Determination of active failure surface geometry for cohesionless backfills

The extent by which economy and safety concerns can be addressed in earth retaining structure design depends on the accuracy of the assumed failure surface. Accordingly, this study attempts to investigate and quantify mechanical backfill properties that control failure surface geometry of cohesionless backfills at the active state for translational mode of wall movements. For this purpose, a small scale 1 g physical model study was conducted. The experimental setup simulated the conditions of a backfill behind a laterally translating vertical retaining wall in plane strain conditions. To monitor the influence of dilative behavior on failure surface geometry, model tests were conducted on backfills with different densities corresponding to different dilation angles. Failure surface geometries were identified using particle image velocimetry (PIV) method. Friction and dilation angles of the backfill are calculated as functions of failure stress state and relative density of the backfill using a well-known empirical equation, making it possible to quantify the influence of dilation angle on failure surface geometry. As a result, an empirical equation is proposed to predict active failure surface geometry for cohesionless backfills based on peak dilatancy angle. It is shown that the failure surface geometries calculated using the proposed equation are in good agreement with the identified failure surfaces.