Parametric study on Sheet Pile Walls in Layered Soils

Abstract

Sheet pile wall is a retaining structure. It is used to retain the deep vertical cuts made in the earth, waterfront structures, cofferdams, and bridge abutments. The geotechnical engineering advantage of sheet pile wall is that it does not consume large base width like a retaining wall. When land acquisition problem arises, sheet pile walls are preferred. Sheet pile walls are subjected to rotational failure and flexural failure in layered soil. The rotational failure can be avoided by providing adequate depth of penetration. The in-front foundation soil generates passive force against the active or driving force from backfill soil. The flexural failure is avoided by providing one or more anchors at a particular location on the sheet pile, which in return reduces the maximum bending moments, the maximum shear force developed on the sheet pile and the depth of penetration. This makes the design of anchored sheet pile walls more effective in layered soil. This paper considers soft clay and loose sand as backfill, and stiff clay and dense sand as foundation soil. The outcomes of this research are cantilever sheet pile requires more depth of penetration to avoid rotational failure. For a height of ditch 6m, single anchor is sufficient but for a height of ditch 10m, double anchor required to reduce the depth of penetration, maximum bending moment, shear force, and horizontal deflection.