Section 4 Steel Sheet Piling Work

SECTION 4
STEEL SHEET PILING WORK
MATERIALS
Steel sheet pile
sections

4.01

Steel sheet piles shall be weldable structural steel to BS EN 10025 Grade

S275.
Steelwork and accessories for use in the system of lateral support shall be as
Section 15 - Structural Steel Work.
Testing of steel sections and accessories shall be as Section 15 - Structural
Steel Work.
Fabricate special and non-standard sheet piles including corner piles and
junction piles from sheet pile sections approved for use in the Works.
Provide sheet piles in single continuous lengths unless otherwise specified.
INFORMATION TO BE PROVIDED

Tender
submission

4.02

Submit the following information when specified in the tender documents:

(i)

Type of sheet pile proposed including proprietary name, grade of

steel, sectional modulus and qualities.

(ii)

Proposed sequence for installation of sheet piles.

(iii)

Details of special or non-standard piles.

(iv)

Details of initial trenching and guide frames.

(v)

Details of pile driving equipment selected including proprietary

names.

(vi)

Proposed method of pitching and driving piles to the tolerances given

in Clause 4.10.

(vii)

Contingency proposals for the remedy of piles installed outside the

tolerances.

(viii) Detailed calculations of the proposed sheet piles and the system of
lateral support of sheet piles prepared by a Registered Structural
Engineer when specified.
(ix)

Proposed sequence of excavation and installation of system of lateral

support if applicable.

(x)

Proposed system to monitor the effect of excavation and dewatering

on adjacent buildings, pavements, public or private services and any
other structures or permanent features as Clause 4.06.

(xi)

Undertaking that the noise caused by the sheet piling works shall
satisfy the legislation currently in force.

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Section 4 Steel Sheet Piling Work

Provision of
details
before
commencement
of works

4.03

When specified, submit detailed drawings with the method statements

showing:
(i)

The setting out arrangement for construction of the pile wall in

relation to the Site and to adjoining structures. Each pile shall be
annotated with a reference number and length.

(ii)

The sub-division of the pile wall into panels for the purposes of
driving.

(iii)

The location of corner and closure piles.

(iv)

Proposed work on standard piles, e.g. holes for lifting.

(v)

Design for the fabrication of corner, closure, taper and other

non-standard piles.

(vi)

The proposed sequence of driving by panel and by individual pile.

(vii)

Design of the guide frames required at all locations in the Works to

support piles for pitching and driving within required tolerances.

(viii) Design of lateral support if applicable, including details of

connections of walings, strutting, bracing, posts and splicing of
members and sequence of construction and sequence of subsequent
removal if applicable.
Do not change the method of installing sheet piles without approval.
WORKMANSHIP
Preliminary
ground
investigation

4.04

The Contractor shall carry out any additional preliminary ground

investigation he deems necessary to ascertain the nature of the ground and
sub-soil, including the oversite water table level and the nature of the
materials, (whether naturally occurring or otherwise), into which the sheet
piles shall be installed. Allow for liaising with the SO regarding access to
the Site and the execution of ground investigation works. Keep all nuisance
to a minimum and make good drill holes, trial pits etc., after completion in
accordance with the SO's requirements.

Existing
services

4.05

Comply with the following when it is necessary to carry out any work in the
vicinity of utility services:

Monitoring
system and
ground
settlement

4.06

(i)

Advise the relevant utility undertaking at least 7 days before

commencement of the Works.

(ii)

Excavate by hand to a depth sufficient to ascertain the position of

service pipes etc. to ensure that these services are not damaged .

Provide a system to monitor the effects of sheet piling work, subsequent

excavation and dewatering on adjacent buildings, pavements, public or
private services and any other structures or permanent features. The
monitoring system must be adequate to effectively monitor ground
movement.
Do not lower the ground water table level beyond the boundary of the Site
unless otherwise specified, and adopt the approved measures to control and
monitor ground water table levels.

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Section 4 Steel Sheet Piling Work

Pre-load struts or braces and carry out grout injection if required by site
conditions to minimise ground settlement.
Lateral support

4.07

Design by a Registered Structural Engineer when specified, the system of

lateral support to the sheet piles to resist horizontal soil and water pressure
arising from sub-soil conditions.
Construct the system of lateral support as Section 15 - Structural Steel Work
when detailed design is provided.
Install members of the system of lateral support as excavation proceeds in
stages in accordance with the approved construction sequence in the method
statement as Clause 4.03 (viii) or the designed sequence provided,
whichever is applicable.

Marking

4.08

Identify sheet piles on Site by marking with the relevant number in

accordance with the approved drawings of the sheet pile arrangement.
Mark the length on each pile and calibrate the pile at 1 m intervals along the
length to permit checking by the SO.

Welding and
splicing

4.09

Welding shall be in accordance with Section 15 - Structural Steel Work.

Sheet piles not exceeding l2 m long shall be in single lengths. Piles in
excess of l2 m may be spliced with approval. Splice sheet piles by full
strength butt welding and maintain the true vertical alignment.
Form special and non-standard sheet piles by full strength butt welding.

Tolerance

4.10

Install sheet piles within the following tolerances:

(i)

Deviation from the correct line at ground level: Not exceeding 15

mm.

(ii)

Deviation from verticality of individual piles in any direction:

(a)

Generally: Less than 1 : 400.

(b)

For end piles in panels and for guide piles: Less than 1 : 500.

Notwithstanding these specified tolerances, piles shall always be driven to

ensure that the stated dimensions of any permanent structural elements are
not reduced.
Pitching

4.11

Provide rigid guide frames at upper and lower levels on both sides of the
sheet piles. Accurately set out and interlock piles within the guide frames.
Guide frames shall be designed to maintain piles in their true positions
within tolerance during driving.

Driving

4.12

Keep noise and vibration to a minimum when driving sheet piles. Comply
with the legislation currently in force in connection with noise control.
Drive piles to the specified penetration with high frequency vibration pile
drivers. For hard driving only, other methods could be adopted if approved.
Extract and re-drive sheet piles installed outside tolerance. Replace any
extracted piles that the SO considers as unfit for re-driving. Alternatively,
the SO may approve the insertion of taper or other non-standard piles or
other methods of correcting the plumb of piles.

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Section 4 Steel Sheet Piling Work

Drive sheet piles in any length or panel progressively, with the top of no
individual pile exceeding 600 mm below the top of the adjacent piles.
Obstructions

4.13

Advise the SO immediately when obstructions are encountered that prevent

the installation of any sheet piles to the specified penetration.
Adopt an approved method for overcoming the obstruction which,
depending on actual circumstances, may include:
(i)

Withdrawing the sheet piles, excavating for and removing the

obstruction, backfilling and subsequently re-driving the sheet piles.

(ii)

Leaving the sheet piles at the depth of penetration achieved,

excavating for and removing the obstruction, backfilling and
subsequently completing the installation of the sheet piles.

(iii)

Driving the sheet piles on either side of the piles obstructed to the full
penetration specified, removing the obstruction during general
excavation work and subsequently completing the driving of the
piles obstructed. This method of removing obstructions may only be
adopted with the express permission of the SO.

(iv)

Driving through the obstruction under controlled conditions.

Replace any sheet piles damaged through the adoption of this
method.

(v)

Withdrawing and temporarily removing sheet piles, boring through

the obstruction from ground level with approved drilling equipment
and subsequently replacing and re-driving the piles.

Provide temporary propping/bracing to obstructed sheet piles when a

significant length of pile remains above the general top level of adjacent
piles.
Extraction

4.14

Do not extract sheet piles unless otherwise specified.

Burning off

4.15

Burn off the tops of sheet piles driven to full penetration to the level required
when specified.
Burn off the tops of sheet piles damaged by hard driving when so directed.

Sheet pile
record

4.16

Provide the SO with a record, in duplicate, for sheet piles driven the previous
day giving for each pile its identity number and the reference of the rig used.
The following data shall also be included:
(i)

Date sheet pile pitched.

(ii)

Length of completed sheet pile and whether spliced.

(iii)

Type of pile drivers used at all stages to achieve specified

penetration.

(iv)

Depth of penetration below an agreed datum level.

(v)

Details of any driving damage.

(vi)

Alignment of completed sheet pile.

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Section 4 Steel Sheet Piling Work

(vii)

Re-use steel
sheet pile from
other site

4.17

Details of any obstructions encountered and measures adopted for

overcoming the same if applicable.

Re-use of steel sheet piles from other site is permissible if they are used as
temporary works and their physical conditions are considered satisfactory by
the SO.

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