What is a sheet pile?
Before we can describe the advantages of sheet piling, we have to answer the question, ‘What is a sheet pile?’
In most construction scenarios, a sheet pile is formed of steel. It is a hot-rolled steel sheet section, connecting with other such sheets by means of interlocking clutches. When driven into the ground and locked together, these strong and resilient sections form a length of sheet pile wall.
Steel sheet piles securely retain earth, water or seawater on one side, to safeguard a physical asset on the other, whether that is property, land, infrastructure or people. They can be used in this way for either permanent lateral earth or water retention, or temporary retention of these forces, with the installed sheet piles extracted when their purpose is served. Steel sheet piles provide efficient and effective excavation support on construction projects.
Sheet Piling UK and Sheet Pile Projects
Sheet Piling (UK) Ltd, has been the UK’s leading specialist sheet pile installer and supplier for some time, with its silver anniversary, marking 25 years of sheet piling excellence and ground engineering expertise, being celebrated in 2021.
From its Preston headquarters, Sheet Piling UK is commissioned to handle sheet piling projects nationwide – from the most complex to the relatively routine and from the most challenging, in solution design terms, to those crucial for national infrastructure development.
For every one, we adopt a value-added approach, focusing on innovative solutions, maximising budgets through the considered deployment of the right fleet vehicles for the brief or adopting a pro-active approach to problem-solving.
The advantages of using Sheet Piling UK for sheet pile installation are numerous. Clients, contractors and developers can tap into years of experience, cutting-edge in-house design expertise and turnkey solutions, which provide end-to-end project support. All services, including design, estimating, health and safety and administration, are housed under one roof, but Sheet Piling UK gangs can be found being precisely managed on sites across the country, wherever required, whether carrying out HS2 possession works in London or constructing a new ferry terminal in the Hebrides.
Similarly, clients and principal contractors can access the programme and cost-saving benefits of using unique equipment such as Sheet Piling UK’s exclusive long-reach ABI rigs, or show concern for local communities by choosing silent piling techniques.
They can also access sheet pile supplies quickly, with no programme disruption or unnecessary lead-in times, thanks to Sheet Piling UK holding the largest stock of steel sheet piles in its sector.
Furthermore, contractors have the security of knowing their installation works are carried out using top-quality steel sheet piles, manufactured by the excellence-driven Emirates Steel, for which Sheet Piling UK is the exclusive partner in the UK and Ireland, or by ArcelorMittal.
Types of Sheet Pile Projects
Sheet piles can be incorporated into many types of project and the advantages of sheet piling span all of these. Advantages can be enjoyed in very many types of project with some examples being:
- Retaining wall structures, including cantilever, propped and anchored walls
- Permanent retaining walls
- Harbour, sea wall and promenade repairs, as well as other marine projects
- Reservoir repair works
- Flood defence walls
- Inland waterway projects
- Cofferdam construction, for temporary ‘safe’ working
- King sheet pile walls
- Permanent sheet pile basements
- Railway embankment reconstruction or creation
- Motorway embankment works and bridge creation
- Smart motorway rescue area creation
- Urban regeneration projects, operating within tight space constraints
- Foundations’ support for construction projects
This versatility and ability to be of use in so many different types of project may be enough to convince you of the advantages of sheet piling for your projects. But are there more advantages of sheet piling to be considered? Here are 10 more.
Top 10 Advantages of Sheet Piling
- Using steel sheet piles saves £££s on the costs of concrete retaining walls.
- Steel sheet piles provide long-life construction solutions.
- Silent, vibrationless & community-considerate piling installation methods exist.
- Sheet piles embrace the reuse-recycle-reduce ethos.
- The hot-rolled steel manufacturers provide full sheet pile quality assurances.
- Any ground conditions – even hard – can accept steel sheet piles.
- Steel sheet piles are watertight.
- Temporary options are available, if a permanent structure is not necessary.
- Different lengths, section sizes, shapes and grades make sheet piles flexible and project-friendly.
- Sheet pile anchoring and propping accommodates increased retained height.
Let’s look at these 10 advantages of sheet piling in more depth:
1. Steel Sheet Piles v Concrete
Steel sheet piling is usually a far more cost-effective solution than concrete piling, regardless of whether a contiguous or secant concrete wall is considered. Project costs also accumulate due to delays and the mixing and setting of concrete is a good example of that, whereas steel sheet piles have a ‘ready to go’ nature.
2. Longevity of Steel Sheet Piles
Longevity should be the holy grail for any project and that’s what steel sheet piles can deliver, if used as a permanent solution. Their ‘life’ can span decades thanks to the corrosion-resistant properties of steel, protective coatings and accompanying design considerations such as sacrificial thickness. Very little maintenance is required, enabling steel sheet piles to be out of sight and out of mind, without any of the concerns that this can bring when using alternative earthworks methods.
3. Community-friendly Sheet Piling
Many companies wish to reduce their impacts on residential communities and other commercial enterprises but noise pollution can be a real issue and source of complaints, even in areas not deemed ‘environmentally sensitive’. By using a silent and vibrationless method of steel sheet pile installation and a ‘pressing-in’ method, public image and reputation can be safeguarded, corporate social responsibility demonstrated and ESG requirements met, to the benefit of all stakeholders.
4. Eco-friendly Sheet Piling
Eco-concern has risen greatly across the world and steel sheet piles, with their reuse-recycle-reduce ethos are the ‘greener’ choice. Temporary steel sheet piles can be removed when no longer required and re-used many times, on multiple projects, with no loss of integrity. When the time comes, they can be fully recycled, having helped reduce the carbon footprint of many different projects. They are a circular economy ‘hero’.
Additionally, when installing steel sheet piles, there is little spoil generated. Minimal soil disturbance is good for biodiversity and nature.
5. Quality assurances
Steel sheet piles offer stability and strength and, when using supplies from a leading manufacturer, come with the quality assurances that are ingrained in their hot-rolled steel manufacturing processes. Having the peace of mind of knowing that steel sheet piles have been robustly tested before leaving the factory, and have passed all of the stringent quality controls undertaken, is absolutely priceless and delivers a huge degree of justified confidence.
6. Installed in all ground conditions
Steel sheet piles can be installed in all ground conditions, even hard and rocky ground, with soil loosening processes being easy to implement, if ground proves a little problematic.
7. Watertight structures
With Larsson-type interlocks, interlocking steel sheet piles provide a highly effective watertight barrier, preventing water ingress in a variety of environments, even marine. Resisting water pressure is second nature to steel sheet piles.
8. Temporary or permanent – your choice
With extraction of steel sheet piles as easy as installation and getting them into the ground, there is no need to keep a structure in place, if it served a purpose that is no longer required. The temporary nature of sheet piling can make it a very useful ally, if no permanent installation is necessary.
9. Size, shape and grade options
Steel sheet piles are not a ‘one size fits all’ option but available in a variety of different lengths, shapes, section sizes and steel grades, so they can be optimised for use within a project’s design and specific requirements. With the option to also use some piles in a King Sheet Pile wall, there is a lot of scope for any project to utilise.
10. Anchoring and propping
Through anchoring and propping a steel sheet pile wall, you can gain the advantage of managing a higher retained height than you perhaps thought possible. Having this option, to increase the degree of control within the groundworks undertaken, can make a big difference to methodologies and potentially save tangible sums.
So, with so many advantages of sheet piling and all of the on-hand expertise available from Sheet Piling (UK) Ltd, all that remains is for you to get in touch with our knowledgeable and approachable team, to discuss your project. Please just call 01772 79 41 41.