Seismic stability analysis of a hunchbacked retaining wall under passive state using method of stress characteristics

Abstract

The potential use of a hunchbacked retaining wall over a conventional retaining wall under the seismic passive state is emphasised in this study employing the method of stress characteristics coupled with the modified pseudo-dynamic approach. Unlike the available studies established with the limit equilibrium or the limit analysis method where a predefined failure mechanism is assumed prior to the analysis, the failure surface is continuously traced in due course of the present analysis. The seismic stability of a hunchbacked retaining wall under the passive condition is found to be affected greatly while considering the effect of damping of the soil-wall and the phase difference of the seismic waves. A detailed parametric study is conducted considering the influence of different soil and wall parameters such as soil-wall inertia, soil friction angle, wall inclination and roughness. The present results are obtained from a rigorous computational effort without assuming a failure mechanism and found to be in good agreement with the previous studies available in the literature.