Lateral earth pressure

An example of lateral earth pressure overturning a retaining wall

The lateral earth pressure is the pressure that soil exerts in the horizontal direction. It is important because it affects the consolidation behavior and strength of the soil and because it is considered in the design of geotechnical engineering structures such as retaining walls, basements, tunnels, deep foundations and braced excavations.

The earth pressure problem dates from the beginning of the 18th century, when Gautier[1] listed five areas requiring research, one of which was the dimensions of gravity-retaining walls needed to hold back soil. However, the first major contribution to the field of earth pressures was made several decades later by Coulomb,[2] who considered a rigid mass of soil sliding upon a shear surface. Rankine[3] extended earth pressure theory by deriving a solution for a complete soil mass in a state of failure, as compared with Coulomb's solution which had considered a soil mass bounded by a single failure surface. Originally, Rankine's theory considered the case of only cohesionless soils, with Bell[4] subsequently extending it to cover the case of soils possessing both cohesion and friction. Caquot and Kerisel[5] modified Muller-Breslau's equations to account for a nonplanar rupture surface.

  1. ^ Gautier, H. Dissertation sur L’epaisseur des Culées des Ponts, sur la Largeur des Piles, sur la Portée des Voussoirs, sur L’effort Et la Pesanteur des Arches À Differens Surbaissemens, Et sur Les Profils de Maçonnerie Qui Doivent Supporter des Chaussées, des Terrasse; Chez André Cailleau: Paris, France, 1717; ISBN 1295197669.
  2. ^ Coulomb C.A., (1776). Essai sur une application des regles des maximis et minimis a quelques problemes de statique relatifs a l'architecture. Memoires de l'Academie Royale pres Divers Savants, Vol. 7
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference :3 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Bell, A.L. The lateral pressure and resistance of clay and the supporting power of clay foundations. Minutes Proc. Inst. Civ. Eng. 1915, 199, 233–272.
  5. ^ Caquot, A. I.; Kérisel, J. L. (1948). Tables for the calculation of passive pressure, active pressure and bearing capacity of foundations. Paris, France: Gautier-Villars.