A retaining wall against a mud slide is to be constructed byplacing 1.2 m-high rectangular concrete blocks (Ïconcrete = 2700kg/m3 ) side by side, as shown in Figure 1. The frictioncoefficient between the ground and the concrete blocks is f = 0.3,and the density of the mud is about 1800 kg/m3 . There is concernthat the concrete blocks may slide or tip over the lower left edgeas the mud level rises.
a) Determine the minimum width w of the concrete blocks at whichthe blocks will overcome friction and start sliding. Plot theresults over the mud height ranging from zero to the top of theretaining wall in 0.2 m-increments.
b) Determine the minimum width w of the concrete blocks at whichthe blocks will tip over. Plot the results over the mud heightranging from zero to the top of the retaining wall in 0.2m-increments in the same graph as a).
c) Briefly comment on the results.
