Name: ESC Group
Price range: $

Question 1

What is the proper vinyl sheet pile driving method for different soil types?

Accepted Answer

“Pitch and drive” method is the most practical way of pile driving in loose soils especially when using short piles.  Also called “set and drive”, this method installs piles one by one. However, with only one interlock in control, sheet piles have high tendencies of rotating from the axis and leaning forward or backward. Panel driving is recommended for the dense deposit of sands and compact cohesive soils such as heavy clay or in presence of obstructions. In this method, a number of piles are interlocked together before driving. The panel of piles is supported by guide frames and driven gradually in sequence, sometimes in a staggered manner. The method can achieve installations of longer piles in more difficult ground conditions with better results in sheet pile alignment and verticality. In cases of difficult ground conditions such as hard strata and the presence of obstructions, driving assistance is employed along with a proper selection of driving method and equipment. Jetting and drilling help by loosening or eliminating obstructions by creating pressure right under the tip of the sheet pile being driven. Long and slender PVC sheet piles require steel mandrels as supports when driven in such conditions. Mandrel, which shape is similar to sheet pile profiles, increases the rigidity of Plastic Sheet Pile and supports the weight of the driving equipment such as a vibro-hammer.

Question 2

What is the proper machine to drive piles in different conditions?

Accepted Answer

Impact driving is suitable for all soil types but appears to create the highest degree of stress to sheet piles. It is more appropriate to cohesive soils and soft soils such as silts and peats, loose medium to coarse sand, and gravels free of rock inclusions. Drop hammers such as the hydraulic hammer are the common types of impact-driving machinery. Driving using vibratory hammers is ideal for non-cohesive or granular soils such as soft soils and round-grained sand or gravel. It has also shown satisfactory performance in sandy, silty, or softer clay soils. It is less effective in angular-grained materials and soils with a firm consistency. With the introduction of vibration, however, the sub-soil can be further compacted, increasing penetration resistance and ultimately-refusal. If this is the case, driving aids like jetting and drilling might be necessary.

Question 3

What are the pvc sheet pile selection criteria for soil condition of different hardness?

Accepted Answer

General rule of the thumb: “the harder the soil, the stronger and stiffer sheet pile section should be used”. Driveability of a pile section is a consequence of its cross-sectional properties (thickness, depth, and width), designed shape, length, grade, and the applied load. Hardness of soil strata characterized by SPT or CPT values is used to predict soil resistance which is essential in the calculation of driving force to be applied. Knowing the range of force from the selected driving machine, corresponding sheet pile sections can be picked according to their yield strength and elastic modulus.

Question 4

How should I choose a sheet pile section for soils with, say, SPT Value, N=30? Can I still consider using vinyl or shift to steel?

Accepted Answer

Every sheet pile material has a design purpose, strengths, and areas of improvement. The availability of different materials denotes the need for a special material for a specific application. Plastic or synthetic sheet piles for example are known for being light and corrosion-resistant; Steel sheet piles are recognized for their extraordinary strength and versatility; and so on.

Delivering High Grade Engineered Solutions to the
Global Market for almost 40 years

Construction Solutions and Latest Updates

Major Advantages of Vinyl Sheet Piles over Steel Sheet Piles

When to Use Tie-rod and Strut as Support for Sheet Piles

ESC Times 2020 June Edition

Why make your Marine Bollards or Steel Structures Yellow?

SSAW Steel Pipe vs. LSAW Steel Pipe

Choosing the Right Marine Fender

Steel Structures or Reinforced Concrete?

Vinyl Sheet Pile (PVC Sheet Pile) Driving Method

ESC Response to CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)

Steel Pipe Piles, Steel Pipe-Sheet Piles and Combination Walls

Sheet Pile Types and Applications

Job Story: Duqm Liquid Bulk Berths Project, Sultanate of Oman

Mare Harbour: International Project of the Year at the Construction News Awards

ESC Group becomes an Affiliate of Marubeni Itochu Steel. Inc. (MISI)

Cathodic Protection of Steel Piles in Practice

Mooring Bollards (Types and Differences)

Types of Marine Fenders

Importance of Safety in Trench Excavation: Introduction to ESC Trench Boxes

Vinyl Sheet Pile Installation

FSPIV Sheet Piles for The Proposed The Point Development Project

ESC Trench Sheets & Trench Boxes Supplied to ADSSC Projects

Fabrication of Water Tanks for GTC Project, UAE

ESC Trench Boxes Supplied to Al Khawaneej Sewerage and Drainage Network, UAE

Plagiarism of ESC product and project photos - Nanjing Grand Steel Piling