Research Initiation: Seismic Behavior of Tiedback RetainingWalls

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Tied-back (anchored) retaining walls formerly were used mostly to support temporary earth excavations. However the use of this type of wall construction for permanent structures has recently become more widespread, especially along highway interchanges and as shoreline structures. The advantages of this type of construction over the more conventional cantilever and gravity walls include lower cost for large wall heights (over 50 feet), and easier construction. However, there are at present no rationally-based design procedures in use for these walls that account for seismic loading. Due to the fact that tied-back walls have traditionally been used as temporary structures, very little research has been directed to the seismic design of such structures. This research project is an analytical investigation of the seismic response of flexible tied-back retaining walls. It is directed toward determining and quantifying the mechanisms of earthquake load resistance that develop for this type of retaining structure. Emphasis is being placed on evaluating the response of systems comprising a range of wall and anchor geometries, while accounting for inelastic soil behavior. The interaction effects of the system components (i.e. the wall, anchors, and soil) during seismic loading is being studied. The improved understanding of the contributions from various components to the dynamic response is being incorporated into preliminary design recommendations. These recommendations lead to a design procedure that accounts rationally for the effects of earthquake loading.