EFFECTS OF SOIL NON-LINEARITY ON THE SEISMIC RESPONSE OF RIGID NON-SLIDING RETAINING WALLS

The present paper aims to examine how and to what extent the potential soil non-linearity may affect both the dynamic distress of a rigid non-sliding retaining wall and the seismic response of the retained soil layer. For this purpose a parametric study, based on two-dimensional dynamic finite-element analyses, is conducted. Soil non-linearity is taken into account with sufficient realism via the commonly used equivalent-linear procedure. To examine more thoroughly the influence of material non-linearity the developed numerical model is studied under various idealized seismic excitations and several intensity levels of imposed ground acceleration. The results of the study justify the perception that non-linear soil behavior has a considerable impact, not only on the dynamic earth pressures developed on the wall, but on the amplification of the acceleration developed on the backfill as well. Therefore, it becomes evident that seismic norms and geotechnical design practice should take this impact into serious consideration.