Sheet piles are steel sheets with interlocking edges that retain soil and are installed using both vibratory and vibration-free rigs.

Common uses

Support excavations
Construct cofferdams
Construct seawalls and bulkheads
Create barriers to groundwater flow

Process

Sheet piles are installed in sequence to design depth along the planned excavation perimeter or seawall alignment. The interlocked sheet piles form a wall for permanent or temporary lateral earth support with reduced groundwater inflow. Anchors can be included to provide additional lateral support if required. 

Sheet pile walls have been used to support excavations for below-grade parking structures, basements, pump houses, and foundations, to construct cofferdams, and to construct seawalls and bulkheads. Permanent steel sheet piles are designed to provide a long service life. Vibratory hammers are typically used to install sheet piles. If soils are too hard or dense, an impact hammer can be used to complete the installation. At certain sites where vibrations are a concern, the sheets can be hydraulically pushed into the ground. 

Cold-rolled sheet piling is less expensive but provides less water resistance. Hot-rolled sheet piling is more traditional and provides better water resistance.

Advantages

A sustainable option as made of recycled steel and the piles can often be reused
Available in numerous combinations of size and weight
Immediate barrier to prevent soil loss and sloughing during excavation
Permanent sheet piles are designed to provide long service life

Quality assurance

Keller has a fleet of modern, safe rigs available to perform sheet pile installations of all kinds in all environments. The in-house design allows us to customize a cost-effective solution for each project and decades of experience allow us to avoid pitfalls in design and installation.