Reliability Based Design Of Timber Sheet Pile Walls

Load sharing effects were studied in timber sheet pile walls using a combination of full size tests and numerical modelling. A considerable higher load-sharing factor was found than the one currently specified in Eurocode 5. This is caused by the fact that wet timber has a better plastic capacity than dry timber, which is used in most structures. Provisions for the applicability of the load sharing factors are that the grade of the timber complies with the regulations, i.e. for azobé inaccordance with NEN 5480 Class A/B and for pine in accordance with NEN 5466 Class C or better. The numerically and experimentally found load sharing factors were close to each other. Based on the results of both the experiments and the Monte Carlo simulations a value of 1.17 for azobé and 1.33 for pine can be used for engineered timber sheet pile walls.