Dice method: A novel approach to evaluate stress states across a retaining wall backfill

An analytical approach to predict the stress distribution across a frictional-cohesive backfill, considering pseudo-static inertia forces, is presented herein. Vertical slices adopted in a recently proposed log-spiral-Rankine method are discretized further into dices. The governing equations to determine unknown inter-dice forces acting on a dice are formulated by considering the requirements of force equilibrium, balance of angular moment, and a shape function for the shear stress distribution. Local and global iteration schemes are employed to solve highly coupled non-linear equations. Outcome of the proposed method for the variations of the normal and shear stresses are shown sound agreement with the results obtained from finite element analysis. The information of this method can be used to analyse the strain distribution, and then the deformation of the backfill, which can create a basis to develop a performance based design criteria for earth retaining systems.