Performance of Sheet Pile Wall in Peat

Abstract

To study the performance of sheet pile wall in peat during roadway construction, a long-term instrumentation program was conducted over a period of two years, measuring total lateral earth pressures, sheet pile deflections, soil movements, and water table level variances during construction. The analysis of field data indicated: (1) The earth pressure distribution in peat matched well with the classic Rankine earth pressure; (2) the expected long-term postconstruction sheet pile movement due to the creep behavior of peat was not observed; (3) fully passive earth pressure in peat was mobilized once the maximum measured sheet pile deflection exceeded 0.8% of sheet pile length; and (4) arching effect due to the protruding cross section of sheet pile caused pressure differences of