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Virginia Tech

Experimental study of earth pressures on retaining structures

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

Previous laboratory and field experimental studies of earth pressures exerted on retaining structures and laboratory studies of the at-rest earth pressure coefficient are summarized. The current methods used to evaluate the earth pressures due to compaction are reviewed. The design features of a new instrumented oedometer developed to investigate the effect of number of load cycles on the at-rest earth-pressure coefficient are presented along with the results of a series of tests on Monterey sand #0/30. The Instrumented Retaining Wall Facility developed to provide a means of obtaining experimental measurements of the earth pressures exerted on retaining structures is described. The instrumented wall of the facility is seven feet high and ten feet long and is instrumented to measure horizontal and vertical forces, horizontal earth pressures, horizontal deformations, and temperature. A description of the microcomputer-based data-acquisition system and the software used to record the test results is included. The results of four tests where Yatesville silty sand was compacted in layers in the Instrumented Retaining Wall Facility are presented. The experimental results are compared with the results of similar studies by others and to an analytical method used to estimate compaction-induced earth pressures.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Ph. D.
Level thesis:degree_level
doctoral
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Civil Engineering
Department dc:contributor.department
Civil Engineering
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Tech
Year dc:date.issued
1990

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Sehn, Allen L.
Chair dc:contributor.committeechair
  • Duncan, J. Michael
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • Clough, G. Wayne
  • Jones, Robert N.
  • Krebs, Robert D.
  • Brandon, Thomas L.

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright
Language dc:language.iso
en

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Dc Identifier Other
etd-10102005-131538
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/39696

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
related terms
citation

Sehn, Allen L.. Experimental study of earth pressures on retaining structures. doctoral thesis, Virginia Tech, 1990. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/39696