Scribd
Upload
82 views4 pages

Culmann's Graphical Method for Earth Pressure

The document discusses graphical methods for calculating earth pressures in soil mechanics, particularly focusing on the Culmann Method. It outlines the procedure for drawing Culmann's Curve to determine active earth pressure in retaining walls, including steps for plotting and calculating pressures. The document also mentions the application of the Coulomb theory in cohesive soils and the effects of tensile cracks and hydrostatic pressure.

Uploaded by

Rajesh Khadka
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
82 views4 pages

Culmann's Graphical Method for Earth Pressure

The document discusses graphical methods for calculating earth pressures in soil mechanics, particularly focusing on the Culmann Method. It outlines the procedure for drawing Culmann's Curve to determine active earth pressure in retaining walls, including steps for plotting and calculating pressures. The document also mentions the application of the Coulomb theory in cohesive soils and the effects of tensile cracks and hydrostatic pressure.

Uploaded by

Rajesh Khadka
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Graphical Methods

 Online Lecture Notes On Soil Mechanics Earth Retaining Structures

Share

Tweet

Share

Share

Share

Share

This section is part of: Athanasopoulos, G. A. (2021) "Online Lecture Notes on Soil
Mechanics", [Link], DOI: [Link]

Go to the beginning

If the backfill surface and/or the internal face of the wall are irregularly shaped or if there
are point or line loads acting on the backfill, graphical methods are used for the
calculation of earth pressures. One of the common methods is the Culmann Method
(1966). Every graphical method can be adjusted so that it can be applied using a
computer.
The Culmann graphical method is presented below.

Earth Pressures in Cohesive Soils - Tensile


Cracks
The Coulomb theory can be applied in cases of cohesive soils. In this case, a
assumption need to be made regarding the coefficient of friction, Cw, between wall and
soil. Also it is accepted that in the case of active pressures, vertical fractures are
developed at the top of the wall, due to the tensile forces that are generated at depth:
If the crack is filled with water, then the hydrostatic pressure creates an additional
pressure on the exemplified soil-wall prism.

Culmann's Graphical Method

Culmann's Curve is the curve use to find Active and


Passive Earth Pressure in Retaning wall. Culmann's
curve is drawn using Culmann's Graphical
Method.
In this article we describe the step by step procedure how to
draw culmann's curve and how to find Active Earth
Pressure Using Culmann's curve.
Procedure:
1) Draw Ground Line , Failure Line & Earth Pressure Line with β, 丫, ψ angle
respectively.
2) Consider any trial wedge ABC1 and measure length AC1 as a L1
3) Calculate the weight of wedge ABC1 and plot it at point E i.e. BE1=L1
4) Consider all such lines BC2, BC3, BC4, and corresponding points E1, E2, E3,
E4.
5) Through E1 draw a line parallel to ψ line which cut's BC1 at point F1.
6) Draw similar lines F2E2, F3E3, F4E4.
7) Draw a smooth curve which passes through B, F1, F2, F3, F4. This curve is
called as
Culmann's Curve.
8) Draw a tangent to the Culmann's curve which cuts the curve at pt F.
9) Drwa FE line parallel to ψ lines.
Hence Active Earth Pressure is calculated as Pa= 1/2 (丫) (H) (E.F.)
Where 丫 = unit weight of soil.
So in this way we can find active earth pressure using Culmann's curve.

You might also like