Design Guide for Steel Sheet Pile Bridge Abutments

This document provides guidance for the design and construction of steel sheet pile embedded retaining walls for bridge abutments. The reader is introduced to steel sheet pile embedded retaining walls and to the benefits of their use as bridge abutments.

A design basis is presumed based on limit state design principles, and is written with reference to UK construction legislation, DETR Highways Agency Specifications, UK Codes of Practice, and European Standards.

Awareness of the type of soil data that is required to perform an accurate design is very important, therefore the document focuses on the importance of high quality site investigations and the selection and evaluation of soil parameters for use by the structural designer.

Both limit equilibrium methods based on classical theory of soil mechanics, and soil-structure interaction methods are presented to determine the earth pressure forces acting on the sheet piles.

Bridge abutments also have to resist vertical loads from the bridge superstructure, therefore methods to determine the axial capacity of steel sheet piles in different soil types are covered by reference to the SCI publication Steel bearing piles guide. As construction and installation are important aspects of design, there are sections on pile driving installation methods and equipment, driveability, construction tolerances, and noise and vibration during sheet pile driving.

The long-term performance of a bridge abutment has to be ensured, therefore design for durability is a major requirement. This necessitates that realistic rates of corrosion are used, and that protection to the sheet piles is provided where necessary.

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