APP0103AM – Sheet piles design basics

Description

Estimated Time: 4,5 hours

Language: English

Summary of the lecture

This course focuses on the practical engineering principles required to design, install, protect, and manage steel sheet pile structures throughout their lifecycle. Participants will learn how soil conditions, loads, and failure mechanisms influence design decisions, how modern calculation methods are applied, and how cost optimization can be achieved without compromising safety or performance. The module also covers corrosion protection, installation techniques, maintenance strategies, and the use of digital monitoring technologies to support long-term asset management and service-life extension.

This course is designed for structural and geotechnical engineers, temporary-works designers, contractors, construction managers, marine and port engineers, asset managers, durability specialists, maintenance engineers, infrastructure owners, and professionals responsible for the design, construction, operation, and monitoring of retaining structures and waterfront infrastructure.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of this course, participants will be able to:

- Assess site, ground, groundwater, geometric, environmental, and logistical conditions to determine whether a sheet pile solution is structurally feasible and practically installable.
- Analyse the loads, earth and water pressures, soil properties, and potential failure mechanisms governing the behaviour of sheet pile structures.
- Apply appropriate design methodologies and limit-state principles to verify embedment, internal forces, structural resistance, stability, and serviceability.
- Select suitable sheet pile sections, steel grades, support arrangements, installation equipment, and driving methods based on ground conditions, structural requirements, and project constraints.
- Evaluate corrosion and fire-protection strategies according to exposure conditions, thermal response, design life, maintenance requirements, and whole-life cost.
- Develop lifecycle strategies that integrate cost optimisation, inspection, maintenance, repair, and structural-health monitoring to support safety, operational continuity, and service-life extension..