In construction, there is a type of pile called sheet pile. The main purpose of these products is the creation of fences, which eliminates the movement of soil and the penetration of moisture. These products are not used for foundation construction.
Main advantages
Sheet piles are products made of different materials. When using them, rows or fences are erected. Another name for these products is known - impervious curtains. They are a wall of piles that fit tightly together.
Installation is carried out by pressing or dipping into the soil. Among the advantages should be highlighted:
- lack of need to take out and take out soil;
- the ability to increase security after installation;
- compactness;
- reduced construction time due to readiness for installation;
- the possibility of reuse.
Piles take up little space. They have a high bearing capacity and allow you to use them repeatedly, because dismantling is quite simple. Products can be removed from the ground.
Main types
The described piles can be classified according to several criteria, among others, the material is based on, they are:
The first variety is also called Larsen piles and is a gutter with grooves on the sides of the walls. These structures are used in various areas of construction, for example, when creating storage facilities, bridges, as well as oil terminals. Products are used to strengthen the shores of water bodies and help to eliminate flooding and landslide. With the help of a steel sheet pile, the pavement or embankments are strengthened.
Designs are widespread in residential construction. If the basis is PVC, then the wall will be able to withstand high loads. It has sufficient strength. Piles are used to strengthen the shores and are popular for their ease of installation and affordable cost.
PVC sheet pile is quite effective and can solve the problem with the stabilization of the coastline. When the composite is the basis, we are talking about products that have appeared on the construction market recently. They are based on ultra-composite material, and their characteristics are similar to sheet piling designs, but have a more affordable cost. The bearing capacity is compared with metal dowels, but the price is more favorable.
Reinforced concrete piles
The device of reinforced concrete piles is characterized by the presence of joints that ensure the tightness of the structure. They have the shape of trapezoidal dowels and grooves, which are inserted into each other during installation. Industrial technologies allow the manufacture of elements up to 15 m in length. Increasing this parameter is almost impossible, because there are difficulties with transportation and installation. At these stages, you may encounter problems of damage to the castle.
Such sheet piles have significant weight and are used to strengthen coastlines and during the construction of special purpose sites. Installation is carried out using driving equipment.
The advantages of polymer products
Recently, piles made of composite materials have become increasingly widespread. They allow you to reduce the cost of construction and maintain operational characteristics. By some properties, such designs are better than other varieties. They do not rot and corrode, do not require additional operating costs and do not require preservation. This makes the use of such products more profitable compared to metal.
They are slightly inferior in strength if special requirements are imposed in this regard. More often in construction, models are used whose shape is similar to metal piles of a trough type. Castle connections can be presented in several options. Installation is carried out by vibration dipping with preliminary erosion of the soil, and in difficult conditions, the technology of digging piles is used.
Mounting technology
Sheet piles of steel are mounted according to a specific technology. At the first stage, it provides for the implementation of design calculations based on soil studies. After the location and support of the tongues are calculated. The permissible movements and movement of the products must be taken into account. Calculations should be entrusted to professionals.
At the next stage, preparatory work is carried out, providing for the tracing of the axes of the wall. Machinery and equipment is delivered to the territory, work platforms and a foundation pit are being prepared. If at this stage it was not possible to determine the immersion method, a test should be performed. Depending on the quality of immersion and the ability to introduce the following dowels, the possibility of applying one or another method is determined. Then you can begin to install metal piles.
Methodology
Installation is carried out on one product or in pairs. Guide frames made of wood fit into the soil. The distance between them should be equal to the width of the tongue. The structures are inserted into the lock of the corner product and plunged to a depth of 2 to 4 m.
The rest of the tongues follow, they are located in those areas where the guide frames are located. To avoid deviations during immersion, the upper contractions are set, which are immersed in the soil together with piles. In the process, there may be obstacles in the form of large boulders. This can cause the walls to break between the locks.
Sometimes the problem is expressed in the curvature of the lower edge of metal piles. To exclude such situations, reinforcement of the base is necessary. When the tongue meets the boulder, you will feel a slowdown in diving.
Foundation price
Some novice home masters mistakenly believe that sheet piles form the basis of the usual foundation. This is not true. These products have different purposes. If you are nevertheless interested in the basis for your future housing, then you should familiarize yourself with the price of such work. If you plan to do construction yourself, you can study the prices of screw piles. They depend on the length. If this parameter is 1.5 m, then you can purchase products for 1250 rubles. With an increase in this value to 6 m, the price rises to 3300 rubles.
Some companies provide foundation installation services for piles. Products with a length of 1.5 m can be mounted at 1750 rubles. This price also includes the tip. Manual installation costs 800 rubles. Price increases with the length of the product. If it is 6 m, then you will have to pay 1,700 rubles for manual installation. If the pile for the foundation will be mounted using equipment, then you will pay 3950 rubles for the work.
Before purchasing a support, it is important to inquire about its technical characteristics. With a barrel diameter of 57 mm, you can count on the bearing capacity, which is 1 ton. Coverage affects the cost of the foundation. The weight of the barrel can reach 45 kg, while the minimum value is 10 kg. The diameter of the blade is equivalent to 200 mm, and its thickness is 4 m.
The cost of the foundation should be calculated taking into account the price of installing one pile. If you want to carry out manual installation with the help of specialists, using a pile of 3.5 m in length, you will have to pay 1200 rubles.
Finally
The main purpose of sheet piles is the exclusion of moisture penetration into the pit. Such products are used at sites where the groundwater level is quite high. The installed wall helps to carry out construction work when the foundation is laid deep. Slopes while maintaining a vertical position.
Such piles are not used for the construction of the underground parts of the structure; they act only as an auxiliary element for strengthening trenches and pits. However, in some cases, they play the role of the outer shell of the foundation.