QCS 2010

Section 4

Part 9

Steel Sheet Piling

Page 1

9.

STEEL SHEET PILING .................................................................................. 2

9.1

GENERAL...................................................................................................... 2

9.1.1
9.1.2
9.1.3
9.1.4
9.1.5

Scope
References
Submittals
Quality Assurance
Handling Storage and Marking of Piles

9.2

TEMPORARY WORKS USING STEEL SHEET PILES ................................. 3

9.3

MATERIAL ..................................................................................................... 3

9.4

SITE FABRICATION OF PILES..................................................................... 3

9.4.1
9.4.2
9.4.3

General
Lengthening of Piles
Acceptance Standards for Welds

9.5

DRIVING OF PILES ....................................................................................... 4

9.5.1
9.5.2
9.5.3
9.5.4
9.5.5
9.5.6
9.5.7
9.5.8

Piling Method
Piling Programme
Performance of Driving Equipment
Leaders and Trestles
Length of Piles
Driving Procedure and Redrive Checks
Obstructions
Damage to Adjacent Structures

9.6

FINAL SET..................................................................................................... 6

9.7

TOLERANCES............................................................................................... 6

9.8

RISEN PILES................................................................................................. 6

9.9

TIP ELEVATIONS .......................................................................................... 6

9.10

PREPARATION OF PILE HEADS ................................................................. 7

9.11

INSTALLATION RECORDS........................................................................... 7

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QCS 2010

Section 4

Part 9

Steel Sheet Piling

Page 2

9.

STEEL SHEET PILING

9.1

GENERAL

9.1.1

Scope

This Part includes steel sheet piling for temporary as well as permanent works which serve
generally to resist horizontal pressures due to soil and water and derive their stability from
the horizontal resistance of the ground into which they are driven and also horizontal support
provided by any anchors, ties, or struts.

Steel sheet piling used as bearing piles to support vertical loads shall conform to
requirements of steel piles given in Part 8 of this Section.

Related Sections and Parts are as follows:

This Section
Part 1, General Requirements for Piling Work
Part 8, Steel Piles.

9.1.2

References

The following Standards and other documents are referred to in this Part:
BS 2600, Radiographic examination of fusion welded butt joints in steel
Part 1, Methods for steel 2 mm up to and including 50 mm thick
BS 4872, Specification for approval testing of welders when welding procedure approval is
not required
Part 1, Fusion welding of steel
BS 5135, Specification for arc welding of carbon and carbon manganese steels
BS 5289, Code of practice for visual inspection of fusion welded joints
BS 7613, Hot rolled quenched and tempered weldable structural steel plates.
CIRIA Report 97, Trenching Practice.

9.1.3

Submittals

The Contractor shall submit for approval full details of the welding procedures and
electrodes with drawings and schedules as may be necessary.

All the steel elements of sheet piling including, but not limited to, plates, bolts and anchors
which are to be incorporated in the permanent Works shall be treated for corrosion
protection. Where particular method of corrosion protection is not specified, the Contractor
shall submit a method statement for corrosion protection treatment for approval of the
Engineer.

9.1.4

Quality Assurance

Work on site should be supervised by a competent person. He must have authority to make
any decisions necessary to ensure the safety of the operatives, the trench and its
surroundings.

Welders employed on the fabrication and site welding of piles shall have passed the welder
approval tests of BS 4872, Part 1 or other standard approved by the Engineer. Copies of
certificates relating to welders tests shall be made available to the Engineer on request.

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Section 4

Part 9

Steel Sheet Piling

Page 3

9.1.5

Handling Storage and Marking of Piles

All piles shall be stored in groups of the same length and on supports spaced to the approval
of the Engineer. All operations such as handling, transporting and pitching of piles shall be
carried out in a manner such that damage to piles and their coatings is minimised.

Each pile shall be clearly marked in indelible white paint with its number and its overall
length. Each pile shall be marked at 1 m intervals and, in addition, at intervals of 250 mm
along the top 3 m of its length before being driven.

9.2

TEMPORARY WORKS USING STEEL SHEET PILES

Where the Contractors work programme provides for the use of steel sheet piling to protect
existing buildings and facilities and to maintain excavations required for the construction of
the Works, the steel sheet piling shall be supplied and installed in accordance with this
Section except as modified by this Part.

In the case of temporary sheet piling, the Contractor shall be solely responsible for the
adequacy of the piling, bracing, shoring and dewatering to maintain safety and prevent
damage.

The piling, bracing and shoring shall be approved by the Engineer. For this purpose, the
Contractor shall submit his calculations and proposals for sheeting, bracing, strutting,
anchoring, and all related items to the Engineer.

Piling shall be driven to such a depth as may be required to prevent boil in the dewatered
excavation and provide lateral resistance at the toe of the dewatered excavation. The
Contractor shall submit calculations for minimum embedment of sheet piling below the final
excavation level.

Reference should be made to CIRIA Report 97 Trenching Practice as a guide for design and
use of temporary support for trenches.

Materials and equipment for supporting trenching must be of suitable quality and must be
inspected by a competent person before use.

9.3

MATERIAL

Sheet piling to be left in place as part of the permanent Works shall be new. New sheet piles
and tie rods shall be Grade 50A or 50B steel to BS 7613

The dimensional and weight tolerances for the permanent Works piles shall comply with the
manufacturers standard.

Welding during manufacture shall comply with the manufacturers standard.

The Employer shall provide the Contractor and the Engineer with test certificates, analyses
and mill sheets from the manufacturers shop inspection of the batch from which the pile
materials have been drawn.

9.4

SITE FABRICATION OF PILES

9.4.1

General

When pile lengths are to be made up on site, procedures and dimensional tolerances shall
conform to the specification for the supply of pile material. Adequate facilities shall be
provided for supporting and aligning the lengths of pile.

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Section 4

Part 9

Steel Sheet Piling

Page 4

9.4.2

Lengthening of Piles

Full penetration butt welds of the web, or other approved splice detail, shall be used for all
pile lengthening. Sections to be joined shall be maintained in true alignment and position.
The root edges or root faces of lengths of piles that are to be butt welded shall not differ by
more than 25 % of the thickness of piles not exceeding 12 mm thick or by more than 3 mm
for piles thicker than 12 mm. When piles of unequal thickness are to be butt welded, the
thickness of the thinner material shall be the criterion. Pile lengths shall be set up so that the
differences in dimensions are matched as evenly as possible.

The layout and sequence of welding operations shall be arranged to minimise any distortion
and incidental stresses. Approval of the welding procedure shall not relieve the Contractor
of any contractual responsibility.

9.4.3

Acceptance Standards for Welds

Visual examination of all weld preparation and of all completed welds shall be in accordance
with BS 5289. Radiographic examination shall be in accordance with BS 2600 Part 1. While
satisfactory results are being obtained, one radiograph 300 mm long shall be made for not
less than 10 % of the number of welded connections.

The Contractor shall keep detailed records of all weld testing carried out.

The acceptance levels for welded butt joints shall be Quality Category B of Table 18 of
BS 5135.

Any imperfection disclosed by visual examination or non-destructive testing which does not
conform to the required acceptance levels shall be sufficient cause for rejecting the weld. If
the results of any 10 % length subjected to non-destructive testing do not conform to the
required acceptance levels, two additional 10 % lengths from the same joint shall be tested.
If the results of these two further tests are acceptable, then the weld may be repaired and
shall then be retested by similar means. If the test is successful, the joint shall be accepted.

9.5

DRIVING OF PILES

9.5.1

Piling Method

Prior to commencing work, the Contractor shall submit for the Engineers approval all
relevant details of the methods of piling and the equipment he proposes to use, including
methods of guiding piles. The Contractors methods shall ensure that damage does not
occur to completed piles or to existing piles remaining in the Works.

9.5.2

Piling Programme

The Contractor shall provide a programme for the Engineers approval showing his proposed
sequence and timing of piling operations, consistent with the overall programme for the
Works. Such sequence and timing shall have regard to the avoidance of damage to
adjacent piles. In addition, the Contractor shall inform the Engineer each day of the
programme of piling for the following day and shall give adequate notice of his intention to
work outside normal hours and at weekends.

9.5.3

Performance of Driving Equipment

The Contractor shall satisfy the Engineer regarding the suitability, efficiency and energy of
the driving equipment. Unless otherwise approved, drop hammers shall not be used from
floating craft.

Pile drivers, whether impact or vibratory, shall be the size and type needed to achieve the
required penetration with the minimum damage to the piles. Hammers shall be maintained

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Section 4

Part 9

Steel Sheet Piling

Page 5

in proper alignment with the piles during driving by use of suitable leads or guides. A
protective driving cap of approved design shall be used, as required, to minimise the
damage to the top of the piles. Unless with the Engineers approval, pile driving shall be
done without jetting. Where jetting is permitted, the pile shall be driven for the final 1.5 m of
penetration. If the sheet piling goes progressively out of plumb, corrective steps shall be
taken. If necessary, piles shall be pulled and redriven.
9.5.4

Leaders and Trestles

Piling shall be accurately located and driven to the required depth plumb and true to line with
each pile interlocking with the adjacent pile throughout its entire length. Piling shall be driven
in stages. Initially, an individual pile shall be driven to a ground penetration of 2 m.
Subsequently, no individual pile shall be advanced more than 1.2 m deeper than either pile
next to it.

At all stages during driving and until incorporation in the superstructure, the pile shall be
adequately supported and restrained by means of leaders, trestles, temporary supports or
other guide arrangements to maintain position and alignment and to prevent buckling.
These arrangements shall be such that damage to the piles is minimised.

The Contractor shall ensure that piles are temporarily braced or stayed as the excavation for
the permanent Works advances inside the sheet pile containment. Temporary bracing shall
be removed on completion of the Works.

9.5.5

Length of Piles

The length of pile to be driven in any position shall be subject to the Engineers approval.
The Contractor may, if approved, provide each pile in more than one length, the first length
or subsequent lengths being extended during an interval in the pile driving operation. The
extra lengths shall be equal in all respects to the made-up piles and shall be added in the
manner and to the tolerances specified for full length piles. During and after welding the
lengths of piles shall be securely held to line and level.

9.5.6

Driving Procedure and Redrive Checks

The Contractor shall inform the Engineer without delay if an unexpected change in driving
characteristics is noted. A detailed record of the driving resistance over the full length of the
next nearest available pile shall be taken if required.

The Contractor shall give adequate notice and provide all facilities to enable the Engineer to
check driving resistance. A set shall be taken only in the presence of the Engineers
Representative unless otherwise approved.

Redrive checks, if required, shall be carried out to an approved procedure.

Driving arrangements shall be such as to ensure that the hammer blow is applied axially to
the pile.

Every care shall be taken in driving so that the piles will reach the required depth without
damage. If in the opinion of the Engineer damage is occurring through the use of a hammer
or equipment of incorrect type or size, the Contractor shall at his own cost replace it with one
which satisfies the Engineers requirements and shall at his own cost, trim the heads of piles
damaged during driving and extend the pile as necessary. Driving shall not continue on a
damaged pile head.

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Section 4

Part 9

Steel Sheet Piling

Page 6

9.5.7

Obstructions

If any obstruction to normal driving is encountered, the Contractor shall immediately notify
the Engineer and submit proposals for overcoming the difficulties for the Engineers
approval.

9.5.8

Damage to Adjacent Structures

If, during the execution of the work, damage is, or is likely to be, caused to mains, services
or adjacent structures, the Contractor shall submit to the Engineer his proposals for the
repair or avoidance of such damage.

9.6

FINAL SET

The final set of each pile in permanent Works shall be recorded as the number of blows
required to produce a penetration of 25 mm measured over a distance of at least 250 mm,
and
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)

the exposed part of the pile shall be in good condition without damage or distortion
the dolly and packing, if any, shall be in sound condition
the hammer blow shall be in line with the pile axis and the impact surfaces shall be
flat and at right angles to the pile and hammer axis
the hammer shall be in good condition and operating correctly
the temporary compression of the pile shall be recorded if required.

9.7

TOLERANCES

In permanent Works, the maximum permitted deviation of the axis of the pile head from the
centre line shown on the drawings shall be 50 mm in any direction. The maximum permitted
deviation of the finished pile from the vertical is 1 in 100.

Permanent piles deviating from these tolerances will be liable to rejection. Any pile so
rejected shall be extracted and removed from the Site by the Contractor and he shall drive a
replacement pile at this own cost complying in all respects with the specified requirements.
No payment will be made for or in connection with any pile so rejected.

Forcible corrections to driven steel sheet piles may only be made with the Engineers written
approval.

9.8

RISEN PILES

Piles shall be driven in an approved sequence to minimise the detrimental effects of heave
and lateral displacement of the ground. When required, levels and measurements shall be
taken to determine the movement of the ground or any pile resulting from the driving
process. When a pile has risen as a result of adjacent piles being driven, the Contractor
shall submit to the Engineer his proposals for correcting this and the avoidance of it in
subsequent work.

Piling shall be driven in stages, in accordance with Clause 9.5.4. Piling that is damaged or
driven without interlocking shall be withdrawn and replaced.

9.9

TIP ELEVATIONS

Piling shall be driven to such depth as may be required to prevent boil in the dewatered
foundation and provide the required lateral resistance at the toe of the dewatered
excavation.

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Section 4

Part 9

Steel Sheet Piling

Page 7

The piles for the permanent Works shall be driven to the designated penetrations, subject to
achieving a minimum set which shall be defined and agreed with the Engineer on the basis
of experience of driving the first few piles at each Site.

Piles for temporary Works shall be driven to the penetrations shown on the approved
drawings submitted by the Contractor.

9.10

PREPARATION OF PILE HEADS

Any damage to the head of the pile after driving shall be rectified. Permanent sheet piles
shall be cut to within 20 mm of the designated levels.

Vent holes may be flame cut provided the flame cut edges are dressed smooth.

9.11

INSTALLATION RECORDS

The Contractor shall keep records of the installation of each pile as given in Table 1.1 and
shall submit two signed copies of these records to the Engineer not later than noon of the
next working day after the pile was installed. The signed record will form a record of the
work. Any unexpected driving conditions shall be briefly noted in the records.
END OF PART

QCS 2010