ProSheet 2.

2 06-06
Design software for
sheet pile retaining walls

Introduction
ProSheet 2.2
Design program developped in collaboration with the Sheet Piling
department of ARCELOR COMMERCIAL RPS:
allows quick dimensionning of steel sheet pile retaining walls
designed for simple structures and pre-dimensionning
(refer to chapter possibilities )

geotechnical knowledge / backround required

(definition of soil characteristics / calculation of retaining walls)

The results produced by this method have to be checked

carefully by the user in order to make sure that modelization of
the soil-structure interaction is accurate enough.
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Introduction (...)
Calculation method:
Fixed earth support according theory of Dr. Blum
Limit earth pressure - earth resistance Ka / Kp (Caquot / Kerisel)

Three static systems are possible:

Cantilever
Free earth support with one layer of anchor or struts
Fixed earth support with one layer of anchor or struts (Blum)

General informations
Installation and configuration
Two languages are possible (F or GB)
separate directories if both versions are installed
Configuration:
decimal symbol = " . "
(see also "Read-me" / evtl. use "French-Switzerland")
Metric or imperial units
Convention (see also "Help"-File)
Levels
positive downwards, refered to level 0.00
negative upwards
Wall friction angle (to be introduced manually)
Earth pressure :
a = positive
Earth resistance :
p = negative
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Possibilities
Continuous sheet pile wall design with:
1 retaining level (anchorage or struting)
rear anchor wall
simulation of construction stages NOT possible
Be careful: construction stage could guide the design !
catalogues of ARCELOR sections
AU, PU, AZ, Coldformed OSP
not included: HZ-AZ combined wall system
Various options
uniforme surcharge load of type Caquot
lineare surcharge load of type Boussinesq
concentrated forces
additional pressures on the wall

Dimensionning of main wall

Three static systems are possible

Cantilever wall
Hrecom.: 5 6 m
Mbend / fmax
length

Anchored / strutted wall

free earth support
Mbend. / R
minimum pile length
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Anchored / strutted wall

fixed earth support
Mbend. / R
longer pile than free meth.

Dimensionning of anchor wall

Two static systems are possible
- free earth support

- fixed earth support

Ra,h

Assuming identical soil conditions

and tieback load:
deeper anchor level
sheet pile length

higher anchorage level

sheet pile length

Chosen system depends for ex. on construction

stages, installation possibilities, a.s.o.
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Restrictions
Not included options:
partial coefficients (SLS / ULS, Eurocodes)
seismic effects
design values to be introduced manually
and:
distance between main and anchor wall (Kranz, Jelinek, )
slip cercle analysis (Bishop, )
hydraulic failure
discharge through interlocks
Use different software

Example : Anchored quay wall

Geometry:

Main wall

Traffic load S

0.00
Bollard H

0.50
1.50

0.50

retaining height:5.00 m

final level:

0.50 m

anchor level:

1.50 m

water:

4.00 / 2.50 m

Soil conditions:
2.50
5
Sand
(fill)

4.00

sand:

= 30.0

/ = 18 / 10 kN/m3

Ra

5.50

clay:

= 27.5
c = 5 kN/m2

/ = 19 / 9 kN/m3

Clay

Loadings:
surcharge:
bollard:

S = 20 kN/m2
H = 50 kN/m

Units, configuration and projet info

Start Prosheet
Set options:
Units
Projet info
Configuration

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 Help
Help- File
Introduction
Example
Conventions
Helpful hints
Help
(contacts)

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Create a new file

Clic on the arrow of the

tool box

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Design data

Soil level
Water level
Uniform
surcharge load
Earth support
Continue with
Soil Layers
Dont clic
directly on OK

Fill in at least : GeoData / Soil Layers / Pile Section

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Soil Layers

(1/3)

Soil characteristics:
/ / / c

Add or delete
soil layers
Note :
Layer Tip = lower
level of soil layer

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Soil Layers (2/3)

Important:
Put lowest soil level
deeper than assumed
embedment depth
p = negative
Check if automatic
calculation for Kph is
activated

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Soil Layers (3/3)

Copy from
Layers in front to
Layers behind
Change signe of a
Check if automatic
calculation for Kah is
activated

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Concentrated loads: vertical, horizontal

Loads are positive

downwards resp.
to the left

Clic on + / - to add
or delete a ligne

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Sheet pile section / Steel grade

First choice:
AU 14 S 270 GP

Safety factor is
only applied on
yield point (steel
stresses) !

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Results: All values / Extremal values /

Pile check

Clic on Table
(explorer) to get all
the results
Deflection

Pile toe level

Safety on steel
stress

Pile length
Overlength x
Anchor load Ra,h
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Extremal values / All values

Level z

Value

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Diagrams

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Earth pressure coefficients

To check values of Kah

and Kpk
return to the file
Soil layers

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Printing the results (tables and graphs)

Printing

Right button

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Error messages

Soil resistance << soil pressure

Check depth of soil layers (tip)
Increase depth
Check soil values
coefficients, weight, cohesion ...

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Anchor wall

2 possibilities:
create a new file
add to existing main wall

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Design data

Factor on anchor
force
Example:
simulation of anchor
failure: S = 1.50

Earth support

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Soil layers
Copy values from
main wall

Continue with:
Automatic Kph
Layers behind
Automatic Kah
Change sign of a
.

27

Sheet pile section / Steel grade

Choose a
smaller section
than main wall

28

Error messages
To be checked:
Anchor level
Tip of lowest soil layer
Soil values
Safety on anchor force
("Floating point error" : S = 0.00)

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Results

In case of
free earth support
Short pile length
Overlength x = 0.00

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Diagrams

Pile toe at 3.10 m

Anchor at 2.26 m
ProSheet optimises
the anchor level
close to the given
value

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Change values, if required ...

If horizontal anchorage
is required:
Change anchor level

Change to
fixed earth support

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New results

In case of fixed
earth support
Lower toe level
longer piles

Anchorage at
level 1.50 m

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Results ...

If safety factor is
too low, change
pile section and /
or steel grade
Overlength x

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