Inclined Layer Method-Based Theoretical Calculation of Active Earth Pressure of a Finite-Width Soil for a Rotating-Base Retaining Wall

In this study, we evaluated the active earth pressure on a retaining wall with a narrow cohesive fill under the rotation about the base mode. Under these conditions, Rankine’s and Coulomb’s earth pressure theories are not strictly effective. To improve the traditional earth pressure calculation methods (Rankine and Coulomb methods) and deduce the active earth pressure under the rotation about the base mode, here, we propose a new calculation method that incorporates the effects of wall displacement, soil arching and soil cohesion using inclined thin-layer elements. The calculation results are in good agreement with the model test data. Based on the parameter analysis, a critical aspect ratio of B/H = cotβ is determined along with a detailed elucidation of the various influencing factors (such as aspect ratio, cohesion and friction angle). The paper presents several solutions to improve the stability and lower the costs of retaining walls.