This fourth manual in our series is dedicated to the design and analysis of a non-anchored retaining wall using GEO5 software. It provides a comprehensive guide to designing a retaining wall from sheet piles, considering both permanent and accidental loads, such as flooding. This manual is now available for download and serves as an essential resource for geotechnical engineers looking to ensure the stability and reliability of non-anchored retaining structures.

Learning Objective:

The objective of this manual is to teach users how to design a non-anchored retaining wall using the EN 1997-1 (EC 7-1, DA3) standard, taking into account different geological layers and conditions. Users will learn how to assess the wall’s stability under normal conditions and during extreme events such as floods, ensuring the design meets all safety and performance requirements.

Assignment Description:

The assignment involves designing a non-anchored retaining wall using sheet piles of type VL 601 and analyzing its performance under both permanent and accidental (flooding) loads. The wall is to be constructed in a non-homogeneous geological environment, with specific soil and water conditions provided. The manual guides users through the entire process, from defining soil profiles and selecting materials to conducting stability checks and verifying the wall’s cross-section.

Outcome:

Upon completing the assignment, users will be able to design and analyze a non-anchored retaining wall that is capable of withstanding both everyday and extreme conditions. They will gain the skills needed to modify the design based on analysis results, ensuring that the final structure is both safe and efficient.

Conclusions:

The manual concludes that the designed non-anchored retaining wall, using sheet pile type VL 602, meets all necessary safety criteria. The analysis confirms that the wall’s stability is satisfactory under both normal and flood conditions, with the required minimum depth of the structure determined for each construction stage. The original design with VL 601 was found inadequate for bending verification, necessitating an upgrade to a larger sheet pile, which then passed all verification checks.

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