×
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

safety factors of variable height wall

safety factors of variable height wall

safety factors of variable height wall

(OP)
I am currently analysing a masonry gravity wall of variable height(8-14 m) due to uneven foundation soil. I have analysed the stability of different parts (heights) and found the corresponding factors o safety. What is the factor of safety of the total wall length? Adopting the factors of safety for the worst (highest) section is very conservative. Can I calculate the total FS as the average of the partial FS's, i.e FS= (FS1*L1+...+FSi*Li)/(L1+...Li) or it is wrong? Is there any known method or practise to tackle my problem?  

RE: safety factors of variable height wall

Use the lowest factor of safety.  

If the wall fails or has a problem, it will be at the location of the lowest factor of safety.

Mike Lambert
www.shannonwilson.com

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