A Comprehensive Guide To Sheet Piling And Its Uses In Construction

If you have ever been to a beach before, you will most likely have come across a sea wall at one time or another. The purpose of a sea wall is to protect parts of a shoreline from the continual destruction and erosion brought about by ocean tides. Understandably, the walls must be built to withstand the considerable forces created by the constant waves crashing against them. This is just one of the many applications of sheet piles. Beyond this, sheet piles are also commonly used in the construction of car parks, transportation networks and various building infrastructure.

The following article provides an introduction to sheet piles, an explanation of their functionality, the benefits of using them, the different types and their installation procedures.

What is sheet piling?

If you visit any given construction site, you will commonly see steel columns placed into the ground, with interlocking edges that connect them all together. These are sheet piles. Although steel is the most common material used to create them, sheet piles are also made from suitably strong timber and steel-reinforced concrete. The choice of material depends on the type of project that they are being used for. Sheet piling is used for temporary or permanent structural reinforcement.

Sheet piling is used for the purposes of land and water stabilisation, land recovery and soil excavation support. They are widely deployed in subterranean environments and used in the development of shoreline structures, sea walls and bridges.

How does sheet piling work?

The primary purpose of sheet piling is to provide a strong building foundation for the construction of specific structures. Whenever an area of soil or water needs to be constrained, sheet piles are put in place to prevent the water from seeping through and to prevent the soil from shifting and affecting the stability of the foundation.

As an example, when constructing the foundation for a skyscraper building, soil is required to be excavated. When the deeper layers of soil have been removed, they must be supported by sheet piling to prevent the soil from collapsing. In such instances, sheet piles are used to create a powerful retaining wall that is able to prevent the soil from collapsing and allows the construction of the foundation to begin. The retaining wall created by the sheet piles help to prevent soil erosion, landslips,

What are the benefits of sheet piling?

• They can be recycled and reused
• They are relatively light, allowing them to be easily transported and assembled
• They can be used for temporary or permanent reinforcement
• They come wide assortment of different sizes and are versatile, able to be adapted to suit specific design requirements
• They are strong and durable, able to last for years, whether aboveground or submerged in water, with little servicing
• They are cost-efficient and installations involve minimal noise
• Their steel junctures are able to endure substantial pressures, making them less susceptible to structural damage during assembly
• Their assembly isn’t complicated, requiring less supervisory staff
• They do not require ample storage room
• The structural members can be tightly bound, creating a watertight seal
• Sheet piling walls can be anchored to allow for greater design flexibility

What types of sheet piling are there?

The most commonly used materials for sheet piling include:

Steel

Steel is the most frequently used material for sheet piles. They are comprised of large steel members that utilise an interconnecting system, that allow for the construction of retaining walls that can be as long as required. Owing to its steel construction, steel sheet piles have strong resistance to pile-driving stresses, offer complete protection against water seepage, can be manufactured at any length desired, and are long lasting when used on land or underwater.

Concrete

Concrete sheet piles that are reinforced with steel bars (commonly referred to as ‘rebar’), consist of premanufactured concrete columns, that possess various joints to help them interlock with adjacent sheet piles. Concrete sheet piles are extremely heavy, making them highly resistant to pile-driving. The rebars increase their strength and reduce their susceptibility to pile-driving forces. Concrete sheet piles are commonly used in underwater environments, such as riverbanks and other marine locations.

Timber

Timber sheet piling is made from wooden platforms, that are suitable for withstanding less strenuous pressures. Given their fragility of timber, they are not suitable for demanding construction works. In cases where soil excavation is not extreme and water seepage is not a problem, timber sheet piles can be used. While they can be used underwater, they do require additional treatments such as timber coatings to prevent rotting.

How is sheet piling installed?

Sheet piling must be inspected by maintenance and installation companies for cracking before the installation process can proceed. There are three common ways to install sheet piling. These include:

Pressing – with this installation method, the sheet piles are pushed into the ground through the use of a hydraulic device. This method creates minimal noise, making it suitable for areas that have strict noise pollution laws in place.

Vibration – the most frequently used technique for sheet piling installation, vibration involves the use of a vibrating hammer. Piles are connected to their adjacent members uses a clamping device. Once all piles have been attached to each other, they are installed into the ground using vibration.

Excavation – as the name suggests, the sheet piles are driven into an excavated area. From here, self-supporting, water resistant retaining walls are constructed through the use of cement bentonite (CB). The sheet piles are installed as the cement begins to set.

While there are many ways to install sheet piles, identifying the ideal technique to use is based on a number of factors, including: the type of sheet piling, the available pile-driving equipment, style of retaining wall (temporary or permanent) and soil type.