Retaining Wall

Prepared by
Dr. Md. Monirul Islam
Professor and Chair, Department of Civil Engineering, IUBAT
 Retaining Wall
Retaining walls are structures used to retain earth which would not be able to
stand vertically unsupported.
Different types of retaining wall are:
Free standing (gravity wall)
Reinforced cantilever wall
Counterforts
Which of the three types of wall is
appropriate in a given case depends on
variety of conditions, such as local
availability and price of construction
materials and property rights.
In general gravity walls are economical
only relatively low walls. Possibly up to 10
ft.
Cantilever wall are economical for heights
from 10 to 20 ft.
Counterforts are used for grater heights.
Dr. Md. Monirul Islam, Professor & Chair, DoCE
 Retaining Wall

3-d view of Counterfort

Dr. Md. Monirul Islam, Professor & Chair, DoCE

 Main Uses:
At bridge abutment (figure-1)

Figure -1

Retaining to retain vertical cut surface(figure -2)

Figure -2
Dr. Md. Monirul Islam, Professor & Chair, DoCE
 Main Uses:

At water channel or swimming poll (figure-3)

At basement (figure-4)

Figure -3
Figure -4

Dr. Md. Monirul Islam, Professor & Chair, DoCE

 Earth Pressure for common load conditions

Note: If the ground water level is above the base of the wall, additional water pressure
is to be considered.

Dr. Md. Monirul Islam, Professor & Chair, DoCE

Design of cantilever retaining wall
Different parts of cantilever retaining wall

Figure : Different parts of cantilever retaining wall

Dr. Md. Monirul Islam, Professor & Chair, DoCE

Dr. Md. Monirul Islam, Professor & Chair, DoCE
For external stability
o Sliding must be prevented by the friction between the soil and footing i.e. the
summation of 4 and 5 must be greater than force 1
o Compression must act through out the base i.e. resultant of 1, 2, and 3 must be
pass through the center third of the base
o Pressure under the footing does not exceed the permissible bearing pressure
For giving the required strength

Dr. Md. Monirul Islam, Professor & Chair, DoCE

Dimensions Estimations

Dr. Md. Monirul Islam, Professor & Chair, DoCE

Example:

Dr. Md. Monirul Islam, Professor & Chair, DoCE

Example (Contd):

Dr. Md. Monirul Islam, Professor & Chair, DoCE

Example (Contd):

Dr. Md. Monirul Islam, Professor & Chair, DoCE

Example (Contd):

Dr. Md. Monirul Islam, Professor & Chair, DoCE

Example (Contd): Reinforcement Detailing

Dr. Md. Monirul Islam, Professor & Chair, DoCE

Example for Practice

Dr. Md. Monirul Islam, Professor & Chair, DoCE