A Study of Lateral Pressures on Basement Walls Due to Swelling Soils.

Abstract

A study was made of the technical literature pertaining to the topic of lateral pressures transmitted to nonyielding, rigid basement walls by swelling expansive soils. The objective of the study was to determine if there was available a method whereby pressures transmitted to rigid basement walls could be practically measured and reasonably predicted for design purposes. An extensive bibliography of pertinent technical publications was developed. The publications which formed the bibliography were topically categorized as being either principally theoretical or principally experimental in their presentation or result. Selected publications of each type are discussed, and their principal or result. Of these selected publications, three methods or procedures were concluded to have more potential for practical applications than the others and are presented in detail. These three methods or procedures are those of Skempton, Fredlund, and Katti. The study concluded that these three methods were each relatively easy to apply and held more promise than others for use in design of rigid basement walls constructed in expansive soils, but that none of the methods appeared to have been proven, validated, or verified by field measurements of horizontal pressures transmitted to nonyielding basement walls. The study concludes with a recommendation to develop a field experiment whereby horizontal pressures can be measured and used to validate, modify, or reject the three methods.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 01, 1987
Accession Number
ADA186423

Entities

People

  • Warren K. Wray

Organizations

  • Texas Tech University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Pressure
  • Basements
  • Chemical Properties
  • Civil Engineering
  • Classification
  • Engineering
  • Engineers
  • Geotechnical Engineering
  • Groundwater
  • Laboratory Tests
  • Mechanics
  • Moisture Content
  • Pressure Distribution
  • Pressure Measurement
  • Retaining Walls
  • Soil Mechanics
  • Test Methods

Readers

  • Geotechnical Engineering.
  • Library and Information Science
  • Pavement Materials Engineering.