Structural Engineering

If the wall is rigid and cannot be move when the pressure exerted on the wall, then the soil behind the wall is in the state of static equilibrium. This case is called rest earth pressure.

For bridges, slab walls and Abutments is soil mass or backfill with static equilibrium is required because it can bear the heavy load. Thus for safety point of view in construction pressure at rest is considered. In this case, all the pressures are being exerted uniformly on the retaining wall.

There are two types of conditions developed

For normally consolidated clay,

K= 1- sin(¢)

For overconsolidated clay

K(overconsolidated )= K(normally consolidated clay) x √OCR 

OCR= OVERCONSOLIDATION RATIO