Sheet pile walls are vertical wall structures driven, vibrated or pressed deep into the ground to retain soil, water or both. They consist of individual planks or profiles connected to one another with interlocking joints, forming a continuous wall. Sheet pile walls are used for construction pits, quay walls, bank protection and dike reinforcement.
Types of sheet pile walls
Steel sheet pile
The most common variant. Available in U-, Z- or flat profiles (such as AZ, AU and PU profiles). Advantages:
- High stiffness and strength
- Reusable after extraction
- Quick installation with pile driver or vibrator
- Suitable for great depths of more than 25 metres
Timber sheet pile
Traditional version with timber planks, tongue-and-grooved:
- For light applications such as garden bank protection
- Long life for hardwoods underwater (oak, azobé, tropical hardwoods)
- Aesthetically suitable in natural surroundings
Plastic sheet pile
Composite or PVC profiles:
- Rust-free and lightweight
- Suitable for brackish and salt water
- Limited load capacity, suitable for low retention
- Quick installation without heavy machinery
Concrete sheet pile
Prefabricated concrete panels with tongue-and-groove joints:
- High durability in aggressive environments
- Attractive aesthetic finish possible
- Heavy transport required
Combi-wall
Combination of heavy tubular piles with lighter intermediate planks; for heavy loads in ports and at retaining walls.
Installation
Sheet pile walls are installed by:
- Pile driver — impact driving with falling weight (noisy, fast)
- Vibrator — vibrating into the ground with hydraulic vibrator (fast, quieter than impact)
- Press — static pressing (low noise, suitable for urban areas)
Application
Sheet pile walls are used for:
- Construction pits around an underground car park
- Quay walls in harbours
- Bank protection along ditches and canals
- Dike reinforcement as inner stabilisation
- Earth retention at road widening or sunken roads
Related terms
- Sheet pile wall
- Construction pit
- Bank protection
- Diaphragm wall
- Combi-wall
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