Sliding Stability of Dry Masonry Block Retaining Wall Structure with a Resistance Plate

There are two types of block masonry in the structural retaining wall, one is "dry masonry" and the other one is "wet masonry". However, the sliding stability of the dry masonry type retaining wall may be inferior to that in wet masonry block. In this study, a new dry masonry type retaining wall is discussed, which is not only environmental friendly but also structurally stable. A resistance plate is newly attached to the boundary between upper and lower blocks to enhance the sliding resistance, which is due to the passive earth pressure mobilized in the plate. A series of model tests was carried out, paying attention to the position of the resistance plate, mobilized earth pressure in the plate and the horizontal movement of the blocks. It was indicated from the model tests results that the position of the resistance plate becomes very important to effectively increase the block stability.