Sheet Pile Wall:

Sheet pile walls are special type of earth retaining structures in which a continuous wall is
constructed by joining sheet piles. Sheet piles are made of timber, steel or reinforced concrete
and consist of special types of locking arrangement. Sheet pile are embedded in the ground to
develop passive resistance in the front to keep the wall
in equilibrium.

Retaining wall VS Sheet pile wall:

Types of sheet pile wall:

Cantilever Sheet pile: A cantilever sheet pile retains backfill at a higher level on one side.
The stability is entirely from the lateral passive resistance of the soil into which sheet pile is
driven.

Anchored sheet pile: The anchor provides forces for the stability of the sheet pile, in
addition to the lateral passive resistance of the soil into which sheet piles are driven.

The driving depth that is required for anchored sheet pile is smaller than for an cantilever sheet
pile
Cantilever sheet pile (in granular/cohesionless soil): The sheet pile rotate about point
O’
Read from book
The computed depth D is for factor of safety of 1. Factor of safety of 1.5 to 2 can be provided by
increasing the value of D by 20 to 40%
Approximate method:

Read from book

Cantilever sheet pile (in cohesive soil): The sheet pile rotate about point O’

Read from book

 R a (12c y  R a )
D 2 (4c  q ' )  2 DR a  0
2c  H

q'= effective pressure at dredge line

For this case q'=γH

The depth of sheet pile computed from

above equation may be increased by 20 -
40%
Anchored sheet pile (cohesionless soil): 1. Free earth support Method:
Sheet pile rotate at the anchor rod level

Read from book

 The depth a to the point of zero pressure can be
determined from

p Ae
a
 ' (K p  K a )

Force equilibrium

Far  R p  Ra  0
Far  Ra  R p

Taking moment about anchor rod level

Ra y1  R p y 2 . . . (1)

Rp 
1
2
 
 ' K p  K a Y Y
2
y2  h  a  Y
3

Substituting the value Rp and y 2 in Eq. 1

 K p  Ka   K  Ka 
Y 3  '    Y 2 '  p h  a   Ra y 1  0
3   2 
   
Anchored sheet pile (cohesive soil): 1. Free earth support Method:
Sheet pile rotate at the anchor rod level

Read from book

Anchored sheet pile (cohesive soil): 1. Free earth support Method:

Force equilibrium

Far  R p  Ra  0
Far  Ra  R p

Taking moment about anchor rod level

Ra y1  R p y 2 . . . (1)
R p  4c  H D
D
y2  h 
2

Substituting the value Rp and y 2 in Eq. 1

2 R a y1
D 2  2 Dh  0
4 c  H