Structural Reliability Analysis of Quay Walls with Steel Sheet Piles

This paper shows the first results of the reliability analysis of a steel sheet pile wall located in the Port of Hamburg, North of Germany. The wall was designed according to EAU 2004 and the First Order Reliability Moment (FORM) was used to perform the reliability analyses. Blum’s model of interaction soil/structure, which was used in the design of the wall, was also used in the reliability analyses. To have a basis of comparison, another model was used: the sub-grade reaction model, or beam in an elastic foundation model. The results show a fair approximation between both models in the outcome of the reliability analyses. The stochastic properties of the variables were based on the recommendations of the Joint Committee for Structural Safety (JCSS) and corrosion was also included in the analyses through a probabilistic model. The results show that the sheet pile wall has a probability of failure below the limit given by the Eurocode EN 1990 for a service life of 50 years.