I N F ORMATION SHEET I

Chapter I

1. Analysis and Design of Sheet-Pile Walls: Cantilevered

and Anchored

1.1 Introduction
Sheet pile walls are an earth and water retaining structure which is made up of a series of sheet piles driven to
the required depth in the ground. Sheet piles are thin sections as compared with retaining walls. Generally sheet
pile walls have the following uses:-
- Sheet-pile walls are widely used for both large and small waterfront structures as they do not require
dewatering of the site, applications ranging from small pleasure-boat launching facilities to large dock
structures where ocean-going ships can take on or unload cargo. A pier jutting into the harbor, consisting
of two rows of sheet piling to create a space between that is filled with earth and paved, is a common
construction.
- Due light weight construction, they are useful where the upper layers of the sub soil are weak and are
inadequate for supporting gravity retaining walls.
- They are also handy for use in temporary construction due to a high salvage values
Further, sheet piling can also be used:
- For beach erosion protection;
protection
- for stabilizing ground slopes,
slopes particularly for roads (instead of using the rigid retaining walls);
- for shoring walls of trenches & other excavations;
excavations and
- For cofferdams.
Note: The use of sheet pile wall in soils with boulders and in bed rock is difficult b/c of driving problems.

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Fig. 1-1 Sheet-pile structures.

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 Types & materials used for sheet piling
Based on the type of materials used sheet piles can be:
- Timber sheet pile
- Reinforced concrete sheet pile
- Steel sheet pile
Allowable design stresses are often higher than in general building construction and may be from about
0.65 to 0.90 f y for steel and wood. Reinforced concrete design stresses may be on the order of 0.75 f / c for
unfactored loads. The design stress actually used will depend on engineering judgment, effect of wall failure
(site importance factor), and the local building code.
Timber Sheet piling
- Timber piling is sometimes used for free-standing walls of H < 3m (see Fig. 1-1a).
- It is more often used for temporarily braced sheeting to prevent trench cave- cave-ins (see Fig. 1- 1c)
during installation of deep water and sewer lines.
- If timber sheeting is used in permanent structures above water level, preservative treatment is
necessary, and even so the useful life is seldom over 10 to 15 years. At present timber is little used
except in temporary retaining structures owing to both the scarcity of timber, particularly of large cross
section, and cost.
- Several timber piling shapes are shown in Fig. 1-2, of which the Wakefield and V groove piling have
been and are the most used. Dimensions shown are approximate and you will have to use what is
currently available.

Figure 1-2 Wood sheet piles.

If wood sheet piling is being considered, the soil type is a major factor. Almost any driving requires interfacing
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the pile hammer with a driving cap over the timber to minimize top damage. Driving in hard or gravelly soil
tends to damage or even split the pile tip.

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 Reinforced Concrete Sheet piling
These sheet piles are precast concrete members, usually with a tongue-and-groove joint. Even though their
cross section is considerably dated (see Fig. 1.4), this form is still used.
They are designed for service stresses, but because of their mass, both handling and driving stresses must also
be taken into account. The points are usually cast with a bevel, which tends to wedge the pile being driven
against the previously driven pile.

Figure 1-3 Typical details of reinforced concrete sheet piles.

The typical dimensions shown in Fig. 1-3 indicate the piles are relatively bulky. During driving they will
displace a large volume of soil and increase in driving resistance. The relatively large sizes, coupled with the
high unit weight ( γ c = 23.6 kN/m3) of concrete, mean that the piles are quite heavy and may not be competitive
with other pile types unless they are produced near the job site.
Dimensions and reinforcing bars shown in Fig. 1.4 are typical, but currently produced piles will contain bars that
are available to the producer at casting time.
If the joints are cleaned and grouted after they have been driven, a reasonably watertight wall may be obtained.
However, if the wall is grouted, expansion joints may be required along the wall at intervals that are multiples of
the section width.
Steel Sheet piling
Steel sheet piling is the most common type used for walls because of several advantages over other materials:
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1. It is resistant to the high driving stresses developed in hard or rocky material.

2. It is relatively lightweight.
3. It may be reused several times.
4. It has a long service life either above or below water if it is provided with modest protection.

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 5. It is easy to increase the pile length by either welding or bolting. If the full design length cannot be
driven, it is easy to cut the excess length using a cutting torch.
6. Joints are less apt to deform when wedged full with soil and small stones during driving.
7. A nearly impervious wall can be constructed by driving the sheeting with a removable plug in the open
thumb-and-finger joint. The plug is pulled after the pile is driven, and the resulting cavity is filled with a
plastic sealer. The next pile section is then driven with the intersecting thumb or ball socket displacing
part of the plastic sealer from the prefixed cavity. When the piling is driven in pairs, sealing the
intermediate joint by pre-filling may not provide a 100 percent impervious joint.
Figure 1.4 illustrates several angle sections and joints that can be fabricated from cut pieces of sheet piling;
these are for illustration, as other joints can be produced.
• The crosses and wyes shown are used in cellular cofferdams.
• The angles and bends are used for direction changes in the wall.
Several steel sheet-pile cross sections currently available in the market are given in Tables A-3a and A-3.
• The straight-web sections are used in situations where the web is in tension.
• The Z sections are used where large bending moments require a substantial moment of inertia or
section modulus.
• When the stiffness capacity of the available Z piles is insufficient, the box sections of Table A-3 (also
as Fig. 1-6) or the soldier-Z-pile combination of Fig. 1.6b might be used

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Figure 1.4 Typical fabricated or rolled sheet-pile joints. All dimensions shown are millimeters. Bolts are high
strength 22-mm diameter on 150-mm centers except at end 610-mm where they are on 75-mm centers.

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 Figure 1-5 Built-up pile sections used where standard rolled shapes do not have adequate bending stiffness. The
Bethlehem Steel Corporation box sections of (a) and the Arbed sections of (b) can be obtained directly from the
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producers. The section shown in (c) can be fabricated locally to meet the required bending stiffness. The
principal precaution in fabricating this section is that the interlocks be compatible.

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 Composite Sheet-Pile Walls
Walls may be constructed using composite construction. The soldier beam-wood lagging combination of braced
cut excavation is an example.
Other examples include use of soldier beams on some spacing with sheet piling used between the spacing. Since
steel is relatively durable in most waterfront installations, the principal composite construction consists in using
a mix of soldier beams and sheet piles or built-up box pile sections.
Construction Methods
Sheet pile walls may be divided in to two basic categories:
• Cantilever sheet pile wall
• Anchored sheet pile wall
Cantilever Sheet Pile Walls
When the wall is having a moderate heights under about 6m in height and is often cantilevered; this wall
behaves as fixed vertical cantilevers in resisting lateral earth pressure, such walls are called Cantilever
Sheet Pile Walls.
Cantilever Sheet Pile walls:
• Relay on the passive soil resistance for their stability.
• Preferably to be embedded in soils with a high angle of internal friction φ, when clay exist the depth of
embedment required becomes large. Therefore it will be uneconomical.
• It is recommended in special cases where adjacent property owners may not allow anchorages to be
installed. (Built up sections are used in this time).

App. deflected shape 0.00m

Retained soil data

γ
cu
H c’ Load
φ'

D-level 0.00m

(a) (b)

Fig 1-6 Cantilever sheet pile walls

Anchored Sheet-Pile Wall or Anchored Bulkhead
However, for larger wall height support against lateral pressure is provided by embedment in to the ground (as
in cantilever retaining sheet pile walls) and by using anchorage one or more anchors by tie rods near the top of
piling. The resulting wall is termed an Anchored Sheet-Pile Wall or Anchored Bulkhead.
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Commonly used to support deep excavations and as water front excavations, depending on the soil conditions it
can be used up to 200m.
• Relay on passive resistance from the embedment &
• From the use of anchors

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 The use of anchorage reduces:
• lateral deflections (∆δ)
• Bending moment (Mmax)
• Depth of penetration (Dreq)
An anchored bulkhead may be dredged dredged type or backfilled type.
type Several of the more common wall
configurations are illustrated in Fig. 1.1.
The alternative shown in Fig. 1-1.d of using continuous rods for parallel sheet-pile walls may be considerably
more economical than driving pile anchorages, even for tie rod lengths of 30 to 40 m.

h1
Soil A
H γsat
φ
h2 γ
GWT c
GWT

h3

D. Level

Soil B
D=? γsat
φu
cu

Fig 1-7 Typical Anchored sheet pile walls

Soil Properties for Sheet-Pile Walls

We can see that lateral earth pressures are involved with active pressures approximately developed behind the
walls from the fill (or backfill) and passive pressures in front of the wall below the dredge line. Either the
Rankine or Coulomb lateral earth-pressure coefficients may be used for the earth pressures; however, the
Coulomb values are generally preferred. Because a sheet-pile wall is not very rigid, relatively large lateral
displacements (and resulting relative movement between soil and wall) often occur between points of assumed
fixity. Relative soil-wall movement produces adhesion and/or friction depending upon the soil. Friction can be
approximately accounted for by use of the Coulomb earth-pressure coefficient. If the backfill is cohesive, you
have to do the best you can.
Any backfill cohesion would appear to reduce the lateral pressure; however, give consideration to a wall-soil
tension crack, which would produce a surcharge effect on the soil below the tension crack depth and negate most
of its beneficial effect.
Even though it is known that wall friction develops, the Rankine earth pressure coefficients are often used for ka,
with the rationale being that they are slightly more conservative. From this discussion it is evident that we need
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soil parameters of γ, φ, and cohesion for both the wall backfill and the base soil. Because the wall must survive
the initial loading as well as long-term loading, the undrained strength parameters are usually used. In the case of
waterfront structures the soil below the water line will always be in an undrained state, but close to the wall a
small zone may be in a consolidated undrained state.

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 For on-shore retaining structures the dredge line soil is exposed to the weather and the state varies from saturated
to dry. Since the undrained state is usually the worst case, it is appropriate to use that for design.
Seldom are laboratory tests performed to obtain these parameters. It is common to use CPT or SPT data and/or
simply estimate φ and γ. The retained material is often backfill with little to no compaction; if it is hydraulically
dredged silty sand, precise soil parameters are extremely difficult to obtain. The base soil into which the sheet
pile is driven is more amenable to laboratory tests on recovered samples. However, in nearly all cases either SPT
or CPT data are all that are taken.
Method of Analysis (Limit Equilibrium Analysis)
In gravity retaining structures which are rigid structures, failure is assumed to take place by rotation at the
bottom of the wall such as active and passive earth pressure conditions are generated. The weight of the gravity
retaining wall is appreciable proportion with the siding wedge, therefore classical earth pressure theories can be
used to compute lateral earth pressure. Compared to gravity retaining walls sheet pile walls are supported
differently, they are more flexible and consequently, do not yields in the same manner as in gravity retaining
walls.
Due to elastic deflection of the wall, an anchored bulkhead may bulge or yield considerably more at a point b/n
the level of anchor rod and dredge line than at other points.
The pressure distribution will be greatly affected by:
- The depth of penetration
- Elongation of the tie rod, and
- The yield of anchors
Both field observations and laboratory model tests show that there is a complex interaction of (as a minimum):
- Construction method (install and backfill, or install and excavate the free side),
- Excavation depth,
- Stiffness of wall material,
- Type and state of retained soil, and
- Passive pressure resistance.
In anchored walls there is also:
- The anchor geometry,
- Initial anchor prestress (or load),
- Construction stage when anchor rod is installed, and
- Behavior of that part of the wall above the anchor rod (into or away from the backfill)
There is no "exact" method to analyze/design a sheet-pile type of wall. The oversimplifications of an extremely
complex problem, relied totally on rigid body statics, and were based entirely on the assumptions of an active
earth pressure above the dredge line and passive earth pressure below. Wall and anchor rod stiffness did not
enter into the equation. As a result of substantial overdesign, few walls failed. The current analysis and design
of sheet pile wall is using FE analysis using PC.

Stability Numbers/Safety Factors

Factor of safety can be applied in either of the following methods:
(a) FMM (Factored Moment Method)
Apply a factor of safety to the passive resistance to find the depth of embedment (Dmin) to satisfy moment
equilibrium.
F.s (P) = (1.5 to 2)
(b) FSM (Factored strength method)
In this case reduction factors are applied to shear strength parameters below the dredge line:
φ given
φ design =
Fφ (1.5 − 2.0)
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C given
C design =
Fc (1.5 - 2.0)

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 (c) Increased Depth of Embedment to Provide Margin of Safety
Dfinal = Dcal + (20% to 40%) Dcal
Due to its simplicity most designers prefer this method.
Cantilever sheet-pile walls were analyzed similarly to anchored walls, except the soil pressure profiles were
slightly different and moments were usually taken about the base since there was no anchor rod.
Lateral Pressure due to External Loads (Surcharge), Soil and Water
(Revision)
Lateral pressure can be:-
- Due to soil: - apply lateral earth pressure theories
- Due to water: - hydrostatic pressure
- Due to external surcharge
Total horizontal trust at any depth “z” therefore:
σ x = (σ z ) x due to soil + (σ z ) x due to water + (σ z ) x due to extenal load

Analysis and Design

There are several methods of analyzing cantilever and anchored sheet-pile walls. The common methods will be
presented hear under.
Analysis and Design of Cantilever Sheet Pile Walls
Cantilever sheet pile walls are further divided in to two:
a) Free cantilever sheet pile wall
b) Cantilever sheet pile wall
1. Free Cantilever sheet pile walls (Analysis and Design)
It is a sheet pile subjected to a concentrated horizontal load at its top. There is no backfill above its dredged
level. It derives its stability entirely from its lateral passive resistance of the soil below the dredged level into
which it is driven.

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Fig 1.8 Free cantilever sheet pile wall

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 F F

No back fill No back fill

on both on both
sides H sides H

Dredge Level Dredge Level

yo

k p γ yo D k a γ yo D
k p γy o
k a γ yo

k p γD ka γ D

(a) Passive Earth pressure Distribution (b) Active Earth Pressure Distr.

Dredge Level

P3 yo
D
o

P1 P2

(b) Net Earth pressure Distribution Diagram

Fig 1.9 Earth pressure Distribution Diagram
Where:-
- P1 = (k p − k a )γ . y o
- P2 = (k p − k a )γ .D
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- P3 = (k p − k a )γ .D
The free cantilever rotates at point”0” below the dredge level. The actual pressure distribution is shown above in
Fig 1.9 but Blum (1931) gave a simplified solution. The passive resistance of the soil on the left side is idealized

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 as right angle triangle AOE. The distributed pressure acting on the right side below the point “O” is replaced by
an equivalent concentrated load P1 acting at point “O”. But P1 is not required for our calculation.

No back fill
on both
sides H

Dredge Level

P1

Fig 1.10 Simplified Earth pressure Distribution Diagram for design

Procedures for designing the sheet pile

a) Calculating depth of Embendement ( Dmin = ?)

- Taking [∑ M o =0 ]
1 D
F (H + D ) = γ .D 2 (k p − k a ). , Here Dmin can be solved .
2 3
Applying factor of sefty (SF), the final embendeemnt deoth will be

D final = Dmin + (20% to 40%).Dmin

b) Calaculating maximum bending moment ( M max = ?)

Maximum bending moment is exepected to occure at some distance ‘x’ below the dredge level.
γ .x 3
Therefore, M max = F ( H + x) + [k p − k a ] differentiating once and solve for x leads maximum
6
bending moment.
 2 .F 
x=   , then putting x in the first equation leads M max
 γ (k p − k a )

c) Structural deign of the sheet pile wall

a. Determine the section modules required ( S req )
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M 
S req =  Max  , where f b = allowable bending stress = (0.6 to 0.65) fy
 fb 
Then using the the calaculated section modules we will select the required section from the
munfactureres manual

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 2. Cantilever sheet pile wall
a. In cohesion less soils
Assumptions for analysis,
- The wall is assumed to be rigid
- Point ‘o’ is a stationary point (rotation point)

A’ A

φ
γ H
c
Active zone
Dredge Level

Passive zone yo
D

Passive zone
Active zone

A’ A
φ
γ
c
H

yo
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Fig 1.11 Active and Passive Earth pressure Distribution zone

& most probable earth pressure distribution diagram

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 φ
γ
H H H Ra

yo yo yo yo
D

(a) Theorthical Earth Pressure Diagram (b) Active Earth Pressure Diagram (c) Passiuve Earth Pressure Diagram (d) Net Earth Pressure Diagram

Fig 1.12 Assumed most probable Earth pressure Distribution diagram

Using the Net Earth Pressure Diagram in Fig 1.12 part d for analysis, point ‘o’ is a stationary point,located at
a distance ‘yo ‘ bellow the dredged level and has zero pressure

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 ..
The magnitude of the earth pressure at locations ‘e’, ‘o’ & ‘b’ can be worked out as follwes:
a) At point ‘o’
PAe = k a .γ .H
b) The magnitude of ‘Yo’
[∑ F x ]
= 0 , considering the section above point ‘o’ in part d

k p γ . y o − k a γ ( H + y o ) = 0 , solving for yo

k a γ .H PAe
yo= =
(k p − k a )γ (k p − k a )γ
c) Pressure Ppb1 and Ppb2
- Ppb1 = k p.γ .( H + D ) − k a γ .D
= (k p. − k a )γ .D + k p γ .D
- Ppb 2 = (k p. − k a )γ .z
- Ppo uncessarrry for analytsis b/c it is a rotation point.
d) the depth of embedment
Now, let Ra = the resultant of forces above point o acting a distance of y above o.
The distance “Z” can be worked out from [∑ F H =0 ]
Z D
Ra + ( Ppb1 + Ppb 2 ) − Ppb 2 . o = 0
2 2
Rearranging the above equ.
 Ppb 2 .Do − 2 Ra 
Z= 
 ( Ppb1 − Ppb 2 ) 
Again taking [∑ M base =0 ]
Z Z D D
R a ( Do + y ) + ( Ppb1 + Ppb 2 ) − Ppb 2 . o . o = 0
3 2 2 3
3 2
6 Ra ( Do + y ) + Z ( Ppb1 + Ppb 2 ) − Ppb 2 .Do = 0
Putting the value of Z in the above equ. Do can be solved.
Having obtained Do , the depth of embedment can be determined as follows
D = Do + y o
Applying factor of safety
D final = Dmin + (20% to 40%).Dmin
d) Calaculating maximum bending moment ( M max = ?)
e) Structural deign of the sheet pile wall
Determine the section modules required ( S req )
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M 
S req =  Max  , where f b = allowable bending stress = (0.6 to 0.65) fy
 fb 
Then using the calculated section modules one can select the required section which is lightest and most
economical from the manufacturer’s manual

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 Simplified procedure
One can simplify and obtain a conservative solution by assuming the following model:

PA
Pp
D

Kpγ.D Kaγ.(Η + D)

The procedures for design are the same as above and

a) the depth of embedment
Taking [∑
M base = 0 ]
1 D2 1 ( H + D)
.(k p γ .D ). = k a γ ( H + D) 2
2 3 2 3
D can be solved.
b) Applying factor of safety
D final = Dmin + (20% to 40%).Dmin
f) Calaculating maximum bending moment ( M max = ?)
g) Structural deign of the sheet pile wall
Determine the section modules required ( S req )
M 
S req =  Max  , where f b = allowable bending stress = (0.6 to 0.65) fy
 fb 
Then using the calculated section modules one can select the required section which is lightest and most
economical from the manufacturer’s manual
h) Detailling
b. In cohesive soils (φ u = 0)
Analysis and design is similar as above however tenstion crack needs addational consideeration. In puerlly
cohesive soils φ u = 0 . For φ u = 0, k a = k p = 1
Thefore.
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p A = k a γH − 2 c u k a
p p = k p γH + 2 c u k p

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 φυ = 0
cu
H

Ra

y y yo yo
D

(a) Active Earth Pressure Diagram (b) Passiuve Earth Pressure Diagram (e) Net Earth Pressure Diagram

Fig 1.13 Earth pressure Distribution diagram for purely cohesive soils

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 First draw the net earth pressure distribution diagram, as shown above
Determine the depth of embedement
[∑ F H =0 ]
Now, let Ra = the resultant of forces above the dredge level
Z
R a + ( 4c u − q + 4c u + q ) − D ( 4c u − q ) = 0
2
Rearranging the above equ.
 D[4cu − q ] − Ra 
Z= 
 ( 4c u ) 
Again taking [∑ M base =0 ]
D2 Z Z
Ra ( D + y ) +
(4cu − q ) − . [4cu − q + 4cu + q ] = 0
2 2 3
3 2
6 Ra ( Do + y ) + Z ( Ppb1 + Ppb 2 ) − Ppb 2 .Do = 0
Putting the value of Z in the above equ. D can be solved.
Having obtained D , the depth of embedment can be determined as follows
Applying factor of safety
D final = Dmin + (20% to 40%).Dmin
For strctural design follw the same procedure as above.

Simplified procedure
One can simplify and obtain a conservative solution by assuming the following model:

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 3. Cantilever sheet pile wall in stratified soils
It is recommended to use simplified method in stratified soils

φ1 , c1, γ1

φ2 , c2, γ2

φ3 , c3, γ3

φ4 , c4, γ4
φ5 , c5, γ5 Active E.P
Passive E.P
φ6 , c6, γ6 D
φ7 , c7, γ7
φ8 , c8, γ8

Follow the same procedure as used above for the analysis and design

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