Passive resistance of unsaturated backfill under steady state flow conditions

ABSTRACT This paper presents a unified semi-analytical solution to investigate the passive earth resistance of unsaturated soils retained by a rigid wall in the framework of limit-equilibrium approach based on a rotational log-spiral failure mechanism. Coupled influences of unit weight and suction stress changes in unsaturated soils under different steady vertical flow conditions have been considered to provide a more realistic solution. The impact of different parameters such as effective internal friction angle soil, inclination of backfill surface and wall back face, surcharge pressure, height of wall, location of water table, and soil–wall interface friction has been explored by performing a parametric study. It has been found that the changes in the suction stress and unit weight of unsaturated soils under different input parameters have a greater effect on modifying the critical slip surface, and magnitude and point of application of passive earth resistance on the retaining walls. The results obtained from the present study compare reasonably well with the solutions in the literature.