Lateral earth pressure and bending moment on sheet pile walls due to uniform surcharge

Abstract

Cantilever sheet pile walls are subjected to surcharge loading located on the backfill soil and at different distances from the top of the wall. The response of cantilever sheet pile walls to surcharge loadings at varying distances under seismic conditions is scarce in literature. In the present study, the influence of uniform surcharge load on cantilever sheet pile wall at varying distances from the top of the wall under seismic conditions are analyzed using finite difference based computer program. The results of the numerical analysis are presented in non-dimensional form like variation of bending moment and horizontal earth pressure along the depth of the sheet pile walls. The numerical analysis has been conducted at different magnitudes of horizontal seismic acceleration coefficient and vertical seismic acceleration coefficients by varying the magnitude and position of uniform surcharge from the top of the wall for different embedded depths and types of soil. The parametric study is conducted with different embedded depth of sheet pile walls, magnitude of surcharge on the top of the wall and at a distance from the top of the wall for different angles of internal friction. It is observed that the maximum bending moment increases and more mobilization of earth pressure takes place with increase in horizontal seismic acceleration coefficients, magnitude of uniform surcharge, embedded depth and decrease in the distance of surcharge from the top of the wall in loose sand.