3-D NUMERICAL ANALYSIS OF PARTIAL FLOATING SHEET-PILE METHOD AS COUNTERMEASURE FOR LIQUEFACTION

Abstract

 The Partial Floating Sheet-pile (PFS) method is a method used to install sheet-piles near the toe of an embankment to inhibit the settling of the embankment built on soft clay ground. This method combines partially floating sheet-piles and end-bearing sheet-piles. Originally, the PFS method was developed as an anti-subsidence countermeasure by the weight of a river embankment built on soft clay ground in a residential area. The PFS method could be effective against soil deformation caused by consolidation and liquefaction during the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake. However, quantitative discussions are still needed to clarify its effectiveness against liquefaction. Therefore, the authors carried out numerical analyses using LIQCA3D17 to evaluate the effectiveness of the PFS method quantitatively. As a result, the interval between the end-bearing sheet-piles was found to be an important factor for embankment settlement, and the installation of the end-bearing sheet-piles alternately could be reasonable.