Numerical Modeling of Quay Walls Based on a Full-Scale Test: Influence of Cyclic Loading and Pile Elasto-Plasticity

Abstract

Quay walls in Amsterdam form the boundaries of the extensive canal system of the city. They were constructed more than 150 years ago on timber pile foundations and require successive renovations due to their deteriorating conditions. Today, the quay walls are subjected to load conditions that differ significantly from those considered in their initial design. Therefore, the city of Amsterdam, in collaboration with various institutions, aims to develop a strategy for the continuous monitoring of structural changes in quay walls. Based on an interactive platform, support assessments of the required maintenance measures and of the remaining service life of the quay walls will be provided to support asset owners in the condition assessment and decision-making for sustainable infrastructure management. As part of the "Live Quay" project, a concept for this platform is currently under development. Previously conducted load tests on quay walls provided the basis for optimizing geotechnical numerical models developed using the software PLAXIS 2D.In this thesis, the results of a quasi-static load test performed on the Recht booms sloot quay wall are compared with an initial numerical model, which is based on the current state of research. Afterwards, the numerical model is modified to include cyclic loading phases derived from the load test results. Different modeling approaches for the peat layer and the timber piles are evaluated. The peat layer is analyzed using the HS small and Creep-SCLAY1S soil models, while the timber piles are modeled using elastic and elasto-plastic behavior. Additionally, consolidation analyses are performed. The "Live Quay" project is structured into several work packages and is still under development. In order to further improve and validate the numerical models, optimization parameters are developed in this study. Using the soil model Creep-SCLAY1S for the peat layer in combination with elasto-plastically modeled piles shows promising results for a realistic representation of the structural behavior of the quay walls in Amsterdam. However, additional load test as well as further parameter and model optimization are required to enable reliable assessments within the framework of the future platform.