Sheet pile wall capping beam joint spacing

[BucklingGuru2718]

Has anyone here designed a capping beam for a sheet pile wall before? I need someone to point me in the correct direction to determine what spacing we need to use for the movement joints.

The capping beam will be buried underground and so would be subject to less thermal expansion than an exposed capping beam if this makes any difference.

 

[GC_Hopi]

I used the following with success for a 3 ft x 3 ft cap with 8 total #6 longitudinal bars and stirrups. Placements were 30 ft max with v grooves at 10 ft oc.

 

[GC_Hopi]

And I saw another firm specify expansion joints at 40 ft for a 2 ft x 2 ft cap with 10 total #8 longitudinal bars and stirrups. No info given for placement length or v grooves. I would of made the EJs into these placement limits or a control/contraction joint if the contractor wanted no limits on the placement length. I think I am more in the camp of EJ at 150 ft and/or at transitions or at honoring an EJ in the wall.

 

[OldDawgNewTricks]

I just looked at a couple sheet pile bulkhead wall projects in my office that have expansion joints spaced at several hundred feet on center. These projects are in tropical climates, so the design temperature change is very small.