Construction work below ground level requires additional reinforcement to protect it from water or other mechanical interference. This is especially true for loose lands, which are unstable on their own.
The construction of a building begins with a foundation pit. To prevent the destruction of nearby buildings, the topography of the soil surface and the landscape, additional reinforcement of the pit is used with the help of a Larsen sheet pile.
Definition
The sheet piling is a metal box-section structure with linear locks along the edges. When immersed in the ground, the elements are fixed to each other using grooves on the structure. As a result, a continuous, inseparable web is formed.
L5 sheet pile is made of high-strength steel in order to easily withstand immersion in hard ground. Depending on the load on the structure, sheet piles from 15 to 23 mm in thickness are used. When properly installed, the structure restrains ground movement and groundwater, providing a construction advantage.
Resin piles
For making sheet pilesnot only steel is used, but also high-strength polymers - polyvinyl chloride and fiberglass. Despite the increased degree of brittleness in comparison with classic metal sheet piles, polymer ones have a more budgetary cost.
The advantage of polymers is corrosion resistance. Because of this, they are often used to strengthen terraces, coastlines, slopes. Used to build small structures.
Scope of application
A tongue and groove is a design that has several varieties, of which metal and polymer are most commonly used. Depending on the characteristics of the material and soil, such elements are used in such cases:
- strengthening the coastline of water bodies;
- construction of bridge piers and other hydraulic structures;
- strengthening pits during the construction of large buildings;
- protecting the foundation from groundwater;
- protecting a specific area of soil from landslides.
The sheet piling creates an airtight space that holds back the natural movement of soil and groundwater. In the water zone, it is possible to create a ring from which water is completely pumped out for construction work.
Mounting technique
A sheet pile is a kind of pile that is driven into the ground using special construction equipment. Such elements are driven into the ground by mechanical action on the upper part of the structure.
Construction machinery creates vibrations or shocks that gently drive the pile intosoil. At the same time, for small structures, there are manual devices for driving in sheet piles. The choice of installation method is determined by the characteristics of the soil. So, in the soil, which contains a large number of stones or other solid inclusions, exceptionally strong metal structures are installed.
Since a sheet pile is a pile, installation begins with fixing the element in a vertical position. To facilitate the installation and movement of the pile in the soil, the fastener grooves are treated with a thick layer of lubricant. When installing sheet piles in places with an increased level of groundwater, the seams between structural elements are additionally sealed with silicone-based compounds. Resin sheet piles do not require additional lubrication in most cases.
The following measures are being taken to limit impact on surrounding buildings:
- reducing the impact force of the hammer;
- drilling a well for each individual structural element;
- reduce the number of sheet piles driven at the same time;
- using immersion lubricants.
This takes into account the condition of all buildings within a radius of 20 m from the construction site.
