Sectional Shape Effects of Steel Sheet Pile Walls on Earth Pressure by Centrifuge Model Tests

The steel sheet pile walls have been widely used in the temporary and permanent foundation pit projects due to their advantages of reutilization, fast speed in construction, and saving excavation and materials. They are varied in sectional shapes such as channel, I-beam, U-shape and H-shape. The present site monitoring data shows that the earth pressures against the extruding portion and the denting portion of steel sheet pile walls are different. The nonuniform distribution of transversal earth pressure due to the corrugated shape of steel sheet pile walls cannot be ignored. This paper aims to study the effects of sectional shape of sheet pile walls on the wall deformation mode and distribution of earth pressures on both sides of retaining walls by using centrifuge model tests. Two cross-sections of sheet pile walls, planar and "concave" walls, are used. The whole process - from the deformation to failure after excavation - is captured. By comparing the earth pressure and wall deformation under two different sheet pile walls, the effects of sectional shape of sheet pile walls are studied.