Moment Capacities and Deflection Limits of PFRP Sheet Piles

The structural response of pultruded fiber-reinforced polymer (PFRP) sheet pile panels subjected to a uniform pressure load was investigated. Single, connected, and concrete-backfilled panels were tested to ultimate failure in an attempt to determine their moment capacities, deflection limits, and failure mechanisms. The load-carrying capacity of single-panel FRP piles was found to be 15% higher than that of three panels connected together. No pin and eye joint separation was observed at failure. The concrete backfilled hybrid panels exhibited significantly increased moment capacity. However, the increase in stiffness after the first concrete crack was, at best, only 76% over the pile without backfill. Bearing failure of a PFRP pile with a partially confined support created excessive deflection in the wall, but showed no significant reduction in the load capacity. On the other hand, with fully confined support, the ultimate failure of single, connected, and concrete-backfilled panels was dominated by local buckling, longitudinal tearing, and bearing crush at shear keys, upon reaching a deflection limit of span/50.