A sheet pile wall is a vertical retaining structure made of interlocking sections that are driven, vibrated or jacked into the ground side by side. Sheet pile walls hold back earth and water — for instance around an excavation, quay or dyke — and are common in both temporary and permanent civil engineering and foundation works.
Types of sheet pile walls
Several forms are used:
- Steel sheet piles — the most common, rolled profiles (such as Larssen or AZ) with interlocking clutches
- Timber sheet piles — historically used along quays; today mainly for green banks and garden retaining
- Concrete sheet piles — for permanent works, often precast with a tongue-and-groove joint
- Combined wall — heavy tubular piles with lighter intermediate piles for tall retaining heights
- Berlin wall (soldier pile wall) — steel H-piles with timber or steel infill panels, suited for dry retaining
Application
Sheet pile walls are used for:
- Excavations — dry, stable digging of basements and underground parking
- Quay walls and bank protection — keeping water and soil in place along waterways
- Dyke reinforcement — increasing the stability of flood defences
- Tunnels and trenches — temporary support during construction
Installation
Steel sheet piles are usually driven (impact), vibrated or statically pressed into the ground. In dense urban areas pressing is preferred because it produces less vibration and noise. The interlocking clutches between piles produce a watertight wall.
Loading and stability
A sheet pile wall is loaded by earth and water pressure. At greater depths the wall is anchored or strutted to prevent excessive deformation and failure. Design follows Eurocode 7 (geotechnics).
Related terms
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