flexible retaining wall

[Mick15]

Which loading case:

(a)After construction of the canal but prior to filling with water. In this case there is no water table present in the embankment.
b). When the canal is full of water and some steady seepage into the embankment is established, giving the water table shown in Figure 1.
c). When, after a period of use, the canal is drained for maintenance and the water table in the embankment coincides with the base of the canal.

is most critical for the design of the sheet piles?

 

[msquared48]

There is no attachment showing.

However, it seems to me that 1 and 3 are thevsame, and most critical.

Mike McCann, PE, SE (WA)

 

[cvg]

the most critical is case d

case d) Rapid Drawdown - the canal is drained quickly, the embankment is saturated and the water level in the canal is low

 

[Saboral]

I second CVG. It would be similar to option 3, but in a short term. You need to evaluate the embankment under rapid drawdown, in which the soil is saturated up to the original water table, along the face of the wall, and extending out from the toe along the bottom of the canal.

 

[Mick15]

Well I have been told loading case A is the most critical condition, because of "non seepage condition" but I dont understand it!!

Like "msquared48" said loading case A and C is very much similar.

 

[cvg]

rapid draw down is much worse than end of construction case. it is short term loading, but it happens periodically during canal dryup (much more frequently than the end of construction case which only happens once) and definitely needs to be evaluated.

 

[Mick15]

Thanks to all.