Seismic performance of gravity retaining walls

In the present study, the seismic performances of gravity retaining walls having both inclined back side and inclined backfill were investigated under sinusoidal acceleration excitations using series of shaking table tests on 750 mm height physical model. The effects of input peak ground acceleration (PGA$PGA$), inclination angle of backfill material (α) and inclination angle of back of the gravity retaining wall (β) on acceleration amplification factor (RMSA$RMSA$), maximum peak lateral relative (Smaxpeak(rel)${S}_{{\rm{maxpeak}}( {rel} )}$) and maximum residual lateral displacement (Smax(res)${S}_{{\rm{max}}( {res} )}$) of the wall, surface settlement (Sset${S}_{set}$) of the backfill material, inertial force (PI${P}_I$) and horizontal dynamic active force (Pdynh${P}_{dynh}$) were assessed. It was observed that higher values of the RMSA$RMSA$ were obtained from the experimental results as compared the ones from current seismic design codes. Moreover, the six results of shaking table tests revealed that the phase difference was appeared between the inertial force and dynamic earth pressures. Pseudo‐static limit equilibrium methods resulted in over conservative Pdynh${P}_{dynh}$ results and could not truly reflect the seismic behavior of gravity wall due to the inertial forces and phase difference not taken into consideration.