Surcharge Load on Discrete Element Non-gravity Cant. wall

[ucgear]

It is customary practice to apply any surcharge loads to only the exposed wall height for these types of walls. The surcharge pressure is not applied to the embeded portion of the soldier pile as a driving force. Is there any literature that discusses this practice?

 

[PEinc]

AASHTO's 1994 Interim of the Standard Specifications for Highway Bridge Design shows applying the active earth pressures only above subgrade for a TEMPORARY soldier beam wall. You have to read the notes at the end of the earth pressure diagram section to find this info. If I remember correctly, nothing is said about surcharge loads being applied to the soldier beam embedded length. Newer AASHTO specs do not address earth pressure on the embedded portion of the soldier beams for temporary walls embedded in granular soil. Newer AASHTO specs do show active earth pressure acting on the reaf side of soldier beam embedded in cohesive soil for both temporary and permanent walls. I don't know why AASHTO changed things around. It makes no sense.

If you have a permanent wall, I would apply the surcharge pressure to the entire soldier beam length and width below subgrade.

http://www.PeirceEngineering.com