Simplified design of soldier piles of definitive Berlin-type retaining walls

Abstract

The role of the vertical piles of Berlin-type retaining walls and the importance of vertical loads in the design of these structures are emphasised. The results of a parametric study, using a finite element code, on Berlin-type definitive retaining walls considering different soil conditions, anchor inclination, soil modulus, excavation depth, anchor pre-stress level and pile section are presented. Some conclusions are drawn regarding the influence of the parameters considered on the pile vertical load. Based on these numerical parametric analyses, a simplified method for the design of vertical soldier piles of Berlin-type walls is proposed.