Sheet Piling & Its Uses In The Construction Industry

By Author: Andrew Bain
Total Articles: 72
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In recent times, man has developed sophisticated buildings and construction designs. These designs require specialist expertise and the adoption of sophisticated tools in order to construct them. Over time, man has discovered that these designs require improved materials to help improve their strength and durability. Some of the most common applications for sheet piling includes:

Bridges: river embankment walls, sea walls, and dams.
Basements: tunnels and underground structures.

Compared to the early times of construction, present day society has seen the demand for building and constructing infrastructures and designs increase, all in a bid to beautify the environment and provide a more comfortable living for citizens. One characteristic that is required from every structure or building is quality, and its for this reason that sheet piles have become a standard inclusion in many major modern day design applications.

Sheet Piles are essential reinforcement materials used for construction purposes to provide strength to the building structures. The most common types of sheet piling includes:

...
... Timber sheet piles
Steel sheet piles
Reinforced concrete sheet piles.

The type of sheet pile used is dependent on a lot of factors. The factors that determine the kind of sheet pile to use are:

The type of structure: The type or kind of building structure influences the type of sheet piles that is to be used. Timber piles are better suited for light construction projects and should not be used for heavy construction to avoid the project collapsing in the future. Reinforced concrete and steel sheet piles can be used for any construction project.
The Duration: Timber sheet piles are better suited for temporary purposes, but if used for permanent purposes, require regular supervision. Whereas both reinforced concrete and steel sheet piles can serve for both long and short-term use.
Timber sheet piles are preferably used on land construction projects, not marine structures. Both reinforced concrete and steel sheet piles are suitable for marine structures as well.

Uses of sheet piling

There are different uses of sheet piles, but these are the three most common uses:

Sheet piles serve as retaining walls: This is because sheet Piles are designed to retain soil and water pressure and have the flexibility and strength to do so. Hence, they are used for retention walls in dams, tunnels, and underground structures.
Sheet piles are used in marine structures: Both reinforced concrete and steel sheet Piles are used here. Reinforce concrete sheet Piles are used in hand with timber sheet Piles for bridges and dams. The timber sheets are used to part the water body, enabling the engineers to cast the reinforced concrete sheet Piles in place. Steel sheet Piles are preferred for shorelines, mooring vessels, ports, and harbors. This is because steel sheet Piles are robust, reliable, durable, and easy to install.
Sheet piles are used in basements: Sheet piles used here are commonly made of steel.

Steel sheet piles are preferred due to the following reasons:

Cost-effective when compared to others
They take far less time to build
They don’t occupy an enormous amount of space
Using steel sheets provides superior structural support
They’re recyclable and can be used over and over again

Conclusion

Sheet piling is widely used throughout the construction industry, right across the world, by large fuel maintenance and installation corporations, such as The PSA Group. The different materials available make sheet piling an extremely versatile solution for many structural applications. For lighter projects, cheaper materials will suffice, while major works can incorporate larger, stronger and heavier materials to provide added strength and durability as required.

Managing director of leading Australian cleaning company, Worth Every Cent Cleaning.