A simple approach based on the limit equilibrium method for evaluating passive earth pressure coefficients

A numerical method is developed for evaluating critical passive earth pressure coefficients Kpγfor the case of an inclined rigid retaining wall resting against sloping cohesionless backfill. The methodology of the proposed investigation is based on the limit equilibrium approach with the assumption of a complete log spiral failure mechanism. The Kpγcoefficients obtained from this study are compared with the existing theoretical and experimental results. The proposed Kpγvalues are on a par with the best upper bound solution given by Soubra and Macuh using the limit analysis method. Further, the results presented here compare fairly well with those given by Kerisel and Absi, which establishes the validity of the proposed research work. Efforts are taken to present the design tables for a wide variety of soil properties, soil-wall interface properties and geometrical properties of the wall and the backfill.