CPT-based Analysis on Vertical and Horizontal Capacity of Steel Sheet Piles Installed by the Press-in with Auger-Paper

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The study proposes CPT-based methods for estimating the vertical and lateral capacity of steel sheet piles installed by the Press-in with Auger (PA) technique. Field tests were conducted in soft cohesive soil and dense cohesionless soil, comparing PA piles with standard press-in piles and examining simple versus meticulous backfilling.<br /><br />Augering reduced cone resistance around the pile, particularly along the shaft, indicating that installation and backfilling affect pile capacity. For vertical capacity, the authors adapt the LCPC and Eurocode 7 methods by applying reduction factors to account for these effects. In soft cohesive ground, proposed factors for end resistance range from 0.785 to 0.95, while factors for shaft resistance range from 0.5 to 0.7, depending on backfilling. Meticulous backfilling generally provides greater resistance than simple backfilling.<br /><br />Lateral capacity is estimated using Bouafia’s CPT-based subgrade modulus with Hetenyi’s elastic pile equations. Reduction factors are applied to the modulus—not directly to capacity—and vary with installation and backfilling. The study suggests factors of 0.2–0.5 for simple backfill and 0.6–0.9 for meticulous backfill; standard press-in piles use a factor of 1.<br /><br />The proposed methods provide a practical way to estimate PA sheet-pile performance from CPT profiles in fresh ground. The findings are based on field tests in two soil types, and the authors recommend further validation, including investigation of long-term performance and numerical modeling.

Keywords

CPT-based methods

steel sheet piles

Press-in with Auger

vertical capacity

lateral capacity

soft cohesive soil

dense cohesionless soil

backfilling

shaft resistance

subgrade modulus