Physical modeling of sheet piles behavior to improve their numerical modeling and design

This paper considers the problem of the determination of the real parameters of the cross-sectional values of sheet piling walls made of U-profile piles (moment of inertia and section modulus) and their drivability with regard to interaction of piles through soil. Among the main factors which influence this are the soil friction in the interlocks and the transmission of longitudinal shear forces in the interlocks of the sheet piles. In the field, the soil–interlock interaction depends mainly on the installation method and the soil properties. The aim of this research was to study the dependencies between the applied forces and the friction in the interlocks by full-scale physical modeling during press-in by taking the pile–pile and interlock–soil interactions into account. The results of the on-site full-scale tests as well as the laboratory physical modeling of U-profile piles in different soil conditions are presented in the paper. Using the data obtained, “force–displacements” diagrams were constructed to assess the influence of soil friction and resistance in the interlocks. The calculation model was improved based on the results to provide a more reliable numerical modeling and design of the “sheet pile–soil media” system. The physical modeling clearly shows the influence of soil behavior on the interlock between sheet piles, especially in the case of saturated sand.