Large Deformation and Post-failure Predictions of Retaining Walls subjected to Earthquake Loads

This thesis presents the development of a computational approach for modelling retaining wall failure from earthquakes. The Coupled Eulerian Lagrangian Finite Element method is employed to model large deformation behaviour. Complex soil behaviour is captured using advanced constitutive models. An uncoupled hydromechanical model is employed to assess porewater pressure build-up and dissipation from cyclic loading of soils. The proposed computational approach is validated by performing a number of experimental studies, namely a granular column collapse experiment, a bearing capacity experiment, a segmental retaining wall collapse experiment, a seismic slope experiment and case study of a retaining wall during an earthquake.