×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Loading Behind Retaining Wall due to Existing Commercial Builds

Loading Behind Retaining Wall due to Existing Commercial Builds

Loading Behind Retaining Wall due to Existing Commercial Builds

(OP)
I am in the process in designing a retaining wall.  Currently, there is a one-story commercial building behind this wall.  

Is there a standard distance, which if the commercial building is a certain distance away, one can neglect the loading from the existing commercial building on the retaining wall?

Appreciate your help.

RE: Loading Behind Retaining Wall due to Existing Commercial Builds

I'd add two foot of soil as a simulated surcharge no matter how far away the building is.  If it's close, you'll get the load from the building.  If it's far enough away to not get a surcharge, then there's a chance someone will drive a vehicle in the gap.

RE: Loading Behind Retaining Wall due to Existing Commercial Builds

To recast your question slightly, you want to ensure that the pressure bulbs of the building and the retaining wall don't overlap. For that you'd need to estimate the width of the building's footings. For the case of shallow footings, the bulb of influence extends to about two-to-five times the width of the footing deep (less for square footing, more for continuous footing) and about two times the width wide.

For a very rough estimate: draw a 1:1 (45 degree) line from bottom of footing closest to your retaining wall and see if it comes close to your retaining wall.

A disclaimer: I'm just a student at the moment, so my experience is limited to textbook examples.

RE: Loading Behind Retaining Wall due to Existing Commercial Builds

I agree with the last 2 posts.

If vehicles could drive at the top then allow at least 100psf forvehicle loads.

If the retaining wall is above the45 degree 'line of influence' from the adjacent footings then it is accepted that it will not recieve significant surcharge loads from the building.

 

RE: Loading Behind Retaining Wall due to Existing Commercial Builds

Sorry, I posted the wrong load case. I've reposted the correct case together with my derivation for "the distance to surcharge for no effect on a cantilever."  For your case, you'd have to substitute an equivalent surcharge height for your footing bearing pressure.   

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources