Analysis of a retaining wall considering separation off the base

Abstract

This paper investigates a gravity cantilever retaining wall of an angular type, featuring a vertical front face and an inclined rear face. The analysis focuses on the shear and overturning stability of the retaining wall, taking into account the unilateral interaction between the wall and its foundation. The study aims to determine the optimal length of the cantilever base on the active soil pressure side to ensure the stability of the structure. Additionally, the moment at which the structure begins to displace as a rigid body is identified. The finite element method (FEM) is employed for numerical modeling, and the unilateral contact problem with friction is formulated as a linear complementarity problem (LCP). The distribution of contact forces along the base of the retaining wall is obtained, and the dependencies of the wall's stability on its base length are presented.