Symmetrical ret. wall analysis

[thenley]

I'm checking the design on a cantilevered retaining wall with equal quantities of steel at equal distances from each face (e.g. #6 bars at 12" o.c., centered 3.5" from each wall face). In looking through the analysis equations, since the steel areas are equal, a couple of quantities drop to zero, giving less flexural strength than if I were to ignore the compression steel. Is this right, or is there another way of going about this?

 

[dik]

The addition of compression steel should not diminish the flexural strength of the wall. You might want to look at your analysis again.

Dik

 

[DRC1]

Inore the compression steel. It is generally included only for T&S. The designer probably could have used #5's, but y making the walls symetrical, it can't be reversed. In the rare case the compression can not be carried by the concrete alone, then the compression steel would contribute.