Determine the total active force per unit length of the

Question

Redo Problem 13.19, assuming that a surcharge pressure of 11 kN/m² is applied on top of the backfill.

Problem 13.19

A 5-m-high retaining wall with a vertical back face retains a homogeneous saturated soft clay. The saturated unit weight of the clay is 21 kN/m³. Laboratory tests showed that the undrained shear strength, cu, of the clay is 17 kN/m².

a. Make the necessary calculation and draw the variation of Rankine's active pressure on the wall with depth.

b. Find the depth up to which tensile crack can occur.

c. Determine the total active force per unit length of the wall before the tensile crack occurs.

d. Determine the total active force per unit length of the wall after the tensile crack occurs. Also, find the location of the resultant.