A. Ghanbari, M. Ahmadabadi,
Volume 8, Issue 2 (6-2010)
Inclined retaining walls with slopes less than perpendicular are appropriate candidates in several
engineering problems. Yet, to the knowledge of authors, only a few analytical solution for calculation of active earth
pressure on such walls, which will be usually smaller than the same pressure on vertical ones, has been presented
neither in research papers nor in design codes. Considering limit equilibrium concept in current research, a new
formulation is proposed for determination of active earth pressure, angle of failure wedge and application point of
resultant force for inclined walls. Necessary parameters are extracted assuming the pseudo-static seismic coefficient
to be valid in earthquake conditions. Moreover, based on Horizontal Slices Method (HSM) a new formulation is
obtained for determining the characteristics of inclined walls in granular and or frictional cohesive soils. Findings of
present analysis are then compared with results from other available methods in similar conditions and this way, the
validity of proposed methods has been proved. Finally according to the results of this research, a simplified relation
for considering the effect of slope in reduction of active earth pressure and change in failure wedge in inclined
retaining walls has been proposed.