ADVANCE FOUNDATION

ENGINEERING

by
D.Nigitha
National Institute of Technology, Trichy.
 SYLLABUS
Sheet pile structures - cantilever sheet pile walls in granular and
cohesive soils - Anchored bulk heads - Free earth support and fixed
earth support methods - Anchors.
SHEET PILE STRUCTURE
 SHEET PILE STRUCTURE
INTRODUCTION
 Sheet pile walls are retaining walls constructed
to retain earth, water or any other fill material.
These walls are thinner in section as
compared to masonry walls.

 A sheet pile wall consist of a series of sheet piles

driven side by side into the ground, thus forming
a continuous vertical wall for the purpose of
retaining an earth bank.

 Example:

Want to build a structure in the sea (waterfront

structures) we can use sheet piles to retain sea water
from flowing to the required area, and then withdraw
the water confined between sheet piles and
thereby build the required structures, finally remove
sheet piles because there functions were end.
 SHEET PILE STRUCTURE
USES

 Water front structures, for example, in building wharfs, quays, and

piers

 Building diversion dams, such as cofferdams

 River bank protection

 Retaining the sides of cuts made in earth

 Temporary construction

 Light weight construction where sub-soil is poor for supporting a retaining

wall.
 SHEET PILE STRUCTURE
SHEET PILE CAN BE OF
Timber
• Timber sheet piling is used for short spans, light lateral loads, and commonly for
temporary structures in the form of braced sheeting.
• Wooden sheet piles may be considered permanent if they are permanently under
water, or if they are impregnated with preservatives.
Reinforced concrete
• Concrete sheet piles are precast members, usually with a tongue and groove joint,
designed to with the permanent stresses during service and the handling stresses
during construction.
• They are heavy and bulky, and require heavier equipment to drive and handle.
Steel
• Steel sheet piling is the most common type because it is resistant to high diving
stresses, light weight, can be used several times, long service, easier to increase
the pile length.
 SHEET PILE STRUCTURE
Sheet piles in Basement Section of Sheet Pile

.
 SHEET PILE STRUCTURE

.
 SHEET PILE STRUCTURE
ADVANTAGES

1. Provides high resistance to driving stresses.

2. Light weight.

3. Can be reused on several projects.

4. Long service life above or below water with modest protection.

5. Easy to adapt the pile length by either welding or bolting.

6. Joints are less apt to deform during driving

SHEET PILE STRUCTURE
TYPES

 Cantilever sheet piling

 Anchored sheet piling
CANTILEVER SHEET PILEs
 CANTILEVER SHEET PILEs
 Cantilever sheet pile walls are usually used as floodwall or as earth retaining
walls with low wall heights (3 to 5m 0r less).

 Because cantilever walls derive their support solely from the foundation
soils., they may be installed in relatively close proximity to existing structure

 Cantilever sheet piles are further divided into two types:

Free cantilever sheet piles

Cantilever sheet piles

 CANTILEVER SHEET PILEs
 Free Cantilever Sheet Pile
▪The Sheet pile subjected to concentrated
horizontal load at its top.
▪No back fill above the dredge line.
▪It derives its stability from the lateral
passive resistance of the soil below the
dredge line where it is driven.

 Cantilever sheet piles

▪It retains backfill at a higher level on one
side.
▪The stability is entirely from the lateral
passive resistance of the soil where the
sheet pile is driven, like that of a free
cantilever sheet pile.
 CANTILEVER SHEET PILEs
Failure modes of Cantilever sheet piles
 CANTILEVER SHEET PILEs
Elastic Line and Straining Actions
 CANTILEVER SHEET PILEs
Equilibrium of Cantilever Sheet Piles
 For Equilibrium, the moment of the active and
passive pressure on about the point of reaction R
must balance.
σ 𝑴 = 0.0

The depth calculates should be increased by at least

20% to allow extra length to develop the passive
pressure R.
 FREE CANTILEVER SHEET PILE
Free Cantilever Sheet Pile Analysis
 The free cantilever sheet pile rotate about a point O below the dredge line. The actual Pressure
Distribution is shown in Figure 1
 The passive resistance of the soil on the left side is idealized as a right angle triangle
AOE.
 The distributed pressure acting on the right side below the pivot O is replaced as concentrated load P 1
acting at a point O.
FREE CANTILEVER SHEET PILEs
 FREE CANTILEVER SHEET PILE
Free Cantilever Sheet Pile Analysis

 Moment:
By Equilibrium, the moment of all the forces about O must be equal to Zero.
𝟏
Mo = F(h+d) – [ d (Kp – Ka) d] x d/3 = 0
𝟐
Where
F is the horizontal force
H is the height of the wall above the dredge line
D is the depth of embedment.
The above equation can be solved for d. The actual depth to be provided is generally taken as
1.2d
 Bending Moment
The bending moment at depth x below the dredge level is given by,
𝜸𝒙𝟑
Mx = F(h+d) – (Kp – Ka)
𝟔
𝑑𝑀𝑥
For Maximum bending moment, =0
𝑑𝑥
 FREE CANTILEVER SHEET PILE WALLS
(Kp – Ka)
F- 3𝑥 2 = 0
6

2𝐹
X=
(Kp – Ka)
The Maximum Bending Moment is obtained by substituting the value of x in Mx .

 The section Modulus of the sheet pile can then be determined as

M max
S= 𝝈𝒂

Where
𝜎�𝑎 = allowable bending stress
The bending moment diagram is shown in the previous figure.
CANTILEVER SHEET PILEs IN
GRANULAR SOIL
CANTILEVER SHEET PILE WALLS IN GRANULAR SOILS
 The Figure (a) shows the cantilever sheet pile in a cohessionless soil deposits.
 The pile rotates about the point O’ as shown in figure.
 The pressure above O is passive in the front and active on the back side.
 The pressure below the point O’ will be reverse i.e., there is active pressure in the
front and passive on the back side.
 The Figure (b) shows the actual pressure distribution.
CANTILEVER SHEET PILE WALLS IN GRANULAR SOILS
 The analysis taking actual pressure distribution is quite complicated, so the pressure
distribution is generally simplified as shown in below figure.
 As shown in figure the pressure will be Zero at the point O’.
 The pressure diagram BCO1 shows the active pressure.
CANTILEVER SHEET PILE WALLS IN GRANULAR SOILS
 The pressure at the dredge level is given by

P1 =  h Ka

 The depth a of Point O1 of Zero Pressure is given by,

P1 −  a (Kp – Ka) = 0

P1
a=
(Kp – Ka)

 The total active pressure above point O1 be P1 acting at a height of 𝑍1 above O1.

 The passive pressure is given by the diagram O1EO. The passive pressure intensity at the
bottom tip A can be expressed as

P2 =  (Kp – Ka) (d-a)

P2 =  (Kp – Ka) b

 Where b = d-a , in which d is the depth of point A below the dredge level.
CANTILEVER SHEET PILE WALLS IN GRANULAR SOILS
 The Passive pressure is indicated by the diagram OAF on the back side. The intensity of
pressure at the tip A is given by,
P3 = (h + d)Kp – dKa
 From the equation of equilibrium in the horizontal direction,
P1 + P3 -P2 = 0
 The total pressure P3 and P2 can be expressed as follows :
𝟏 𝟏
P1 + m (P2 + P3)- 𝒎 (P2 ) b = 0
𝟐 𝟐
 The equivalence of areas has been taken as shown in below figure:
CANTILEVER SHEET PILE WALLS IN GRANULAR SOILS
 The height of the point E above the tip A is taken as m .

1
p2b− p1
M= 2
1
2
(P2 + p3 )

p2b− 2p1
M= P
2 + p3

 Taking moments of all the forces about A,

𝟏 𝟏
P1 (b +𝒁𝟏 ) - p2b− (b/3) + m(P2 + p3 )x m/3 = 0
𝟐 𝟐

 Substituting the value of m from before equation,

p2b2 P2 + p3 p2b− 2p1𝟐

P1 (b +𝒁𝟏 ) - + [ P +p =0
𝟔 𝟔 2 3
CANTILEVER SHEET PILE WALLS IN GRANULAR SOILS
The above equation can be written as,
b4 + C1 b3 – C2b2 – C3b – C4 = 0
Where
P4
C1 =
(Kp – Ka)
8P1
C2 =
(Kp – Ka)

C3 6P1[2(Kp – Ka)𝑍1+p4]
=
(Kp – Ka) 2

C4 = (𝑍1p4)6 + 4P1
(Kp – Ka)
2

In which
P4 =  h Kp +  (Kp – Ka) a
 By trial and error method b can be determined. The value of d is equal to (b + a).
 The depth d is a factor of safety of unity.
 The required depth (D) is usually taken as 1.2d to 1.4d.
D = 1.2d to 1.4d.
CANTILEVER SHEET PILE WALLS IN GRANULAR SOILS
CANTILEVER SHEET PILEs IN
COHESIVE SOIL
CANTILEVER SHEET PILE WALLS IN COHESIVE SOILS
 The cantilever sheet pile penetrating clay below the dredge level. The backfill is of
cohessionless soil (C=0).
 Then the bulk unit weight of the backfill material and clay will be respectively γ1 and
γ. The cohesion intercept of clay is c.
CANTILEVER SHEET PILE WALLS IN COHESIVE SOILS
 The pressure P1 at the dredge line on the back side is given by
P1 = 1hka1
 Below the dredge line but above the point of rotation O, the passive pressure acts from left
to right and the active pressure acts from right to left. Therefore, the pressure at depth Z
below the dredge level is given by
P2 = pp – pa
P2 = (Kp Z + 2C 𝐊 𝐩 ) – [ Ka  ( Z + h) – 2C 𝐊𝐚 ]
 For ∅ = 0 ; Kp = ka = 1
 Then Finally the value of P2,
P2 = 4C - h
 Likewise the pressure P3 from right to left is given by
P3 = (Kp (h+d)  + 2C K p ) – [ Ka  d – 2C Ka ]
 For ∅ = 0 ; Kp = ka = 1
 Then Finally the value of P3,
P3 = 4C + h
CANTILEVER SHEET PILE WALLS IN COHESIVE SOILS
 From equilibrium in the horizontal direction, considering equivalent areas as in
P1 – [p2 x d] + [p2 + p3] x m/2 = 0
P1 – [(4C - h)x d] + [8c] x m/2 = 0
(4C − h)x d −𝒑𝟏
M= 𝟒𝒄

 Taking moments of all the forces about A,

P1 (𝒁𝟏 + d )- (4C − h)x d x d/2 + ½ x 8c x m x m/3 = 0
 Substitute the value of m in the above equation.
 Then the equation can be written in the form of
𝐏𝟏 (𝟏𝟐𝐜 𝒁𝟏 +𝐏𝟏)
d2 (4c - h) – 2 P1 d - =0
𝟐𝐜 +𝒉

 The above equation is solved for d. The actual depth D is kept 40% to 60% more.
D = 1.2d to 1.4d.
ANCHORED SHEET PILES
 ANCHORED SHEET PILES
 Anchored sheet piles are held above the driven depth by anchors provided at a suitable
level.
 The anchor provide force for the stability of the sheet pile, in addition to the lateral passive
resistance of the soil into which sheet piles are driven
 The anchored sheet piles are also of two types:
 Free-Earth Support
 Fixed-Earth Support
Free-Earth Support
 An anchored sheet pile is said to be free earth support when the depth of embedment is
small and the pile rotates at its bottom tip.
 Then there is no point of contra flexure in the pile.
Fixed-Earth Support
 An anchored pile has a fixed earth support when the depth of embedment is very large.
 The bottom tip of the pile is fixed against rotations.
 There is change in the curvature of the pile, and hence an inflexion point occurs.
ANCHORED SHEET PILES
ANCHORED SHEET PILEs WITH FREE EARTH
SUPPORT
ANCHORED SHEET PILE in FREE EARTH SUPPORT
 In this method, the soil is assumed as a simply support (pin support) at the end of sheet
pile, and also the wall is simply supported from its upper edge by anchor.
 So the deflection of sheet pile will be similar to the deflection of simply supported
beam as shown in the following figure:
ANCHORED SHEET PILE WITH FREE EARTH SUPPORT
 The stability of the pile is mainly depend upon the anchor force in addition to that upon
the passive earth pressure.
 The embedment depth is small when it compared to the cantilever sheet pile.
 So, in this method the length of the pile is reduced. Also , the additional cost of anchor is
to be considered while judging the economy of the two type of construction.
 The equation for the depth d are derived separately for the cohessionless and
cohesive soil.
FREE EARTH SUPPORT IN COHESIONLESS SOIL
ANCHORED SHEET PILE in cohessionless soil
 The force acting on the pile, assuming that the material above and below the dredge
line is cohessionless.
 From Equilibrium,
T + P2 – P3 = 0
Where T is the tension force in the anchor.
 The depth a to the point of zero pressure can be determined as under.
Ka (h+a) -  Kpa = 0

a (Kp-Ka) =  (Kah)
Kah
a= K −Ka
p

Therefore, P2 = ½ P2b = ½ (Kp-Ka) b2

Where, P2 =  (Kp-Ka) b
 ANCHORED SHEET PILE in cohessionless soil
 Taking moments of all the forces about anchor point M,
P1 (a+ h-e-𝒁𝟏 ) - P2 (h-e+a+2b/3) = 0
 Substituting the value of P2 in above equation
 Finally the equation can be written as,
b3 (Kp-Ka) /3 + b2 (Kp-Ka) /2 (g+a) - P1f = 0
3P1f
b3 +1.5b2 (g+a) -  (Kp−Ka)

 then f= a+ h-e-𝑍1 ; g= h-e

 Then d is determined as
d = b+a.
 The actual depth D is taken equal to 1.2 to 1.4 times d.
 The force in anchor rod can be obtained from the equation as
T = P1 – P2
 The value of P1 and P2 are obtained from pressure diagram.
ANCHORED SHEET PILE in cohessionless soil
ANCHORED SHEET PILE in cohessionless soil
The Net Pressure Distribution Diagram :
FREE EARTH SUPPORT IN COHESIVE SOIL
 ANCHORED SHEET PILE in cohesive soil
 The anchored sheet pile is driven in clay, but has the backfill of cohessionless, granular
material.
 The pressure distribution above the dredge line is same as that in the case of
cohessionless soil.
 ANCHORED SHEET PILE in cohesive soil
 The pressure distribution above the dredge line is same as that in the case of
cohessionless soil. However , below the dredge line , the pressure is given by
P2 = (Kp Z + 2c 𝑲𝒑 ) - [Kp (Z+h)  -2c 𝑲𝒂 ]
 Therefore, Kp = Ka = 1 ( For ∅ = 0)
P2 = 2c + 2c -h = 4c -h
 From Equilibrium cases, T = P1 – P2
T = P1 – P2 x d
 Taking the moments of all forces about M,
P1 x f - P2d (g +d/2) = 0
 Substitute P2 value in above equation
P1 x f - (4c -h)d (g +d/2) = 0
𝟐𝐏𝟏𝒇
d2 + 2gd - 𝟒𝐜 −𝒉

 The value of d is determined. The actual depth D provided is 20 to 40 % more than d.

ANCHORED SHEET PILE in cohesive soil
ANCHORED SHEET PILE in cohesive soil
ANCHORED SHEET PILEs WITH FIXED- EARTH
SUPPORT
 ANCHORED SHEET WITH FIXED-EARTH SUPPORT
 The figure shows the deflected shape of an anchored sheet pile with fixed – earth support.
 ANCHORED SHEET WITH FIXED-EARTH SUPPORT
 The elastic line changes its curvature at the inflexion point I.
 The soil into which the sheet is driven exerts a large line changes its curvature at the
inflexion point I.
 The soil into which the sheet is driven exerts a large restraint on the lower part of the pile
and causes a change in curvature.
 Blum gave a mathematical relationship between (i/h) and ∅, where I is the depth of the
point of inflexion I below the dredge level and h is the height of sheet pile above the dredge
level. Thus inflection point I is located.
 ANCHORED SHEET WITH FIXED-EARTH SUPPORT
 In figure, the lower portion of the pressure on the right side is replaced by a concentrated
force Rk at point K.
 The magnitude of Rk is initially unknown, but it is determined from the equation
when the moments are taken about K.
 Once the depth is found, Rk can be determined from the equilibrium equation in the
horizontal direction.
 An Equivalent- beam method is used . It is assumed that the sheet is a beam which
is simply supported at the anchor point M and fixed at the lower end K.
 The figure (b) shows the bending moment diagram.
 The bending moment is Zero at the inflexion point I. Theoretically, the lower part
IK of the pile can be removed and the shear force can be replaced by a reaction R1.
 The Simply supported beam BI is shown in figure.
ANCHORED SHEET WITH FIXED-EARTH SUPPORT
 ANCHORED SHEET WITH FIXED-EARTH SUPPORT
 The following procedure is used for the analysis of the sheet pile with fixed-earth support,
using equivalent beam method.
(a) Upper Beam BI
 Determine the Pressure P1 at the dredge level.
 Estimate the angle of shearing resistance ∅ of the soil.
 Determine the distance I of the point of inflexion .
 Determine the distance a of the point of zero pressure from the equation.
P1
a=
 (Kp−Ka)
 Determine the pressure P0 at the point of inflexion from the relation,

P0 = P1( a – i)
𝒂

 Determine the reaction R1 for the beam IB by taking moments about the point M of
anchor of all the force acting on IB. ( Shown in above figure)
 ANCHORED SHEET WITH FIXED-EARTH SUPPORT
 Lower Beam IK

 Determine the pressure P2 from the relation

P2 =  (Kp-Ka) (d-a)

 Determine the distance (d-a) by taking moments of all the forces on the beam IK about K.
The reaction R1 on the lower beam is equal and opposite to the upper beam.

 Calculate d from pressure equation and hence find D = 1.2d.

 Determine the tension T in anchor by considering the equilibrium of beam IB. Thus

T = P1 – R1

Where P1 = total force due to pressure on IB

ANCHOR DESIGN
 DESIGN OF ANCHORs
 The anchor used in sheet pile walls are of the following types:
 Anchor plates and beams
 Tie Backs
 Vertical Anchor piles
 Anchor beams supported by batter piles.
 DESIGN OF ANCHORs
 The design of anchor plates and beams:
 Anchor plates and beams are made of cast-concrete blocks. A horizontal beam is placed at
the front face of the sheet pile, and a tie rod is attached to it.
 The other end of the tie rod is connected to an anchor plates or a beam. As shown in below
figure.

Anchor Pile Batter Pile

 DESIGN OF ANCHORs
 The resistance offered by an anchor plate or a beam is derived from the passive
resistance of the soil in front of the plate.

 For full passive resistance to develop, the anchor plate must be located in Zone
CDE.

 Teng gave the following equations for the ultimate resistance of anchor plates in
granular soils located at or near the ground surface.

 Let B be the length of the anchor perpendicular to the cross section and let h be the
height of the anchor.
 DESIGN OF ANCHORs
 (a) For continuous plates or beams with B/h > 5, the ultimate resistance is given by
Pu = B (Pp-Pa)
Pu = (1/2H2Kp)- (1/2H2Ka)
Where H is the depth of the lower face of the anchor beam from the ground surface.
 (b) For plates or beams with B/h < 5, the ultimate resistance is given by,
Pu = B (Pp-Pa) + ½K0  ( 𝑲𝒑 + 𝑲𝟎 ) H3 tan∅
 Where K0 = coefficient of earth at rest (= 0.40)
𝑯𝟐𝑩
 Pu = (Kp-Ka) + 1/3K0  ( 𝑲𝒑 + 𝑲𝟎 ) H3 tan∅
𝟐
 The allowable resistance is taken as
Pu
Pa =
𝑭𝑺
 Where FS = Factor of Safety
 The centre – to – centre spacing of anchors is obtained from the relation.
Pa
S=
𝑻
 Where T= Tension in sheet pile per unit length as obtained from the analysis of anchored
sheet pile.
THANK YOU