The influence of sectional shape of steel sheet piles on the active earth pressure against a steel sheet pile wall was investigated by finite element simulation. First the numerical model was validated through a numerical simulation of a small scale model test compared with the measured data. The verified model was then used to simulate the response of a steel sheet pile wall subjected to different displacement modes at the active state. A comparative analysis was conducted between the case of steel sheet pile wall and a planar wall to find out the sectional shape effect on the distribution and magnitude of earth pressure against the wall

and the possible mechanism and influencing factors. The results indicate that the sectional shape of the steel sheet pile wall affects the distribution of the transversal earth pressure against the wall. The active earth pressure acting on the extruding portion of the sheet pile wall is larger than that on the denting portion when the wall translates beyond the wall or rotates around the top

while such distinction is trivial when the wall rotates around the base. The shape-induced difference of the transversal earth pressure against the sheet pile wall roots in the soil arching; and it heavily replies on the sectional aspect ratio

and less on the wall-soil frictional properties.