• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.35-45
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• 2012

Pseudo static analysis using the Mononobe-Okabe method and numerical analysis considering a small strain nonlinearity from the soil were performed to determine the bearing pressure changes of the inverted T-type retaining wall subjected to earthquake motions. In many cases, an inverted 'T' type retaining wall of more than 10 m shows bearing capacity failure under earthquake conditions, despite showing sufficient bearing capacity during normal conditions. The most important reason for this is the change of the effective base area during an earthquake. In this paper, the change of the effective base area of an inverted 'T' type wall is analyzed by using finite difference element code (FLAC). In addition, the effect of dynamic bearing capacity coefficients (which has been suggested by several researchers but not adopted in current design codes and procedures) was verified.

• Geotechnical Engineering
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.5-18
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• 1995

A Compaction-induced lateral earth pressure was measured for a reversed-T type retaining wall of 4m high for three months. As a result of in-situ measurements, the lateral earth pressure fluctuated sharply with time after backfill, which was closely dependent upon the displacement of the retaining wall. The measured results showed big discrepancy with theoretical predictions made by existing theories, which are applicable to rigid wall. However, the in -situ data twas compared relatively well with those obtained by the finite element method. Analysis showed that the discrepancy may be caused by the displacement of the retaining wall during the compaction of the backfill.

• Journal of Industrial Technology
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• v.21 no.B
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• pp.205-212
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• 2001

This paper is experimental and numerical research about the sliding behavior of cantilever retaining walls resisting surcharge loads. In experimental research, centrifuge model tests at the lg and 40 g-level were performed by changing the location of model footing and its width. Bearing capacity of model footing and characteristics of load-settlement and load-lateral displacement of retaining wall were investigated. Test results of bearing capacity were compared with modified jarquio method, based on the limit equilibrium method with elasticity theory. For the numerical analysis, the commericially available program of FLAC was used by implementing the hyperbolic constitutive relationships to compare with test result about load-settlement and load-displacement of retaining wall, bearing capacity of strip footing.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.33-44
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• 2013

Mononobe-Okabe (M-O) theory is widely used for evaluating seismic earth pressure of retaining wall. It was originally developed for gravity walls, which have rigid behavior, retaining cohesionless backfill materials. However, it is used for cantilever retaining wall on the various foundation conditions. Considering only inertial force of the soil wedge as a dynamic force in the M-O method, inertial force of the wall does not take into account the effect on the dynamic earth pressure. This paper presents the theoretical background for the calculation of the dynamic earth pressure of retaining wall during earthquakes, and the current research trends are organized. Besides, the discrepancies between real seismic behavior and M-O method for inverted T-shape retaining wall with 5.4m height subjected to earthquake motions were evaluated using dynamic centrifuge test. From previous studies, it was found that application point, distribution of dynamic earth pressure and M-O method are needed to be re-examined. Test results show that real behavior of retaining wall during an earthquake has a different phase between dynamic earth pressure and inertial force of retaining wall. Moreover, when bending moments of retaining wall reach maximum values, the measured earth pressures are lower than static earth pressures and it is considered due to inertial effects of retaining wall.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.533-541
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• 2021

Retaining walls have been used to prevent slope failure through resistance of earth pressure in railway, road, nuclear power plant, dam, and river infrastructure. To calculate dynamic earth pressure and determine the characteristics for seismic behavior, many researchers have analyzed the nonlinear response of ground and structure based on various numerical analyses (FLAC, PLAXIS, ABAQUS etc). In addition, seismic fragility evaluation is performed to ensure safety against earthquakes for structures. In this study, we used the FLAC2D program to understand the seismic response of the inverted T-type wall with a backfill slope, and evaluated seismic fragility based on relative horizontal displacements of the wall. Nonlinear site response analysis was performed for each site (S2 and S4) using the seven ground motions to calculate various seismic loadings reflecting site characteristics. The numerical model was validated based on other numerical models, experiment results, and generalized formula for dynamic active earth pressure. We also determined the damage state and damage index based on the height of retaining wall, and developed the seismic fragility curves. The damage probabilities of the retaining wall for the S4 site were computed to be larger than those for the S2 site.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.141-152
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• 2002

This paper is the result of the experimental and numerical research on the distribution of vertical earth pressure due to surcharge loads acting on cantilever retaining wall close to a rigid slope with a stiff angle. Centrifuge model experiments were performed with changing the roughness of adjacent slope to the wall, distance between the wall and the slope and gravitational levels. Vertical earth pressures were measured by earth cells embedded in the backfill of the wall. Test results of vertical earth pressures due to surcharge loads were compared with theoretical estimations by using two different methods of limit equilibrium and the numerical analysis. For limit equilibrium methods, the modified silo and the wedge theories, proposed by Chung(1993, 1997), were used to analyze test results. Based on those modified theories, the particular solution with the boundary condition of surcharge loads on the surface of backfill was obtained to find the vertical stress distributions acting on the backfill. FLAC with the hyperbolic constitutive model was also used for the numerical estimation. As a result of comparison of test results with theoretical and numerical estimations, distribution of vertical earth pressures obtained from centrifuge model tests is generally in good agreement with numerical estmated values by using FLAC whereas the wedge theory shows values close to test results in case the distance between the wall and the slope is narrow.

• Journal of Industrial Technology
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• v.19
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• pp.135-145
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• 1999

This thesis is to investigate the sliding behavior of cantilever retaining wall by using the commercially available program of FLAC to simulate its behavior numerically. Cantilever retaining walls with flat base, sloped base and base with shear key, uniform surcharges being applied on the surface of backfill, were investigated to figure out appropriate location of shear key beneath the base of wall and, thus, its applicability to field condition was assessed by comparing the analyzed results to each other. On the other hand, previously performed centrifuge model test results (Eum, 1996) were analyzed numerically with FLAC to compare test results with respect to characteristics of load-settlement of surcharges and load-lateral movement of wall. Based on the failure mechanism observed during centrifuge tests, limit equilibrium method of finding the ultimate load inducing the sliding failure of wall was used to compare with values of the ultimate load obtained from conventional method of limit equilibrium method. Therefore, appropriate location of shear key was determined to mobilize the maximum resistance against sliding failure of wall.