Fe-analysis of patterning of shear zones in granular bodies for earth pressure problems of a retaining wall

The evolution of shear zones in granular bodies for earth pressure problems of a retaining wall in conditions of plane strain was analyzed. The passive and active failure of a retaining wall was discussed. The calculations were carried out with a rigid and very rough retaining wall undergoing horizontal translation, rotation around the top and rotation around the bottom. The behaviour of dry sand was numerically modelled with a finite element method using a hypoplastic constitutive relation with polar extensions. Attention was paid to the influence of different wall movements on shear localization. The initial void ratio was assumed to be non-uniformly distributed. The geometry of calculated shear zones was compared with corresponding experimental results of laboratory model tests.