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A Self-Learning Manual - Institution of Engineers Mauritius

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A <strong>Self</strong>-<strong>Learning</strong> <strong>Manual</strong><br />

Mastering Different Fields <strong>of</strong> Civil Engineering Works (VC-Q&A Method) Vincent T. H. CHU<br />

7. What is the vibration mechanism caused by driving sheetpiles?<br />

(S2)<br />

There are generally three main vibration mechanisms caused by driving<br />

sheetpiles:<br />

(v) When the sheetpiles are impacted by a hammer, a compressive<br />

wave would be formed and it travels down to the toe <strong>of</strong> sheetpiles.<br />

A large amount <strong>of</strong> energy would be used to cause downward<br />

movement <strong>of</strong> sheetpiles while some <strong>of</strong> the energy would be<br />

reflected back up to the sheetpiles. The remaining energy would<br />

be transmitted to soils which expand outward as a spherical<br />

wavefront called “P” waves.<br />

(vi) The impact action <strong>of</strong> hammer causes temporary lateral<br />

deformation <strong>of</strong> sheetpiles. A surface wave is then established<br />

which travels outward from pile shaft circumferentially.<br />

(vii) The downward motion <strong>of</strong> sheetpiles arising from hammering<br />

action induces vertically polarized shear waves which propagate<br />

outward in cylindrical wavefront.<br />

Fig. Vibration waves by driving<br />

8. Should wide or narrow sheetpiles be adopted in temporary work?<br />

(S3)<br />

In general, wide and deep sheetpiles tend to be more cost-effective than<br />

narrow sections because they provide the same bending strength with a<br />

lower weight per square foot. As such, with increasing width <strong>of</strong> sheetpiles<br />

sections, fewer sheetpiles are required to cover a certain length <strong>of</strong> piling<br />

395

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