Understanding earth pressure on retaining walls, with practical methods you can apply
Explore Weyrauch’s theory of earth pressure against retaining walls and how it informs safe, practical design.
This book presents the evolution of theories from Coulomb to later writers, and then lays out Weyrauch’s approach with a focus on simple, applicable formulas and real‑world examples. It frames the topic around equilibrium conditions, plane surfaces of rupture, and how direction and magnitude of earth pressure are determined. Clear illustrations and special notes help readers see how theory translates into practice, including graphical methods that work well in the field.
Readers will gain a practical path from theory to application, with concrete examples and guidance on when to use analytical versus graphical solutions. The material is suitable for students and professionals who want a solid, implementation‑oriented understanding of retaining‑wall design and the role of friction, cohesion, and geometry in earth pressure.
- Foundational concepts: surfaces of rupture, forces in equilibrium, and how earth pressure is modeled.
- Analytical and graphical methods that translate theory into real‑world design steps.
- Worked examples showing how to apply formulas to common wall configurations and surcharges.
- Discussion of friction and direction of force to help judge when modifications are needed.
Ideal for readers of civil engineering texts, design engineers, and students seeking a clear, practical introduction to retaining‑wall theory.