Gravity wall design aides 1

[WhiteLotus]

I'm trying to find some design aides on designing gravity retaining walls. My text book, reference manuals and even my trusty Army Corp of Engineers manuals all stress analysing existing structures. I need to learn how to come up with a shape based on soil parameters. Particularly, the slope of the retaining side of the wall.

Right now I doing an interative process. I pick arbitrary dimensions, run my calcs, and build it up (or whittle it down) till everything is withing the proper limits of safety.

Any input/advise would be greatly appreciated.

 

[LeoSC]

I design retaining walls using spreadsheets or MathCAD. In all cases, though, I have to do a trial-and-error method to arrive at the structure dimensions. Some structural manuals will give you some general ideas based on past problems.

 

[crossframe]

Try DOT websites for standard drawings and bridge manual details. California uses their "Standard Plans" extensively (no gravity walls, though) as supplements to their bridge plans. Massachusetts Highway Department (MassHighway) Bridge Manual, Part II, Drawing No. 3.2.1 has a gravity wall typical section with most dimensions expressed as, or derived from, a function of height (Width = 0.52H, Footing Thickness = F = 0.15H, Toe = 0.67F, etc.).

I'm sure other states will have something similar. Just use the one you like best.