The design of the Gravity retaining wall (GRW) is a trial and error process. Prevailing conditions of backfill are used to determine the profile of GRW, which proceeds with the selection of provisional dimensions. The optimum section is having factors of safety of stability higher than the allowable values and stresses in the cross-section smaller than permissible. The cross-section is designed to fulfill conditions of stability, subjected to very low stresses. The strength of the material, which is provided in the cross-section remains unutilized. A computer program is developed to find stresses at various locations on the cross-section of GRW using the Finite Element Method (FEM). A discontinuity in the form of a rectangular cavity is introduced in the cross-section of GRW to optimize it. The rectangular cavity is introduced in the cross-section of GRW at different locations. An attempt is made in this paper to find the stress distribution in the gravity retaining wall cross-section and to study the effect of the rectangular cavity on the stress distribution. Two cases representing different locations are considered to study the effect of the cavity. The location of the cavity is distinguished by the parameter w, the effects of cases with varied was 0.2305 (Case-I) and 0.1385 (Case-II) are observed. The cavity, which is provided not only makes the wall structurally efficient but also economically feasible.
Assessment of Rectangular Cavity in Concrete Gravity Retaining Wall using Finite Element Method
