Shape Effect on Active Earth Pressure Against a Sheet Pile Wall with Different Displacement Modes

Abstract

Steel sheet pile walls are widely used in coastal projects such as quay walls of ports. The corrugated shape of sheet piles could leads to a very different distribution of earth pressure in comparison with a planar retaining structure. Unfortunately such shape effect has not been fully understood and well quantified. This paper employed the finite element (FE) method to analyze the earth pressure distribution against a corrugated sheet pile wall. The FE model was first validated by numerically simulating a small-scale model test of a planar wall. The verified numerical model was then used to simulate a corrugated sheet pile wall and a planar wall subjected to pre-defined displacements away from the backfill. The results indicate that the sectional shape of the sheet piles affects the distribution of the transversal earth pressure against the wall. Little noticeable difference is found in the earth pressure at rest against the sheet pile wall and the planar wall, while prominent variation of the active earth pressure is found at the extruding portion and the dented portion when the wall translates or rotates.