Abstract:

Based on the limit equilibrium theory, assuming that the limit equilibrium conditions of the slip wedges with respect to the all depths behind a convex-arc wall can synchronously be satisfied, as well as befittingly considering the effect of the normal stresses on the two sides of per slip wedge with respect to per depth; an improved computational method that can be used to calculate the distribution of the granular material pressure on the convex-arc wall with increasing depth is proposed. The computational method can present the nonlinear distributional characteristic of the granular material pressure, and can also predict that ignoring the normal stresses on the two sides of per slip wedge with respect to per depth will result in a lower calculated pressure distribution compared with the measured pressure data, which is proved to be correct via comparing the theoretic pressure curve with the measured pressure data; moreover, the theoretic pressure curve can agree well with the test data as it is considered correctly in calculation that the effect of the normal stresses on the two sides of per slip wedge with respect to per depth.

Key words: convex-arc wall, granular material, limit equilibrium condition, slip wedge, active lateral pressure