CETN-III-34
6/87
CHECKING STABILITY OF BULKHEADS LOCATED IN PORTS, HARBORS
AND COASTAL WATERWAYS AGAINST SHEAR FAILURE
COMPUTER PROGRAM: UTEXAS2
PURPOSE: This Technical Note describes use of computer program, UTEXAS2.
This slope stability program can model bulkheads and provides capability for
checking stability of bulkheads against shear failure in soil below the
wall.
BACKGROUND:
It should be noted that in a wave enviionment there are several
failure modes other than the one discussed in this Technical Note. The
complete engineering of a coastal bulkhead also needs to investigate these
other failure modes.
In one major type of bulkhead failure the cohesive
substratum upon which a bulkhead is founded can experience a slope stability
failure due to weight of soil behind sheet pile wall. To investigate
possibility of this type of failure of an anchored bulkhead, engineers may use
a slope stability program such as UTEXAS2.
Since experience has shown that
failure of a bulkhead in uniform clay takes place by slippage along a surface
of nearly circular cross-section, stability of bulkheads against a general
deep-seated rotational failure involving sheeting and even anchorage may be
checked using a limit equilibrium procedure.
Although checking stability
against shear failure is only one of many factors to be considered in design,
the slope stability analysis is unfortunately not often made. It may be noted
DIMENSIONS AND DETAILS TO BE
DETERMINED BY PARTICULAR SITE
CONDITIONS
A SPLASH APRON ADDED TO REDUCE
DAMAGE D U E TO OVERTOPPING
GRANULAR
FILL
FORMER GROUND SURFACE
STEEL SHEET PILES
TOE PROTECTION
Figure 1. Steel Sheet Pile Bulkhead
U. S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station, Coastal Engineering Research Center
P,. 0. Box 631, Vicksburg, Mississippi 39180
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