Sheetpile Interlock Tension in Cellular Cofferdams

Abstract

A method is presented for calculating the interlock tensions in the sheetpile walls of a circular cellular cofferdam. A horizontal strip of unit width of wall is considered and the governing equations are derived from equilibrium and compatibility requirements for the strip. The pressure of the cell fill against the sheetpile walls is assumed known. Numerical examples are presented in which interlock tensions in the arc cell, main cell, and common‐wall are calculated for various pressures. Bulging of the cell walls and rotation of the legs of the connecting Y are also found. The calculations provide theoretical justification for use of an equation for estimating the force in the common‐wall and lead to a generalization of that equation. The method may be applied to other sheetpile wall configurations besides those of a circular cofferdam.