Three Dimensional Behavior of Retaining Wall Systems Kevin Abraham Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Doctoral Dissertations Graduate School 2007 Three dimensional behavior of retaining wall systems Kevin Abraham Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_dissertations Part of the Civil and Environmental Engineering Commons Recommended Citation Abraham, Kevin, "Three dimensional behavior of retaining wall systems" (2007). LSU Doctoral Dissertations. 1301. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_dissertations/1301 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Doctoral Dissertations by an authorized graduate school editor of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please [email protected]. THREE DIMENSIONAL BEHAVIOR OF RETAINING WALL SYSTEMS A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering by Kevin Abraham B.S., Southern University, 1984 M.S., Mississippi State University, 1995 May 2007 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I express my sincere appreciation to Dr. Richard Avent and Dr. Robert Ebeling for serving as Chairman and Co-chairman, respectively, of my dissertation research. I thank you both for your continued guidance and for your technical support throughout this effort. A special gratitude goes to Dr. Robert Ebeling for his unending support efforts, even during a time of personal physical challenges. Dr. Bob you are truly an asset to the profession. I would also like to acknowledge the other members of my doctoral committee, Dr. Khalid Alshibli, Dr. George Voyiadjis, Dr. Marc Levitan, and Dr. Ralph Portier, thank you for your input and insight. I also acknowledge Louisiana State University. Special thanks go to Dr. Deborah Dent, Acting Director, Information Technology Laboratory, for her continued support and encouragement. I also would like to thank former Information Technology Laboratory Directors’ Dr. N. Rahakrishnan and Dr. Jeffery Holland for their support. I acknowledge Dr. Cary Butler, Acting Chief, Engineering and Informatic Systems Division, Information Technology Laboratory; and Mr. Chris Merrill, Chief, Computational Science and Engineering Branch, Information Technology Laboratory for their support. A special thanks to my wife Mrs. Benita Abraham, Mrs. Cheri Loden, Ms. Vickie Parrish, Ms. Shawntrice Jordan, Mrs. Doris Bolden, and Mr. Edward Huell for their assistance in preparing this manuscript, and to Mrs. Helen Ingram for her assistance during the literature review. I give all the glory, honor, and praise to God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit, the Triune God, for with you all things are possible. I would like to thank my church covering and family at Word of Faith Christian Center in Vicksburg, Mississippi. ii Thank you, Bishop Kevin Wright and Pastor Leslie Wright, Pastor Reginald Walker and Minister Sherry Walker, for your spiritual guidance, support, and prayers. I extend a special thanks to my mother, Ms. Lola M. Abraham. Thank you so much for being the “best” Mom in the world and encouraging me to be the best I can be. I want to thank all of my family members for your support and encouragement. A very special thanks goes to my loving wife, Mrs. Benita Abraham, and my children, Kevin and Keanna (my Tootie-Fruity) to whom I dedicate my research. Benita, I thank you dearly for your unwavering support, understanding, and assistance and allowing me to pursue my dreams. I am so grateful that you kept the family intact during my many days and nights of absence. You are truly a gift from God. Keanna, I thank you for being my inspiration. Finally, I extend gratitude to all my friends for their continued support. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS..........................................................................................................ii LIST OF TABLES ...................................................................................................................vii LIST OF FIGURES...................................................................................................................ix ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................xiv CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION...............................................................................................1 1.1 Objectives.................................................................................................................6 1.2 Methodology.............................................................................................................6 1.3 Scope of Work..........................................................................................................7 CHAPTER 2. LITERATURE REVIEW..................................................................................14 2.1 Flexible Sheet-Pile Walls .......................................................................................14 2.1.1 Model Tests................................................................................................15 2.1.2 Field Tests..................................................................................................17 2.2 Diaphragm Retaining Walls ...................................................................................19 2.3 Tieback Walls.........................................................................................................20 CHAPTER 3. EVALUATION OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING ANALYSIS TOOLS ...........................................................25 3.1 BACKGROUND....................................................................................................25 3.1.1 SAGE-CRISP 3-D Bundle .........................................................................25 3.1.2 PLAXIS 3-D Tunnel...................................................................................26 3.1.2.1 Program Operation......................................................................28 3.1.2.2 Elements ......................................................................................30 3.1.2.3 Constitutive Models.....................................................................34 CHAPTER 4. SUMMARY OF CURRENT DESIGN METHODS FOR THE EARTH RETAINING WALL SYSTEMS ANALYZED.............................................40 4.1 Background.............................................................................................................40 4.2 Tieback Wall Systems ............................................................................................40 4.3 Tieback Wall Performance Objectives...................................................................43 4.3.1 Safety with Economy Design.....................................................................43 4.3.2 Stringent Displacement Control Design.....................................................44 4.4 Progressive Design of Tieback Wall Systems........................................................45 4.5 Tieback Analysis and Design Procedures ..............................................................46 4.5.1 RIGID Analysis Method.............................................................................46 4.5.2 WINKLER Method....................................................................................47 4.5.3 Linear Elastic Finite Element Method (LEFEM) and Nonlinear Finite Element Method (NLFEM)..............................................................49 4.5.3.1 Background..................................................................................49 4.5.3.2 Linear Elastic Finite Element Method (LEFEM)........................50 4.5.3.3 Nonlinear Finite Element Method (NLFEM)..............................52 iv 4.6 Design Methods for Flexible Tieback Wall Systems .............................................54 4.6.1 Background.................................................................................................54 4.6.2 Overview of Design Methods for Flexible Tieback Walls.........................58 4.6.3 Three-Dimensional (3D) Effects on Flexible Tieback Wall Systems ........64 4.7 Design Methods for Stiff Tieback Wall Systems ...................................................69 4.7.1 Background.................................................................................................69 4.7.2 Overview of Design Methods for Stiff Tieback Walls...............................69 4.7.2.1 RIGID 1 Method..........................................................................70 4.7.2.2 RIGID 2 Method..........................................................................71 4.7.2.3 WINKLER 1 Method..................................................................71 4.7.2.4 WINKLER 2 Method..................................................................73 4.7.3 Three-Dimensional (3D) Effects on a Stiff Tieback Wall System.............74 CHAPTER 5. ENGINEERING ASSESSMENT OF CASE STUDY RETAINING WALL NO. 1...................................................................................................76 5.1 Background.............................................................................................................76 5.1.1 Project Site Description..............................................................................76