EXPERIMENTAL SLURRY TRENCH WALLS IN THE CROSSING AT MULHOUSE OF THE CANAL FROM THE RHONE TO THE RHINE

THIS ARTICLE REPORTS ON A NUMBER OF FINDINGS AND MEASUREMENTS RESULTING FROM THE CONSTRUCTION OF SLURRY TRENCH WALLS IN THE CITY OF MULHOUSE. TWO ASPECTS OF THE CONSTRUCTION HAVE BEEN EXAMINED. THE FIRST CONCERNS THE STUDY OF CONCRETE AND BENTONITE SUSPENSION, THE OTHER CONCERNS THE MEASUREMENT OF THE STRESSES ON THE WALL BY MEANS OF PRESSURE CELLS AND THE MEASUREMENT OF DEFORMATION. FOR IN-SITU CONCRETE CONTROL, THE ANGERS FLUID METER, THE AIR PICNOMETER, THE ABRAMS CONE AND THE WATT METER WERE USED. THE MEASUREMENT OF THE SOIL AND DISPLACEMENTS MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO ESTIMATE THE BEHAVIOUR OF THE SOIL IN BOTH THE PASSIVE AND ACTIVE EARTH PRESSURE ZONES, BOTH ABOVE AND BELOW THE LEVEL OF THE DRAINAGE. THE DEFORMATIONS OF THE WALL AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE STEEL GIVE AN INDICATION OF THE MAGNITUDE OF THE BENDING MOMENTS AT DIFFERENT LEVELS, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT EACH LOADING PHASE. IN CONCLUSION, THE ARTICLE OUTLINES A METHOD FOR THE EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF RETAINING SHEET PILE WALLS.