CHAPTER III
Two common types of sheet pile wall are cantilever wall which is commonly
used to support soil to a height of less than 3 meter, and the other is an anchored or
propped sheet pile wall commonly used to support deep excavations and as
waterfront retaining structures. Cantilever sheet pile walls rely on the passive soil
resistance for their stability, while anchored sheet pile walls rely on a combination of
anchors and passive soil resistance.
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Assuming that the passive resistance along CD acts a point load at C, and the driving
depth is d = BC (Figure 3.1(c)). Three forces maintain equilibrium at the limit state:
Active thrust:
PA = Ka (H+d)2
Passive thrust:
PP =
Kp d2
Passive resistance:
R = PP - P A
For equilibrium:
Mc =0 = PP x d/3 - PA x (H + d)/3
Substituting for PP and PA , and ignoring wall friction (Corbett and Stroud,1975):
0 = 1/6 Kp d3 - 1/6 Ka d(H + r)3
then,
Kp d3 = Ka (H + d)3
d=
H
.
(Kp / Ka ) - 1
(3.1)
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There two methods of analysis are available for anchored or propped walls,
the difference between them being the assumption made with regard to the restrain
provided by the soil at the bottom of the embedded length.
It is assumed that the base of the pile is relatively free to move, so passive
resistance is mobilized on one face only. The lateral pressure increases linearly with
depth and wall friction is negligible.
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50
3.2.2. Fixed-earth support method.
It is assumed that the base of the pile is relatively fixed, so that there is a
point of contra-flexure above the toe of the pile. Passive resistance is mobilized on
both faces (similar to cantilever pile) and wall friction.
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3.3 Anchorage Systems For Sheet Pile Walls
Tie rods are frequently subjected to tensions much greater than the
calculated values. The conventional methods of calculating anchor pull involve
the assumption that the resulting active pressure distribution is hydrostatic, or
triangular. In reality, the real distribution may be somewhat different and the
corresponding anchor tension may be greater. than that computed. The anchor
pull may also increase because of repeated application and removal of heavy
surcharges or an unequal yield of adjacent anchorages that causes overloading.
Because of these possibilities, the computed tie rod design tension should be
increased by about 30 per cent for the tie rod proper and 50 to 100 per cent at
splices and connections where stress concentration can develop.
Any soft soil below the tie rods, even at great depth, may consolidate
under the weight of recent backfill, causing the ground to settle. A small
settlement will cause the tie rods to sag under the weight of the soil above them.
This sagging will result in an increase in tensile stress in the tie rod as it tends to
pull the sheeting. In order to eliminate this condition, one of the following
methods may be used:
1. Support the tie rods with light vertical piles at 6m to 10m intervals.
2. Encase the anchor rods in large conduits.
Tie rods are usually round structural steel bars with upset threaded ends to
avoid a reduction in the net area due to the threads. In order to take up slack,
turnbuckles are usually provided in every tie rod.
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3.3.2 Wales.
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Figure 3.4 Typical wale and anchor rod detail. (Das, 1999)
Where
M max = (1/10)Td2
M max = (1/8)Td2
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The above expressions are only approximations. An exact analysis would have to
take into account the elasticity of the tie rods, the rigidity of the wale and the
residual stresses induced during bolting operations.
The required section modulus of the wale is
S = Mmax
all
Where :
for
both channels
= allowable steel bending stress
Wales are connected to the sheet piling by means of fixing plates and bolts. Each
bolt transmits a pull proportional to the width, Q, of a single sheet pile, and equal
to
Rb = T.x x F.S.
Where Rb = pull in pounds per bolt
= the driving distance of a single sheet pile (if each section is bolted)
F. S. = a desired safety factor to cover stresses induced during bolting
(between 1.2 and 1.5)
The fixing plate (as shown in Figure 3.4, Section A-A) may be designed
as a beam simply supported at two points (the longitudinal webs of the wale) and
bearing a single load, R b, in the center.
The wales are field bolted at joints known as fish plates or splices, as
shown in Figure 3.4, Section C-C. It is preferable to splice both channels at the
same point and place the joint at a recess in the double piling element. Splices
should be designed for the transmission of the bending moment.
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3.3.3 Anchors.
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the system. Figure 3.6. shows several installations that will not provide the full
anchorage capacity required because of failure to recognize the above
considerations.
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3.4 Modes of Failure
The loads exerted on wall and soil tends to produce a variety of potential
failure modes. Selection of certain system parameters and the evaluation of the load
on the system are considered to prevent the failure.
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3.4.2 Rotational failure due to inadequate pile penetration.
Lateral soil and/or water pressures exerted on the wall tend because rigid
body rotation of a cantilever or anchor wall as illustrated in Figure 3.8. This type of
failure is prevented by adequate penetration of the piling in a cantilever wall or by
proper combination of penetration and anchor position for an anchor wall.
Failure of the system may be initiated by over stressing of the sheet piling
and/or anchor components as illustrated in Figure 3.9 and Figure 3.10.
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Figure 3.9 Flexural failure of sheet piling. (USACE Engineer Manual, 1994)