Design Chart Development for Sustainable Sheet Pile Retaining Structures

Practical design tools for sheet pile wall applications are now necessary due to the growing need for affordable and sustainable retaining systems. For cantilever sheet pile walls under homogenous sand, homogeneous clay, and layered soil conditions, this study creates generalized non-dimensional equations and design charts. The suggested charts make it possible to quickly estimate the maximum bending moment and embedment depth, which eliminates the need for repeated analytical computations during early design. PLAXIS 3D finite element analysis and Rankine theory analysis were used to validate the analytical predictions, which showed good agreement and confirmed the dependability of the suggested method. Additionally, embodied carbon emissions were used to evaluate the environmental performance of standard steel sheet pile walls, recycled steel sheet pile walls, and reinforced concrete retaining walls. According to the findings, recycled steel sheet pile walls provide the best structural performance at the lowest carbon emissions. The created design charts encourage sustainable alternatives for earth-retaining structures and offer engineers a straightforward and effective design tool.