Cellular cofferdams are self-supporting gravity structures, constructed using

straight web sheet piles to form various shapes. The piles are interlocked and
driven to form closed cells, which are then filled with cohesionless material. To
achieve continuity of the wall, the circular cells are connected together using
fabricated junction piles and short arcs.
Provided that the material on which they are to be founded is solid, they require
only nominal penetration to be stable. Pile penetration will assist in the resistance
of any lateral loads occurring during the construction phase, in the vulnerable
period before the fill has been placed and the cell has become inherently stable.
Cellular cofferdam structures are used to retain considerable depths of water or
subsequently placed fill. They are commonly used as dock closure cofferdams,
or to form quay walls and breakwaters. The straight web pile section and
particularly the interlocks have been designed to resist the circumferential tension
which is developed in the cells due to the radial pressure of the contained fill.
At the same time they permit sufficient angular deflection to enable cells of a
practical diameter to be formed. In cellular construction no bending moments
are developed in the sheet piles, which enables the steel to be disposed in such a
manner, that the maximum tensile resistance is developed across the profile. The
sections have therefore very little resistance to bending and are not suitable for
normal straight sheet pile wall construction. Walings and tie rods are not required.
Technical information and available products for circular cell constructions are
given in Chapter 1.6. and are again summarised in Chapter 10.2. - 10.6.
The design and construction of cellular cofferdams is very complex and further
information can be obtained from the brochure “Design & Execution Manual
AS500 Straight Web Steel Sheet Piles” [i] and from the technical department of
ArcelorMittal Sheet Piling in Luxembourg.
 Tolerances AS 500®
Mass ±5%
Length ± 200 mm
Height -
Thickness t > 8.5 mm: ± 6%
Width single pile ± 2%
Width double pile ± 3%
Straightness 0.2 % of the length
Ends out of square 2 % of pile width
Table 10.1. Tolerances for straight web piles to EN 10248 - Part 2 [ii].

Fig. 10.1. Dimensions and properties for AS 500® straight web piles.

Section Nominal Web Deviation Perimeter Steel Mass Mass per Moment Section Coating
width1) thickness angle2) section m2 of wall of inertia modulus area3)

(single pile) (single pile)

b t
mm mm ° cm cm2 kg/m kg/m2 cm4 cm3 m2/m
AS 500 - 9.5 500 9.5 4.5 138 81.3 63.8 128 168 46 0.58
AS 500 - 11.0 500 11.0 4.5 139 89.4 70.2 140 186 49 0.58
AS 500 - 12.0 500 12.0 4.5 139 94.6 74.3 149 196 51 0.58
AS 500 - 12.5 500 12.5 4.5 139 97.2 76.3 153 201 51 0.58
AS 500 - 12.7 500 12.7 4.5 139 98.2 77.1 154 204 51 0.58
AS 500 - 13.04) 500 13.0 4.5 140 100.6 79.0 158 213 54 0.58
Table 10.2. AS 500 sheet piles.
Note: All straight web sections interlock with each other.
1)
The effective width to be taken into account for design purposes (layout) is 503 mm for all AS 500 sheet piles.
2)
Max. deviation angle 4.0° for pile length > 20 m.
3)
One side, excluding inside of interlocks.
4)
Please contact ArcelorMittal Sheet Piling for further information.
The interlock complies with EN 10248 [ii]. In Table 10.3., the maximum interlock
strength Fmax for a steel grade S 355 GP is listed. However, higher steel grades are
available.
Section Rk,s [kN/m]
AS 500 - 9.5 3000
AS 500 - 11.0 3500
AS 500 - 12.0 5000
AS 500 - 12.5 5500
AS 500 - 12.7 5500
AS 500 - 13.0 6000
Table 10.3. Interlock strength.
For the related steel grade, please contact ArcelorMittal Sheet Piling.

For verification of the strength of piles, both yielding of the web and failure of
the interlock should be considered. The tensile resistance Fts,Rd in the pile can be
obtained from Eurocode EN1993-5:2007 [iii], Chapter 5.2.5:
Fts,Rd = R Rk,s / M0 tw fy / M0

where
fy is the yield strength;
Rk,s is the characteristic interlock resistance given in Table 10.3;
tw is the web thickness;
R is the reduction factor for interlock resistance
R = 0.8 1)
M0 is the partial factor given in the Eurocode EN 1993-5: 2007,
Chapter 5.1.1 (4)
M0 = 1.0 1)
1)
Recommended values from Eurocode EN1993-5:2007. In the National Annexes different values may be provided.

When two different sections are used in the same section of wall, the lowest
allowable tensile resistance is to be taken into account.
The resistance to structural failure of the plain sheet pile shall be verified in
accordance with Eurocode EN1993-5: 2007, Chapter 5.2.5:
Ft,Ed Fts,Rd
where
Fts,Rd is the design tensile resistance as shown above;
Ft,Ed is the design value of the circumferential tensile force determined with:
Ft,Ed = pm,Ed rm
 where:
rm is the radius of the main cell;
pm,Ed is the design value of maximum internal pressure acting in the main cell
due to water pressure and at-rest pressure of the fill and surcharges.

In general junction piles are assembled by welding in accordance with EN 12063

[iv]. The connecting angle can be up to 90° (recommended 30° to 45°).

Fig. 10.2. Junction piles.

where:
Fts,Rd is the design tensile resistance as shown at chapter 10.3;
Ftm,Ed is the design tensile force in the main cell given by
Ftm,Ed = pm,Ed rm
where:
pm,Ed and rm as per chapter 10.3.;
bT is the reduction factor taking into account the behaviour of the welded
junction piles as shown in Fig. 10.2 at Ultimate Limit States and which
should be taken as follows:
T = 0.9 × (1.3 - 0.8 × ra/rm ) × (1 - 0.3 × tan k)
where:
ra is the radius of the connecting arc;
rm is the radius of the main cell;
k is the characteristic value of the internal friction angle of the fill material.
 If deviation angles exceeding the values given in table 10.2. have to be attained,
piles pre-bent in the mill may be used. Generally, should be limited to 12°.

Fig. 10.3. AS 500 bent piles.

Circular cells with 35° junction piles and Diaphragm cells with 120° junction piles.
one or two connecting arcs.
Fig. 10.4. Types of cells.
 The equivalent width we which is required for stability verification, determines the
geometry of the chosen cellular construction.

• for circular cells

we = Area within 1 cell + Area within 1 (or 2) arc(s)

System length x

circular cell with 1 arc circular cell with 2 arcs

Development

Equivalent
width we
Equivalent
width we

System length x

System length x
Area

• for diaphragm cells

c
r
we = diaphragm wall length (dl) + 2 x c 60° we
dl

with Area of arc segment x=r 120°

c= System length x
c

120°

The ratio Ra indicates how economical the chosen circular cell will be:

Ra = Development 1 cell + Development 1 (or 2) arc(s)

System length x
 Once the equivalent width has been determined, the geometry of the cells is to
be defined. This can be done with the help of tables or with computer programs.
Several solutions are possible for both, circular and diaphragm cells, with a given
equivalent width.

b/2
dy
L
N
ra
rm
S S b/2 b/2
standard solution
we M M
Description:
S S rm = radius of the main cell
ra = radius of the connecting arcs
= angle between the main cell and
the connecting arc
L x = system length
dy = positive or negative offset between
the connecting arcs and the tangent
planes of the main cells
x w e = equivalent width

Fig. 10.5. Geometry of circular cells.

Junction piles with angles between 30° and 45°, as well as = 90°, are
possible on request. Table 10.4. shows a short selection of solutions for circular
cells with 2 arcs and standard junction piles with = 35°.

Nb. of piles per Geometrical values Interlock Design values

deviation
Cell Arc System Cell Arc 2 Arcs
Total L M S N d = 2 x rm ra x dy m we Ra
pcs. pcs. pcs. pcs. pcs. pcs. m m m m ° ° ° ° m
100 33 15 1 25 150 16.01 4.47 22.92 0.16 28.80 167.60 3.60 6.45 13.69 3.34
104 35 15 1 27 158 16.65 4.88 24.42 0.20 27.69 165.38 3.46 5.91 14.14 3.30
108 37 15 1 27 162 17.29 4.94 25.23 0.54 26.67 163.33 3.33 5.83 14.41 3.27
112 37 17 1 27 166 17.93 4.81 25.25 0.33 28.93 167.86 3.21 6.00 15.25 3.35
116 37 19 1 27 170 18.57 4.69 25.27 0.13 31.03 172.07 3.10 6.15 16.08 3.42
120 39 19 1 29 178 19.21 5.08 26.77 0.16 30.00 170.00 3.00 5.67 16.54 3.38
124 41 19 1 29 182 19.85 5.14 27.59 0.50 29.03 168.06 2.90 5.60 16.82 3.35
128 43 19 1 31 190 20.49 5.55 29.09 0.53 28.13 166.25 2.81 5.20 17.27 3.32
132 43 21 1 31 194 21.13 5.42 29.11 0.33 30.00 170.00 2.73 5.31 18.10 3.39
136 45 21 1 33 202 21.77 5.82 30.61 0.36 29.12 168.24 2.65 4.95 18.56 3.35
140 45 23 1 33 206 22.42 5.71 30.62 0.17 30.86 171.71 2.57 5.05 19.39 3.42
144 47 23 1 33 210 23.06 5.76 31.45 0.50 30.00 170.00 2.50 5.00 19.67 3.39
148 47 25 1 35 218 23.70 5.99 32.13 0.00 31.62 173.24 2.43 4.81 20.67 3.44
152 49 25 1 35 222 24.31 6.05 32.97 0.34 30.79 171.58 2.37 4.77 20.95 3.42
Table 10.4. Standard solutions for circular cells with 2 arcs.
 r

dy
c
M
°
°
r
we N dl

r = radius
= r

c we = e c
dy = ar
dl =
x =
c = r g

Fig. 10.6. Geometry for diaphragm cells.

The two parts of the Table 10.5. should be used separately, depending on the
required number of piles for the diaphragm wall and the arcs.

Geometry diaphragm wall Geometry arc (Standard solution)

Radius Equivalent arc Interlock
Number of piles Wall length Number of piles System length Arc height height deviation
N dl M x=r dy c a
pcs. m pcs. m m m °
11 5.83 11 5.57 0.75 0.51 5.17
13 6.84 13 6.53 0.87 0.59 4.41
15 7.85 15 7.49 1.00 0.68 3.85
17 8.85 17 8.45 1.13 0.77 3.41
19 9.86 19 9.41 1.26 0.86 3.06
21 10.86 21 10.37 1.39 0.94 2.78
23 11.87 23 11.33 1.52 1.03 2.54
25 12.88 25 12.29 1.65 1.12 2.34
27 13.88 27 13.26 1.78 1.20 2.17
29 14.89 29 14.22 1.90 1.29 2.03
31 15.89 31 15.18 2.03 1.38 1.90
33 16.90 33 16.14 2.16 1.46 1.79
35 17.91 35 17.10 2.29 1.55 1.69
37 18.91 37 18.06 2.42 1.64 1.60
39 19.92 39 19.02 2.55 1.73 1.52
41 20.92 41 19.98 2.68 1.81 1.44
43 21.93 43 20.94 2.81 1.90 1.38
45 22.94
47 23.94
49 24.95
51 25.95
53 26.96
55 27.97
57 28.97
59 29.98
Table 10.5. Standard solutions for circular cells.
 Unlike piles designed to resist bending moments, straight web sheet piles have low
flexural stiffness, which means that care must be taken over their handling.
Incorrect storage could cause permanent deformation, making interlock threading
difficult, if not impossible. It is therefore vital to have a sufficient number of
wooden packing pieces between each bundle of stacked sheet piles, and to
position these pieces above each other to limit the risk of deformation.

Wood packing h=70 mm

c

a b b a

Max. bundle weight: 7.5 t

Overhang "a" less than 1.5 m
Spacing of packings "b" less than 4.0 m
Offset of bundle "c" not less than 0.15 m
Wood packings to be aligned in the vertical plane

Fig. 10.7. Storage of straight web sheet pile.

straight web slings

steel sheet piles

uncoated steel sheet piles coated steel sheet piles

Fig. 10.8. Storage and handling of straight web sheet piles.

 When sheet piles have to be moved from the horizontal storage position to
another storage location, lifting beams or brackets, made from pile sections
threaded into the interlocks prior to lifting, should be used.
When pitching piles up to 15 m long into the vertical position, only one point of
support near the top (the handling hole) is necessary.
Straight-web sheet piles more than 15 m long should be lifted at two or even
three points, in order to avoid plastic distortion as illustrated in Fig. 10.9.

a b
a

0.15 L 0.40 L 0.45 L

L > 15 m

a = points of support
b
b = fastening in the handling hole

lifting operation

Fig. 10.9. Lifting of long straight web sheet piles.

References:
[i] ArcelorMittal Sheet Piling: Design & Execution manual AS 500® Straight Web Steel Sheet Piles. 2009.
[ii] EN 10248-2, Hot rolled steel sheet piling - Part 2: Tolerances on shape and dimensions. 2006.
[iii] EN 1993-5, Eurocode 3: Design of steel structures - Part 5: Piling 2007.
[iv] EN 12063: Execution of special geotechnical work - Sheet piles walls. 1999.