QUESTION:

Design a RCC retaining wall to retain earth up to a height of 15’. Base of the footing is to be
placed 3’ below NSL. Soil has density of120 lb /ft 3. Angle of internal friction of soil is30° . Earth
surface that is to be retained is horizontal. Take q all =2500lb/ ft 2
Usef 'c =4000 Psi∧f y =40,000 Psi.

SOLUTION:
Given that,

Height of Retaining wall above NSL=15 ’

Depth of footing below NSL=3 ’

Density of soil , γ soil=120 lb /ft 3

3
Density of concrete , γ conc . =150 lb /ft
'
Angle of internal friction , φ=30° f c =4000 Psi
f y =40,000 Psi

STEP 1
ASSUMPTION OF SIZES:

H H 15 ’ ×12 ”
Base thickness=stem thickness= = =15”=1.25’
12 10 12
2 2 1
Base width= H = ×15' =10 ’Width of toe= × 10' =3.3 ’
3 3 3
Width of heel=10' −3.3 '−1.25 ' =5.45'

STEP 2
DESIGN OF STEM:

i. Calculation Of Soil Pressure:

1−sin φ 1−sin 30°

C a= C a= =0.33
1+sin φ 1+sin 30°
 1 1
Pa= γ C a H 2 Pa= × 120× 0.33 ×15' 2=4455lb
2 2

ii. Moment & Reinforcement Calculation:

H 15' '
Centroidal distance , ȳ= = =5
3 3

M =Pa × ȳ =4455 ×5' =22275lbft M max =1.6 × M =1.6 ×22275

M u=M max =35640 lbft=427680 lbin

f 'c
ρ=0.85
fy[ √1 − 1−
2Mu
0.85 f 'c φb d2 ]
ρ=0.85×
4000
40000 [ √
1− 1−
2× 427680
0.85× 4000 × 0.9× 12 {×12.52
¿
]
Where , φ=0.9∧b=12 & d=h- 2.5=15 -2.5 =12.5 ρ=0.00659

200 200
ρmin = = =0.005
f y 40000

f 'c 87000
ρmax =0.75 ρb =0.75 × β 1 × 0.85 ×
(
f y 87000+f y )
4000 87000
ρmax =0.75 × 0.85× 0.85× × (
40000 87000+ 40000 max )
ρ =0.037

ρmax > ρ> ρmin OK

iii. Selection of bars & spacing:

Vertical Reinforcement On front face of wall:

A st =ρbd A st=0.00659 ×12 ×12.5=0.9885 ¿2 Provide ¿ 6 bars @ 5 c/c see Nilson page 726

Temperature & Shrinkage Steel:

A st =ρbh A st =0.002 ×12 ×15=0.36 ¿ 2 Provide ¿ 3 bars @3.5 c/c see Nilson page 726

iv. Check for shear:

1 1 2
V u=1.6 × PaV u=1.6 × × C a × γ × ( H −d )2V u=1.6 × × 0.33 ×120 × ( 15 ' −1.042' )
2 2
V u=6172.375lb/ft =514.36 lb/¿
 v. Capacity of Section:

lb
¿ 2 φ √ f 'c ×bd ¿ 2 ×0.9 × √ 4000 ×12 ×12.5¿ 17076.3 >V u OK
¿

STEP 3

CURTAILMENT OF BARS:

M max
Bars are curtailed from top where B.M is
2

M u M max
M u=M max =35640 lbft=427680 lbin = =213840 lb ∈¿
2 2
M max 1 2 H1 1 2 H1
= ×1.6 × γ ×C a × H 1 × 213840= × 1.6 ×120 ×0.33 × H 1 ×
2 2 3 2 3
H 1=27.26 =2.27'≈2.25

According to ACI code, the following value should be added in the curtailed value of steel,

 12
 12 ×dia of bar=12× 1=12
0.04 × A b × f y 0.04 × 0.44 × 40000
 = =11.18
√ f 'c √ 4000
Maximum of above three values is selected, i.e. 12” is selected.
So, Curtailment ¿ 2.25 ’−1’=1.25 ’ from top.

M max
ρ for ,
2

ρ=0.85×
4000
40000 [ √
1− 1−
2 ×213840
0.85× 4000 × 0.9× 12 {×12.52
¿
]
ρ=0.003295>min . value of temp .∧shrinkage steel i. e .0 .002 A'st = Area of curtailed steel
1 2
A'st =ρbh=0.003295× 12×15=0.593 ¿2 Areaof steel , A s =ρbd=0.998 ¿2 A s A s
2 3
2 2
0.494 ¿ 0.659 ¿
 0.659 ¿2 ismore close ¿ 0.593 ¿2 so curtail each 2 nd alternate ¯¿
PLAN & SECTION

According to ACI code provide main steel on the side where there is no loading & provide
same temperature and shrinkage steel on load bearing side.

Step 4

STABILITY CHECKS:

There are three stability checks,

i. Check For Overturning Moment

Resisting moment
>2
Overturning moment

O .T . M =P a × ȳ

O .T . M =3743.44 × 4.58 '

O .T . M =17144.96 lbft

1 produces overturning moment

& 2, 3 and 4 produces resisting
moments.
 Sr.
Weight ( Area × Density )lb x̄“ ft ” Resiting Momentlbft
#
5.45
01 15 ' ×5.45 ' ×1 ×120=9810 +1.25+3.3=7.28 ' 71416.8
2
10
02 10 ' ×1.25 ' ×1 ×150=1875 =5 ' 9375
2
3.3
03 1.75 ' ×3.3 ' ×1 ×120=693 =1.65' 1143.45
2
1.25
04 15 ' ×1.25 ' ×1 ×50=2812.5 +3.3=3.925 ' 11039.06
2

∑ W =15190.5 lb ∑ M =92974.31

Resisting moment 92974.31

>2 =4.17> 2OK
Overturning moment 22275

If this check is not OK then increase the thickness of toe, heel or stem as per requirement.

ii. Check For Sliding Force:

Resisting force
≥ 1.5Sliding force=P a=4455 lb Resisting moment=μ × ∑ W =0.3× 15190.5
Sliding force
Resisting moment=4557.15 lb

Here μ is the coefficient of friction between soil and earth and its value lies between 0.3-
0.45.

Resisting force 4557.15

≥ 1.5 =1.02 ≥1.5 NOT OK
Sliding force 4455

So we have to provide key under the base.

Key can be provided in different states as shown below,

Design of Key:

Resisting force=1.5 × Sliding force Resisting force=1.5 × 4455Resisting force=6682.5 lb

Additional resisting force provided , P p=6682.5−4557.15
Additional resisting force ¿ be provided , P p=2125.35 lb

2
1 H 1
Additional Resiting force , , P p= × γ × 1 ×
2 2 Ca
2
1 H1 1 H =3.42' ≈3.5 '
2125.35= × 120× × 1
2 2 0.33
Depth of Key=3.5' −1.25' =2.25 '

iii. Check For Bearing Capacity Of Soil:

Stablizing moment−O .T . M 92974.31−22275

a= a=
Stablizing force ( ∑ W ) 15190.5
a=4.65'

B 10
Eccentricity , e= −ae= −4.65 'e=0.35 '
2 2
B 10
e≯ = =1.67' 0.35' ≯1.67' OK
6 6

If this check is not OK then increase the length of base “B”

q max =
∑ W + ∑ W ×e ≯ q q =
15190.5 15190.5 × 0.35
+
all max
B× 1 B2 10 102
6 6

q min =
∑ W − ∑ W × e ≮ zero
2
q max =1838.05lb /ft ≯ qall OK B ×1 B2
6
15190.5 15190.5 ×0.35
q min = −
10 102 q min =1200.05lb / ft 2 OK
6
If this check is not OK then increase “B”.

STEP 5

DESIGN OF TOE & HEEL:

638 x1
= x 1=347.71lb/ ft 2
10 5.45

638 x2
= x 2=79.75 lb/ft 2
10 1.25

638 x3
= x 3=210.54 lb/ft 2
10 3.3

i. Design Of Toe:

Taking moment about junction

of toe and stem.

M u=1.6 ( Moment of bearing capacity )−0.9 ( Moment of concrete ∈toe )

 3.3 1 2 3.3
[
M u=1.6 1627.51 ×3.3 ×
2 ( ) ] [
× ×210 × 3.3 × × 3.3 −0.9 ( 3.3× 1.25× 1× 150 ) ×
2 3 2 ]
M u=8705.25 lbft =104462.97 lbin

f 'c
ρ=0.85
fy [ √
1 − 1−
2Mu
'
0.85 f c φb d 2
]
ρ=0.85×
4000
40000
1− 1−
[ √ 2 ×104462.97
0.85× 4000 × 0.9× 12×12.5 2 ]
Where , φ=0.9∧b=12 & d=h- 2.5=15 -2.5 =12.5 ρ=0.00156

200 200
ρmin = = =0.005
f y 40000

f 'c 87000
ρmax =0.75 ρb =0.75 × β 1 × 0.85 ×
(
f y 87000+f y )
4000 87000
ρmax =0.75 × 0.85× 0.85× × ( ρ =0.037
40000 87000+ 40000 max )
ρmax > ρ> ρmin NOT OK

Selection of bars & spacing:

A st =ρmin bd A st =0.005 ×12 ×12.5 A st =0.75 ¿2 Provide ¿ 5 bars @5 c/

ii. Design of heel:

Taking moment about junction of heel and stem,

M u=1.2 ( Concrete∈heel ) +1.6 ( soil ∈heel )

5.45 5.45
[
M u=1.2 ( 1.25 ×5.45 ×150 ) ×
2 ] [
+ 1.6 ( 15× 5.45 ×1× 120 ) ×
2 ]
Neglecting moment produced due to stresses. It will make our structure safer because it
works as a FOS.

M u=46113.13 lbft=553357.56lbin

f 'c
ρ=0.85
fy [ √
1 − 1−
2Mu
'
]
0.85 f c φb d 2
ρ=0.85×
4000
40000 [ √
1− 1−
2 ×553357.56
0.85× 4000 × 0.9× 12×12.5 2 ]
Where , φ=0.9∧b=12 & d=h- 2.5=15 -2.5 =12.5 ρ=0.00863

200 200
ρmin = = =0.005
f y 40000
 f 'c 87000
ρmax =0.75 ρb =0.75 × β 1 × 0.85 ×
(
f y 87000+f y )
4000 87000
ρmax =0.75 × 0.85× 0.85× × ( ρ =0.037
40000 87000+ 40000 max )
ρmax > ρ> ρmin OK

Selection of bars & spacing:

A st =ρbd A st =0.00863 ×12 ×12.5 A st =1.295 ¿2 Provide ¿ 6 bars @ 4 c/

Temperature & Shrinkage Steel:

A st =ρbh A st =0.002 ×12 ×15 A st =0.36 ¿2 Provide ¿ 3 bars @3.5 c/

DETAILS OF STEEL IN TOE & HEEL