Pseudo-dynamic Approach to Quantify the Effect of Vertical Seismic Acceleration on Reinforced Retaining Wall for c-ϕ Soil Backfill

Abstract

The analysis of reinforced retaining walls in earthquake-prone regions is mostly performed by using the pseudo-static and pseudo-dynamic approaches for cohesionless soil backfill. For c-ϕ soil backfill, most of the researchers had used the pseudo-static approach to analyse the reinforced retaining walls situated in seismic regions those are still limited for the case of a pseudo-dynamic approach. In most of the earlier studies those had used pseudo-dynamic approach, vertical seismic acceleration was also not considered. The current study reflects a pseudo-dynamic approach to analyse the reinforced retaining walls in earthquake condition considering the propagation of primary and shear waves. Vertical seismic coefficients are also taken in the present study. A simplified formulation has been also presented here to obtain the maximum strength of reinforcements, critical angle of failure wedge and safety factor to analyse the reinforced retaining walls in earthquake condition. The effect of vertical seismic coefficients along with the soil cohesion, soil–wall adhesion and horizontal seismic coefficient on the maximum strength of reinforcements and safety factor has been carried out. For cohesionless backfill, numerical predictions are in good contract when compared with the existing studies for validation purpose.