Alaska Patent of the Month – November 2021

Marine related bulkheads – or retaining walls – along the coast of Alaska are subjected to some of the most severe environmental conditions from high waves to earthquakes, weak soils and exposed bedrock to high water levels and more. In response to this, flat steel sheet piles have been used to overcome these changing field conditions. Thes sheet pile retaining structures are used in simple structures but require deep embedment to achieve the required strength. 

PND Engineers, Inc. have been providing engineering consulting services for over 40 years in Alaska. They know the severity of the weather conditions and the potential solutions to overcoming them. As such, they have designed a cellular sheet pile retaining system that provides more support. Their design uses unconnected tail walls which extend from the face wall away from the exterior environment. The wall is built of face wall sheet piles which extend into the soil and provide exterior protection from water, shoreline, beach, river, and valleys. The tail wall sheet piles extend further into the soil. The tail walls come in two sets, with each aimed away from each other. These two sets can also have variation in size and length which allows for support in various site and seismic conditions.

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