Impact Response Analysis of Retaining Wall Under Falling Weight Impact Load

Abstract

Road infrastructures all over the world are prone to Natural disasters causing colossal damages. These natural disasters range from falling weight, avalanches and accidental loads to earthquakes, floods and tornadoes. In such situations, the structures undergo dynamic or impact loading, which are difficult to ascertain in behaviour and quantum. These infrastructural damages can be mitigated by performing a rational impact response analysis considering these loads. Retaining walls / Rockfall protections are constructed along the highways in mountainous areas. If space between road and edge of cliff is not sufficient, thinner reinforced concrete (RC) retaining walls with pile foundation are used. In Japan, retaining wall attached to a two layer absorbing system comprising expanded polystyrene (EPS) and RC layer, connected to steel piles is developed for such restricted locations. In order to formulate a practical design methodology for such impact resistant retaining walls, the applicability of method was confirmed by conducting field tests using prototype retaining wall. However, these field tests are uneconomical and time consuming. Hence, establishing a rational numerical analysis technique to study the response of retaining walls under impact loading is of great practical importance. This study focuses on finite element (FE) Analysis of a retaining wall under falling weight impact load and establishes a rational 3D FE analysis method, to predict accurately, the response of an impact resistant retaining wall under falling weight impact load. For the purpose, a multi-use FE software “LS-DYNA” is used.