Sheet-pile walls

Securing of excavation pits and terrain elevnations with sealing function

Steel sheet piling and drill supports have been a tried and tested method in specialised civil engineering and hydraulic engineering for over 100 years. Thanks to continuous improvement of the installation methods (displacement drilling, replacement drilling, low-pressure flushing), this method is characterised by high cost-effectiveness (temporary excavation support) and ever larger areas of application.

Implementation

To secure excavation pits horizontally against groundwater, we install sheet piling in existing soil layers with high water permeability or artificially created sealing bases.

The sheet-piles are vibrated into the ground using guided high-frequency vibrators. Various steel profiles (see sheet-pile types) are available for this purpose. The individual sheet-piles are connected to each other by interlocking ends (pick and claw) to create a continuous wall.

During installation, each sheet-pile is guided sideways through the interlock of the last sheet-pile driven and connected to it in a form-fit and watertight manner. With the interlock seal, the steel sheet-pile wall is virtually impermeable to water.

From a certain excavation depth, the sheet-pile wall must be secured to prevent severe deformation. This is done by means of a bracing on the excavation side, which is anchored back into the ground with grouted anchors. If anchors are not possible, the sheet-piling can also be supported inwards.

Examinations

Vibration measurement standard S9020

Applications

Construction pit enclosures in groundwater, contaminated soils, in bodies of water
Construction of shore securing structures, quay walls, harbour basins, harbour gates
Construction pit enclosure of pits and shafts for horizontal groundwater sealing
Retaining walls in the area of roads, railway tracks, bridge abutments
Flood protection

The main areas of application are excavation pits where the available space does not allow for a slope and where protection against pressing water or contaminated soils is required. Sheet-pile walls are also used as construction elements in hydraulic engineering for quay walls, lock walls, bridge piers, abutments, auxiliary bridges, harbour gates, canals, harbour basins and for flood protection.

Procedure and design variants

Vibratory pile driving
Ramming
Presses
Free riding with rope guide

Technical data

Device equipment	ABI TM 14/17 SL + MRZV 25 VV; BJ: 2022 ABI TM 14/17 SL + MRZV 25 VV; BJ: 2022 ABI TM 20 + MRZV 30 VV; YEAR: 2018 ABI TM 20 + MRZV 30 VV; YEAR OF MANUFACTURE: 2017 ABI TM 14/17 SL + MRZV 20 VV; YEAR OF MANUFACTURE: 2017 ABI TM 14/17 SL + MRZV 24 VV; YEAR: 2011 Vibrating Bear Free Rider MS-20-HFV Müller LH 924 wheeled excavator + MOVAX SG -60 V LH 924 mobile excavator + MS 4 LH 936 crawler excavator + MS 7 LH 946 crawler excavator + MS 10 or HVR60 MDBA - 4000 Drilling gearbox MDBA - 4500 Drilling gearbox MDBA - 7000 Drilling gearbox VDW - 10500 Double-head drilling gearbox
Pile driving depths	up to 28 m
Ramming profiles	Hot-rolled steel sheet piling (U-profiles, Z-profiles, HZ/AZ, AS 500 flat profiles) Cold-rolled steel sheet piling (sheet-piles, lightweight profiles) Corner profiles, bent sheet-piles, fitting piles, special piles, connecting piles, branch piles Steel pipes, steel beams, steel plates, steel boxes
Sheet-pile types	U-profiles (PU, GU, AU, Larssen, VL-profiles, L-profiles) Z-profiles (AZ 12 to AZ 52) HZ/AZ sheet piling system Combined walls CAZ profiles Jagged U-wall Jagged AZ wall Flat profiles AS 500
Lock seal	Bitumen filler: maximum applied water pressure: 100 KN / m² Permanently plasticised wax-mineral hot casting: max. water pressure 100 KN/m² Swelling agent: maximum applied water pressure: 200 KN / m² AKILA: maximum water pressure: 300 KN / m² Welding of the locks: 100% watertightness
Battering rams	Variable high-frequency vibrators to minimise vibrations Efficiency Drive system to reduce fuel consumption and noise Digital pile-driving log management of the pile-driving parameters
St. Valentin warehouse	23,000 tonnes of material
Sulz warehouse	5,000 tonnes of material