Estimation of seismic active earth pressure on reinforced retaining wall using lower bound limit analysis and modified pseudo-dynamic method

Present study estimates seismic active earth pressure on the reinforced retaining wall by combining the lower bound finite element limit analysis and the modified Pseudo-dynamic method. A series of parametric analyses are performed by varying seismic acceleration coefficient, time period of seismic loading, soil friction and dilation angles, reinforcement spacing, length of reinforcement, soil-reinforcement interface, damping ratio of soil, soil-wall interface, wall inclination, and ground inclination. Maximum active earth pressure is exerted when natural time period of reinforced soil matches with the time period of an earthquake. Reinforcement is found to be effective in terms of reducing active earth pressure significantly on the wall subjected to seismic loading. Effectiveness of reinforcement depends upon two factors, namely vertical spacing and soil-reinforcement interface friction angle. For relatively smaller reinforcement spacing, soil-reinforcement behaves like a composite block, which helps to constraint stresses within a small area behind the wall. Maximum tensile resistance is developed when fully rough interface condition is assumed between soil and reinforcement layer. Failure patterns are provided to understand the behaviour of reinforced retaining wall under different time of seismic loading. •Without any presumption of failure surface geometry, present study predicts seismic active earth pressure on reinforced retaining wall.•Varying earthquake induced forces along wall height and its phase difference with time, soil damping ratio is considered.•Effectiveness of reinforcement in reducing active earth pressure depends on vertical spacing between reinforcements and soil-reinforcement interface.•Influences of soil parameters, soil-wall interface, ground and wall inclination are studied.•Maximum active earth pressure is exerted when natural time period of reinforced soil equals the time period of an earthquake.