Deformation and failure modes of drystone retaining walls
Deformation and failure modes of drystone retaining walls
In this paper, the factors controlling the deformation of drystone retaining walls are investigated by means of discrete element analyses. It is shown that toppling failure of unweathered drystone retaining walls is likely to occur in a brittle manner, with wall crest deflections not exceeding 1% of the backtill height until the factor of safety (based on soil strength) falls below 1.05. A compressible sub-base and weathering of the blocks will both tend to reduce the backfill height at failure to below that indicated by a limit equilibrium analysis. Bulging failure is more likely to be associated with a deterioration in block joint stiffness due to weathering than a compressible sub-base, although the latter will decrease the reduction in joint stiffness needed to cause bulging failure. Bulging is much less brittle than toppling, and the proximity to failure of bulging walls could in some circumstances be assessed on the basis of the size of the bulge.
numerical modelling and analysis, retaining walls, soil/structure interaction
435-446
Powrie, W.
600c3f02-00f8-4486-ae4b-b4fc8ec77c3c
Harkness, R.M.
383fea24-abe2-4faf-b252-734928768804
Zhang, X.
2a998468-40dc-4bff-b640-5c7bf74b416b
Bush, D.I.
4fd9d2d8-4850-48b5-8918-1944993f900a
August 2002
Powrie, W.
600c3f02-00f8-4486-ae4b-b4fc8ec77c3c
Harkness, R.M.
383fea24-abe2-4faf-b252-734928768804
Zhang, X.
2a998468-40dc-4bff-b640-5c7bf74b416b
Bush, D.I.
4fd9d2d8-4850-48b5-8918-1944993f900a
Powrie, W., Harkness, R.M., Zhang, X. and Bush, D.I.
(2002)
Deformation and failure modes of drystone retaining walls.
Géotechnique, 52 (6), .
(doi:10.1680/geot.52.6.435.38742).
Abstract
In this paper, the factors controlling the deformation of drystone retaining walls are investigated by means of discrete element analyses. It is shown that toppling failure of unweathered drystone retaining walls is likely to occur in a brittle manner, with wall crest deflections not exceeding 1% of the backtill height until the factor of safety (based on soil strength) falls below 1.05. A compressible sub-base and weathering of the blocks will both tend to reduce the backfill height at failure to below that indicated by a limit equilibrium analysis. Bulging failure is more likely to be associated with a deterioration in block joint stiffness due to weathering than a compressible sub-base, although the latter will decrease the reduction in joint stiffness needed to cause bulging failure. Bulging is much less brittle than toppling, and the proximity to failure of bulging walls could in some circumstances be assessed on the basis of the size of the bulge.
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Published date: August 2002
Keywords:
numerical modelling and analysis, retaining walls, soil/structure interaction
Organisations:
Civil Engineering & the Environment
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 39421
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/39421
ISSN: 0016-8505
PURE UUID: fd4f5f44-3d00-41f5-a08e-60fca9d72d09
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Date deposited: 28 Jun 2006
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 02:47
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Author:
R.M. Harkness
Author:
X. Zhang
Author:
D.I. Bush
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