• 2022

Attaching shelf to retaining structure leads to a decrease in the total lateral earth pressure. This decrease enables the retaining structures to become more stable, to have small displacement, and to exhibit lower bending moments, the relief shelves effects are analyzed using FEM in order to understand how they stabilize cantilever wall in this study. Several models are varied by changing location and width of shelves to realize earth pressure and displacements of retaining wall. The displacement is getting smaller because earth pressure acting on shelf increases as shelves locations are lower and width is longer. The ground settlement variation effects caused by relief shelves are studied also. The ground settlement increases abruptly where shelf location is between of 0.5H and 0.625H, and settlement decreases suddenly where shelf width is between b/h=0.375 and b/h=0.500. The shelf significantly reduces earth pressure and movement of the wall. This decrease in the lateral pressure increases the retaining structure stability.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.87-104
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• 2024

In practical engineering, the design process for most retaining walls necessitates careful consideration of seismic resistance. The prevention of retaining wall overturning is of paramount importance, especially in cases where the foundation's bearing capacity is limited. To research the seismic active earth pressure (ES) of a relieving retaining wall rotating around base (RB), the shear dissipation graphs across various operating conditions are analyzed by using Optum software, and the earth pressure in each region was derived by the inclined strip method combined with the limit equilibrium method. By observing shear dissipation graphs across various operating conditions, the distribution law of each sliding surface is summarized, and three typical failure modes are obtained. The corresponding calculation model was established. Then the resultant force and its action point were obtained. By comparing the theoretical and numerical solutions with the previous studies, the correctness of the derived formula is proved. The variation of earth pressure distribution and resultant force under seismic acceleration are studied. The unloading plate's position, the wall heel's length, and seismic acceleration will weaken the unloading effect. On the contrary, the length of the unloading plate and the friction angle of the filling will strengthen the unloading effect. The derived formula proposed in this study demonstrates a remarkable level of accuracy under both static and seismic loading conditions. Additionally, it serves as a valuable design reference for the prevention of overturning in relieving retaining walls.