OPTIMIZATION OF RETROFITTING AN ANCHORED SHEET PILE QUAY WALL USING SEPARATED RELIEVING PLATFORM

Abstract

In the maritime field, quay walls serve as vital components of port infrastructure, acting as pivotal linchpins in the maritime arena. Anchored sheet piles, a globally employed type of quay wall, play a crucial role in meeting the diverse service needs of seafaring vessels. As the maritime field experiences growth and vessels increase in size and tonnage, the necessity to upgrade existing quay walls becomes imperative to accommodate evolving demands. This paper focuses on optimizing the retrofitting process through the addition of a relieving platform structurally separated from the existing quay wall, utilizing finite element analysis for a comprehensive investigation. The research comprises dual-phase exploration, commencing with a verification stage followed by a parametric study. In the verification phase, field measurements conducted by others were employed to validate the numerical model. Subsequently, the validated model underwent expansion, encompassing various backfill soil types, number of piles supporting the platform, stiffness of the used piles, spacing of piles, bearing levels of piles, and different platform elevations. The results indicate that an increased number of piles supporting the platform is unfavorable when dealing with cohesionless soils, slightly reducing the maximum straining actions on the front wall and the tension affecting the tie rods. Conversely, straining actions on the pile rows were marginally reduced, regardless of the backfill soil type. Additionally, increasing the pile stiffness noticeably reduced the lateral displacement but increased the maximum bending moment on the front wall for all examined soil types, but the tie rod tension slightly decreased. Moreover, increasing the pile spacing has a modestly increased effect on the straining actions for the front wall and tie rods in cohesionless soils, with negligible effects in cohesive soils. Adjusting the pile bearing levels has a minor effect on the front wall and tie rods, whereas an increase in the bearing level results in heightened straining actions affecting those piles. Finally, modifying the platform elevation significantly increases the bending moment affecting the front wall, emphasizing the need for careful safety checks when adjusting the platform elevation.