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Cantilever Sheet Pile Walls: Additional Design Requirements
Cantilever Sheet Pile Walls: Additional Design Requirements
In cantilever sheet pile wall construction, heavy steel sheet piles are driven into the
ground prior to excavation taking place. When excavation is carried out, the soil
behind the sheets is retained by their cantilever action.
Cantilever sheet pile walls tend to be prone to movement and are generally only
used for temporary structures or for permanent walls of low height in sands and
gravels.
Design of cantilever walls is carried out by finding a moment balance about the
assumed point of fixity, which is shown as point C in Figure 1(c).
As has been discussed previously, generation of full active and passive pressure
requires a certain strain to develop in the soil. Generation of full passive resistance
will, in particular, require quite significant strains to develop.
Several different design methods have been proposed for cantilever retaining walls
depending on different assumptions of precisely what earth pressures are
mobilised.
This method differs from the previous three methods in that the factor of safety for
the wall is applied to the soil strength rather than to the moments induced by the
soil.
Using this method for a granular soil and effective stress analysis, the soil strength
for design will be determined as:
The unfactored gross soil pressures based on the factored soil strength are then
used in the analysis, so that:
Moment from Passive Pressure Moment from Active Pressure Net Water Pressure moment
The appropriate factors of safety for the above analyses will depend on the
circumstances of the particular problem. The following table summarises the
relevant factors for a number of cases:
Method Effective Stress Analysis
Examples:
The following two examples illustrate the procedure. Example 1 is a basic illustration
and excludes the standard assumptions for overdig and surcharge. Example 2 is a
more general example, including these and the presence of groundwater. This is,
however, a special case where the groundwater levels in front of and behind the
wall are the same, in which case the water pressures on the front and the back of
the wall are equal and can be ignored in the calculation.
Example 1
Consider the case of a wall with a 2 metre retained height of fill constructed in a soil
3
for which ’ = 30° and bulk = 18kN/m
The groundwater table is well below the level of the base of the wall and ignoring
any allowance for accidental overdig or surcharge load but taking a factor of safety
of 2.0 on the passive pressure (Gross Pressure Method)
Assuming there is no wall friction:
Ka = (1 – sin(1 + sin) = 0.333
Kp = (1 + sin(1 – sin) = 3.0
Taking moments about point C
Then, equating the active and passive moments and allowing for a factor of safety
of 2.0 on the passive gives:
3 2 3
4.5 d = 8 + 12 d + 6 d + d
It is then required to carry out a force balance to calculate the required value of R
for horizontal stability:
2 2
Active force = 0.5 Ka bulk (h+d) = 0.5 x 0.333 x 18 x 5.07 = 77.11 kN
2 2
Passive force = 0.5 Kp bulk d /2 = 0.5 x 3.0 x 18 x 3.07 /2 = 127.24 kN
This force must be generated in the additional length of pile below point C
The two force elements generated will be due to the passive load on the back of the
wall and the active force on the front of the wall (see figure 1(b), above). In each
case there will be two elements – one due to the effective surcharge imposed by the
fill above the level of point C and one due to the soil self weight below level C.
Overall, the lateral effective stress profile will be as shown below:
R
C
0.2 d 1
3
2
4
Passive Pressures:
Force 1, due to overburden surcharge = Kp x bulk x (h+d) x 0.2 d = 168.1 kN
2
Force 2, due to soil self weight = 0.5 x Kp x bulk x (0.2 d) = 10.18 kN
Active Pressures:
Force 3, due to overburden surcharge = Ka x bulk x d x 0.2 d = 11.31 kN
2
Force 4, due to soil self weight = 0.5 x Ka x bulk x (0.2 d) = 1.13 kN
Available force = Passive – Active = 168.1 + 10.18 – 11.31 – 1.13 = 165.84 kN
Required force = 50.13 kN < Available Force of 165.84 Hence, OK
Example 2
A sheet pile wall is to be installed to support a 3m high cut in sand of bulk density
3 3
18kN/m and ’ 30°. If the saturated bulk density of the sand is 20kN/m and a factor
of safety of 2 is to be applied to the passive earth pressure, find the required length
of sheet piles required if the groundwater level is 4 m below the existing ground
level.
10% of the wall height is 0.3m, so the design height will be 3.3m
2
A 10kN/m surcharge must be applied behind the wall
The effective vertical stress due to the soil below the water table can be taken as
3
(sat – water), i.e. 20–9.8 = 10.2kN/m
The required wall and the effective earth pressures acting on it will then be as
shown below, where d is the depth of embedment below the water table and is what
we are required to determine:
2
Surcharge = 10kN/m
3.30m
0.70m 1 2
5
W.T.
d 3
7 6
R 4
C
Figure 2: Design Example 2 – Configuration and Active and Passive Earth Pressures
By considering the earth pressures shown in Figure 2 and by taking moments about
point C, the following values are obtained:
Calculations all per metre width
2
(1) 0.333 x 10 x (d + 4.0) = 3.33d + 13.33 d/2 + 4.0/2 1.665d + 13.32d + 26.64
2
(2) 0.5 x 0.333 x 18 x 4.0 = 47.95 d + 4.0/3 47.95d + 63.94
2
(3) 0.333 x 18 x 4.0 x d = 23.976d d/2 11.988d
2 2 3
(4) 0.5 x 0.33 x 10.2 x d = 1.689d d/3 0.566d
2
(5) – (0.5 x 3.0 x 18 x 0.7 ) / 2 = – 6.62 d + 0.7/3 – 6.62d – 1.544
2
(6) – (3.0 x 18 x 0.7 x d) / 2 = – 18.9d d/2 – 9.45 d
2 2 3
(7) – (0.5 x 3.0 x 10.2 x d ) / 2 = – 7.65d d/3 – 2.547 d
Note – densities below the groundwater table are taken as (sat – water) in order to obtain soil effective vertical and lateral
stresses.
Depth of Embedment
As noted above, the depth of embedment should be increased by 20%
In solving the problem, the actual depth of embedment is 0.70 m + d = 7.7 m.
i.e. actual required embedment = 1.2 x 7.7 = 9.24 metres (1.54 m increase in length)
Required Value of R
R is the force generated by the passive soil pressure on the back of the wall below
point C, where the wall tends to rotate back into the soil.
For horizontal equilibrium:
Total passive Force = Total Active Force + R
So R = Total Calculated Passive Force – Total Calculated Active Force
Hence, R = – ([(5)+(6)+(7)] – [(1)+(2)+(3)+(4)])
Substituting d = 7.0 into the values calculated in Table 1, allowing for the necessary
changes of sign then gives:
R = [6.62 + 132.30 + 374.85] – [36.63 + 47.95 + 167.83 +83.22] = 178.13 kN
This force has to be generated on the back of the sheet piles by the extra 20%
length added above – i.e. between point C and a point 1.54 metres below this.
The situation is shown in Figure 3, where forces 8, 9 and 10 will be passive earth
pressures and 11 and 12 will be active pressures
2
Surcharge = 10kN/m
3.30m
0.70m 1 2
5 W.T.
d 3
7 6
R 4
C
0.2 d 8 9
11
10
12
Figure 3: Design Example2 – Active and Passive Earth Pressures below point of fixity
Force (kN)
2
(10) 0.5 x 3 x 10.2 x 1.54 = 36.29
2
(12) 0.5 x 0.333 x 10.2 x 1.54 = 4.03
Note: In this case no reduction factor is applied to the passive earth pressures as owing to
where they are generated they are more reliable
3.30m
0.70m W.T. 1
4
6 5 C
3
R
As before:
3
The bulk density of the sand above the water table is 18kN/m
3
The saturated bulk density of the sand is 20kN/m
And the angle of internal friction for the sand, ’ is 30°.
Partial Factor
Action Type
Case A1
The thrust due to the retained
Permanent – unfavourable G, dst = 1.35
backfill
Partial Factor
Material Property
Case M1
Coefficient of shearing resistance (tan ’) ’ = 1.0
Weight Density = 1.0
Partial Factor
Resistance
Case R1
Earth Resistance R; e = 1.0
Hence:
3 3
For bulk density of retained fill = 18 kN/m design = 18 / 1.0 = 18 kN/m
3 3
For bulk saturated bulk density of fill = 20 kN/m design = 20 / 1.0 = 20 kN/m
3
Effective unit weight of soil below water table = (20 – 9.8) = 10.2 kN/m
3
So, as = 1.0, again for this value: design = 10.2 kN/m
The partial load factor for the action due to the active earth pressure behind the
wall, G, dst = 1.35, will be applied to the force due to the active earth pressure
behind the wall.
The partial factor for resistance R; e = 1.0, which will be applied to the force due to
the passive earth pressure in front of the wall.
2
(1) 1.35 x 0.5 x 0.333 x 18 x 4.0 = 64.8 d + 4.0/3 64.8d + 86.4
2
(2) 1.35 x 0.333 x 18 x 4.0 x d = 32.4d d/2 16.2d
2 2 3
(3) 1.35 x 0.5 x 0.333 x 10.2 x d = 2.295d d/3 0.765d
2
(4) – 1.0 x (0.5 x 3.0 x 18 x 0.7 ) = – 13.23 d + 0.7/3 – 13.23d – 3.087
2
(5) – 1.0 x (3.0 x 18 x 0.7 x d) = – 37.8d d/2 – 18.9 d
2 2 3
(6) – 1.0 x (0.5 x 3.0 x 10.2 x d ) = – 15.3d d/3 – 5.1 d
2 3 2 3
Which gives: 64.8 d + 86.4 + 16.2 d + 0.765 d = 13.23 d + 3.087 + 18.9 d + 5.1 d
2 3
Which simplifies to: 83.313 + 51.57 d – 2.7 d – 0.765 d = 0, from which d = 3.82 m
Required penetration length calculated from actual pile length but increased by 20% = 1.2 x 4.52 = 5.42 m
Partial Factor
Action Type
Case A2
The thrust due to the retained
Permanent – unfavourable G, dst = 1.0
backfill
Partial Factor
Material Property
Case M2
Coefficient of shearing resistance (tan ’) ’ = 1.25
Weight Density = 1.0
Partial Factor
Resistance
Case R1
Earth Resistance R; e = 1.0
Hence:
3 3
For bulk density of retained fill = 18 kN/m design = 18 / 1.0 = 18 kN/m
3 3
For bulk saturated bulk density of fill = 20 kN/m design = 20 / 1.0 = 20 kN/m
3
Effective unit weight of soil below water table = (20 – 9.8) = 10.2 kN/m
3
So, as = 1.0, again for this value: design = 10.2 kN/m
The partial load factor for the action due to the active earth pressure behind the
wall, G, dst = 1.0, will be applied to the force due to the active earth pressure behind
the wall.
The partial factor for resistance R; e = 1.0, which will be applied to the force due to
the passive earth pressure in front of the wall.
2
(1) 1.0 x 0.5 x 0.409 x 18 x 4.0 = 58.896 d + 4.0/3 58.896 d + 78.528
2
(2) 1.0 x 0.409 x 18 x 4.0 x d = 29.448 d d/2 14.724 d
2 2 3
(3) 1.0 x 0.5 x 0.409 x 10.2 x d = 2.086 d d/3 0.695 d
2
(4) – 1.0 x (0.5 x 2.445 x 18 x 0.7 ) = – 10.78 d + 0.7/3 – 10.78d – 2.515
2
(5) – 1.0 x (2.445 x 18 x 0.7 x d) = – 30.807 d d/2 – 15.404 d
2 2 3
(6) – 1.0 x (0.5 x 2.445 x 10.2 x d ) = – 12.47 d d/3 – 4.16 d
2 3 2 3
Which gives: 58.896 d + 78.528 + 14.724 d + 0.695 d = 10.78d + 2.515 + 15.404 d + 4.16 d
2 3
Which simplifies to: 76.013 + 48.116 d – 0.68 d – 3.465 d = 0, from which d = 4.27 m
Required penetration length calculated from actual pile length but increased by 20% = 1.2 x 4.97 = 5.96 m
Hence the design is governed by Load Combination 2 and the overall required pile length will be 8.96 metres