Pole Wall Design Examples

Example 1: Short Term Load Cohesive Soils

The following as a hand calculated Pole Wall example with short term loading compared with the program results. Compared program results are in square
brackets. The conditions are as follows:

Wall height = 3m. Depth into founding soil = 3m. Pole dia. = 320mm. Concrete encased dia. = 650mm Pole centres = 1.5m.
Longitudinal timber size = 75 vertical x 100 horizontal spaced at 145mm. Assumed 4 poles long. No1 framing RS H5 timber
Live Load factor = LLf = 1.5 Soils strength reduction factor for passive action bc = 0.45

Retained Soil:

Retained soil load factor RLL = 1.5

Density: = 18 kN/m3
Internal friction angle: = 30
Friction to wall: = = 30
Wall Back slope: = 0

Founding Soil (undrained/cohesive):

Flat surcharge slope = 0

Density: = 18 kN/m3
Undrained shear strength: su = 60 kN/m2

Calculations:

Calculate the active pressure coefficient Ka:-

Retained pressure at base of wall = H x x Ka x LLf = 3.0 x 18 x 0.297 x 1.5 = 24.057 kPa.
Moment in longitudinal timber = 24.057 x 0.145 x 1.52 / 8 = 0.981 kN.m. [0.982 in program] fb = 0.982 / 0.125 = 7.856 mPa. [7.9 mPa]

Unfactored Pa = H2 x Ka x x 1.5 / 2 = 36.09 kN. Po = cos() x Pa = 0.866 x 36.09 = 31.25 kN. [31.27 kN]
Factored Pa = 36.09 x 1.5 = 54.135 kN. Factored Po = 0.866 x 54.135 = 46.88 kN. [46.9 kN]

Soils Analysis:

Consider the resistance capacity of the soil based on the paper Broms and beyond:

Allot equal resistance to the upper and lower bearing areas of the pole such that the Upper Capacity Force equals the Lower
Capacity Force. This of course will not be the case and the distribution of these two forces which are required to make the resistance couple to meet the
retaining force and moment will tend to be larger for the top force. The actual distribution will be dependant on the resistance stiffness of the soil relative to
the composite stiffness of the pole and concrete. If the latter were perfectly rigid, and the soil were consistent and perfectly elastic, then the stress distribution
would be linear and in proportion to the forces applied. But this is not the case. Broms has already made assumptions (because of the plasticity of the soil) as
to the stress distribution. If we make the resistance capacity on the stress distribution equal to the forces applied it favours the soil and makes the pole more
critical. In practice the pole is concrete encased and unlikely to be critical. Assuming equal force distribution which makes the upper soil area slightly more
critical is therefore considered conservative. Of course these assumed stresses are reduced both by the strength reduction factor pp and the spacing factor
to arrive at the passive bearing capacity. The spacing factor is taken as the pole spacing divided by four times the pier diameter with a maximum of 1 and a
minimum of 0.25.
Let us designate the depth of the upper area d and the lower are e. If the depth d exceeds 3 x pier dia. then passive bearing is a constant 12 su. The pier
dia. is 0.650 m. Therefore su varies with the depth at a rate of 7 / 1.95 = 3.59 down to a depth of 1.95m. The area of both upper and lower stress diagrams
must be the same if the forces are the same as decided above. We can therefore write:

or

Also we can write: fo should be added

or in here!!

and by deducting and dividing we get.

This has the solution of d = 1.782 and e = 1.218. [1.785 and 1.222]
The maximum stress capacity of the upper bearing area is: 1.782 / 1.95 x 7 + 5 = 11.396 su
Stress capacity of sloping portion in upper area: 1.782 / 1.95 x 7 = 6.397 su
Area of upper stress block = 6.397 / 2 x 1.782 + 5 x 1.782 = 5.7 + 8.91 = 14.61
Area of lower stress block = 1.218 x 12 = 14.616
First moment of the areas = 5.7 x 2 x 1.782 / 3 + 8.91 x 1.782 / 2 = 14.71
Centroid of the upper bearing block and centre of upper force = 14.71 / 14.61 = 1.007m. [1.011 m.]
Centroid of the lower bearing block and centre of lower force = 1.782 + 1.218 / 2 = 2.391m.
Distance between upper and lower forces La = 2.391 1.007 = 1.384 m. [1.376m.]
Applied force on upper bearing area = 46.88 x (1.0 + 1.007) / 1.384 + 46.88 = 114.86 kN. [115.44]kN.]
Applied force on lower bearing area = 46.88 x (1.0 + 1.007) / 1.384 = 67.983 kN. [68.53 kN]
The spacing reduction factor is: 1.5 / (4 x 0.65) = 0.577 [0.577]
The maximum allowable passive upper bearing capacity = 11.396 x 0.577 x 0.45 x 60 = 177.538 kPa [177.7 kPa]
The maximum allowable passive lower bearing capacity = 12 x 0.577 x 0.45 x 60 = 186.948 kPa. [186.92 kPa]
Force capacity of the upper bearing block = 14.61 x 60 x 0.577 x 0.45 x 0.65 = 147.946 kN [148.43 kN]
Force capacity of the lower bearing block = 14.616 x 60 x 0.577 x 0.45 x 0.65 = 148.007 kN [148.43kN]
Capacity ratio of Upper bearing = 114.86 / 147.946 = 0.776 [.778]
Capacity ratio of Lower bearing = 67.983 / 148.007 = 0.459 [.462] difference = 0.6%
Actual bearing stress on the upper area = 0.776 x 177.538 = 137.769 kPa. [138.2 kPa]
Actual bearing stress on the lower area = 0.459 x 186.948 = 85.809 kPa. [86.31 kPa]

Pole Analysis:

The maximum moment in the pole occurs when the shear in the pole is zero. This is the point in the soil where the bearing resistance force is equal to
factored Po. Factored Po = 46.88 kN (from above.). Again let us say that this is at depth d.
So that we can write from above:

which has a solution that d= 0.733 m. [0.735 m.]

The centroid of the resisting area equal to Po is:

The maximum pole moment is:

MomP = (1 + 0.733) x 46.88 0.392 x 46.88 = 62.866 kNm [64.1 kNm]

A criticism could possibly arise here that the program compares an actual force (Po) with capacity bearing to arrive at the distance 0.733m as the position of
the maximum moment. It must be remembered that we are dealing with a material that is not elastic but plastic and in an Ultimate load condition. If our
structure suffered an over load so that the ultimate condition in the soil was reached, that is, where QppUpp was 177.7 kPa, then where would the maximum
moment in the pole occur? It would occur at 0.733 m. and Po would be 46.88 / 0.776 or 60.4 kN and well within the limit capacity of the pole. To satisfy the
point however we will check the distance by increasing the required bearing area by the capacity ratio. The equation then becomes:

which has the solution d = 0.901m.

The Pole maximum moment is: 1.901m x 46.88kN = 89.125 kNm.
The ultimate failure
OK condition
- so however
we chuck has a moment of:
1.733m x 60.44kN = 104.74 kNm which is greater and more critical. At this point the soil is failing and the pole can incur no more moment. This
demonstrates thatk20 & 21
the limit pole in here,occurs at 0.733m and it is here that the maximum pole moment should be taken.
condition
but what about k1
The user should be satisfied that the pole has sufficient capacity to develop the soil failure condition described above. A pole failure can be sudden and brittle
= 0.6...
in a cantilever structure and should be avoided. The program therefore warns the designer when Pole failure is likely.

Pole Capacity Design

But what about k1
= 0.6??? this is
The Pole is Normal Density with a Characteristic stresses fb of 38only
mPa and
phia =shear
0.8stress fs of 3.1 mPa. The k20 value for peeling is 0.90 and the steaming
value k21 is 0.85. From NZS 3603 we have:-

The design capacity stress for bending, fbp, is therefore: 38 x 0.90 x 0.85 = 29.07 mPa and for shear fsp = 3.1 x 1.0 x 0.9 = 2.79 mPa.

The Section Modulus for a 320 mm. Pole is: .

The moment capacity of the Pole is therefore: .003217 x 29.07 x 1000 x 0.8 = 74.8 kNm. [74.81 kNm]
The Shear capacity of the is 224.38 kN. = 179.5 kN. [179.51]

The Critical capacity ratio for the Pole CR = 0.857 [0.857]

This compares with the soil capacity ratio of 0.776. The Pole will in fact be supported by its composite action with the concrete and this should ensure a soil
characteristic failure.
Example 2: Long Term Load Cohesionless Soils
The following as a hand calculated Pole Wall example with longt term loading compared with the program results. The conditions are as follows:

Wall height = 2m. Depth into founding soil = 1.525m. Pole dia. = 350mm. Concrete encased dia. = 600mm Pole centres = 1.6m.
Longitudinal timber size = 100 vertical x 75 horizontal spaced at 175mm. Assumed 4 or more poles long. No1 framing RS H5 timber
Live Load factor = LLf = 1.5 Soils strength reduction factor for passive action bc = 0.45

Retained Soil:

Retained soil load factor RLL = 1.5

Density: = 16 kN/m3
Internal friction angle: = 35
Friction to wall: = = 35
Wall Back slope: = 0

Founding Soil (cohesionless):

Flat surcharge slope = 0

Density: = 18 kN/m3
Internal angle of friction: = 45
Passive pressure Coefficient Kp = 5.828 (from graphs)
Friction to footing: ' = 0
Depth to water table: Dw = 3 m

Calculations:

Calculate the active pressure coefficient Ka:-

= 0.2497.[0.25]
Soil pressure force at angle

Pa = 8 kn

Horizontal pressure force (P ) = Pa 6.553 kN

o

P = 6.553 kN ..[6.55 kN]

o

Note: Program check for the short pole conditions first and if not fulfilled goes for
long pole.
Short Pole:

The ultimate lateral strength of short pole (Hu)

K = passive pressure coefficient = 5.828

p
D = diameter of concrete = 0.6m
c
L = depth of penetration in ground = 1.525 m
p
= density
fl = distance above ground where horizontal shear is applied (h ) = 0.66m
/3

= 50.929 kN [50.93]

The distance of maximum pole moment (max depth)

= 0.734m .[0.733]

Maximum Pole Moment for Short Pole: - (MomP)

= 58.875 kN.m .[58.89]

Pole Moment Capacity: - (P Mom)

f = Allowable stress (bending) f = (NZS 3603)

b

= f xK xK xK k = 0.9 (peeling factor)

b 20 21 1 20

= 38 x 0.9 x 0.85 x 0.6 k = 0.85 (steaming factor)

21

= 17.442 Mpa. k = 0.6 (load factor for long term)

1

Pmom = 0.004209 x 17.442 x 0.8 x 1000

= 58.734 kN.m [ 58.73 kN.m] strength reduction factor for timber = 0.8
Ult unfactored Moment = 73.418 kNm.

* As Maximum Pole Moment<Pole Moment Capacity

Short Pole is governing.

Max Moment in Pole at depth 0.734m below ground

= 18.175 kN.m .[18.20 Pr.output]

capacity ratio for pole

= 18.20
58.734

= 0.31 [0.309]

Reliable Capacity Force = Hu x x spacing.

p
 = 0.6667

= 50.929 x 0.45 x 0.6667 = 15.279 kN..[15.28]

Capacity Ratio for Ground

CR = 1.028.. [1.028 Pr.output]