Abstract:

Based on the existing results attained by the variational limit equilibrium method, two assumptions of the horizontal slice method are analyzed. Results show that the distribution of active earth pressure intensity along wall height is very sensitive to the action point position coefficient of the normal force acted on the top and the bottom of the soil slice; the action point position coefficient of the normal force is the function of the wall height and is 1/2 only in the special case; the horizontal slice method enlarges the earth pressure intensity at wall top and decreases the earth pressure intensity at wall bottom; thus the position of action point is moved up.

Key words: horizontal slice method, active earth pressure intensity, position of action point