An Analysis of the Stresses in the Wall Slab of a Counterforted Retaining Wall

Citation

Heller, William Edwin (1947) An Analysis of the Stresses in the Wall Slab of a Counterforted Retaining Wall. Master's thesis, California Institute of Technology. doi:10.7907/abs5-th87. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:09102024-002624636

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the stresses in the wall slab of a counterforted retaining wall and to determine from this analysis, if possible, whether or not the conventional method of design for the slab is economical.

The conventional method of designing the wall slab of a counterforted retaining wall is to consider the wall as a series of independent horizontal strips between the counterforts. These strips are then designed either as continuous beams or as simple beams extending from one counterfort to the next. This method completely neglects the effect of cantilever action from the horizontal base slab where it joins the vertical wall. In the case of large counterfort spacing this effect may be considerable and it is possible that some reduction in material could be made if this effect were accounted for in the design calculations.

In order to throw some light on the effect of neglecting the cantilever action, the following analysis has been made on a wall slab designed by the conventional method. The dimensions of the slab are as given in the drawing on page 5.

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