Sheet Pile Application: Culvert Construction

Tips & Advice

Sheet pile can be used in a couple of different ways as it relates to culvert construction. It can be used to form a culvert side wall in conjunction with a concrete slab as an alternative to the more traditional concrete culvert in channel culvert construction. This is a fairly new and innovative practice, and it’s often simpler and easier than the alternative. It can also reduce the overall costs of construction by reducing project time. Another way sheet pile can be used in culvert construction or culvert replacement is in the building of cofferdam systems.

Culvert Side Wall Construction

A channel culvert is built to secure a channel or waterway during road construction and other construction when the area crosses the water. When sheet pile is applied in the construction of a channel culvert, the following happens:

  • A set of two culvert side walls are spaced separate from each other along the width of the channel or waterway. They are driven into the ground until they reach a hard, secure layer. These side walls are made up of a collection of steel sheet piles.

  • Sheet piles are also connected to the entrance end of the side walls in order to decrease the height of the walls and increase the separation distance between them in order to better drive them into place.

  • A wing wall is installed, which consists of reinforcing steel bars on top of the side walls.

  • A concrete slab is cured and installed in order to produce a culvert plate.

The end result of this process eliminates the need for the construction of a typical concrete culvert, which takes longer to set into place and is thus more expensive to build. Additionally, because the sheet pile side walls are driven deep into the ground, the culvert is structurally strong, which reduces the likelihood of cracking or deformation. This ultimately reduces the need for maintenance and lowers maintenance costs in the long run.

Sheet Pile in Culvert Replacement

Sheet pile is often used in cofferdam construction as a part of culvert replacement and construction projects. Cofferdams are typically made up sandbags, sheet piles, or an inflatable structure. Sandbags may be the most budget-friendly option, but they are not effective in areas where water rises above six feet or so. In such a case, sheet piles are the best choice. In the case of needing excavation beyond 2 feet in order to embed a sizeable culvert, sheet piles are driven deep into the ground to block channel flow.

When a cofferdam is constructed using sheet pile, the following occurs:

  • The sheet piles are driven in pairs across the water to obstruct its flow.

  • Piles are driven into the substrate next to the shoreline to properly seal off the flow of water from the project site.

  • The length of the sheet piles used for a particular project varies based on factors like soil conditions and the type of rocks in the area.

  • The sheet piles need to be driven far enough to block flow while also having enough height to adequately act as a protective barrier for the work area.

  • Sheet piles are most often driven into the ground using a vibratory hammer.

  • On occasion, small sandbags are placed around the periphery of the sheet pile in order to further fortify the area and prevent water flow.

Overall

Overall, sheet piles can play an important role in culvert construction and replacement. In the case of side wall construction, the use of sheet piles can make channel culvert construction easier and lower the costs of the project. And in the case of cofferdam construction for culvert projects, sheet piles are the best solution for areas involving water depths that exceed 6 feet or for projects that require excavation that exceeds 2 feet.

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