Deep-Seated Failure beneath Sheet-Pile Walls in Presence of Seepage Flow

Stability of sheet-pile walls in granular matters such as sand against deep-seated failure in presence of seepage flow has been studied. Deep-seated failure was fundamentally investigated by Terzaghi based on the theories governing the bearing capacity. This type of failure has attracted less attention compared to other types of excavation failures such as heaving, piping and lateral earth pressure failures. In this research, the finite element method is used to solve the flow field and the stress field is evaluated by the stress characteristics method while the finite elements solution of the first step is utilized as a background solution for the stress field. Although deep failure is usually believed to be rare under normal condition, in absence of ground water flow, it may be catastrophic when it exists. It was revealed that the seepage flow makes the deep failure one of the most critical modes of failure, especially in high hydraulic gradients

Keywords:

Deep-seated Fialure , Finite Element , Stress Characteristics , Seepage Flow , Granular soil ,