GATE CE 2017 Set 2 — Question 6
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Geotechnical Engineering → Earth Pressure → Active Earth Pressure
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Question
Consider a rigid retaining wall with partially submerged cohesionless backfill with a surcharge. Which one of the following diagrams closely represents the Rankine's active earth pressure distribution against this wall?
- A.
- B.
- C.
- D.
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Solution
Rankine's active earth pressure for a cohesionless backfill () with surcharge is given by:
At the surface (), . The diagram starts with a non-zero value.
Slope Analysis:
1.Above the water table ():
The effective vertical stress is . Since there is no pore water pressure (),At the surface (), . The diagram starts with a non-zero value.
2.Below the water table ():
The effective vertical stress is . The pore water pressure is .Slope Analysis:
- The slope above the water table is .
- The slope below the water table is .
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