Effect of Soil–Wall Friction Angle on Behaviour of Sheet Pile Wall Under Surcharge Loading

Abstract

In this study, a solution is derived in the framework of the limit equilibrium approach for the design of cantilever sheet pile walls under both static and seismic conditions in cohesionless soil with uniform surcharge load located at the top of the wall. The proposed method satisfies the horizontal force equilibrium and moment equilibrium about toe simultaneously. From the results of the study, it is highlighted that the application of surcharge load increases the magnitude of bending moment along the depth of the sheet pile wall and deflection at the top of the wall. Further, the increase in plastic zone due to mobilisation of earth pressure is also observed. A parametric study is done by varying the soil–wall friction angle and magnitude of uniform surcharge load acting on the backfill of the cantilever sheet pile walls. From the results, it is observed that as the soil–wall friction angle increases, the maximum bending moment, deflection, depth of plastic zone and settlement adjacent to sheet pile wall decrease. Further, the increase in the magnitude of uniform surcharge increases the maximum bending moment, deflection, depth of plastic zone and settlement adjacent to sheet pile wall.