Full-scale physical modeling of sheet piles pressed-in to hard soils

There is a great interest for geotechnics to determine real parameters of the flexural stiffness of sheet piling walls made of U-profile piles and their drivability regarding piles interaction with soils including peculiarities of pressing into hard soils. Among main factors which influence on this one can mention soil friction in the interlocks and the transmission of longitudinal shear forces in the interlocks of the sheet piles. In reality soil-interlock interaction depends mainly on installation method and soil properties. Study of dependencies between applied forces and friction in the interlocks by full-scale physical modeling during press-in regarding pile-pile interaction and soil properties was aiming to refine calculation model as well as to provide reliable numerical modeling and design of the system “sheet pile – soil media”. Main results of on-site full-scale physical modelling using ArcelorMittal U-profile section piles in different soil conditions (hard and soft soils) are presented in the paper. Data related to press-in and extraction tests (applied force up to 1000 kN) allows to obtain “force – displacements” diagrams as well as to assess influences of soil friction and resistance in interlocks. Basic conclusion of fulfilled physical modeling indicates essential influence of soil behavior in sheet pile's interlocks, especially in case of saturated soil. In-situ tests are supplemented with laboratory experiments with the same pile elements and similar soils. These experiments demonstrated qualitative similarity in different intervals of applied loading.